The Messengers Production Still
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Weekend Box Office Report for February 2-4
By: Jarrod SarafinDate: Sunday, February 04, 2007
This is the weekend where a large portion of the 18-48+ demographic is out planning their big party and preparing for a big game. Going to the theatres isn’t exactly first and foremost on those individuals’ minds right now. So what does Screen Gems/Sony decide to do about this foregone conclusion? Yep, they release a PG-13 Horror movie named The Messengers which attracts a younger audience. The film pulled in a 14.5 mil take opening up in 2,528 screens across the country this weekend landing in 1st place.
Coming in 2nd right behind it was the romantic comedy starring Diane Keaton in the way of Because I Said So. Another film targeting a certain audience outside of the major male demographics. This film pulled in a 13.0 mil opening in 2,526 screens with an average of $5,155 per auditorium.
Fox’s Epic Movie fell 55.8% across the nation to go from 1st place(last week) to 3rd place. The comedic spoof movie was increased in 39 more screens across the nation, yet fell hard to pull in 8.2 mil.
On the entirely other note, Fox is dancing over another of their films which comes in 4th place this weekend. That would, of course, be Ben Stiller’s Night at the Museum. Night comes in 4th place this weekend. In fact, in the 7 weeks of its release now, it’s never been out of the top 5 spots. Its total domestic take is now at 225.3 mil after pulling in another 6.7 mil this weekend. Now, consider it’s also made another 196.0 mil overseas at the same time. Its total grosses are now sitting pretty at 421.4 mil. Yes, I’m sure Fox isn’t fretting all that much about Epic Movie. They’re too busy laughing at the bank from this one.
Another seeming success is Smokin’ Aces which comes into the 5th spot this weekend pulling a 6.3 mil. The reason the film can be viewed as a somewhat success even if it doesn’t rank high in the listings is its budget is set at 17.0 mil. After two weekends, its total domestic grosses are now shooting with precision at 24.9 mil.
Stomp the Yard continues to dance itself tired, falling in the report this week to 6th spot. Of course, it made its money back after winning the first week so every week after that is basically just icing on the cake for them. Their budget is at 13.0 mil and their total domestic gross is at 56.0 mil. Btw, Maniacs, Stomp the Yard was also distributed by Screen Gems/Sony. That’s the same distributor of this weekend’s winner The Messengers. When The Messengers budget is listed at 16.0 mil and wins the top spot this weekend and the other Screen Gems flick Stomp the Yard lists at 13.0 mil and it won its initial 2 weekends in a row. Sony/Screen Gems seems to be doing everything right lately with smaller budgets in the first two months of the fiscal 2007 year.
Dreamgirls lands in 7th place tip toeing ever closer to the big 100.0 mil watermark. It brought in another 4.0 mil in 2,797 screens bringing its total domestic gross to 92.7 mil. Combined with Oscar discussions, this film has done very well.
Del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth lands in 8th spot for the second weekend in a row bringing in an estimated 3.6 mil. The good thing is that the studio has finally added another 259 screens across the nation bringing its total finally over the 1,000 auditorium mark.
| Rank | Movie | Opening $ | Screens | Average | Total $ |
| 1 | The Messengers | 14.5 mil | 2,528 | $5,735 | 14.5 mil |
| 2 | Because I Said So | 13.0 mil | 2,526 | $5,155 | 13.0 mil |
| 3 | Epic Movie | 8.2 mil | 2,840 | $2,896 | 29.3 mil |
| 4 | Night at the Museum | 6.7 mil | 3,003 | $2,247 | 225.3 mil |
| 5 | Smokin’ Aces | 6.3 mil | 2,219 | $2,849 | 24.9 mil |
| 6 | Stomp the Yard | 4.2 mil | 2,169 | $1,936 | 56.0 mil |
| 7 | Dreamgirls | 4.0 mil | 2,797 | $1,447 | 92.7 mil |
| 8 | Pan’s Labyrinth | 3.6 mil | 1,082 | $3,385 | 21.6 mil |
| 9 | The Pursuit of Happyness | 3.1 mil | 2,233 | $1,388 | 157.3 mil |
| 10 | The Queen | 2.7 mil | 1,850 | $1,464 | 45.5 mil |
February doesn’t exactly stand out as a top notch box office month for audiences, maniacs, or suits lounging in the Hollywood boardrooms. Honestly, it blends with January closely as to the not so stellar line up of movies in most years. I won’t bash the month for being as slow as January in box office receipts because there is at least some pretty decent hits in the past few years that have opened up with very decent numbers.
Six of the top 30 February openings broke the 100.0 mil barrier and four of those movies broke their opening weekend numbers with 40.0 + mil opening weekends.
That said, just like January, the studios really should be careful with what they release in this month. They need to market their movie release date for this month around the budget for the movie if they expect to make a profit.
It seems like this is the month to release Comic Book movies that are based off lower tier comic trades as well. This comes to mind with our upcoming release of Ghost Rider, starring Nic Cage. Sony/Columbia’s Ghost Rider is coming out on 02/16/07 with 3,000+ screens pushing the likelihood that they will cash in on this film. By releasing it in this month, it gives the studio a chance to make a good chunk of change by releasing a comic based movie where there isn’t an abundance of other mass populated popcorn fare out there.
