Saturday Numbers

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In the view of Steve Mason, the weekend's #1 film -- Michael Jackson's This Is It -- is a shortfaller due to $8 million earned yesterday and a likely 5-day cume of $33.2 million by Sunday night.

That's well short of the $31.5 million earned over the first three days by Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (Disney) in February '08. That film earned a little more than $65 million by the end of its run. So is Mason saying that This Is It won't make it to that figure? His point seems to be that the potential business indicated by the Jackson doc's opening-day business hasn't been fulfilled.

The weekend's really big box-office story, meanwhile, is Paramount's Paranormal Activity -- made for $15 grand, acquired for $300,000 and destined to reap $83.5 million by Sunday night. It'll easily crest $100 million.

Keep in mind, by the way, that Couple's Retreat was trashed by every critic in the country and will still have a Sunday-night tally of $87.2 million. Business is flat this weekend -- $2.4 million yesterday, a three-day projection of $6.7 million -- but still, $87.2 million ain't chump change.

Where the Wild Things Are is also dead at this stage -- $2.2 million earned yesterday, a likely $6.5 million for the weekend -- but a $63.2 million total doesn't sound too bad from an armchair perspective.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on October 31, 2009 at 4:30 AM

comment #1

actionman says ...

Wells -- did you see Wild Things yet? It's brilliant. You really must check it out.

Posted by actionman at October 31, 2009 5:50 AM

comment #2

dggunz says ...

2nd that - I'm glad that "Where the Wild Things Are" did fairly well. Curious that Jeff hasn't talked much about it.

Posted by dggunz at October 31, 2009 7:23 AM

comment #3

York "Budd" Durden says ...

If WTWTA had had a farting contest between Max and Carol and a bunch of stupid one liners and 3-D poo-poo jokes it'd be past $100mil by now.

Posted by York "Budd" Durden at October 31, 2009 8:23 AM

comment #4

great scott says ...

Anyone else find it ironic/appropriate that the Michael Jackson movie is coming out at Halloween?

Posted by great scott at October 31, 2009 9:44 AM

comment #5

great scott says ...

David Poland said there was no way Paranormal Activity would be a $100 million grosser.

I love it when Poland is wrong even more than when Wells is.

Posted by great scott at October 31, 2009 9:57 AM

comment #6

Josh Massey says ...

Am I the only one who found Wild Things boring?

I don't need fart jokes, or killer robots, or sex jokes, or a big CG wave - but a consistent involving narrative is nice. It was good in parts, very good in some, but seemed 45 minutes longer than it actually was.

Posted by Josh Massey at October 31, 2009 10:27 AM

comment #7

DeeZee says ...

Wasn't that Hannah Montana thing in 3-d, and thus inflated for box office? And Paranormal Activity was released during Halloween, so it was bound to make something, with an effective ad campaign. As for Wild Things, if I recall, the budget's $100 million, so they were clearly aiming for a phenomenon, not a minor hit. Anyway, considering that there were no official performances in This Is It, and it's mostly the "outtakes", that's a pretty good take for the flick.

York: It'd pass $100 million if it didn't appeal solely to Hot Topic shoppers who listen to emo bands.

scott: I brought that Halloween thing up earlier.

Posted by DeeZee at October 31, 2009 11:41 AM

comment #8

Terry McCarty says ...

DeeZee wrote:
Wasn't that Hannah Montana thing in 3-d, and thus inflated for box office?

And THIS IS IT is playing mainly evening/late shows in IMAX, xo it won't get much of its weekend gross from the inflated ticket prices.

Posted by Terry McCarty at October 31, 2009 1:03 PM

comment #9

Terry McCarty says ...

York "Budd" Durden wrote:
If WTWTA had had a farting contest between Max and Carol and a bunch of stupid one liners and 3-D poo-poo jokes it'd be past $100mil by now.

Agree. It was just a bit too subtle for the marketplace.

Posted by Terry McCarty at October 31, 2009 1:04 PM

comment #10

Terry McCarty says ...

Also re Durden's comment:
The trailer for ASTRO BOY pandered excessively to children (I'm tired of hearing the line "You have.....no idea."), but the film still flopped. Of course, part of it can be attributed to modern unfamiliarity with the character.

Posted by Terry McCarty at October 31, 2009 1:39 PM

comment #11

DeeZee says ...

Terry: AB flopped, because they released it during a shitty week for it and its ilk.

Posted by DeeZee at October 31, 2009 2:32 PM

comment #12

dinovelvet says ...

great scott - of course it's appropriate. What's the difference between the new Nightmare on Elm Street and This Is It? One is about a disfigured child molester from beyond the grave, the other is a reboot starring Jackie Earle Haley.

Posted by dinovelvet at October 31, 2009 4:45 PM

comment #13