UK/US Box Office October 18th -20th week 42 and previews

 

 

1. Joker  – £5,489,716   – £40,302,422

Had the second biggest third weekend for a comic-book film in the UK; taking only 3.9% less than Avengers: Infinity War despite opening 71% less than Avengers: Endgame and almost 60% less than Avengers: Infinity War.

67^th biggest film in the UK between Les Miserables and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and 99^th biggest inflation inflated between Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Fast & Furious 7.

And 15^th biggest third weekend ever in the UK between Toy Story 4 and Casino Royale

Warne Bros 16^th biggest film in the UK between Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and 16^th film to take £40m+ and Warner Bros third biggest comic-book film in the UK after The Dark Knight Rises (£56,237,758) and The Dark Knight (£48,879,577).

26^th biggest Warner Bros film in the UK between It and Man of Steel (Warner Bros 26^th film to take over £30m at the box office since 2001’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and first film since Fantastic Beasts 2.

4^th biggest film of 2019 after Avengers: Endgame, The Lion King and Toy Story 4 overtaking Captain Marvel, Aladdin and Spider-Man Far From Home.

22^nd biggest film in the UK after 10 days on release (12^th of the films above it had extended openings).

After 17 days on release Joker has taken

1.33% less than 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises taking £40,846,913 72.6% of £56,237,758

16.2% more than 2008’s The Dark Knight taking £34,685,968 71.2% of £48,685,166

5.5% more than 2017’s Dunkirk taking £38,191,064 67.5% of £56,585,035

9^th biggest comic-book film in the UK between Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Captain Marvel overtaken both Deadpool and Deadpool 2 to become the biggest 15 rated comic-book film.

Many have compared Joker with Fight Club which was released almost 20 years to the month Joker opened but while Joker has been both a critical and box office success Fight Club was only critical success opening with £1,177,219 in November 1999 taking £5,424,113 and took $37.03m in the US and $101m worldwide.

Francis Ford Coppola came out to support Martin Scorsese’s recent comments about Marvel Cinematic Universe not being cinema which angered the fanboys. Francis Ford Coppola said “When Martin Scorsese says that the Marvel pictures are not cinema, he’s right because we expect to learn something from cinema, we expect to gain something, some enlightenment, some knowledge, some inspiration…I don’t know that anyone gets anything out of seeing the same movie over and over again,” … “Martin was kind when he said it’s not cinema. He didn’t say it’s despicable, which I just say it is.”

Martin Scorsese previously said, “Theatres have become amusement parks,”…. “That is all fine and good but don’t invade everything else in that sense. … That is fine and good for those who enjoy that type of film and, by the way, knowing what goes into them now, I admire what they do. It’s not my kind of thing; it simply is not. It’s creating another kind of audience that thinks cinema is that.”

Director Ken Loach currently on the press tour for Sorry I Missed You said “They’re made as commodities like hamburgers, and it’s not about communicating and it’s not about sharing our imagination…. “It’s about making a commodity which will make a profit for a big corporation – they’re a cynical exercise…

While Jennifer Aniston’s recent comments ‘It wasn’t until the last couple of years when these streaming services were just sort of exploding with this amount of quality that I actually started to think, wow, that’s better than what I just did… And then you’re seeing what’s available out there and it’s just diminishing and diminishing in terms of, it’s big Marvel movies. Or things that I’m not just asked to do or really that interested in living in a green screen.’ Were mocked by Marvel fans,

Steven Spielberg started the attack against comic-book films in 2013 when he said Mega-sized blockbusters were too big and too common. Small movies, the kind that filled the gaps between our fluffier entertainment 20 years ago, had virtually disappeared… in this era, even he had trouble selling more grounded film ideas to studios. His Oscar-winning drama Lincoln almost wound up as an HBO movie. In the minds of the two industry pioneers, there was no way the current model could sustain itself. “Three or four or maybe even a half-dozen mega-budget movies are going to go crashing into the ground, and that’s going to change the paradigm,”

He said comic-book movies will go the way of the western… “We were around when the Western died and there will be a time when the superhero movie goes the way of the Western. It doesn’t mean there won’t be another occasion where the Western comes back and the superhero movie someday returns. Of course, right now the superhero movie is alive and thriving. I’m only saying that these cycles have a finite time in popular culture. There will come a day when the mythological stories are supplanted by some other genre that possibly some young filmmaker is just thinking about discovering for all of us.”.

While Marvel fans denounce these comments saying that the MCU films are taking more money than ever, but ahead of Avengers: Endgame it was expected to canter past Avatar to be the biggest film globally but just stumbled past, while Marvel films global box office are artificially inflated with China, Joker won’t get a Chinese release, while the budget for Joker was about 20% of Avengers: Endgame so while Avengers: Endgame might of taken $2.69bn compared to the expected $1bn Joker is likely to be more profitable.

Steven Spielberg’s comments about Three or four mega-budget movies flopping could happen next year with many long gap sequels, after Disney’s rivals seemed to of waved the white flag on this year after they announced their slate all rival studios have much stronger slates next year, while Disney have one of their softest since moving into the properties business. Are massive questions over if millennials will be as excited to see the films their parents when to see when they were teenagers including Top Gun, Bad Boys, Ghostbusters and Coming to America.

Next from DC is Suicide Squad spinoff Birds of Prey opening in February (teaser trailer was attached to It Chapter Two with trailer attached to Joker) and Wonder Woman: 1984 in June with The Batman and The Suicide Squad opening in summer 2021. While Dwayne Johnson confirmed his Shazam (took $362.7m worldwide this year) spinoff Black Adam will start shooting next July for release in 2022 alongside DC Super Pets and Aquaman 2.

While Joker was set up as a solo film Warner Bros will surely be pushing for a sequel.

2. Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil – £3,300,000 – NE

425^th biggest opening in the UK between The Mummy (2017) and The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (close to The House with A Clock in Its Walls, The Fault in Our Stars. Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle and Ali G Indahouse) and 553^rd biggest inflated opening between Lucy and Black Swan (close to Men in Black 3, The Rugrats Movie, G-Force and Bee Movie).

4^th smallest Disney Reimagination opening after Christopher Robin, Into the Woods and Alice Though the Looking Glass.

Lowest opening for Disney film in 2019 (The Lion King £16.67m; Toy Story 4 £13.3m; Aladdin £7.06m; Avengers: Endgame £43.4m; Dumbo £6.07m; Captain Marvel £12.75m; Glass £3.42m) lowest Disney opening since The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (£1.82m).

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil is Disney’s first current reimagination sequel previously making 102 Dalmatians in 2000 sequel to 1996’s 101 Dalmatians; Disney are currently in production with a second reimagination Cruella set for release in May 2021. After releasing for reimaginations this year have only Mulan dated for 2020 with Cruella the only one also currently dated for 2021.

2014’s Maleficent opened with £6,590,071 (including £2,767,018 previews) taking £19,292,000

The 13 Disney reimaginations have taken over £390m in the UK and almost £400m inflation inflated;

After the original film was released in 2014 Angelina Jolie said a sequel was likely, in 2015 Disney announced the sequel and in April 2016 she signed up to star.

The film was original set for release in May 2020 but was brought forward 9 months in March 2019 with Artemis Fowl moving to its May 2020 slot; teaser trailer was released in May and first trailer in July.

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil joins the list of films opening with a clean number is one of a few wide films that have opened over last 15 years that have had clean box office numbers, with most cinema tickets having odd prices it does feel like totals for these films have been rounded up; Toy Story 4 £13.3m; Avengers: Endgame £43.4m; Captain Marvel £12.75m; Incredibles 2 £9.65m; Black Panther £17.7m; Beauty and the Beast £19.7m do find it strange has been only one non Disney film that has done similar over the last 15+ years Johnny English Reborn £4.96m.

Did Disney bring forward the release of Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil to 2019 knowing that it wouldn’t be the success of the original film as with its already hugely successful year sandwiched between Toy Story 4, The Lion King, Frozen 2 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker it wouldn’t be as noticeable. Next year Disney don’t have any major Marvel films, Pixar sequels or Star wars films and big questions over Artemis Fowl and The One and Only Ivan having Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil also there could be problematic.

Studios will often move problematic films to avoid them opening in certain times of the year to push them to another quarter, why probably 20^th Century Fox opened Alita: Battle Angel and Dark Phoenix in 2019 instead of 2018 as it was after the acquisition of the studio by Disney. After 2019 will be a record year for Disney likely taking upwards of $10bn worldwide, 2020 will be far less successful so Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil would be far more noticeable

1. A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon – £1,305,511 – NE

Took £200k from previews last week in aid of MediCinema

1,064th biggest opening weekend between The Producers and Fahrenheit 9/11 (close to Real Steel, Zathura, A Dog’s Purpose and Atlantis: The Lost Empire) and 1,140th biggest inflation inflated opening between The Railway Man and Lost in Translation (close to Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul and Smurfs: The Lost Village).

Has Studiocanal’s 18^th biggest opening in the UK between Evil Dead and Fahrenheit 9/11; Shaun The Sheep Movie was their 10^th biggest opening in 2015 taking £13,675,389. 

In 2015 Shaun the Sheep Movie was Studiocanal’s 4th biggest film in the UK it is now its 6th biggest film after Paddington 2 (£42.64m); Paddington (£37.91m); Legend (£18.2m); The Imitation Game (£15.95m); Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (£14.13m).

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon is Studiocanal’s third film made by Aardman Animations and currently have Chicken Run 2 in development;

Aardman Animations previously made

2000’s Chicken Run (opened £3,848,755 (£6,315,457 inflation inflated) taking £29,514,237 (£48,430,180 inflation inflated)

2005’s Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (opened £9,374,932 (£14,370,915 inflation inflated) taking £32,007,310 (£49,064,284 inflation inflated)

2006’s Flushed Away (opened £3,106,874 (£4,606,084 inflation inflated) taking £10,749,860 (£15,937,164 inflation inflated)

2011’s Arthur Christmas (opened £2,112,516 taking £20,994,673)

2012’s The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists! (opened £2,176,195 taking £16,539,738)

2018’s Early Man (opened £2,020,653 taking £11,205,643)

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon has weekend previous ahead of opening the original film didn’t have which will be against Dreamworks Animations Abominable opening the weekend before. In 2015 Shaun the Sheep Movie faced similar tough competition from Big Hero 6 opening the weekend before taking 47% more (£20,123,298).

Teaser trailer was shown before 2018’s Early Man with first teaser trailer released in December 2018, first trailer released in April 2019 and second trailer in July 2019.

A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon highlights the dependency independent distributors have on one film taking a large percentage of their annual box office with the sequel likely to take up to 75% of Studiocanal’s box office for 2019; it’s their 17th film released in 2019 taking £7m to date.

2. Zombieland: Double Tap – £1,242,352 – NE

1,089^th biggest opening weekend between 500 Days of Summer and The Last Witch Hunter (close to The Longest Yard, Rambo (2008), The Last Witch Hunter and Good Will Hunting) and 1,150^th biggest inflation inflated opening between The Last Witch Hunter and BlacKkKlansman (close to The Purge: Anarchy, Mortal Engines, Rambo: Last Blood and The Death of Stalin).

Took 0.1% more than Zombieland released 10 years ago but has been 35% ticket inflation since  

The film opened almost 10 years to the day the original Zombieland film opened in the US.

Zombieland opened October 2009 with £1,240,984 taking £3,375,412 opening #2 to Up #1 opening with £6,411,836

3. Abominable – £999,351   – £3,716,273

826^th biggest second weekend between A Knight’s Tale and Jarhead (close to The Santa Clause 3, Open Season, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and Mean Girls) and the 970^th biggest second weekend inflated between A Simple Favour and The Accountant (close to Real Steel, The Wild Thornberry’s, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and Muppets Most Wanted).

