Box Office Report

Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) in EVAN ALMIGHTY (2007).
© Universal Pictures

EVAN Sails to the Top

By: Jarrod Sarafin, News Editor
Date: Sunday, June 24, 2007

Evan Almighty flooded into 3,604 theaters this weekend clocking in at 1 hour and 30 minutes in length. The Universal comedy, starring Steve Carell and Morgan Freeman, ended up drowning out its competition in the process. It pulled in 32.1 million in receipts averaging $8,910 per showing in each of its auditoriums landing the film in 1^st place for this weekend’s box office report.

Honestly, Maniacs, I’m not sure there are much positive things to say about Evan coming out on top here. It’s not the same as its predecessor, Bruce Almighty (2003). The first film which Evan is loosely based off of landed in the top spot for its first week of release with much better numbers to report and stiffer competition. Bruce Almighty opened in 3,483 theaters on May 23, 2003 pulling in 67.9 million, knocking Matrix Reloaded off the top spot after it had ruled for only one week.

Back then, Universal had something to cheer about. Bruce had a budget of only 81 million. With the comedy taking in 67.9 million and knocking Reloaded over in such a way, the studio had something to be celebrating. The Jim Carrey/Morgan Freeman team would go onward to gross 484 million worldwide before it was finished. It had a future to be positive about.

Evan Almighty taking in 32.1 million in receipts? Not such a positive outlook can be taken here. Evan’s budget is clocked in an eye staggering 175 mil budget and nobody expects Evan to maintain first place for the next 4 days, let alone next weekend.

Basically, this is it, Maniacs. This is the weekend when the studios begin literally killing each other in the box office report. The grindhouse effectis on!

Who landed in second place?

It really is too close to call. All that separates 2^nd and 3^rd place according to the estimates is 25,000 dollars. Yep, that’s it! For now, let’s say the estimates has the Stephen King adapted 1408 horror film in 2^nd place with 20,175,000 in receipts. The film starring John Cusack took in the cash on only 2,678 theaters averaging $7,533 per showing. With a budget of only 25 million, obviously MGM can relax a little by its performance this weekend. It may not have taken first place but it was going up against two PG-13 light fare targeted movies with over 7,567 theaters combined. The studio certainly has nothing to be negative about.

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer follows behind with 20,150,000 in box office cash for the weekend. Obviously its 3^rd place for now but it may be in 2^nd place when the actual numbers begin coming into replace the estimates. What can be said is the comic based movie dropped a whopping 65.3% from its debut to this weekend. As I say earlier, this dropout effect is going to start becoming widespread, Maniacs. I’m pretty sure Evan Almighty is going to have the same effect next weekend with the other Fox funded tent pole Live Free or Die Hard opens up on Tuesday at Midnight. Fox will then be pushed out of the way once again when Paramount’s Transformers opens up just 7 days later.

This grindhouse effect doesn’t mean that FF:RoSS will be a failure for Fox but it does mean it has some obstacles to overcome in the next few weeks to rake in as much cash as it could have on a less congested summer season. FF: ROSS hit the worldwide 100 million mark on Wednesday afternoon. It will also hit the domestic 100 mil mark by this evening. When the foreign grosses from this weekend roll out by Tuesday, I’m sure it will have passed its budget of 130 million.

The WarnerBroscomedyOcean’s Thirteen follows in 4^th place taking in 11.3 million over the last three days. The ensemble cast averaged $3,288 in its theaters. Over the past three weeks, the comedy has taken in 91.0 million domestically and another 67.4 million overseas. Warner Bros hasn’t released the budget for this film but it has taken in a total of 158.4 million worldwide.

Judd Apatow’s latest couple comedy, Knocked Up, follows in 5^th place taking in 10.6 million in box office cash. The comedy has pulled in 108.9 million in 4 weeks of release. I guess Universal does have something to be thankful for this summer outside of worrying about its Evan Almighty. They may have spent 175 mil for Evan but they only spent 30 mil on making Knocked Up. Also, another positive note for the film. Whereas all the other films drop anywhere from 50-60% every weekend from its previous weekend, Knocked up continues to stay steady. It dropped just 24.4% from its previous weekend’s numbers.

Next up is the Disney adventure, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. The film took in 7.2 million even while the film is getting pulled out of 527 theaters. The third installment landed in 6^th place averaging just $2,574 per showing on its 2,802 theaters across the world. Potc:AWE has taken in 287.0 million domestically now in its 5 weeks of release. I’d say with certainly that it will hit the 300 million domestic mark by next weekend. The film has already taken the top foreign box office spot for the summer pulling in another 585 million overseas.

Sony’s animation comedy Surf’s Up grabbing up 7^th place over the weekend. It’s taken in 6.7 million over the past 3 days putting its domestic gross at 47.3 million in its three weeks of release.

