Pan's Numbers

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Then: Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon -- a very big hit by any standard, let alone for a foreign-language film -- opened on 16 screens on 12.8.00, and earned $758.542 after four days. Now: Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth opened on 12.29 on 17 screens and has earned $779,427, averaging $44,148 per screen.

The expectation is that Pan's will have its first million in the coffee can by the end of today, or certainly by sometime tomorrow. Congrats to Picturehouse's Bob Berney, but what are readers deducing from these figures? The deep-forest fantasy drama opens in...well, it's already opened in L.A. but Chicago and maybe somewhere else on Friday. It will expand to roughly 100 screens by 1.12.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on January 3, 2007 at 11:36 AM

comment #1

Mike Schaefer says ...

Actually it openeed last Friday in LA, Chicago, NY, SF...

Posted by Mike Schaefer at January 3, 2007 11:59 AM

comment #2

MoisesChiu says ...

1/12 it opens on one screen in Dallas at the Magnolia. For God's sake, expand it sooner! At this rate, Tallahassee gets it in March!

Posted by MoisesChiu at January 3, 2007 12:14 PM

comment #3

Alan Cerny says ...

I loved PAN'S LABYRINTH, it's a masterpiece, but I don't think it has the crossover appeal of CTHD. The masses can digest kickass fight scenes a lot easier than fantasy allegory and disturbing gore. I wish it weren't so, but I think it is. This in no way diminishes CTHD, which is still a terrific film 6 years later,

Posted by Alan Cerny at January 3, 2007 12:42 PM

comment #4

The Movie Man says ...

Metacritic has PL as the best reviewed film of the year, for what that's worth.

Posted by The Movie Man at January 3, 2007 1:17 PM

comment #5

Craig Kennedy says ...

I agree with Alan and I'm guessing more of a cult hit with Pan than a crossover blockbuster. People who wouldn't be caught dead at a foreign language film or an action movie turned out for Crouching Tiger. I'd be surprised if Pan's has the same success, but then I'm surprised alot because I don't actually know anything.

Posted by Craig Kennedy at January 3, 2007 1:19 PM

comment #6

sutter kane says ...

I think it will depend on oscar noms in particular. CTHD landed a best picture and best director nod, if I recall correctly, and that means a lot more to american audiences than a best foreign film nod, which seems far for likely for PL than picture or director.

With the reviews, I think it'll do Hero-well, which is to say $40-$50 million, but it won't approach $100.

Posted by sutter kane at January 3, 2007 2:51 PM

comment #7

EveHarrington says ...

I don't think they can wait for Oscar noms. Pan's would benefit from very specific niche marketing -- in-market tastemaker screenings, screenings at universities, activities and signage at gaming shops, etc. This is a word of mouth movie; one can't help but tell anyone with ears how incredible it is. In NY and LA people are aware of the kind of buzz it's getting, but out there in the heartland, they need to make that urgency THE story. They also have to delineate its platform release so that anyone with an interest will know exactly when it's opening in their market. I really hope this movie crosses over.

Posted by EveHarrington at January 3, 2007 4:51 PM

comment #8

le corbeau says ...

It was packed when I saw it on New Year's Day, but I will say that I wonder how it will play for audiences not used to gross-out horror and the kind of violence perpetrated in spots-- a friend of mine said he spent much of the movie astrally projecting himself away from scenes like Captain Vidal bashing the guy's face in with a bottle. I'm betting word of mouth is respectful without necessarily recommending it wholeheartedly.

Posted by le corbeau at January 3, 2007 7:02 PM

comment #9