Abominable is holding similar to similarly themed Smallfoot which took £1,427,000 in its second weekend and £4,332,853 ahead of half-term holidays and went on to take £10,932,839.

Abominable has competition for half-term with A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon and Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil with The Addams Family opening this weekend. Smallfoot had bigger competition last year with Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (opening with £2,119,165) and Johnny English Strikes Again (holding well in its third weekend taking £1,681,394).

UK box office in detail

This weekend’s top 10 box office took £14,701,610 down 12.4% from last weekend £16,790,889

The weekend admissions 1,957,605 down 11.8% from last weekend 2,219,777; average ticket £7.51 up 5% from last year’s £7.22 and Applaudience estimate ticket price of £10.28

18 films opened at weekend taking (£6,684,526); Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil 49.3% (£3,300,000); A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon 19.5% (£1,305,511); Zombieland: Double Tap 18.5% (£1,242,352); Official Secrets 8.04% (£537,990); remaining 14 films shared 4.4% (£298,673);

Top three took 68.6% (£10,095,227) of the top 10; Joker 37.3% (£5,489,716); Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil 22.4% (£3,300,000); A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon 8.8% (£1,305,511);  

Up 2.2% from 2018: (£14,380,280); Halloween (£2,656,097); Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (£2,119,165); Hunter Killer (£368,082); Samson Et Dalila – Met Opera 2018 (£176,889); Fahrenheit 11/9 (£56,814); #1 A Star is Born £2,883,000 2nd week 663 screens 7% drop (20.1% of top 10)

Up 50.2% from 2017: (£9,783,969); Geostorm (£1,625,895); Happy Death Day (£998,388); The Death of Stalin (£995,458); My Little Pony (£916,123); Paw Patrol: Big Screen Tails (£35,332); Marshall (£14,967); The Princess Bride (30th Anniversary) (£1,128); #1 Blade Runner 2049 £1,791,027 3^rd week 2^nd #1 (w1 and w3) 617 screens (18.3% of the top 10)

Down 4.8% from 2016: (£15,448,907); Trolls (£5,440,878); Jack Reacher: Never Go Back (£2,688,561); Ouija: Origin of Evil (£779,626); I, Daniel Blake (£444,800); Keeping Up with the Joneses (£271,306); Don Giovanni – Met Opera 2016 (£254,469); Queen of Katwe (£73,754); #1 Trolls £5,440,878 1^st week 608 screens (35.2% of the top 10)

Down 15.6% from 2015; (£17,426,172); Hotel Transylvania 2 (£6,317,438); Suffragette (£2,938,446); Pan (£2,738,758); Crimson Peak (£967,168); The Lobster (£229,619); Otello – Met Opera 2015 (£172,773); The Program (£144,181); #1 Hotel Transylvania 2 £6,317,438 1^st week 557 screens (36.2% of top 10)

Up 15.4% from 2014: (£12,738,897); Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (£4,785,448); The Judge (£420,720); Northern Soul (£278,829); Black Butler (£1,327); #1 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles £4,785,448 1^st week 522 screens (37.5% of top 10)

Up 35.9 from 2013: (£10,812,691); Turbo (£3,892,774); Captain Phillips (£3,483,981); Escape Plan (£961,470); Enough Said (£170,357); #1 Turbo £3,892,774 1^st week 528 screens (36% of top 10)

Down 0.2% from 2012 (£14,670,714); Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (£6,030,904); Paranormal Activity 4 (£2,544,701); Frankenweenie (expansion) (£741,683); Beasts of the Southern Wild (£181,801); #1 Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted £6,030,904 1^st week 532 screens (41.1% of top 10)

Up 30.9% from 2011 (£11,227,673); Paranormal Activity 3 (£3,405,036); Contagion (£1,463,638); Monte Carlo (£237,469); Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer (£33,605); Restless (£11,270); #1 Paranormal Activity 3 £3,405,036 1^st week 390 screens (30.3% of top 10)

Up 46.6% from 2010: (£10,027,140); Despicable Me (£3,664,376); The Social Network (£2,486,454); Vampires Suck (£1,089,339); #1 Despicable Me £3,664,376 1^st week 522 screens (36.5% of top 10)

Up 40.7% from 2009; (£10,447,511); Couples Retreat (£1,825,142); The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (£905,786); Triangle (£260,626); #1 Up £5,162,325 2^nd week 535 screens 19% drop (49.4% of top 10)

Up 100.5% from 2008; (£7,332,004); Burn After Reading (£2,045,565); Eagle Eye (£1,096,777); Igor (expansion) (£981,750); The Rocker (£217,745); #1 Burn After Reading £2,045,565 1^st week 396 screens (27.9% of top 10)

Up 91.1% from 2007: (£7,694,181); Stardust (£2,245,143); Rendition (£583,345); Dark is Rising (£214,058); Nancy Drew (£135,753); The Last Legion (£125,540); Daddy Day Camp (£65,989); Once (£65,256); Razzle Dazzle (£6,185); #1 Ratatouille £3,056,938 2^nd week 535 screens 31% drop (39.7% of top 10)

Up 73.2% from 2006; (£8,486,228); Barnyard: The Original Party Animals (£1,022,890); The Guardian (£826,569); The Grudge 2 (£773,422); The Last Kiss (£431,071); Marie Antoinette (£283,883); #1 The Departed £1,456,564 3^rd week 2^nd #1 358 screens 14% drop (17.1% of top 10)

Up 9.1% from 2005 (£13,473,346); Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (£9,374,932); Lord of War (£723,406); Domino (£481,409); #1 Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit £9,374,932 1^st week 501 screens (69.6% of top 10)

