NY Box Office Debut: "Fahrenheit 9/11"
Fahrenheit 911 poster
By Lee Tistaert     Published June 24, 2004
If ratios prove to be accurate, Fahrenheit could possibly be looking at a Friday figure in the vicinity of $8.0 million, giving the film a Star Wars-like average in the mid-$9,000 range in 868 theaters.
Michael Moore?s hugely anticipated documentary, Fahrenheit 9/11, made a special premiere in New York on Wednesday before the rest of the nation (on Friday). Playing in 2 theaters, the feature raked in a record $79,000 in ticket sales, averaging $39,500 from each venue.

In comparison, the similarly buzzed documentary, The Blair Witch Project, made its New York debut on a Wednesday at 1 theater (before hitting limited release two days later), scaring up a $31,000 gross.

Denzel Washington?s kidnapping thriller, Man on Fire, also opened in New York before the rest of the nation, taking in nearly $20,000 on its Wednesday for a nearly $10,000 average in 2 theaters.

The Blair Witch Project expanded wide as a result of the phenomenal buzz the feature received after two weeks of playing in limited release. Getting booked in 1,101 theaters, Blair Witch averaged $7,479 per-screen on its first (wide) Friday, leading to a revolutionary $27.8 million weekend.

If ratios prove to be accurate, Fahrenheit could possibly be looking at a Friday figure in the vicinity of $8.0 million, giving the film a Star Wars-like average in the mid-$9,000 range in 868 theaters.

Considering Man on Fire?s opening day Wednesday average of $10,000, Fahrenheit?s average was nearly four times larger. The former then averaged $2,460 per-screen on its opening day in nationwide release ? if multiplied by four that would be roughly $9,850 per-screen.

Similarly, Fahrenheit 9/11 debuted 1.26 times bigger than Blair Witch in New York; and with the $7,479 average in 1,101 theaters, that could translate to a $9,425 per-screen average.

The one debatable factor on Fahrenheit 9/11 is whether the documentary will play to boiling numbers outside the top theater markets (For LA theater examples, a Hollywood venue had already sold out two Friday night shows by early in the week. And in Westwood at a 465 seat theater, the 5:00, 7:30, and 10:00 shows for Friday had already sold more than 100 tickets each by Tuesday.). With 868 theaters, that is a lot of seats to fill for something of this genre; but considering the mass of media buzz and what Mel Gibson pulled off with The Passion, it would be rather biased to say that it isn?t at least possible.

If Fahrenheit does in fact play to $8.0 million on Friday, the feature could stand a chance to not only pull in up to $28.0 million for the weekend, but beat out White Chicks for the number one spot.
Share, Bookmark
'Fahrenheit 911' Articles
  • Craig's Fahrenheit 911 review A
    June 26, 2004    An infuriating, compelling, and incredibly moving tearjerker that should not be missed. -- Craig Younkin
  • Crowd Report: "Fahrenheit 9/11"
    June 26, 2004    This is the first film I?ve ever seen where the audience has applauded many times throughout the movie, and also the first time I?ve ever seen half the crowd give a standing ovation afterwards. -- Lee Tistaert
  • Friday Box Office Analysis (6/25)
    June 26, 2004    While the documentary didn?t eclipse Spider-Man?s record opening day average of $10,901 per-screen, its holdup throughout the weekend could mirror that movie?s performance or that of the Passion. -- Lee Tistaert
  • Michael Moore: American Muckraker or Patriot?
    June 22, 2004    From what I?ve read, seen, and heard from those against Michael Moore, not one source has been able to present neither a clear, unbiased case against him nor his films. -- Stephen Lucas
  • Cannes Film Festival Winners
    May 23, 2004    Michael Moore takes top honor, "Ladykillers" picks up an award... -- Staff of LMI