Silent Monk (Jet Li, left) and Lu Yan (Jackie Chan) in THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM(2008).
© Photo by Chan Kam Chuen
FORBIDDEN Success for Lionsgate
By: Jarrod SarafinDate: Sunday, April 20, 2008
The combination of Jet Li, Jackie Chan and a classic tale proved to the best one-two-three punch for this weekend’s audiences. Liongate’s The Forbidden Kingdom fought its way into first with an average April 20.8 mil tally. The distributor opened the film in 3,151 theaters across the nation so it accounts for an average rate of $6,623 per showing. No budget is listed.
Universal followed in 2nd place with its Judd Apatow-Jason Segel comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall. The latest Apatow film pulled in 17.3 mil, which is respectable for a “second place” haul in April. It seems clear that audiences were split between Marshall and Forbidden. With the film debuting on 2,798 theaters, it makes for an average rate of $6,200. As always, Apatow kept the budget low at 30 mil so this kind of debut is looking good for Universal.
Last week’s champion, the PG-13 rated Prom Night remake, follows in 3rd place with a 9.1 mil payday. The film is already considered a success for Sony’s Screen Gems with their budget set at only 20 mil and their domestic gross at 32.5 after only two weekends of release.
Unfortunately for Sony, they’re not celebrating the same results with their latest new release of 88 Minutes. They opened the film in a respectable 2,168 theaters and had a measly 6.8 mil haul over the weekend. This accounts for an average of $3,136 per showing.
At the same time, Fox is saying the same thing for their latest fantasy Nim’s Island. They’re certainly not enjoying the same success they did with Horton Hears a Who, the best performer of the Spring season. Nim pulled in another 5.6 mil this weekend in 5th place on its 3,277 theaters across the nation. It’s getting close to its budget line of 37 mil with its domestic gross currently at 32.8 mil.
While Sony isn’t enjoying success for its 88 Minutes, it has reached the profitable lines with its M.I.T-beats-Vegas tale of 21. The film pulled in another 5.5 mil in 6th place this weekend, which pushes its domestic gross at nearly double its budget. It was made for 35 mil and it has 69.9 mil in domestic receipts so far.
At the same time, Fox Searchlight is reaching its budget line as well with Street Kings after only 2 weeks even if its numbers isn’t awe inspiring. The crime drama managed another 4.0 mil this weekend with its domestic gross now sitting at 19.8 mil. Its budget is listed at 20.
Fox is about to double down themselves with its smash hit Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who pulling in another 3.5 mil in 8th place. While it has begun to get pulled out of theaters, it’s still showing in 2,670 prints. The studio has its budget at 85 mil and it has 144.4 mil in domestic grosses. It also has another 103.7 mil in foreign grosses.
Rocky Mountain Pictures scored big with their documentary landing in the top 10 this weekend. Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed landed in 9th place and took in 3.1 mil at the box office this weekend. Considering it was released on only 1,052 theaters, it’s not a bad haul for the small production.
And landing in 10th place is the not-so-successful Leatherheads, which looks to be leaving theaters nowhere near its budget line. The George Clooney film only managed another 3.0 mil this weekend in its 2,798 theaters, making for a 51% drop from its previous weekend. Universal set the budget at 58 mil and it has a domestic gross of only 26.5 mil after three weeks of release.
| Rank | Movie | Weekend | Theaters | Average | Total | Budget | Week |
| 1 | The Forbidden Kingdom | 20.8 mil | 3,151 | $6,623 | 20.8 mil | 1 | |
| 2 | Forgetting Sarah Marshall | 17.3 mil | 2,798 | $6,200 | 17.3 mil | 30 | 1 |
| 3 | Prom Night | 9.1 mil | 2,700 | $3,370 | 32.5 mil | 20 | 2 |
| 4 | 88 Minutes | 6.8 mil | 2,168 | $3,136 | 6.8 mil | | 1 |
| 5 | Nim’s Island | 5.6 mil | 3,277 | $1,724 | 32.8 mil | 37 | 3 |
| 6 | 21 | 5.5 mil | 2,903 | $1,894 | 69.9 mil | 35 | 4 |
| 7 | Street Kings | 4.0 mil | 2,469 | $1,620 | 19.8 mil | 20 | 2 |
| 8 | Horton Hears a Who | 3.5 mil | 2,670 | $1,310 | 144.4 mil | 85 | 6 |
| 9 | Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed | 3.1 mil | 1,052 | $2,997 | 3.1 mil | | 1 |
| 10 | Leatherheads | 3.0 mil | 2,798 | $1,080 | 26.5 mil | 58 | 3 |
Friday April 25, 2008 Releases:
Baby Mama (2,500 theaters)
Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2,400+ theaters)
Deception (2,000 theaters)
A Plumm Summer
Deal
Standard Operating Procedure
Tashan
