New tracking data arrrived this morning, and it contains good news for Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (Fox, 11.3). It’s tracking better than those recent press stories have indicated, I mean — 40 general awareness, 39 definite, 10 first choice. Room to grow but that’s fairly decent for an 800-screen starter. Flushed Away is 59, 27 and 5….better. The Santa Clause is running 87, 33 and 9 — still the strongest of the bunch.
Babel goes into the top 15 markets (San Diego, SF, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, Washington, Montreal, Philly, etc.) this Friday, and then a national (1200 screens) release on 11.10. Awareness is still building and will be accumulating over the next 10 days until it achieves, in the arcane jargon of the trade, “maximum weight drop.”
As noted previously, Stranger Than Fiction (56, 34, 3) is going to open better than A Good Year (44, 22, 2). Harsh Times is facing a tough slog…23, 24, 1. Night of the Living Dead, The Return.
Casino Royale (11.17) is doing pretty well for a big release that’s two and half weeks out, but not all that terrifically for a Bond film — 69, 35, 7. Happy Feet is looking very strong for animated kids film…50, 32, 4. Let’s Go to Prison (11.17 also)…13, 18, 0. (Well, how are you and yours about a movie called Let’s Go to Prison?)