Box Office in Full Franchise Mode

In its second weekend, Marvel's The Avengers broke yet more records (first film to gross over $100 million in its second weekend) and joined the long-legged Katniss of The Hunger Games in her treetop perch. Together they can gaze far far down at the rest of the year's films whilst casually planning their even bigger sequels. Toy Story 3 excepted, they're the two most massive hits since James Cameron's Avatar. Meanwhile in limited release that Exotic Marigold Hotel was at full occupancy. Dark Shadows had a disappointing bow given the expectations generally placed on the Burton/Depp camp in mainstream remake mode. Since they clearly ought to take a break to recharge their creative batteries, maybe this is for the best? Consider that the Dames Judi & Maggie, in far far fewer theaters (roughly 4% of Dark Shadow's screens) and in their second weekend, had double the per screen average.

Johnny Depp's bankability tied down by Avengers fever and Double Dame powers.

TOP TEN 
01 THE AVENGERS  $103.1 (cum $373.1) Review
02 DARK SHADOWS  $28.8 new
03 THINK LIKE A MAN  $6.3 (cum $81.9)
04 HUNGER GAMES  $4.4 (cum $386.9) Review
05 THE LUCKY ONE  $4 (cum $53.7)
06 THE PIRATES! $3.2 (cum $23.1)
07 FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT  $3.1 (cum $24.3)
08 THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL $2.6 (cum $3.7) Review
09 CHIMPANZEE $1.6 (cum. $25.5)
10 GIRL IN PROGRESS $1.3 new 

What did you see this weekend? How many times have you seen The Avengers already? I would've seen Dark Shadows (LaPfeiffer awaits) but for visitors from out of town. I shall gaze on my beloved this week. More to come.

Hulk Smash Box Office!

Here's one of the very smartest things about The Avengers that I read all weekend and surely a sign as to why it's handily smashed opening weekend box office records with its mighty $200 mil.

Perhaps people like The Avengers so much because it celebrates a triumph of branding. The Hulk reinforces his brand by blending together a sensitive, indie, yet still hunky Mark Ruffalo with a green, childlike, cartoonish embodiment of aggression that smashes things.  Viewing the film is like watching Pepsi chat with McDonalds ironically about the inadequacies of Apple as Facebook dons a blue mask before ripping Nike's hammer away in a fit of pique."
-The Film Doctor

I haven't read this elsewhere but I think it's worth noting that this exact same weekend 10 years ago was also historic. Spider-Man (2002) was our first ever $100+ opening weekend. In ten short years the booty has practically doubled but in Spider-Man's defense they have raised ticket prices radically in that span of time. I liked The Avengers but the only way I'd see it again in theaters is if I can find a matinee 2D screening.

Hulk crush Harry Potter & Batman © Nathaniel Rogers

TOP FIFTEEN 
01 THE AVENGERS new  $200.3 Review
02 THINK LIKE A MAN  $8 (cum $73)
03 HUNGER GAMES  $5.7 Review (cum $380.7... and suddenly looking far less likely to stay the #1 movie of the year)
04 THE LUCKY ONE  $5.5 (cum $47.9)
05 THE PIRATES! $5.4 (cum $18.5)
06 FIVE YEAR ENGAGEMENT  $5.1 (cum $19.2)
07 THE RAVEN  $2.5 (cum $12)
08 SAFE $2.4 (cum. $12.8)
09 CHIMPANZEE $2.3 (cum. $23)
10 THREE STOOGES $1.8  (cum $39.6)

11 CABIN IN THE WOODS $1.5(cum. $38)
12 JOHN CARTER  $1.3 Review (cum $75) 
13 21 JUMP ST  $1 Review (cum $133.9)
14 AMERICAN REUNION  $.8 (cum $55.3)
15 THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL new $.7

What did you see over the weekend? I checked in at the The Bext Exotic Dame-Packed Hotel... which I'll write a little something about soon. If they were going for counterprogramming against The Avengers maybe they should have opened in more theaters? With Hotel's high per screen average and a weak showing for everything but the superheroes (and a strangely resurgent John Carter. What's going on there???), I bet they could have opened in the top ten. Then again, I assume Manhattan's very mobile elderly get out to the movies far more often than their counterparts elsewhere. It seems impossible but we may have been the youngest people in the theater.

Overheard @ Box Office: "for my brother, I think...Three Stooges"

Exiting the laughter-filled theater after Whit Stilman's comic whatsit Damsels in Distress last night, I noticed a surprising amount of grumbling about the movie. Say, weren't you all laughing heartily just minutes ago? I know I heard you laughing. It's impossible to please those Upper West Siders!

Two men in front of me weren't impressed and one was clearly planning another movie outing soon with his brother. 

