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Craig Younkin
Friday Box Office Analysis (11/12)
By Lee Tistaert Published November 13, 2004
Polar Express didn?t debut in line but neared the performance of The Santa Clause 2, which premiered about at the same time two years ago.
Despite a massive 3,650-theater count release, Robert Zemeckis and Tom Hanks didn?t turn the marketplace upside down. The Polar Express, their new holiday adventure, raked in $6.7 million on Friday, averaging a fairly good $1,829 per-screen. The debut is in line with Hanks? previous film, The Terminal, which opened to $6.1 million and $2,187 per-screen in 2,811 theaters.
Why Warner Bros. booked such a huge opening is a good question, as 3,200 - 3,300 theaters probably would?ve been just fine. Polar Express didn?t debut in line but neared the performance of The Santa Clause 2, which premiered about at the same time two years ago to the tune of $7.5 million and $2,242 per-screen in 3,350 theaters. That family flick bounced up 72% on Saturday, which, if translated here, could give Polar a second day haul in the neighborhood of $11 - 12 million. With Sunday likely to be larger than Friday, by perhaps 25% or so, that could give Polar Express a weekend take of roughly $27.0 million (just shy of Santa Clause 2?s $29.0 million weekend gross).
With a cast that could?ve brought in solid sales if the movie was actually good, After the Sunset debuted modestly, pulling in $3.7 million in 2,819 theaters for a $1,294 average. With an ad-campaign that seemed to suddenly jumpstart with the debut of Friday Night Lights, the crime caper only had about a month to get buzz cooking; but then again that could also be a sign that MGM didn?t see much coming out of it regardless. The figure just barely touched Pierce Brosnan?s thriller, Thomas Crown Affair, which brought in $4.1 million but a livelier $1,675 per-screen. That film went on to gross $14.6 million considering its summer debut (Sunday was larger than Friday), a figure of which After the Sunset should not touch. Saturday should be around $4.5 - 5.0 million, thus giving the flick a weekend take of around $11.0 million.
Just like Chucky himself, this killer-doll franchise refuses to die. Obviously intended for laughs rather than scares after its first couple of sequels, the franchise has been picking up a devoted teen audience looking for stupid fun. Seed of Chucky debuted on Friday to $3.1 million and $1,495 per-screen, a little distance off the $3.9 million ($1,618 per-screen) performance of the previous sequel, Bride of Chucky. The gross is in gear with the horror flick, Cabin Fever, which turned in $3.1 million and $1,482 per-screen. It is possible for Chucky to fall on Saturday, but a safer bet is for it to up its quota to around $3.5 million. For the weekend, Seed of Chucky should gross around $8.5 - 9.0 million.
After the original film had huge success on video, Bridget Jones became a cult comedy and further pushed Renee Zellweger as one of women?s favorite actresses. The sequel, The Edge of Reason, landed dynamite business on Friday in only 530 theaters, delivering $3.1 million for a mammoth $5,806 per-screen. To put that into perspective, the action/thriller, The Bourne Supremacy, opened to $18.4 million on opening day, but a $5,825 per-screen average.
Despite critics not warming up to Bridget?s clumsy charm like they did the first time around, moviegoers once again proved that there are times when reviews just don?t matter. Even with moviegoers? insistence to make this sequel a hit, the cast members are not so enthusiastic. All three Bridget leads have admitted that they are more than happy to never do another sequel, and even Hugh Grant has said that About a Boy is the only film he can look proudly upon from his resume (and is on the verge of retiring his acting career).
Bridget Jones could earn upwards of $3.8 million on Saturday, with Sunday likely to be in the range of $2.2 - 2.5 million; that should give Edge of Reason a weekend of $9.0 - 10.0 million.
Why Warner Bros. booked such a huge opening is a good question, as 3,200 - 3,300 theaters probably would?ve been just fine. Polar Express didn?t debut in line but neared the performance of The Santa Clause 2, which premiered about at the same time two years ago to the tune of $7.5 million and $2,242 per-screen in 3,350 theaters. That family flick bounced up 72% on Saturday, which, if translated here, could give Polar a second day haul in the neighborhood of $11 - 12 million. With Sunday likely to be larger than Friday, by perhaps 25% or so, that could give Polar Express a weekend take of roughly $27.0 million (just shy of Santa Clause 2?s $29.0 million weekend gross).
With a cast that could?ve brought in solid sales if the movie was actually good, After the Sunset debuted modestly, pulling in $3.7 million in 2,819 theaters for a $1,294 average. With an ad-campaign that seemed to suddenly jumpstart with the debut of Friday Night Lights, the crime caper only had about a month to get buzz cooking; but then again that could also be a sign that MGM didn?t see much coming out of it regardless. The figure just barely touched Pierce Brosnan?s thriller, Thomas Crown Affair, which brought in $4.1 million but a livelier $1,675 per-screen. That film went on to gross $14.6 million considering its summer debut (Sunday was larger than Friday), a figure of which After the Sunset should not touch. Saturday should be around $4.5 - 5.0 million, thus giving the flick a weekend take of around $11.0 million.
Just like Chucky himself, this killer-doll franchise refuses to die. Obviously intended for laughs rather than scares after its first couple of sequels, the franchise has been picking up a devoted teen audience looking for stupid fun. Seed of Chucky debuted on Friday to $3.1 million and $1,495 per-screen, a little distance off the $3.9 million ($1,618 per-screen) performance of the previous sequel, Bride of Chucky. The gross is in gear with the horror flick, Cabin Fever, which turned in $3.1 million and $1,482 per-screen. It is possible for Chucky to fall on Saturday, but a safer bet is for it to up its quota to around $3.5 million. For the weekend, Seed of Chucky should gross around $8.5 - 9.0 million.
After the original film had huge success on video, Bridget Jones became a cult comedy and further pushed Renee Zellweger as one of women?s favorite actresses. The sequel, The Edge of Reason, landed dynamite business on Friday in only 530 theaters, delivering $3.1 million for a mammoth $5,806 per-screen. To put that into perspective, the action/thriller, The Bourne Supremacy, opened to $18.4 million on opening day, but a $5,825 per-screen average.
Despite critics not warming up to Bridget?s clumsy charm like they did the first time around, moviegoers once again proved that there are times when reviews just don?t matter. Even with moviegoers? insistence to make this sequel a hit, the cast members are not so enthusiastic. All three Bridget leads have admitted that they are more than happy to never do another sequel, and even Hugh Grant has said that About a Boy is the only film he can look proudly upon from his resume (and is on the verge of retiring his acting career).
Bridget Jones could earn upwards of $3.8 million on Saturday, with Sunday likely to be in the range of $2.2 - 2.5 million; that should give Edge of Reason a weekend of $9.0 - 10.0 million.
'The Polar Express' Articles
- Craig's The Polar Express review B
November 11, 2004 The most realistic looking attempt to combine humanity with animation. -- Craig Younkin