The Dreamworks animation Shrek The Third took in 5.7 million landing in 8^th place. The studio does have something to celebrate about over the past week hitting the 300 million domestic mark last Thursday afternoon. Mike Myer’s comedy has grabbed up 307.9 million here in the states and another 108.2 million overseas. These receipts place its worldwide gross at 416.1 million thus far.

Warner Bros executives are most likely scratching their heads with their release Nancy Drew. The homage to the old sleuth stories landed in 7^th place on its debut weekend and now 9^th place in its second week. The film took in only 4.5 million over the past three days and only 16.1 mil total in domestic grosses.

10^th place is being held for the only other new release for the week. Paramount’s A Mighty Heart (starring Angeline Jolie and based off the Daniel Pearl story) grabbed 4.0 million on its 1,355 theaters. With such a low screen amount, the studio can be positive about the film landing in the top 10 for the weekend.

Other information:

Mr. Brooks, Spider-Man 3 & Hostel Part II didn’t make the top 10. Mr. Brooks landed in 11^th place with 1.5 million. Spider-Man 3 took in 1.3 million in 12^th place & Hostel Part II fell to 13^th place with 1.0 mil

Rank	Movie	Weekend $	Theaters	Average	Total $
1	Evan Almighty	32.1 mil	3,604	$8,910	32.1 mil
2	1408	20.175 mil	2,678	$7,533	20.1 mil
3	Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer	20.150 mil	3,963	$5,084	97.6 mil
4	Ocean’s Thirteen	11.3 mil	3,450	$3,288	91.0 mil
5	Knocked Up	10.6 mil	2,975	$3,575	108.9 mil
6	Pirates of the Caribbean:AWE	7.2 mil	2,802	$2,574	287.0 mil
7	Surf’s Up	6.7 mil	3,309	$2,024	47.3 mil
8	Shrek the Third	5.7 mil	2,822	$2,038	307.9 mil
9	Nancy Drew	4.5 mil	2,612	$1,724	16.1 mil
10	A Mighty Heart	4.0 mil	1,355	$2,956	4.0 mil

It’s time for the Summer Movie Season to get down & dirty!

Here’s the time when you can start seeing which movies of the summer are coming out on top and which movies are having lackluster performances at the box office. Especially in terms of that old bugaboo----high expectations and even higher budgets.

The first two movies are still a little too close to call. Yes, I’m aware that Spider-Man 3 is the top Domestic performer so far but Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End still has a few more weeks in the lower echelons of the Top 10. Each week, it will row in some more box office cash here and there. Not to mention, it has already surpassed Spidey two weeks ago in foreign box office receipts. The jury is still in on which movie comes out on top in worldwide gross.

Shrek The Third seems to be locked up in the third place as of this moment but will it keep that position when Transformers and Harry Potter & The Order of the Phoenix hit the market? Obviously, Dreamworks and Paramount have still pulled a major success out of their hat with Shrek 3. The film reached the 300 million domestic mark on Thursday which I covered here at Mania. To read that news, click right here.

Here’s a look at their placing and their numbers.

1. Spider-Man 3 Numbers:

Budget: 258 million

Opening Weekend: 151.1 million

Total Domestic: 332.5 million

Total Foreign: 543.8 million

Worldwide Total: 876.3 million

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End

Budget: 300 million

Opening Weekend: 156.1 million

Total Domestic: 287.0 million

Total Foreign: 585.0 million

Worldwide Total: 872.0 million

Note: As you can see, the placing is about to change.

3. Shrek 3 Numbers:

Budget: 160 million

Opening Weekend: 121.6 million

Total Domestic: 307.9 million

Total Foreign: 108.2 million

Worldwide Total: 416.1 million

4. Ocean’s Thirteen Numbers:

Budget: N/A

Opening Weekend: 36.1 million

Total Domestic: 91.0 million

Total Foreign: 67.4 million

Worldwide Total: 158.4 million

5. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer Numbers:

Budget: 130 million

Opening Weekend: 58.0 million

Total Domestic: 97.6 million

Total Foreign: 27.7 million

Worldwide Total: 125.3 million

That’s the top 5 summer season releases so far. Knocked Up is right behind in 6^th place with 108 million in sales. The film hasn’t been released in foreign box office as of yet.

The grindhouse effect over the next few weeks will see how these above movies move around in their various places. With so many movies stacked against each other, it seems like a good guess that none of the next few releases will take over the top 3 spots anytime soon.

Yes, I realize that Transformers looks to be a monster hit from all the word of mouth going on right now but keep in mind it has both Live Free or Die Hard and Harry Potter & Order of the Phoenix cutting into its box office totals for its debut weekend totals and its second weekend’s totals. Each of these three movies will get tons of screen coverage through the end of July onward to August. Even next week, Fox and Disney's Pixar will end up hurting each other. Releasing a Diehard sequel and a Pixar movie at the same time? These people are nuts!