Up 17.1% from 2004 (£12,551,675); Shark Tale (£7,545,074); White Chicks (£884,955); Inside I’m Dancing (£219,256); Boo, Zino and the Snurks (£131,020); Fat Slags (£58,252); 5 Children & It (£37,132); #1 Shark Tale £7,545,074 1^st week 504 screens (60.1% of top 10)

Up 9.9% from 2003 (£13,372,837); Kill Bill Volume One (expansion) (£2,693,742); The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (£2,005,435); Mystic River (£295,135); Bollywood Queen (£27,020); #1 Finding Nemo £5,923,138 3^rd week 2^nd #1 475 screens (44.3% of top 10)

Up 62.5% from 2002 (£9,046,691); XXX (£3,435,891); Slap Her, She’s French (£210,321); All Or Nothing (£164,291); The Powerpuff Girls (£92,007); #1 XXX £3,435,891 1st week 435 screens (37.9% of top 10)

Up 55.3% from 2001 (£9,463,581); America’s Sweethearts (£1,719,897); Jeepers Creepers (£1,533,151); Atlantis (expansion) (£1,282,458); Brotherhood of the Wolf (£123,245); #1 American Pie 2 £2,823,776 2^nd week 420 screens 49% drop (29.8% of top 10);

Next weekend in 2018: (£20,418,070); Bohemian Rhapsody (£9,530,463); The Hate U Give (£911,309); La Fanciulla Del West – Met Opera 2018 (£186,621); Die Walkure – ROH, London 2018/19 (£185,066); Beetlejuice (30th Anniversary) (£33,825); #1 Bohemian Rhapsody £9,530,463 1^st week 659 screens (46.6% of top 10)

Also opened

• Official Secrets – eOne

Opened with £537,990 from 379 screens

Despite receiving positive review and opening only weeks after its UK premiere at the London Film Festival Official Secrets had an average opening, opened a week after Chris Morris’ The Day Shall Come, also received strong media coverage and positive reviews opened with £169,898 from 173 screens dropped 76% in its second weekend taking £32,191 and £305,684.

This again highlights how tough the marketplace is for non-megamovies and distributors have to decide if its worth the risk to give these smaller films a theatrical release as The Day Shall Come will be out of cinemas this week but eOne will still be forced to hold to the theatrical window.

Over the years there have been suggestions made that British films should have lower prices than US, this would be similar to  the Eady Levy imposed on non-British films in the 1950s. It didn’t work then and won’t work now, instead should be different pricing tariffs for different films so tickets for Official Secrets would be cheaper than tickets for Joker as is done for music concerts and sporting events. While I’ve said it many times before flexible theatrical windows for films that underperform at the box office.

• The Peanut Butter Falcon – Signature Entertainment

Opened with £39,609 from 65 screens

After receiving critical acclaim (95% Rotten Tomatoes) has been a limited release sleeper hit in the US taking over $19m since opening in August.

The film had its UK premiere earlier this month at the London Film Festival is a modern retelling of the Huckleberry Finn story.

 

UK Box Office Top 10

US Box office

• Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil – Disney

Opened with $36.94m; received mixed reviews (44% Rotten Tomatoes)  and A CinemaScore

Took $2.3m from Thursday previews slightly less than Dumbo $2.6m and 38% less than Maleficent ($4.2m)

Had the 404^th biggest opening in the US between Oblivion and Red Dragon and the 71^st biggest Disney opening between Dinosaur and Armageddon

Trailer has been viewed over19m times on YouTube

Had the 10^th biggest Disney reimagination opening; 47% less than 2014’s Maleficent ahead of release was tracking to open with up to $40m less than $69.43m the first film opened with in May 2014 taking $231.4m in the US and $758.53m worldwide.

The original 2014 film received similar mixed reviews (53% Rotten Tomatoes) but A CinemaScore

Many sequels including last month’s It Chapter Two have opened with about 30% less than previous instalments.

Disney’s 15 reimaginations have taken $3.29bn in the US and $9.2bn worldwide this year Dumbo took $353.3m; Aladdin $1.05bn and The Lion King $1.65bn worldwide:

Aladdin and The Lion King were the two most beloved recent Disney animated films but are bigger questions over upcoming remakes next years Mulan as the original animated film wasn’t hugely successful and Cruella a second reimagination of 101 Dalmatians within 15 years.

Opened with $117m from 56 territories and $153m worldwide (18% less than it was expected to open with worldwide); China $22.4m; Russia $10.7m; Mexico $7.8m;Indonesia $4.8m; Italy $4.7m; Korea $4.6m; Brazil $4.5m; UK $4.3m; France $3.9m; Thailand $3.7m; Philippines $3.5m; Germany $3.4m; Spain $3.2m

• Joker – Warner Bros

Dropped 47.6% in its third weekend taking $29.25m and $247.27m; took 42% of the top 10;

Joker trailers have been viewed over 140m times on YouTube

130^th biggest film in the US between Raiders of the Lost Ark and Toy Story 2; 30^th biggest warner Bros film in the US between Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Twister

50^th biggest third weekend between The Secret Life of Pets and Furious 7; Deadpool and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith; Warner Bros 11^th biggest third weekend after The Dark Knight, American Sniper, The Dark Knight Rises, it Chapter One, Wonder Woman and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone).

32^nd biggest comic-book movie in the US between Men in Black and X-Men: The Last Stand and 9^th biggest Warner Bros comic-book film in the US after The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Wonder Woman, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The LEGO Movie, Aquaman, American Sniper, Gravity, It and Twister.

Warner Bros biggest film of 2019 overtaking It Chapter Two ($209.6m); #30 biggest Warner Bros film in the US between Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Twister.

Took $77.8m from 79 territories and $490.3m internationally and $737.5m worldwide; 109^th  biggest film worldwide between The Matrix Reloaded and Up;  

28^th biggest Warner Bros film worldwide between I am Legend and Ready Player One; 8^th biggest worldwide of 2019 between Hobbs & Shaw and How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World.