Fox released Daredevil (starring Ben Affleck) on 02/14/03 and it’s now 4th place on the top 30 February openings of all time. The blind superhero movie came in on that weekend with a 40.3 mil reception and grossed a total of 102.5 mil domestically. It also got another 76.6 mil worldwide bringing its total to 179.1 mil.
Warner Brothers did the exact same thing with Constantine. Keanu Reeve’s film opened up on 02/18/05 bringing in 29.7 mil and grossing 75.9 domestically. Let’s not forget it also made another 154.4 mil worldwide which brought its total gross to 230.4 mil.
I know a lot of press is made about domestic takes but it’s quite obvious that with worldwide takes, studios are cashing in on putting these types of comic based characters in what most people consider a “slow” month. It actually makes good economic sense for some of these early released movies when there are not many other alternatives for the popcorn movie masses.
Another type of film which seems to do well in this month is the serious or horror type movies. Yes, that’s right. A February released movie opened up with 83.8 mil and grossed 370.2 mil domestically. I bet all of you Maniacs can guess what it is…Yes, you can.
Mel Gibson created it.
Yep, that’s the one. Passion of the Christ opened up on 02/25/04 with numbers that would make some summer movies blush. Of course, this movie was highly controversial so obviously it would do well. Still, you will be hard pressed to see an 83.8 mil opening in this month again.
Horror movies like Hannibal, Scream 3, When a Stranger Calls & Final Destination 3 are also ranked in the top 20 February openings of all time.
MGM hopes to recapture their February success of the Hannibal film which served up a 58.0 mil(which grossed 165.0 mil domestically) back in 2001 by released Hannibal Rising also in this month. The latest Hannibal tale comes to us in theaters next week on 02/09/07.
LionsGate is hoping for more of the same. They made some good money off Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion with a small budget and word of mouth. Their releasing Tyler Perry’s Daddy Little Girls on 02/16/07.
| Rank | Movie | Opening $ | Screens | Total $ | Date |
| 1 | Passion of the Christ | 83.8 mil | 3,043 | 370.2 mil | 02/25/04 |
| 2 | Hannibal | 58.0 mil | 3,230 | 165.0 mil | 02/09/01 |
| 3 | Hitch | 43.1 mil | 3,575 | 179.4 mil | 02/11/05 |
| 4 | Daredevil | 40.3 mil | 3,471 | 102.5 mil | 02/14/03 |
| 5 | 50 First Dates | 39.8 mil | 3,591 | 120.9 mil | 02/13/04 |
| 6 | Scream 3 | 34.7 mil | 3,467 | 89.1 mil | 02/04/00 |
| 7 | Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Family Reunion | 30.0 mil | 2,194 | 63.2 mil | 02/24/06 |
| 8 | Constantine | 29.7 mil | 3,006 | 75.9 mil | 02/18/05 |
| 9 | Barbershop 2 | 24.2 mil | 2,711 | 65.1 mil | 02/06/04 |
| 10 | How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days | 23.7 mil | 2,923 | 105.8 mil | 02/07/03 |
| 11 | Empire Strikes Back SE | 21.9 mil | 2,111 | 67.5 mil | 02/21/97 |
| 12 | Diary of a Mad Black Woman | 21.9 mil | 1,483 | 50.6 mil | 02/25/05 |
| 13 | When a Stranger Calls | 21.6 mil | 2,999 | 47.8 mil | 02/03/06 |
| 14 | Payback | 21.2 mil | 2,729 | 81.5 mil | 02/05/99 |
| 15 | John Q | 20.2 mil | 2,466 | 71.7 mil | 02/15/02 |
| 16 | The Pink Panther | 20.2 mil | 3,477 | 82.2 mil | 02/10/06 |
| 17 | Eight Below | 20.1 mil | 3,066 | 81.6 mil | 02/17/06 |
| 18 | Shanghai Knights | 19.6 mil | 2,753 | 60.4 mil | 02/07/03 |
| 19 | Miracle | 19.3 mil | 2,605 | 64.3 mil | 02/06/04 |
| 20 | Final Destination 3 | 19.1 mil | 2,880 | 54.0 mil | 02/10/06 |
Here’s the release date of movies coming soon:
February 9, 2007:
Wide Releases
Hannibal Rising (2,900 screens)
Norbit (2,800 screens)
Limited Releases
Black Friday (12 screens)
The Lives of Others (N/A)
February 16, 2007:
Wide Releases
The Breach
Bridge to Terabithia
Ghost Rider
Music and Lyrics
Tyler Perry’s Daddy’s Little Girls
Limited Releases
The 2006 Academy Awards Nominated Short Films
Avenue Montaigne
Close to Home
The Last Sin Eater
February 23,2007:
Wide Releases
The Abandoned
The Astronaut Farmer
Black Snake Moan
The Number 23
Reno 911!: Miami
Limited Releases
Amazing Grace
GlastonburyGray Matters
Starter for 10
