Weekend Box Office #165
So this week is all about AVATAR, which actually doesn't interest me all that much on a story level. But this is the kind of movie whose visual scale might just transcend that; apparently it's just pretty amazing to watch in 3-D, while the reviews have been solid enough to build a lot of interest.
Opening wide this weekend:
AVATAR (3452 theaters). I have no idea how much it might make. It does have to compete with a lot of last-minute Christmas shopping, while if people are smart they'll avoid the 2-D versions of the film, but the 3-D-capable theaters might be packed. Let's call it $52.7 million for the weekend, though I really have no idea.
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? (2718 theaters). This is supposed to be terrible. call it $8.2 million for the weekend.
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Last weekend, the PRINCESS AND THE FROG expanded and did a solid $24.2 million. INVICTUS did only $8.6 million.
posted by Scott the Reader @ 1:16 PM
3 Comments:
FIRST!
AVATAR will likely do better than 52, but I still can't see where the sense is in spending that much on a movie which seems incapable ever or making that money back.
Gunna see "Avatar" with my family tomorrow. Can't hardly wait. Looks awesome. Though I do echo Brett's sentiments; it's VERY HARD for this movie to make a profit as its price tag is somewhere over a quarter of a BILLION dollar! I mean, how is that ever possible?
Still, "Terminator," "Aliens"... Hard not to like a guy with that track record. But a quarter of billion dollars to make 1 movie, who does James Cameron think he is -- George Lucas?!
I think "Did You Hear about the Morgans" looks like a hoot. I liked the trailer very much.
Scott Myers posted that "Nine" was opening this weekend to. Well, this week or next, that movie looks GREAT TOO. After a lackluster '09 season, it looks like Hollywood saved the best for last. Looks a good time to be spending some time and $$ in your local theater. 'Bout time!!
- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, WA
So you weren't entirely off. It's done 73 domestic. Some 236 million worldwide -- which is fine. I think it'll grow, and it'll easily surpass the 500 million total for marketing and filming.
It's an interesting case of 'how much' did they really spend to make the movie that with stuff that's one time use only, and how much of it serves as R & D for future films?
The story line is simple, but I'll be one to argue that it's still a higher level than most popcorn movies you see. Without an installed fan base, without a pre-recognized franchise name to back it up...there needs to be a gateway into Avatar, something easily accessible, because so much of watching the movie is simply the experience of seeing it for the first time.
Maybe on repeat viewings that'd wear it all too thin, I don't know. But it's hands down the only movie I felt justified in dropping ticket price since UP.
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