Information obtained via Box Office Mojo, The Numbers, Deadline, and other sources:
I will opt for a more softer tone than others who have glibly wrote about how this past weekend was the "Worst Box Office Weekend Of 2011" and irresponsibly reported that the industry is in a tailspin. Hurricane Irene, which swept up and through the East Coast, caused more than 40 fatalities across 10 states and left millions of people without power. Half of our Awards Circuit team were potentially in harm's way and thankfully, all of them came through the situation unscathed. Hurricane Irene did impact things significantly it appears overall, but if everyone is being honest, the selections for the final week of the summer box office were not projected to be strong performers and seldom, if ever, are. Attention has shifted to the fall - home to the prestige Oscar pictures - and the studios treated the past weekend's new arrivals as largely afterthoughts.
THE HELP MAKES IT 2 IN A ROW...
Topping the survey for a second straight weekend is the resilient "Help", which looks to perhaps have enough in its tank for a possible third consecutive weekend stay at the top of the heap. Dipping a mere 27 percent in its third weekend, "The Help" rolled along to a 19-day total of $96.8 million. Each weekend, Buena Vista has been adding more theaters and increasing the film's reach and "The Help" continues to deliver the highest per screen averages of any wide release. Curiously, the film has never played on 3,000 or more screens, almost a must for a film with this kind of appeal and success.
With the long-simmering thriller "The Debt" arriving in theaters nearly 9 months after it was originally set to be released, and the found-footage mockumentary "Apollo 18" and gauche "Shark Night 3D" arriving to deafening silence, "The Help" could make it a rare trifecta at the top. "Apollo 18" and "Shark Night 3D" are not being screened for critics, telling you likely everything you could ever want to know about their prospects this weekend.
Paul Rudd plays an "Idiot", Zoe Saldana opens her first film on her name alone, and one documentary continues to race circles around its competition. More analysis, The Weekend Breakdown, and The Top 40 Most Attended all after the cut!
COLOMBIANA FAILS TO FIND A VOICE IN A SEA OF MEDIOCRITY...
The months of January and August are typically the months that studios attempt to get what they can out of big budget projects that they realize are mistakes and/or misfires. If these films fail, the hope is that they will not generate a torrent of bad PR and the wrong kind of attention. In the month of August, 13 films have opened wide in 4 weeks and 11 of those have come in the last 3 weekends. Audiences are often bombarded with mediocrity this time of year, as the studios clear the decks of the riffraff to make room for their prestige pictures of the fall.
And so this weekend, we begin with TriStar's "Colombiana", a PG-13 actioner featuring Zoe Saldana as a female assassin/vigilante plotting her time to exact revenge on the man who murdered her parents when she was young. Saldana, well known from a little movie called "Avatar", and featured in several ensemble films over the last couple of years, received her first name-above-the-title credit with the film and the response was, as anticipated, quite reserved.
Starting with $10.4 million, the film came into North America with a worldwide gross of $5+ million already, but the film looks like it may struggle to earn back its $40 million production budget. Certainly the film will struggle mightily to earn that sum here at home. Critics were held away from seeing the film until late Thursday night, never a good sign, and in this article from Matt Singer at IFC, "Colombiana" suffers from some continuity gaffes that are flat out inexcusable and amateurish.
Directed by Oliver Megaton (is that pronounced MEGA-TON or...) and co-written by Luc Besson, "Colombiana" did perhaps as well as could be expected and will likewise end up in the $28-$32 range stateside when it wraps up its theatrical run. At least it was the most attended new release of the weekend, right?
DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK ELICITS ONLY A WHIMPER...
Lost in the shuffle when Miramax Films was shuttered by Disney and eventually sold in the fall of 2010, "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" tried really hard to convince people that this film delivered the goods when it comes to scares, tension, and unsettling anxiety. A whisper-laden trailer with a massive jump scare was effective, but that appeared almost a year ago. As time went on, people seemed to have forgotten about the film, moved on to other films of interest, and/or truly never cared all that much in the first place.
Produced, co-written, and "Presented by Guillermo del Toro", but not directed by the acclaimed filmmaker, "Don't Be Afraid" limped across the finish line with an $8.5 million first weekend. Budgeted at $25 million, the film could still eke out a domestic profit, but the returns on the film were simply lackluster, Hurricane Irene or no Hurricane Irene.
Lagging far, far behind "Final Destination 5" and "Insidious" as 2011 supernatural horror films go, audiences gave the film a disconcerting "C-" CinemaScore grade and critics were dipping in and out of Fresh/Rotten range with their reactions to the film. A film like "Don't Be Afraid" needs to have the "OMG" buzz preceding its release and the marketing folks handling the film could never convince moviegoers that this was comparable to the "Paranormal Activity" series or even FilmDistrict's earlier 2011 breakout, "Insidious". With all the delays and bad audience reaction, middling response from critics, and the lack of effective buzz generated by the marketing, "Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark" seemed ultimately doomed from the get-go.