Guy Who Picks The Movie: For my brother, I think... Three Stooges.
Other Guy: And it might be better movie." 

The WTF comment haunted me the whole way home.  What kind of a crossover audience might Damsels in Distress and The Three Stooges have. Which is to say who would be torn between them if they only had money for one ticket? LOL. It has to be a previously undiscovered demographic. To quote Suzanne in Postcards from the Edge when momma Doris suggests she could have had Joan Crawford for a mother... "These are my choices?"

Here is my best, my only, guess at the overlap...

That's all I got!

TOP TEN (Estimates)
01 THINK LIKE A MAN  $33 new 
02 THE LUCKY ONE  $22.8 new
03 THE HUNGER GAMES  $14.5 (cum $356.9) Reviewed
04 CHIMPANZEE  $10.2 new
05 THE THREE STOOGES  $9.2 (cum. $29.3)
06 CABIN IN THE WOODS $7.7 (cum. $26.9)
07 AMERICAN REUNION $5.2  (cum. $48.3)
08 TITANIC (3D) $5 (cum. $52.8) Centennial
09 21 JUMP STREET  $4.6 (cum. $127)  Reviewed
10 MIRROR MIRROR $4.1 (cum. $55.2) Reviewed

Below the Top Ten...
Damsels in Distress doubled its screen count but is still a long way from indie hit status. Darling Companion, opened on only 4 screens despite a name cast. (Yes, they're all senior citizens but couldn't they market this more widely to older viewers? I mean it's only been 9 years since Diane Keaton carried a $100 million multi-quadrant hit.) Further down the list the Weinstein Co's Oscar horses of 2011 are all about to return to the stable ending their theatrical runs as they hit DVD. The Iron Lady is dragging herself to a $30 million finish, The Artist is ending with $44, and Coriolanus and W.E. are... well, better luck on DVD. 

What did you see this weekend? Do you love stunt casting? Which reality TV star would you gladly follow into the movie theater for some legit camera acting?

Box Office: Hunger Milestones & Reader Questions

With the box office ever in its favor, The Hunger Games just keeps climbing the all-time charts. With $337 million in the US alone in just four weeks, it will soon outgross last year's biggest hits (Harry Potter 7.2 and Transformers 3). If it can pass Toy Story 3's $415 million it'll be the biggest hit released since (gulp) Avatar stateside.

That fire dress was prophetic. Unfortunately that movie's bonfire heat makes writing about the box office even more boring than it usually is... which is why I always gussy it up with photoshop fun & reader question games.

chart via box office mojo

So herewith...

Eight Questions

1. How many times have you seen Hunger Games?
2. Did you at any point want someone beside Katniss to win?
3. How many times have you seen Titanic in the movie theater (then & now)?
4. Have you recently snuck into a movie so you didn't have to pay for a ticket?
5. What kind of movies would you fund with $337 million?
6. Who are the crazy people who paid for The Three Stooges this weekend? Justify your behavior!
7. With Mirror Mirror about to hit $50, has the movie made back its costume budget yet?
8. What did you see this weekend?

I'll kick things off by answering in the comments. Tag, you're it.

Box Office, Happy Easter Nostalgia

Did you end up moviegoing this weekend? I actually stayed home. Quiet weekend which is sometimes what ya need. The Hunger Games continues to devour the nation's entertainment budget with a bigger third weekend than most films can muster on their first. Otherwise it was a nostalgia weekend, especially for the 27-34 year-old set with 1999's American Pie cast reunited and the Titanic (1997) rerelease.

If you're part of that demo, were you feeling the nostalgia? Don't lie. You've quoted "one time at band camp..." before.

TOP TEN (Estimates)
01 THE HUNGER GAMES  $33.5 (cum $302.8) Reviewed
02 AMERICAN REUNION  $21.5 new in wide release
03 TITANIC 3D  $17.3 rerelease (cum. $25.7)
04 WRATH OF THE TITANS $15 (cum. $58.8)
05 MIRROR MIRROR  $11  (cum $36.4) Reviewed 
06 21 JUMP STREET  $10.2 (cum. $109.5) Reviewed
07 THE LORAX  $5 (cum. $198.2)
08 SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN $.9 (cum. $4.6)
09 JOHN CARTER  $.8 (cum. $67.9) Reviewed
10 SAFE HOUSE $.5 (cum. $124.7)

The cast of Damsels in Distress

Talking Points
• Damsels in Distress, Whit Stillman's long awaited return debuted in limited release with a decent $16,000 per screen average on 4 screens.
• 21 Jump Street is rapidly approaching the impressive gross of The Vow. So, go Chan. 
• Despite working so hard for media attention Bully only added one screen this weekend. Bizarre.