WEEKEND BOX OFFICE 3/14: Robots Rule!

I think Harrison's always wanted to be the next Sean Connery. Sean's been going for a while...

David Ladd and Michael Douglas were cited as the producers so apparantly James Cameron is taking over.

A brief storyline (confirming that Ford could fit the part):

Outline: An astronaut thought dead when his capsule is found empty returns 40 years later to his hometown, and helps revive the place and its inhabitants, even if they don't necessarily believe he's who he says he is.

Sounds like the same premise as "The Majestic."

Hollywood still doesn't realize there's a treasure trove of good sci-fi to interpret in film out there so they continue to copy themselves.

Hollywood rehashes ideas? Well I never...

Maybe HBO should start a school for lazy movie screenwriters.

I've known a few and they are basically intellectually lazy.

Bud Schulberg:

Screenwriters -- schmucks with Underwoods.

(Well, that would be schmucks with word processors now).

Where are the George Clooney successors? (I'm finding him a bit shop-worn)

Probably Colin Farrell who is coming up in "Alexander," the story of Alexander the Great. Colin with blond hair!




From Variety:

TOP STORY
It's 'Day' versus 'Shrek 2'
'Tomorrow' dawns, but the ogre still looms

By Gabriel Snyder

If you find yourself in the path of a monster, it's usually best to get out of the way.
Twentieth Century Fox will unleash its climate disaster pic "The Day After Tomorrow," starring Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal, on 3,425 screens Memorial Day weekend. But despite expectations that the pic will open strongly, even the studio is predicting it will take the No. 2 spot on the weekend box office chart behind "Shrek 2's" second-week take.

Also opening this weekend is Kate Hudson starrer "Raising Helen," from Buena Vista, at 2,717 locations and MGM's urban laffer "Soul Plane" with 1,566 playdates.

Through Wednesday, the "Shrek" sequel had grossed $156.5 million. DreamWorks will further expand the pic -- already the most widely distributed film ever -- this weekend to 4,223 locations. Pic could take a 40% drop in its second week, relatively steep for a Memorial Day weekend, and still gross more than $80 mi! llion over the four-day frame.

"Day After Tomorrow," which Fox expects to open in the mid-50s, would still fall well below most "Shrek" estimates.

Fox distrib prexy Bruce Snyder said that the top rank on the box office charts doesn't make any difference. "I would rather be No. 2 at $55 million than No. 1 at $45 million," he said.

That may be true, but given the amount of effort that studios spend trying to get pics to No. 1, there has to be some value to the rank.

Ultimately, distrib execs say, it comes down to free media. Box office charts appear so widely these days -- everywhere from newspapers to cable news channels to those little screens in elevators -- that being on top amounts to a ton of free advertising.

"You assume that type of press is good for $5 million or $6 million worth of advertising," one distrib topper said. "And it's not coming from me. It's coming from an independent news outlet, so it's being verified. It's much better to have Diane Sawyer s! ay your picture is No. 1 than to say it yourself."

"Day After Tomorr ow" helmer Roland Emmerich is no stranger to the pole position. His "Independence Day" picked up $96 million over a five-day holiday span in 1996; "Godzilla," released on the Wednesday before Memorial Day in 1998, picked up $74 million in its first six days.

Promoted heavily -- a blurb deal with ESPN has dubbed the cabler's coverage of NBA playoff games "Play Like There's No Tomorrow" -- the f/x-driven pic is expected to appeal to a male aud that may find "Shrek" too cutesy.

The film has also benefited from added publicity generated by environmental groups seeking to use its heat to generate interest in policies that would combat global warming. Better news for Fox is that some of these groups, including MoveOn.org, are encouraging volunteers to go see the pic and then hand out literature to other people in the auditorium.

Day-and-date record

Fox is also bowing "Day After" this weekend in 110 foreign markets in 100 countries outside the U.S. and Canada -- the ! widest day-and-date bow yet.

MGM hopes that "Soul Plane" plays similarly to 2002's "Undercover Brother," which opened up with $12 million against "The Sum of All Fears," which took $31.2 million.

While MGM distrib prexy Erik Lomis said the core constituency for the pic will be young African-American auds, he thinks it has a chance to cross over. "It's an equal opportunity offender. Basically, it's a very modestly budgeted film, we have a clear shot at our core demographic, and if it's going to cross over into the suburbs, this is the weekend."

The release of "Raising Helen" means that four pictures will likely gross more than $10 million for the Memorial Day weekend. While the holiday normally expands the business, it makes for a crowded marketplace.

In limited releases, United Artists will opens "Saved!" on 20 screens in five cities. Sony Pictures Classics debuts two pics in Gotham and L.A.: "Baadasssss!," with 14 playdates, and "The Mother" on seven screens. Also ! unspooling is IFC's "Frankie and Johnny Are Married" in L.A. at the We stside Pavilion.

From CNN:

Hollywood plays it again

Flood of remakes in the pipeline to flood movie theaters starting in June.
May 28, 2004: 4:58 PM EDT
By Chris Isidore, CNN/Money senior writer



NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Hollywood has decided you can't have too much of an good thing, as a flood of remakes is set to jam the nation's multiplexes.