OUR IDIOT BROTHER TURNS A PROFIT ALREADY?!?
Arriving with a dismal per screen average, "Our Idiot Brother" is the only new release to earn back its production budget in its opening weekend. Shot for $5 million reportedly, "Brother" may have only generated a soft $7.0 opening frame but that pushed the film into profitability and The Weinstein Company were reportedly quite pleased with the success of the project.
Presented in the trailers as more raunchy and bawdy than the film actually turns out to be, "Our Idiot Brother" stars Paul Rudd as an organic farmer who disrupts the lives of his three sisters, played by Elizabeth Banks, Emily Mortimer, and Zooey Deschanel. Critical support waned as the week went on but the film still retained a 67% ranking with Rotten Tomatoes amongst those critics surveyed. Audiences, perhaps expecting something more wildly hilarious and less dramatically-tinged, gave the film a substandard "C+" CinemaScore ranking.
For Rudd, the film served as his second consecutive disappointing opening financially, following last December's "How Do You Know", which featured Rudd alongside Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, and Jack Nicholson. "How Do You Know" started with a meager $7.4 million opening and concluded with a $30.2 million haul in North America. While that film lost significant millions ($120 budget/$48 worldwide gross), "Our Idiot Brother" is, once again, already in the black, and Rudd will emerge unscathed from his latest film's lackluster audience reception.
SENNA SPEEDS AHEAD...
The documentary regarding the late-Formula One race car driver, Ayrton Senna, continued to make heads turn and Oscar buzz grow with an impressive 30% increase in business, but also a healthy uptick in per screen average. Playing at just 28 locations, "Senna" has banked $545k in its first 17 days and could possibly become the 10th documentary to move past $1 million in box office receipts this year.
HIGHER GROUND...
Oscar nominee Vera Farmiga stepped behind the camera for the first time to helm a passion project of hers, "Higher Ground". Originally premiered at Sundance in January 2011 and based upon the memoirs of author Carolyn Briggs, who also co-wrote the screenplay adaptation with Tim Metcalfe, "Higher Ground" recounts the story of a woman who struggles with her deep-seeded religious faith as life presents obstacles and challenges to her.
Critics praised Farmiga's abilities as a director and her lead performance also drew some strong citations. "Higher Ground" got off to a good beginning, with a solid $21k opening on 3 screens (2 in New York and 1 in Los Angeles).
REMAINING TOP 12 FILMS
Within the Top 12, "Conan The Barbarian" most notably waved to everyone and lept right off the cliff into the box office bomb abyss. Shedding 68.2%, the film stands to be one of the biggest bombs of 2011, grossing a scant $16.7 million domestically and $22.6 worldwide. Budgeted at $90 million, the only word left to say regarding "Conan" is "Ouch."
"Fright Night" played in all the same venues it had from its opening weekend and lost 59.9%. The decline was worse than expected, although not terribly surprising, and other films marketed at younger audiences, "30 Minutes Or Less" and "Final Destination 5", all hemorrhaged considerably.
With 13 high profile films opening up this past August, "Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes" continued to maintain its far-reaching appeal and the film of choice for families continued to be July's "The Smurfs".
"Midnight In Paris" got one last ditch effort to play wide and expanded out to 652 locations, earning $744k and a disappointing $1,140 per screen average. While the theatrical ship may have finally sailed on the biggest success of Woody Allen's illustrious career, the film is projected to arrive on home video in December, strategically timed with Sony Pictures Classics' big Oscar push and campaign.
THE DISCOUNT HOUSE
"Super 8" boomed 199.5% with its move to the second circuit. The film has grossed $244.9 million worldwide on a $50 million budget. Although not officially confirmed, outlets are reporting that "Super 8" will be yours to keep forever on October 18, 2011.
"Transformers: Dark Of The Moon" saw a climb of 5%, raising its domestic take to $349.5 million and worldwide figures in excess of $1.1 billion. DVD/BluRay/VOD/BluRay 3D arrives for home consumption on Friday, September 30, 2011.
And Disney moved "Winnie The Pooh" to the second circuit and the tragically underperforming gem of an animated film saw its numbers ramp up 31%. Budgeted at $30 million, worldwide the film has earned $32 million and reports indicated that the initial home video release date in October is being moved back to December 20, 2011 to capitalize on the Christmas holiday.
And hopefully, an Oscar campaign if its own?!?!?! Oh well, a boy can dream...
THE WEEKEND BREAKDOWN
#1 Film - "The Help", earned $14.5 million in its third weekend.
Last Year's #1 Film at this time: "Takers", earned $20.5 million in its opening weekend.
