Saturday box-office
Last Thursday's tracking was correct in that 30 Days of Night, the Josh Hartnett vampire film, is the weekend's #1 film with a projected $15,580,000. (A slightly brawnier $18 to $20 million was expected by handicappers.) Tyler Perry's Why Did I get Married? dropped 44% for a second-place showing and an estimated $11,880,000. The Game Plan, a Middle American feel-good movie that refuses to go away, will earn $8,041,000 by Sunday night.
The fourth-place Michael Clayton (easily one of the best films now playing, along with Things We Lost in the Fire and Gone Baby Gone) will do about $7,419, 000 -- off 32% from last weekend. Gone Baby Gone will be fifth with $5,897,000...no action. The Comebacks (which you have to be a real moron to want to see, given Joe Leydon's Variety review) will be sixth with $5,769,000.
We Own The Night will be seventh with $5,728,000. The 3D reissue of Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas will take in $5,549,000 for an eighth-place showing. Gavin Hood's Rendition is a complete wipeout with a projected $4,118,000 for the weekend in 2250 theatres. The Heartbreak Kid will do about $4,006,000 -- this will put it at $32 million currently and a projected $40 million gross all in.
Things We Lost in the Fire, which contains Benicio del Toro's finest performance ever and one of the greatest performances of the 21st Century, is looking at a projected $1,519,000 for the weekend in 1142 theatres, or $1300 a print. (If the dogs won't eat the dog food you can't stop them.) The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a corpse -- projected earnings of $572,000 or $1900 per theatre. Terry George's Reservation Road will take in $2900 a print in 13 theatres.
And Anton Corbijn's Control is expected to take in $36,000 this weekend in two theatres (Film Forum and Nuart).
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 20, 2007 at 10:43 AM
comment #1
Andrew
says ...
I''ll be watching Things We Lost in the Fire tonight because of you're enthusiasm for it.
I was about to make a jab about DelToro's acting as "one of the greatest performances of the 21st century", but then we're only 7 years into it, so I'll let it slide.
Posted by Andrew
at October 20, 2007 11:30 AM
comment #2
Larry
says ...
1) The Game Plan shows Hollywood that it's still about, as has always been about, making crowdpleasing films. And you know what? When done well (i.e., not this one), they're usually better than the "serious" rilms that critics like.
2) Michael Clayton is holding on pretty well. No blockbuster, but for the cost of the film, it'll make a profit, and won't hurt Clooney's rep as much as people were saying.
3) Rendition's belly flop, even with a big name, is the story of the week. With yet another anti-war story that had to be told playing to crickets, it may be a while before Hollywood lets the inmates run the asylum again.
Posted by Larry
at October 20, 2007 11:36 AM
comment #3
btwnproductions
says ...
Just putting the good word in for GONE BABY GONE before it's gone, baby, gone, from cinemas, probably in two or three given these numbers. Among other attrbutes: An outstanding supporting performance by Amy Ryan.
Posted by btwnproductions
at October 20, 2007 11:38 AM
comment #4
swordandpen
says ...
Jesse James already lost most of the theaters it had in New York. It has officially become the Little Children of this year.
Posted by swordandpen
at October 20, 2007 12:13 PM
comment #5
billie
says ...
I'm looking forward to seeing Things We Lost in the Fire, but those numbers are terrible. Too bad. Micheal Clayton appears to be holding well.
Posted by billie
at October 20, 2007 12:26 PM
comment #6
Jamie
says ...
Jesse James is already out of the theaters by me in Philadelphia. But it was replaced by "Spookley the Square Pumpkin" so at least we know they're concerned with quality.
Posted by Jamie
at October 20, 2007 12:59 PM
comment #7
Terry McCarty
says ...
btwnproductions wrote:
Just putting the good word in for GONE BABY GONE before it's gone, baby, gone, from cinemas, probably in two or three given these numbers. Among other attrbutes: An outstanding supporting performance by Amy Ryan.
Seconding the above recommendation. A good second step (counting last year's appearance in HOLLYWOODLAND) towards Ben Affleck lifting the "hey, with your looks you should be a clean-cut leading man in conventional product" yoke off his neck.
Posted by Terry McCarty
at October 20, 2007 1:09 PM
comment #8
mrmystery
says ...
Glad to see Rendition flopped bigtime. Another "story that had to be told" that no one gave a crap about. Maybe we could waterboard terrorists with the tears of hollywood actors?
Me, I'm telling everyone to see Michael Clayton and Gone Baby Gone.
Posted by mrmystery
at October 20, 2007 3:43 PM
comment #9
jeffmcm
says ...
So you saw Rendition, then, right, Mrmystery?
Posted by jeffmcm
at October 20, 2007 4:01 PM
comment #10
mrmystery
says ...
saw the preview, jeffmcm. that was enough to see the kneejerk. no thanks.
Posted by mrmystery
at October 20, 2007 4:19 PM
comment #11
Wrecktum
says ...
"Me, I'm telling everyone to see Michael Clayton and Gone Baby Gone."
I second that.
Posted by Wrecktum
at October 20, 2007 4:30 PM
comment #12
jeffmcm
says ...
It was enough to feel the kneejerk, is I think what you mean.
Posted by jeffmcm
at October 20, 2007 6:21 PM
comment #13
BurmaShave
says ...
jeff, he doesn't know what kneejerk means, it just has always come before or after the word 'liberal' when he listens to Rush Limbaugh, so he thought he'd try it out.
Posted by BurmaShave
at October 21, 2007 6:15 AM
comment #14
MPNeeb
says ...
30 Days may have won the weekend, but I can't imagine champagne corks were flying over at Sony.
For a horror picture to do only $16M right before Halloween...
Not bad, but no body should place their jb security on this one.
Posted by MPNeeb
at October 21, 2007 12:39 PM