UK: $49.9m; Mexico: $36.4m; Korea: $32.9m; Brazil: $25.5m; Russia: $25.3m; Japan: $25.3m; Italy: $23.3m; Germany: $20.5m; France: $19.2m; Australia: $19.2m; Spain: $18.8m; Indonesia: $13m

• Zombieland: Double Tap – Sony Pictures

Opened with $26.8m; received positive reviews (71% Rotten Tomatoes scores) and B+ CinemaScore; 2009’s Zombieland received positive reviews (90% Rotten Tomatoes) and B+ CinemaScore

658^th biggest opening in the US between The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Flubber and 84^th biggest Sony Pictures opening between Underworld: Evolution and Resident Evil: Afterlife; 2009’s Zombieland 99^th biggest.

Took $2.8m from Thursday midnights

Trailer was viewed 15.5m times on YouTube

2009’s Zombieland $24.73m opening (taking $75.59m). Surely a sequel opening 10 years later should be opening much bigger, as in 2009 Zombieland was an unknown over the years since it has become a cult classic so surely should be a bigger audience for the sequel.

Opened with $5.3m from 17 territories

• Gemini Man – Paramount Pictures

Dropped 59.5% in its second weekend taking $8.31m and $36.32m

Trailer has been viewed over 31m times on YouTube

Holding similar to 2012’s Looper taking $12.11m in its second weekend and $3021m taking $66.48m and $176.5m worldwide but its budget was less than half of Gemini Man.

It’s been reported that Gemini Man could lose up to $75m; the problem with the film was it was made 20+ years too late, had Jerry Bruckheimer made it after Enemy of State in the late 90s it would have been a huge success, but millennials don’t go for these kinds of films anymore, which is very problematic to studio slates for 2020 with many long gap sequels including Bad Boys For Life and Top Gun: Maverick (both also produced by Jerry Bruckheimer).

The other problem is studios never learn, while no one could have possibly predicted Joker to open as big or hold as strongly as it did to open a film targetting similar demographic a week after seemed crazy; last year First Man opening a week after A Star Is Born and a few years earlier The Walk opening the week after The Martian. Studios often release similar demographic films In the summer and Christmas, but the audience is bigger, the autumn audience is different and more selective with the films they see.

After the failure of original films including Gemini Man last rites are being served on theatrical originals as with Disney, Universal, Warner and Paramount launching streaming services will be moving originals to them as Noelle, Red Notice and Superintelligence already have been.

Will Smith’s 27 films have taken $3.59bn in the US and $8.81bn worldwide; there was a belief by some after the success of Aladdin that Will Smith was back on form but as with Suicide Squad Aladdin was a film that starred Will Smith, not a Will Smith film and it was always going to be up to Gemini Man, Spies in Disguise, Bad Bots For Life and King Richard if he was really back.

Jerry Bruckheimer 44 films have taken $4.92bn in the US and $11.69bn worldwide and Will Smith’s 26 films have taken $3.58bn in the US and $8.75bn worldwide.

Will Jerry Bruckheimer have better luck with his long gap sequels next year Bad Boys For Life and Top Gun: Maverick? With such big gaps between the films the question is their target audience, teens who saw the originals in cinemas or todays teens?

Took $33.4m from 59 territories (including $21m from China) and $82.2m total and $118.52m worldwide.

69^th biggest 2019 film worldwide between What Men Want and Happy Death Day 2U; 2,171th biggest worldwide between 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi and Bad Company, 232^nd biggest Paramount Pictures film worldwide between 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi and Star Trek: Nemesis.

• The Addams Family – United Artists

Dropped 46.1% in its second weekend taking $16.32m and $57.08m

Trailers have been viewed over 24m times on YouTube

547^th biggest opening in the US between Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and America’s Sweethearts and 24^th biggest film of 2019 between Downton Abbey and Men in Black International

The Addams Family was previously made as a live-action film in 1991 was produced by Orion Pictures but Paramount Pictures acquired the film after Orion went bankrupt; taking $113.5m and $191.5m worldwide. The sequel Addams Family Values released two years later wasn’t nearly as successful taking $48.9m.

MGM have already dated sequel for October 2021.

• Abominable – Universal Pictures 

Dropped 42.1% in its fourth weekend taking $3.51m and $53.92m

Trailers have been viewed over 15m times on YouTube

Abominable is the 36^th biggest Dreamworks Animation film between Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.

4^th weekends

2018’s Smallfoot dropped 27.5% taking $6.57m and $66.32m taking $83.24m

2009’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs dropped 27,1% taking $11.52m and $95.7m taking $124.87m

2011’s The Lion King 3D dropped 56.7% taking $4.59m and $86m taking $94.24m

2012’s Hotel Transylvania dropped 38.1% taking $17.24m and $102.13m taking $148.31m

2013’s Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 dropped 29.8% taking $9.67m and $92.7m taking $119.79m

2015’s Hotel Transylvania 2 dropped 38.1% taking $12.64m and $136.8m taking $169.7m

2017’s The LEGO Ninjago Movie dropped 38.4% taking $4.31m and $51.57m taking $59.28m

49^th biggest 2019 film worldwide between The Upside and Wonder Park; 1,412^th biggest film worldwide between The Iron Lady and Bride Wars and 182^nd biggest Universal Pictures film worldwide between Pitch Perfect and Changeling; 159^th biggest animated film worldwide between The Nut Job and Wonder Park.

Abominable is Dreamworks Animations 36^th animated film since Antz in 1998 taking $5.65bn in the US and $15.13bn worldwide.

Took $9.2m from 58 territories $60.2m total and $128.7m worldwide; 35^th biggest Dreamworks Animation film between Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.

 

• Downton Abbey – Focus Features

Dropped 36.3% in its fifth weekend taking $3.1m and $88.63m

Trailers have been viewed over 12m times on YouTube

Has become the biggest Focus Features film ever has overtaken 2005’s Brokeback Mountain $84m.