Biggest Per Screen Average (50+ Sites): "The Help", $5,233 at 2,778 locations ($14.5 million for the weekend, $96.8 million cumulative)
Worst Per Screen Average (50+ Sites): "Zindagi Na Milega Dobara", $93 at 100 locations ($9k, $3.1 million cumulative)
Largest Increase (50+ Sites): "Super 8", +199.5%
Steepest Decline (50+ Sites): "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie", -89.8%
Films Earning More Than $1m for the weekend: 17 (Most in 2011)
Films Which Surpassed $100m: N/A
Films Which Surpassed $200m: N/A
Films Which Surpassed $300m: N/A
Films Which Surpassed Reported Budget This Weekend (Domestic): "Our Idiot Brother", "30 Minutes Or Less"
The Top 40 and other notables (Wkd Figures and % Chg, based on 3-day totals)!
| TW | LW | DAY | FILM | WKD | TOTAL | % CHG |
| 1 | 1
| 19
| The Help
| $14.5m | $96.8m | -27.4
|
| 2 | N
| 3
| Colombiana
| $10.4m | $10.4m | New
|
| 3 | 2
| 24
| Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes
| $8.9m | $148.7m | -45.0
|
| 4 | N
| 3
| Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark
| $8.5m | $8.5m | New
|
| 5 | N
| 3
| Our Idiot Brother
| $7.0m | $7.0m | New
|
| 6 | 3
| 17
| Spy Kids: All The Time In The World
| $6.0m | $22.0m | -48.4
|
| 7 | 5
| 31
| The Smurfs
| $4.8m | $125.9m | -39.1
|
| 8 | 4
| 10
| Conan The Barbarian
| $3.2m | $16.7m | -68.2
|
| 9 | 10
| 24
| Crazy, Stupid, Love.
| $3.108m | $69.7m | -35.2
|
| 10 | 6
| 10
| Fright Night
| $3.103m | $14.3m | -59.8 |
| 11 | 8
| 17
| 30 Minutes Or Less
| $2.7m | $31.8m | -58.0
|
| 12 | 11
| 45
| Harry Potter/Deathly Hallows Part 2
| $2.56m | $370.8m | -43.2
|
| 13 | 7
| 17
| Final Destination 5
| $2.55m | $37.9m | -66.8
|
| 14 | 9
| 10
| One Day
| $2.51m | $9.8m | -50.5
|
| 15 | 12
| 31
| Cowboys And Aliens
| $2.4m | $93.5m | -43.6
|
| 16 | 13
| 38
| Captain America: The First Avenger
| $2.2m | $168.8m | -45.4
|
| 17 | 14
| 24
| The Change-Up
| $1.2m | $34.5m | -57.4
|
| 18 | 19
| 101
| Midnight In Paris
| $744k | $51.6m | +34.7
|
| 19 | 18
| 61
| Transformers: Dark Of The Moon
| $640k | $349.5m | +5.6
|
| 20 | 16
| 52
| Horrible Bosses
| $639k | $113.8m | -50.0
|
| 21 | 17
| 38
| Sarah's Key
| $634k | $4.1m | -17.6
|
| 22 | 21
| 31
| The Guard
| $385k | $1.8m | -8.4
|
| 23 | 39
| 80
| Super 8
| $305k | $126.0m | +199.5
|
| 24 | 25
| 73
| Mr. Popper's Penguins
| $261k | $67.0m | -13.6
|
| 25 | 22
| 52
| Zookeeper
| $243k | $77.2m | -40.1
|
| 26 | 24
| 73
| Green Lantern
| $234k | $116.0 | -30.1
|
| 27 | 23
| 66
| Cars 2
| $234k | $187.4m | -32.7
|
| 28 | 30
| 45
| Winnie The Pooh
| $232k | $26.1m | +31.4
|
| 29 | 27
| 108
| Bridesmaids
| $228k | $168.0m | -18.9
|
| 30 | 20
| 38
| Friends With Benefits
| $213k | $55.2m | -60.0
|
| 31 | 26
| 95
| Kung Fu Panda 2
| $210k | $164.3m | -26.3
|
| 32 | 31
| 17
| Senna
| $207k | $545k | +30.2
|
| 33 | 28
| 101
| Pirates Of Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
| $194k | $240.5m | -26.5
|
| 34 | 15
| 17
| Glee 3D Concert Movie
| $185k | $11.7m | -89.8
|
| 35 | 29
| 143
| Born To Be Wild IMAX
| $160k | $12.1m | -22.4
|
| 36 | 32
| 24
| The Whistleblower
| $121k | $603k | -19.9
|
| 37 | 35
| 87
| X-Men: First Class
| $114k | $146.1m | -13.8
|
| 38 | 38
| 66
| Bad Teacher
| $100k | $98.3m | -5.6
|
| 39 | 34
| 38
| Another Earth
| $96k | $1.1m | -33.3 |
| 40 | 33
| 31
| The Devil's Double
| $92k | $1.2m | -37.5
|
BUBBLING UNDER INCREASES AND OPENINGS:
48. “Sea Rex 3D: Journey To A Prehistoric World”, $44k, $4.1m (241 days), +21.1%
49. "Circumstance", $43k, NEW
52. "Brighton Rock", $33k, NEW
56. "Higher Ground", $21k, NEW
59. “Redemption Road”, $19k, NEW
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