The question is…How much money will these movies make with their competition also cutting into them? Will they catch up to Pirates, Spider-Man 3 & Shrek 3?

As Yoda would say in the Empire Strikes Back:

“Difficult to see. Always things in motion, the future”

Maniacs, get out your crystal balls!

The Top 10 Box Office Winners Question Continues:

Here are the Maniacs which have turned in their Top 10 Box Office estimates so far:

Snallygaster:

1. Spider-Man 3
2. Pirates 3
3. Shrek 3
4. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix
5. Transformers
6. Ratatouille
7. Fantastic Four
8. The Bourne Ultimatum
9. Rush Hour 3
10. Live Free or Die Hard

jppintar326

1. Spiderman 3
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Pirates of the Caribbean
4. Transformers
5. Shrek the Third
6. The Bourne UItimatium
7. Fantastic Four Rise of the Silver Surfer
8. Live Free or Die Hard
9. Rush Hour 3
10. Surf's Up

SinisterPryde

1. Spider-Man 3
2. Pirates of the Carribean: At Earth's End
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
4. Shrek 3
5. Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
6. Ratatouille
7. Transformers
8. Rush Hour 3
9. Ocean's Thirteen
10. Live Free or Die Hard

wessmith1966

1. Pirates 3
2. Spider-Man 3
3. Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix
4. Shrek 3
5. Transformers
6. Ratatouille
7. Live Free or Die hard
8. Fantastic Four
9. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry
10. Evan Almighty

Captmathman

1 Spider-Man 3
2 Pirates 3
3 Harry Potter: Order of the Phoenix
4 Shrek the Third
5 Transformers
6 The Bourne Ultimatum
7 Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
8 The Simpsons Movie
9 Evan Almighty
10 Ocean's 13

Merin (with Box Office predictions as well)

1. Pirates 3 - $450 million L
2. Spider-Man 3 - $350 million M
3. Harry Potter 5 - $325 million L
4. Shrek 3 - $315 million L
5. FF 2 - $205 million M
6. Simpsons Movie - $200 million M
7. Rush Hour 3 - $200 million L

8. Transformers - $180 million L

9. Bourne Ultimatum - $175 million L
10. Ratatouille - $150 million M

Hanso

1.Pirates 3.
2.Spidey 3.
3.Shrek 3.
4.Transformers.
5.Harry Potter 5.
6.Ratataouile.
7.Rush Hour 3.

8.Fantastic Four 2.
9.Chuck & Larry.
10.The Simpsons.

theCollector

1.POTC: AWE - 600 Million
2. Fantastic Four: ROTSS- 445 Million
3. Transformers - 400 Million
4. Knocked Up) - 380
5. The Simpsons/ Shrek the Third - 325 million
6. Spidey 3 - 320 million
7. Die Hard 4 - 310 million
8. Rush Hour 3 - 225 million
9.Harry Potter 5/ Evan Almighty- 210 million
10. Oceans 13 -205 Million

Scorpionstryker

1.transformers
2. pirates3
3. harry potter 5
4. spiderman 3
5. shrek 3
6. fantastic four 2
7. simpsons
8. surfs up
9. rush hour 3
10. Chuck & Larry

DaForce

1. Spidey 3
2. Pirates 3
3. Transformers
4. Shrek 3
5. Ratatouille
6. Harry Pothead and the Phoenix
7. FF2
8. Simpsons
9. Die Hard 4
10. Surf's Up

MaverickRenegade

1. Pirates 3
2. Spidey 3
3. Shrek 3
4. Transformers
5. Harry Potter
6. FF2
7. Die Hard 4
8. Simpsons
9. Ratatouille
10. Surf's Up

AlmostUnbiased

1. POTC3
2. spidey 3
3. Shrek
4. Harry Potter 5
5. Ratataouile
6. Ocean's Thirteen
7. The Bourne Ultimatum
8. Rush Hour 3
9. Transformers
10. FF:ROTSS

Wednesday June 27, 2007 Releases:

Wide Releases

Live Free or Die Hard (3,350 Theaters)

Limited Releases

Ghosts of Cite Soleil

Friday June 29, 2007 Releases:

Wide Releases

Ratatouille (3,500+ Theaters)

Evening (900 Theaters)

Limited Releases

Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox

One to Another

Vitus

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Comments/Responses

jppintar326 • Jun 24, 2007, 03:58pm •

I wonder how Evan Almighty will do overseas. I hear they are trying to get church groups to go see this movie like with The Passion of the Christ. The reason that was a hit was because it got people who don't normally go to the movies to go. The problem Evan Almighty has is that it is supposed to be a comedy yet I didn't find the previews, which are the first impressions of a movie, very funny. I remember when Bruce Almighty came out, that had a very funny preview, especially that scene with the dog using the toilet (as a dog owner, I loved that scene). Evan Almighty doesn't have that. Note: there must've been some costly delays with this movie to drive it to $175 million budget. Much of Bruce Almighty's budget probably went into Jim Carrey's pocket so it is understandable it cost so much money but where did the money go in Evan Almighty? Anybody who saw it please let me know because I am curious.