Took $2.5m from 40 territories and $75.5m total and $164.1m worldwide# #4 biggest Focus Features film worldwide between Johnny English Strikes Again and Darkest Hour; #1,093 biggest worldwide between Another 48 Hrs. and A View to a Kill; #50 biggest film internationally of 2019 between Yesterday and Wonder Park.

1,056^th biggest film worldwide between The Monuments Men and Sin City; 33^rd biggest film worldwide of 2019 between Rocketman and Escape Room and 5^th biggest Focus Featured film worldwide between Johnny English Strikes Again and Darkest Hour.

• Judy – Roadside Attractions

Down 34.9% in its fourth weekend taking $2.09m and $19.05m

Trailers have been viewed over 3m times on YouTube

Renee Zellweger has been praised for her performance as Judy Garland and is expected to be nominated for Best Actress.

• Jojo Rabbit – Fox Searchlight

Opened with $349,555 from 5 screens

Trailers have been viewed over 14m times on YouTube

Had its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival winning the People’s Choice Award polarised critics receiving both praise and criticism and comparison with 1997’s Life Is Beautiful.

While Disney have had huge success at the box office over recent years after buying Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm they are the one studio that has yet to win a Best Picture Oscar, they went close this year with Black Panther nominated for Best Picture; The English Patient in 1996 and Chicago in2002 were the last times Disney were connected to a Best Picture winner while they owned  Miramax.

Since then Fox Searchlight has won Best Picture Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, 12 Years a Slave, Birdman, and The Shape of Water and won 15 other Oscars and The Full Monty, Sideways, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno, Black Swan, 127 Hours, The Tree of Life, The Descendants, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Brooklyn, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Favourite have also been nominated for Best Picture.

Over the last 25 years Fox Searchlight have released 186 films taking $2.66bn in the US.

In a recent interview the head of Fox Searchlight said it has been business as usual since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and will probably run Fox Searchlight as they did Miramax in the 90s; as its parent studio has had a disappointing year so far with Ready or Not taking $28.61m its current biggest film of the year but Jojo Rabbit depending on its award success could take similar to 2017’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.

Jojo Rabbit had a similar platform as previous Fox Searchlight award winners

2018’s The Favourite opened with $422,410 from 4 screens; taking 11 weeks to expand into its widest 1,554 screens going on to take $34,366,783 and played in cinemas for over 16 weeks.

2017’s Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri opened with $322,168 from 4 screens; taking 5 weeks to expand into widest 1,620 screens going on to take $54,513,740 and played in cinemas for over 20 weeks.

2017’s The Shape of Water opened with $166,564 from 2 screens; taking 10 weeks to expand into widest 2,341 screens going on to take $63,859,435 and played in cinemas for over 18 weeks.

2015’s Brooklyn opened with $187,281 from 5 screens; taking 6 weeks to expand into 947 screens going on to take $38,322,743 and played in cinemas for over 20 weeks.

2014’s Birdman opened with $424,397 from 4 screens; taking 8 weeks to expand into 738 screens (expanded into 1,213 screens after Oscar win) going on to take $42,340,598 and played in cinemas for over 20 weeks.

2013’s 12 Years A Slave opened with $923,715 from 19 screens; taking 6 weeks to expand into widest 1,474 screens going on to take $56,671,993 and played in cinemas for over 25 weeks.

If Jojo Rabbit expands over 4 weeks as these other Fox Searchlight films it would mean the film would be expanding wide against Ford v Ferrari (20th Century Fox’s other major Oscar contender).

Fox Searchlight have had much more successful Oscar winners that also started on platform, but they had a much wider target demographic before opening (Juno, Slumdog Millionaire, Black Swan, The Descendants, Sideways and The Full Monty) JoJo Rabbit s not yet that must-see Oscar contender receiving polarised critical reaction.

• Parasite – Neon

Up 223.1% in its second weekend adding 30 screens taking $1.24m and $1.82m

Received critical acclaim (99% Rotten Tomatoes)

• The Lighthouse – A24

Opened with $427,797 from 8 screens

Received critical acclaim since premiering at the Cannes Film Festival

 

 

UK Box Office Predictions

Opening Wednesday Terminator: Dark Fate 5-day opening will defeat Joker taking £6m+ over 5 days and £4.5m+ Fri-Sun which would see it opening similar to inflation inflated opening of 1991’s  T2: Judgment Day £6.39m (opened with £2.68m).

Terminator: Dark Fate has received a lot of media coverage with the return of James Cameron to the Terminator franchise and early reviews compare it to T2: Judgment Day. In

James Cameron ignores Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Terminator Salvation and Terminator: Genisys with Terminator: Dark Fate following on from T2: Judgment Day, but the question is will younger audiences be as interest in seeing the old Terminator as 4 years ago Terminator: Genisys opened with only £3.79m taking £10.86m, at that time it was the first of a new trilogy of films but after it underwhelmed Paramount Pictures pulled the ;plug on the sequels as had little time before James Cameron took back ownership of the franchise this year.

Joker will have a bigger decline in its fourth weekend with the arrival of Terminator: Dark Fate taking about £3m which could be the biggest fourth weekend for a comic-book film in the UK (currently Black Panther £2,931,682) and the 20^th biggest ever fourth weekend; Joker just missed out from beating Avengers: Endgame third weekend.

The Addams Family should open similar to 2012’s Hotel Transylvania (£1,734,231) but faces competition from Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Shaun The Sheep Movie 2 and Abominable over the last few days of half-term.

Other new releases Countdown and Black and Blue aren’t likely to find much of an audience

 

Opening in UK Next Week

• Doctor Sleep – Warner Bros

Sequel horror to the 1980 film The Shinning based on the 2013 novel by Stephen King set several decades after the events of The Shining starring Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran, Carl Lumbly, Zahn McClarnon, Emily Alyn Lind and Bruce Greenwood and is written, directed, and edited by Mike Flanagan.

