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Box Office: DreamWorks Banks $63 Mil with MADAGASCAR 2
By
Jarrod Sarafin
November 09, 2008
© Dreamworks Animation
We knew the winner for this weekend’s report would be DreamWorks’ Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa so there’s no surprise to write about here. Anytime a family friendly animation hits over 4,000 screens and clocks in at only 1 hr and 29 minutes long, it’s going to win in most cases. The original film was only three minutes shorter and managed a successful May 2005 debut to the tune of $47.2 million. Its sequel kicked off the early holiday box office season this weekend by grabbing an estimated $63.5 million on 4,056 theaters across the country. If you count the $18.1 million the film has already grabbed from some international markets, Paramount and DreamWorks already has a worldwide gross of $81.6 million after only three days of release. We may not have a budget to list here but that kind of opening is very successful for the distributors.
Universal Pictures should be feeling pretty good as well with their buddy comedy Role Models debuting in 2nd place. The comedy had a successful opening this weekend on its 2,792 theaters by grossing a respectable $19.2 million in sales. This has the film averaging $6,895 per showing with audiences around the country. Again, no budget has been listed but it’s likely low so it’s a decent opening for Universal executives.
High School Musical 3: Senior Year dropped two places to 3rd place in its third weekend at the box office but Disney shouldn’t feel too bad here. The singing teens tallied up another $9.2 million this weekend on its 3,464 theaters, which makes for an average rate of $2,683 per showing. Again, the house that Mickey built should be just fine with these numbers. After all the film only cost $11 million to produce and has grossed $168.6 million worldwide after seventeen days of release.
Clint Eastwood’s drama Changeling didn’t budge in its third weekend. It had the 4th place spot last weekend and has it yet again for this report. The Angelina Jolie vehicle took in another $7.2 million this weekend, which has its domestic gross at $20.5 million.
The Weinstein Company and director Kevin Smith found their comedy Zack and Miri Make a Porno dropping three places to 5th place in their second weekend by taking in another $6.5 million on 2,735 theaters across the nation. The film has now grossed $20.9 million after only ten days of release, which has it looking towards being his #1 performer since it only has $4 million to go to beat Clerks II and only $10 million to go to beat his previous highest grossing film Dogma ($30.6 mil).
And the final debuting wide release Soul Men follows in 6th place for The Weinstein Company and MGM by managing an opening total of $5.6 million. The distributors released one of Bernie Mac’s last performances on 2,044 theaters so it makes for an average of $2,745 per showing with audiences around the nation. The late Bernie still has two other projects in post production, a TV production called “Welcome to the Family” (Bernie as a narrator for the story) and a 2009 film titled Old Dogs.
Lionsgate dropped four places with the fifth installment of their very successful Saw franchise grabbing the 7th place spot and scaring up another $4.2 million on 2,829 theaters. The film, which only cost $10.8 mil to produce, has grossed $52.3 million domestically. If you include the $16.0 mil from international markets, the fifth installment has a worldwide gross of $68.4 million.
The Haunting of Molly Hartley dropped three places to 8th place with a $3.4 million weekend tally. Freestyle Releasing has grabbed $10.2 million domestically in ten days of release.
Fox Searchlight also has a moderate success on their hands with their drama The Secret Life of Bees. The film grabbed 9th place and took in another $3.1 million this weekend. After four weekends of release, it has a domestic gross of $29.9 million. Not bad for a film which only cost $11 mil to produce.
And the final 10th place spot goes to D.J. Caruso’s Eagle Eye which found the top 10 for its seventh weekend of release by managing another $2.5 million on 1,407 theaters. This is yet another success for Shia LaBeouf and Caruso with the film $162.8 million worldwide with a budget of $80 mil.
| Rank | Movie | Weekend | Theaters | Average | Total | Budget |
| 1 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | $63.5 mil | 4,056 | $15,656 | $63.5 mil | ---- |
| 2 | Role Models | $19.2 mil | 2,792 | $6,895 | $19.2 mil | ---- |
| 3 | High School Musical 3: Senior Year | $9.2 mil | 3,464 | $2,683 | $75.7 mil | 11 |
| 4 | Changeling | $7.2 mil | 1,855 | $3,925 | $20.5 mil | ----- |
| 5 | Zack and Miri Make a Porno | $6.5 mil | 2,735 | $2,384 | $20.9 mil | ----- |
| 6 | Soul Men | $5.6 mil | 2,044 | $2,745 | $5.6 mil | ----- |
| 7 | Saw V | $4.2 mil | 2,829 | $1,485 | $52.3 mil | 10.8 |
| 8 | The Haunting of Molly Hartley | $3.4 mil | 2,576 | $1,355 | $10.2 mil | ----- |
| 9 | The Secret Life of Bees | $3.1 mil | 1,481 | $2,110 | $29.9 mil | 11 |
| 10 | Eagle Eye | $2.5 mil | 1,407 | $1,844 | $96.4 mil | 80 |
American audiences are now ready for the next 007 adventure with Quantum of Solace ready to strike theaters next weekend. Casino Royale, the first adventure with Daniel Craig as the title role, opened in theaters on November 17, 2005 with an opening of $40.8 on 3,434 theaters. Sony and Columbia Pictures has its sequel Quantum of Solace hitting three days earlier on November 14, 2008 with a pre-estimate of 3,400 theaters (probably some more getting tacked on by next weekend).
Since it’s the only wide release next weekend with only returning Madagascar 2 taking away from its box office results, it will likely beat Royale’s opening tally. The question remains on whether it can gross more overall though. The previous installment made some major bank overseas with it hauling in $426.7 million from international markets alone. With its domestic gross of $167.4 million, the first Craig feature grossed $594.2 million worldwide.
Can Quantum of Solace beat that worldwide total this holiday season?
Edit: The foreign numbers are in and the latest 007 adventure has nabbed an eye popping $106.5 million at 9,870 theaters from 60 territories this weekend, which makes for a worldwide gross of $160.3 million a week before it even hits U.S. theaters.
Either way, get ready for a James Bond victory next weekend.
Friday November 14, 2008 Releases:
Wide
Quantum of Solace (3,400+ theaters)
Limited
Slumdog Millionaire
A Christmas Tale
How About You
The Dukes
Faded Memories
Sneak Previews
Bolt (800 theaters)
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I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT FUCKING WAIT FOR BOND!