• Jun 24, 2007, 04:10pm •

Jpp,

From what I've heard...The animaltronics...real life animal care taking and training...AND the flood CGI effects is what drove Evan Almighty to a 175 million dollar budget.

At least that's what I read on the costs and finances of the film.

I'm not sure with a budget of 175 million, Universal thought it wise to release the film 5 days before Live Free or Die Hard....and a week and a half before Transformers...

But...I'm not a Universal executive. Who really know what funky drinks they were concocting while deciding the release date for Evan Almighty. :)

Jarrod Sarafin

Merin • Jun 24, 2007, 05:33pm •

Yeah, my predictions - not so good it seems.

Way over for Pirates, over for Spidey, and looks to be way over for FF2 (I'm betting $145-$160 million for FF2 at this point.)

Oddly enough, I was pretty dead on for Shrek 3.

Future guesses on my amounts?

Harry Potter? A little over.
Simpsons? A little over.
Rush Hour 3? A little over.
Bourne Ultimatum? A little over.

It is possible I'm guessing under for Transformers, but I doubt it.

• Jun 24, 2007, 06:34pm •

Nope Merin....I bet we're all "under" for Transformers.

Just got an inside scoop on something in regards to Transformers. I'll be posting the news at Midnight.

Jarrod Sarafin

almostunbiased • Jun 24, 2007, 09:41pm •

I'll be looking forward to that, but is that midnight Pacific or East or what?

I don't think my guesses were too great either. I really didn't take into consideration movies stealing each others profits and I think I way underestimated Transformers and FF2 too, but we'll see.

I saw Nancy Drew with my daughter and her friend. They loved it and I wasn't bored at all.

On a side note I finally saw The Good German, The Good Shepard, and Apocalypto. The first two are just ok, but Apocalypto is a great movie. I can see why people stayed away in the theater, because most people hate to read their movies, but I just loved it and wished I would have seen it in the theater.

bdd • Jun 24, 2007, 10:21pm •

175 million dollars?!?! American dollars?!?!

What the hell where these people thinking?!?! They should have easily been able to make the movie for no more than half that.

celt6 • Jun 24, 2007, 11:08pm •

Don't know where to email my box office predictions, so I'll just post em here. Hopefully Jarrod will see them here:

1. Pirates of the Caribbean: AWE
2. Harry Potter 5
3. Spider-Man 3
4. Transformers
5. Shrek 3
6. FF:ROTSS
7. Live Free or Die Hard
8. Bourne Ultimatum
9. Rush Hour 3
10. Ocean's 13

DarkJedi • Jun 24, 2007, 11:53pm •

I see them, Celt.

I always listen and get involved with the talkback sections. It gives me a good indication on the trends of our fellow Maniacs. :)

I'll put them with the next Box Office Report.

Jarrod Sarafin

SinisterPryde • Jun 25, 2007, 02:32am •

I'll be the first one man enough to admit I am very wrong about my Top 10. While I think my top two
are solid, I think Harry Potter is going to overtake them. I also think Transformers has a very good shot at cracking the top 5. I also have serious doubts about Die Hard 4 placing in the top 10 at all. I know there is some buzz, but no one I know is talking about it. They're all hyped about Harry Potter and Transformers.

I am honestly the only person I know who doesn't care about Transformers one way or another. The commercials aren't getting me excited, but I am beginning to suspect this will have a major opening week/end.

wessmith1966 • Jun 25, 2007, 08:11am •

$175 million for Evan Almighty? Where did that money go? The movie was ok, but I wish I could have seen it before adding it to my summer top 10. I saw Knocked Up again this weekend with another group of couples and laughed as much as I did the first time. It's still the best film I've seen so far this summer, maybe all year.

I really didn't think that the movies would be hurt too much with such close release dates this summer. I go to see them all, just not always on opening weekend. I just figured that the movies would open strong and then just maintain an even box office take for a few weeks while everyone got around to seeing them. Maybe the studios should think about opening a big picture earlier or later in the year so it can dominate. I know late September, early October and March aren't traditional months that would be picked for big openings, but at least there wouldn't have been as much competition. I'm glad there are so many big movies out this summer. Jarrod, what's the box office take compared to last summer?

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EVAN Sails to the Top

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