Warner Bros started development of the film in 2013 but it was only after the success of It in 2017 that they fast-tracked the film to open after It Chapter Two.

Was originally set for release January 24^th, 2020 but then Warner Bros brought forward its release to open October 30^th internationally and November 8^th in the US.

Being 39 years since The Shinning was released completely impossible to compare box office even if I had box office data

The original film is a classic horror directed by featuring Jack Nicholson’s iconic performance; 2019 is the 20^th anniversary of the death of director Stanley Kubrick who completed Eyes Wide Shut weeks before he died.

Trailers have been viewed over 17m times on YouTube

• Sorry We Missed You – eOne

Drama directed by Ken Loach; received its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival receiving positive reviews (76% Rotten Tomatoes) feels like a sequel to 2016’s I, Daniel Blake about zero-hour contracts.

As with 2016’s I, Daniel Blake Ken Loach will get much media coverage ahead of its release with the Labour Party using it as propaganda ahead of the likely general election next month and a nice happy film for the weekend that was to be Brexit.

2016’s I, Daniel Blake opened with £444,800 from 94 screens expanding into 211 screens in its second weekend up 7% taking £476,020 and £1,328,072 and then 273 screens in its third weekend taking £3,095,102.

eOne will likely give Sorry We Missed You a similar release expanding over several weeks. While US regularly platform films to build up word of mouth it’s become much less common in the UK, instead of opening films exclusively in Leicester Square for a week, they no open films like Sorry We Missed You on 100+ screens and then expand them over several weeks.

The only problem with this releasing strategy is if a film fails to find an audience opening on 100+ screens the distributor is unlikely to expand further 9this is what happened with The Day Will Come last week), which is also why major distributors have opted for the opposite open as wide as possible in its opening weekend, why films that used to open on 200+ screens now open in 400+.

• After The Wedding – Vertigo Releasing

Drama starring Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, Billy Crudup, and Abby Quinn and written and directed by Bart Freundlich and a remake of the 2006 Danish film by Susanne Bier switching the sex of the roles from male to female; had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival receiving mixed reviews.

Opened in the US in August on platform of 5 screens taking $50,264 expanding after several weeks to 428 screens taking $1,569,731.

After the Wedding will probably open in less than 50 screens

After independent films, American Woman opened with £5,847 in the UK last week from 6 screens and Good Posture £14,184 from 36 screens despite Sienna Miller and Emily Mortimer promoting them in the UK is no wonder filmmakers are opting to sell similar films direct to Netflix.

• Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound – Dogwoof

Documentary directed by veteran Hollywood sound editor Midge Costin exploring the power of sound in cinema includes insights from directors including George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, David Lynch, Barbra Streisand, Ang Lee, Sofia Coppola and Ryan Coogler.

Received its UK premiere at the London Film Festival last month. Independent film distributors premiere their films at the London Film Festival in the hope they will generate some media coverage, the only problem is that they have limited audiences so the two screenings of Making Waves at the London Film Festival will likely squeeze its potential box office.

Over the years there have been many documentaries about cinema including 2013’s Side by Side narrated by Keanu Reeves opened with £5,244 from 7 screens;

• The Aeronauts – eOne (Monday)

Biographical adventure starring Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne and written and directed by Tom Harper; had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and also screened at the Toronto and London Film Festivals receiving positive reviews (90% Rotten Tomatoes).

The film reunites Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne who previous starred in awards nominee The Theory of Everything

It was shot using IMAX cameras and was originally planned to be released in IMAX but then in August Amazon changed releasing plans for the film pushing back its US release from October 25^th to December 6^th two weeks before its streaming release date. This is after Amazon theatrical releases including Late Night underperformed at the box office. The Aeronauts was to get a one-week exclusive run in IMAX cinemas from October 25^th, it is unknown at the moment if The Aeronauts will get an IMAX release in the UK but its unlikely as it would be the second weekend of Terminator: Dark Fate.

When Amazon first acquired films for theatrical release they agreed to release films theatrically maintaining the theatrical window, first releasing the films through Lionsgate and since 2017 by themselves.

After their 12 theatrical releases have taken $47.5m in the US they released the theatrical window doesn’t work for these kinds of films and opted for a similar strategy as Netflix having a limited three-week theatrical release and then go to streaming. Of course this angered major exhibitors who will probably refuse to book Amazon films as they have Netflix.

Exhibitors need to change and realise the theatrical widow as it current is doesn’t work and it needs to be more flexible, as they can pull out films like The Kitchen and The Goldfinch within weeks on release so a studio should then be allowed to cut theatrical window. It doesn’t benefit anyone if a film isn’t available either theatrically or on home entertainment as people will just seek it out illegally.

With most films now taking 90% of their box office within 3 weeks a 3 week theatrical release does make sense for these films as it limits the risk as its now a massive gamble to open an original film as exhibitors don’t give films a chance to find their audience anymore, if a film fails to find an audience in week 1 in week 2 they are already dropping screenings and in week 3 its dropping screens and by week 4 its barely playing anywhere. These are films audiences don’t rush out to see over opening weeks so by the time they do want to see them they aren’t playing anymore, so people seek them out illegally.

Opening in US Next Week

• Terminator: Dark Fate – Paramount Pictures

Sixth instalment of the Terminator film series and a direct sequel to 1984’s The Terminator and 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day; starring Linda Hamilton, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mackenzie Davis, Natalia Reyes, Gabriel Luna, Diego Boneta and Edward Furlong and directed by Tim Miller from a story by James Cameron who also produces (the first since Terminator 2: Judgment Day  James Cameron has been involved),

2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, 2009’s  Terminator Salvation and 2015’s Terminator Genisys are seen as alternate timelines.

