Weekend Box Office #60/Strike Stuff

So though the AMPTP submitted their much-ballyhooed new offer yesterday, word has it that the offer is terrible, and really hasn't moved negotiations any closer to a settlement. In fact, negotations are off until Tuesday, when the WGA will present its new offer.

There doesn't seem to be any real motivation for AMPTP to want to get this settled before the New Year. Given the holiday break coming up, there wouldn't be much TV filming in December anyway, while apparently AMPTP has its eye on using force majeure to get out of some deals they don't want to be in.

Plus, let's face it: the AMPTP wants this strike to hurt. They don't want the writers looking back on this strike with fond memories in the future, to justify another strike.

Fingers crossed that it settles in January, but who knows at this point.

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Meanwhile, only one movie opens widely this weekend. The first weekend of December is considered a dead week in theaters, with moviegoers still recovering from Thanksgiving and thinking about shopping.

Though given that Thanksgiving weekend is such a big movie-going time, the following week is always going to look bad in comparison. Especially if you don't actually release good new movies.

So AWAKE opens in 2020 theaters. The ads seem fairly effective; it should do about $8.3 million for the weekend. Though look for ENCHANTED to more than double that, and finish #1, while nothing else will likely break $10 million.