Three remakes that opened in March and April -- "Dawn of the Dead," "Walking Tall" and "The Ladykillers," are still in a couple of hundred theaters apiece, all after bringing in at least $40 million in domestic ticket sales. They will soon be joined by a three major summer releases that all remake classic movies of between 30 and nearly 50 years ago. And these are just the first of another dozen remakes already set for releases through the end of 2005.

First up will be "The Stepford Wives," starring Nicole Kidman, due out June 11. Next will be the June 16 release of "Around the World in 80 Days," starring Jackie Chan. On July 30 comes "The Manchurian Candidate," starring Denzel Washington. And these are just the first of another dozen remakes already set for releases through the end of 2005.

LINK TO BALANCE OF ARTICLE

Shrek II is racing towards the moon and could unseat "Passion" as the blockbuster of the year, and "Troy" and "Van Helsing" comfortably head toward blockbuster status.


WEEK BOX OFFICE FINAL
May 21 - 27, 2004
Title (Distributor) Reported Weekly
Box Office Engagements
This Week Cumulative
1. Shrek 2 (Dreamworks) $143,790,172 4,163 $164,735,354
2. Troy (WB) $32,613,318 3,411 $94,648,767
3. Van Helsing (UNIV) $14,013,655 3,418 $103,978,335
4. Mean Girls (PAR) $9,477,624 3,054 $67,276,893
5. Man on Fire (FOX) $5,101,089 2,104 $70,882,091
6. Breakin' All the Rules (SONY) $3,708,132 1,318 $9,916,265
7. 13 Going On 30 (SONY) $3,541,163 2,028 $53,109,145
8. New York Minute (WB) $1,751,618 2,360 $13,071,510
9. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (MIRAMAX) $1,692,477 854 $63,325,324
10. Super Size Me (IDP) $1,564,879 148 $3,532,944
Data provided by Nielsen EDI

Shrek II continues to kick ass with "The Day After Tomorrow" hot on the trail but with the new "Harry Potter" due out this coming Friday, who knows?

WEEKEND BOX OFFICE ESTIMATE
May 28 - May 31, 2004
Title Engagements Estimated
Weekend
Box Office
1. Shrek 2 (DREAMWORK) 4,223 $72.2
2. The Day After Tomorrow (FOX) 3,425 $70.0
3. Troy (WB) 3,411 $12.0
4. Raising Helen (BV) 2,717 $11.2
5. Soul Plane (MGM/UA) 1,566 $5.7
6. Mean Girls (PAR) 2,618 $4.9
6. Van Helsing (UNIV) 2,891 $4.9
8. Man on Fire (FOX) 1,426 $1.9
9. 13 Going On 30 (SONY) 1,164 $1.1
10. Super Size Me (IDP) 197 $1.1
in millions of dollars

phooooooooooof - did the bottom fall out of Troy? not much staying power there.

That makes over 100M since its opening engagements. It's still a long way from the 200M it cost to make and distribute the movie. If they can do 150M, however, it will still be considered a blockbuster and the foreign and DVD sales will put it into a profitable plane. I can quote foreign figures if you'd like.

It's doing fine with 147M in foreign box office as of last week. The producers glean about 30 to 50% of the total box office, the rest going to the theaters and distribution. This is always variable depending on the deal with the distributor and the rental fee for the theaters. This now puts "Troy" at about $240M world wide.

I edited the original post to reflect that the figures posted are the US box office (not including foreign) as I took it for granted everyone knew the release dates are always different.

I was looking at the week to week numbers. Some films seem to hang tight for considerable periods - even though they've moved to 2nd or 3rd place. Others seem to run out of steam very quickly.

A lot of big movies for the Summer season are coming out one after another. It ends up being the law of attrition -- the length of time "Troy" can stay at about 10M a week . So it's really the second weekend drop that's crucial and "Troy" did okay -- remaining at third is not that bad.
In other words, it could sustain around 10M a week for six more weeks and run the total box office up to around 300M internationally. That would leave the DVD sales to make it a profitable venture.

I read somewhere Troy has done monster business worldwide. I figure it's not bad. Brad Pitt hasn't been a marquee leading star for a few years, and the last several movies he made were not so spectacular. Se7en was great, how long ago was that? I didn't see all of Snatch, but it got good reviews. However, it was a small indie film. All in all, I think it bodes well for Brad as long as he makes the right choices. We'll see how good that movie is with him and Angelina Jolie.

btw, I don't have kids yet, and no niece and nephews close by. But I will see Harry Potter the opening weekend. Luv the story! My boyfriend and I saw Shrek 2 last weekend. Two supercalifragilistic thumbs up!

I had quoted the international boxoffice for "Troy" at 147M internationally and that was last week's figures. This weeks figures will likely come in on Tuesay or Wednesday. I wouldn't doubt it's over 200M by now. Brad made some bum choices including "The Mexican," ignoring the fact that you're only as good as your last picture.

Oh, sorry, I didn't page up very far. You're full of movie info. I don't know your picture on that other thread lol.

Anyway, I figure with the holiday weekend, Troy goes in the black. I think I read (maybe you posted this, too, oops) that the movie cost about $180ish to make?