This weekend
- Spectre – Sony
Many critics after its multi-media screening described it as the Best Bond ever with several five star reviews.
But will it be able to match the success of the last film Skyfall also received over the top positive reviews.
Will of course be helped by the massive media coverage has generated, with strong advance booking for the last 6 weeks and with many cinemas screening it in up to 9 screens with performances 24 hours a day every 30 minutes.
Receiving a 12A certificate instead of the 12 Skyfall got will allow children of any age to see it if with an adult. I’ve seen so many 12A films that might be cut to a 12A but are unsuitable for under12s. Spectre was cut to get a 12 so tonally the film as many have said is a 15.
As Watchdog reported last week Odeon have increased their “blockbuster tax” by 100% along with many other exhibitors cynically increasing prices including BFI IMAX from £19.50 to £22.
With Mon-Thurs box office added will of course have the biggest ever opening in the UK beating Harry Potter but the two figures that will be important to see is if it beats £20.1m Fri-Sun opening of Skyfall and the £37.2m it took in its opening 7 days.
Opening day Monday had screenings starting at 7.30pm and then in many cinemas every 30 minutes until the early hours it took £4.18m.
Tuesday took £6.2m slightly below the opening day box office for Skyfall. Spectre did have the biggest Tuesday ever in the UK. opening Tuesday can be compared to the Friday opening of Skyfall as both were half term holidays. Spectre is looking at taking £32-35m for its 7 day opening weekend which will be less than Skyfall.
What will be interesting is if its Monday opening could effect its weekend box office as whilst Skyfall had the old fashioned Friday opening which squeezed the box office into three days giving it the best ever Saturday box office in the UK. The weekend box office might not match the £20.1m Skyfall took.
Out next week
- Burnt – Entertainment
Comedy drama starring Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Matthew Rhys, Alicia Vikander, Uma Thurman and Emma Thompson; was originally titled Chef changed to Adam Jones to avoid confusion with Jon Favreau’s 2014 film was then changed to Burnt in July. First trailer was released in August with a second in September; has its UK Premiere 28th October
- Brooklyn – Lionsgate
Historical drama starring Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters directed by John Crowley written by Nick Hornby; premiered at Sundance Film Festival were Fox Searchlight acquired US rights was screened at Toronto Film Festival receiving positive reviews; Received its UK premiere last week at the London Film Festival
- Kill Your Friends – Studiocanal
Crime thriller comedy based on novel by John Niven starring Nicholas Hoult, Craig Roberts, Tom Riley and Georgia King; received its premiere at Toronto Film Festival many compared Nicholas Hoult’s character Steven Stelfox as a 90s Patrick Bateman (American Psycho); received UK Premiere 22nd October.
- He Named Me Malala – 20th Century Fox
American documentary directed by Davis Guggenheim received its premiere at Telluride Film Festival getting positive reviews; received its UK premiere during the London Film Festival
- Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse – Paramount
Horror comedy opening the weekend after Halloween is a strange dating decision by Paramount but as they also had Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension along with Hotel Transylvania 2 Crimson Peak and The Last Witch Hunter also release a gap was needed between these releases.
Out in two weeks
Major release –
- Steve Jobs – Universal –
It’s unusual to get the stories behind the rumours for a film but with Sony hacking emails we saw a real inside in the internal politics with a studio over production process of making a film. So many emails charted the destructive development process of Steve Jobs the directors and actors who were attached.
Sony Pictures acquired the rights to Walter Isaaccson’s biography Steve Jobs in 2011 bringing Aaron Sorkin back together with David Fincher who made The Social Network the year before. Christian Bale was set to star was Jobs but then the director left the film due to contractual dispute seen in the Sony hacking emails Danny Boyle was signed to direct with Leonardo DiCaprio. In November 2014 Sony surprised everyone putting project into turnaround shortly picked up by Universal started filming in January 2015. With the first trailer released in July.
Will always bridesmaid never the bride Leonardo DiCaprio miss out again for a Best Actor Oscar for his role for The Revenant for the role got away Steve Jobs after being replaced by Michael Fassbender.
Will of course be compared directly with 2010’s The Social Network which opened October 15th with £2,486,454 as it was originally to be another David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin project by David Fincher left the project while it was at Sony. Rather than the 2013 Ashton Kutcher biopic Jobs after flopping in US went straight to DVD in UK.
Reviews have been positive more praise the acting performances of Michael Fassbender more than the film itself. Received its UK premiere October 18th closing the London Film Festival generated strong media coverage but after but its marketing hit a glitch after it had a disappointing expansion in the US at the weekend.
Sandwiched between Spectre and The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 2 doesn’t give it much wiggle room for it to find its audience especially with so many more releases out on November 27th.
Also released
- The Lady in the Van – Sony
Based on Alan Bennet’s 1999 West End play of the same name directed by Nicholas Hytner who directed the original theatre production and starring Maggie Smith. Received its world premiere last month at Toronto Film Festival and recently had its UK premiere at the London Film Festival.
Its Nicholas Hytner first film since 2006’s The History Boys featuring some of the support cast from The History Boys Frances de la Tour, Dominic Cooper and James Corden.
The History Boys opened 13th October 2006 with £794,672 The Lady in the Van could do similar.
Maggie Smith for the past five years is better known as Downton Abbey’s Countess of Grantham for millions on ITV.
- The Hallow –eOne
Irish horror film directed by Corin Hardy who described the film as Straw Dogs meets Pan’s Labyrinth was inspired by his childhood love of fairy tales. Has generated positive since it had its premiere at Sundance in January followed by its UK premiere at the Edinburgh Film Festival in June.
- Fathers and Daughters – Warner Bros
On paper this American drama directed by Gabriele Muccino who directed 2006’s The Pursuit of Happyness; starring Russell Crowe and Aaron Paul with a strong ensemble cast based on 2012 Black list script by Brad Desch has makings of a potential successful film. Acquired by Warner Bros for the UK will get a limited release.
The melodramatic trailer created makes it look feel like a Lifetime movie used in the UK; Japanese trailer takes a much chintzier feel and features cover of The Carpenter’s Close to You.
Opening Friday
- Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse – Paramount Horror comedy will suffer similarly to Paranormal Activity 6 last weekend after several exhibitors decided not to screen it after Paramount decided to shortened its release window.
Our Brand is Crisis – Warner Bros Comedy drama based on 2005 documentary of the same name about the American political campaign strategies used by Greenberg Carville Shrum in the 2002Bolivian presidential election. Cast includes Sandra Bullock (her role was originally written for a man) Bill Bob Thornton and Anthony Mackie, directed by David Gordon Green and produced by George Clooney. Received its world premiere last month at Toronto Film Festival received mixed reviews but highlighted Sandra Bullock’s performance.