Terminator: Dark Fate opens 25 years after the first Terminator was released as James Cameron took back ownership of the rights to the Terminator franchise which he sold to Gale Anne Hurd for $1. The rights were originally shared between Hemdale producers of the original film and James Cameron, Hemdale sold its half share to Carolco in 1990 for $10m and they made 1991’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

But when Carolco also got into financial trouble in the late 90s after making Cutthroat Island and Showgirls rights were sold to C2 for $15m in 1997 and they produced 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. C2 sold the rights in 2007 to Halcyon for $25m and they produced 2009’s Terminator Salvation but soon afterwards Halcyon filed for bankruptcy selling Terminator rights for $29.5 million to Pacificor who sold the rights to Annapurna Pictures in 2012.

With James Cameron taking back ownership of Terminator franchise in 2019 there was a small window to make another film and Annapurna Pictures partnered with Skydance with Paramount Pictures signed as distributor of Terminator 5 in 2013 for a summer 2015 release date. At the time Paramount Pictures also dated two sequels for May 19, 2017 and June 29, 2018 but they were cancelled after the poor performance of Terminator Genisys both at the box office and critically.

Teaser trailer was released in May with the first trailer released on August 29th the anniversary of the original Judgment Day in the second film

20th Century Fox open Terminator: Dark Fate on October 23rd a week before US over half term holidays which was the same day they released so successfully Bohemian Rhapsody last year but it’s a very different film, targetting different demographic opening against much tougher competition. Terminator: Dark Fate opens days after Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil, A Shaun The Sheep Movie: Farmageddon and Zombieland: Double Tap and with Abominable and Joker also out half-term is going to be very crowded.

Terminator: Dark Fate follows on from T2: Judgment Day need to compare it to the 1991 film opened with $31.76m taking $205.84m.

wit with ticket inflation of 150% as it will of course be released in IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, PLF all having surcharges while T2: Judgment Day was released in 70mm but had no surcharges.

Three weeks before release Terminator: Dark Fate was tracking to open with $40m+ which would be close to 2009’s Terminator Salvation 9opened with $42.55m taking $25.23m and 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (opened with $40.04m taking $150.37m).

The last Terminator film 2015’s Terminator: Genisys opened with $27.01m taking $89.76m while the original film 1984’s The Terminator opened with $4.02m taking $38.37m.

If Terminator: Dark Fate opened with $40m+ it should give Paramount Pictures their first and only #1 of 2019 and first since Mission: Impossible: Fallout in August 2018.

The five Terminator films have taken $608.66m in the US and $1.84bn worldwide

Trailers have been viewed over 34m times on YouTube

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• Motherless Brooklyn – Warner Bros

Crime drama starring Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Alec Baldwin, and Willem Dafoe and written, produced and directed by Edward Norton, based on the 1999 novel by Jonathan Lethem; had world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival receiving mixed reviews.

Edward Norton as developing Motherless Brooklyn since early 00s

Edward Norton challenged Steven Spielberg’s comments that Netflix was killing cinema but instead the issue is with exhibitors “A lot of filmmakers and cinematographers that I know that have really started to look into this say that more than 60% US cinemas are running their projector at almost half the luminosity that they’re required by contract to run it at,”… “They are delivering crappy sound and a dim picture, and no one is calling them on it.” “If cinemas were delivering what they’re supposed to be delivering, people would be going, ‘Wow, this is amazing, I do not get this at home’…Well, I want people to literally walk into their cinema and find the manager and say, ‘If this looks dark, you’re giving me my money back. Because I’m paying, I’m paying premium, for a premium experience.’”

Edward Norton said he personally saw this when he test screened Motherless Brooklyn in a cinema screening Captain Marvel, “14 is the quality control spec the Marvel film should be running at, but the cinema was running the movie at a 6.2 spec.” … “That means it was literally running at less than half the light that was supposed to be on there,”… “You want to train people. Like, go get your money back. If the movie looks dark — it was go, get your money back! I think we should rally around that. I really do.”

Edward Norton also said, “If I disagreed with anybody, with great respect, it was Steven Spielberg,”…  “Netflix invested more in ‘Roma’ theatrically than any boutique label at any studio would have by a factor of five. They put a Spanish-language black-and-white film all over the world in cinemas. Hundreds of cinemas, not just a few; as many as Sony Pictures Classics would have done. They put more money behind it, in a theatrical context, than anybody would have. You can’t tell me there’s a whole lot of people making black-and-white Spanish-language films and putting that investment behind them.”… There’s a lot going on because of Netflix, and what it was the vanguard of, that represents an unprecedented period of ripe opportunity for many more types of stories and voices to be heard, and told, and celebrated. It’s incredible, what’s going on.”

These have been mu exact thoughts for years having one other caveat to add to the comments he made ticket prices, despite what industry claims (recently announced average ticket price dropped to $8.93) cinema ticket prices keep increasing, I will admit that some cinemas have dropped piecing but that is mostly due to newer cinemas close by. With the additional competition from streaming and the loss of Moviepass this has made cinemagoers become more and more selective with the films they pay to see and those they wait to see. Audiences want to see a sure thing and that is the reason why Disney films have been so successful as the hype around them makes them must see films, but within a few weeks ago audiences realise they are Emperor New Clothes films all hype no sustenance. Just memberries

The problem for Edward Norton is Motherless Brooklyn is expected to opened with about $6m and it will be yet another original film that has failed to find  an audience, with Warner, Universal, Disney and Paramount launching streaming services its likely that films like Motherless Brooklyn, The Kitchen and The Goldfinch will bypass theatrical in the future and go straight to studios streaming services as its not worth the risk to the studio to release these films, unless exhibitors change.

• Harriet – Focus Features

Biographical drama starring Cynthia Erivo, Leslie Odom Jr., Joe Alwyn, and Janelle Monáe and directed by Kasi Lemmons; had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival receiving mixed reviews but praised Erivo’s performance.

Trailers have been viewed over 7m times on YouTube

Harriet is expected to open with about $8m