Home Market Numbers: Ultron's Reign Continues

November 7th, 2015

It was the first full week for The Avengers: Age of Ultron on the home market and it topped the new releases for October 6th, 2015 and earned first place on the combined DVD and Blu-ray chart for October 11th. Over the week, the film sold 1.02 million units and generated $18.02 million for the week for sales of 2.62 million units / $47.21 million after nine days of release. By comparison, Furious 7 generated $47.05 million, not during its first two weeks, but since its release nearly a month ago. It is already in the top ten for the year and it should climb into the top five shortly. More...

Home Market Numbers: Age Opens Well, but Not Quite the Ultimate Opening

October 21st, 2015

As expected, The Avengers: Age of Ultron led the September 29th new releases earning an easy first place on the combined DVD and Blu-ray chart for October 4th. It sold 1.60 million units and generated $29.35 million in revenue. It also had an opening week Blu-ray share of 69%. That's simply fantastic. However, it wasn't the best first-week opening we've seen this fall, as it fell just behind Furious 7. On the other hand, Age of Ultron was a Friday release, so it had a shorter opening week. Next week we will compare the running tallies of the two films and that will likely give us a much better picture of where these two films will end up. More...

Home Market Numbers: Pitch's Opening is Good, but Not Perfect

October 14th, 2015

Pitch Perfect 2 led the new releases for September 22nd and earned first place on the combined DVD and Blu-ray chart for September 27th. The film sold 974,000 units / $16.76 million during its first week of release, 55% of which was sold on Blu-ray. That's really impressive for this type of film. On the other hand, overall sales were 13% lower than the original film opened with. Additionally, the franchise box set earned fifth place with 48,000 units / $1.37 million. More...

Home Market Numbers: Furious 7 has Mellow Start on the Home Market

October 10th, 2015

Six new releases from the week of September 15th reached the top 30 on the combined DVD and Blu-ray chart for September 20th. This includes four in the top five and a new number one. Furious 7 earned first place with 1.87 million units / $31.89 million on the single release for an opening week Blu-ray share of 64%. Impressive. Meanwhile the second Fast and Furious Franchise Box Set released this year earned fifth place with 62,000 units / $3.46 million. While the film very nearly earned twice that of its nearest competitor, it was still almost exactly 40% lower than Fast and Furious 6 opened with. This decline is huge, but all packaged media is down. Some of the slack is going to VOD, but a lot of home market revenue now goes to subscription streaming services like Netflix or Crunchyroll. Personally, I like packaged media, I still buy CDs, so this is bad news for me. More...

Home Market Releases for September 22nd, 2015

September 21st, 2015

This week's list is led by Pitch Perfect 2, which was a surprisingly strong performer at the box office. However, its reviews are not up to Pick of the Week levels. The best of the best are dominated by TV on DVD releases, including Modern Family: Season 6, which is the last sitcom I watch every single week. However, it is a double-dip that wins the Pick of the Week honors, Moonrise Kingdom:Criterion Collection. The original Blu-ray didn't have nearly enough extras, but this one corrects that problem. More...

Home Market Releases for September 1st, 2015

September 1st, 2015

Summer is officially over, both in theaters and on the home market. This week, the new releases are led by Mad Max: Fury Road, which was not only one of the biggest hits of the summer, it was also one of the best. Nearly everything else of note is TV on DVD, so if you are a fan of those releases, it will be an expensive week. There were several contenders for Pick of the Week, including two TV on DVD releases (Castle: Season 7 and New Girl: The Complete Fourth Season), a documentary (Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me on DVD), but the winner is Mad Max: Fury Road on 3D Combo Pack. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Jurassic World Chews Up the Record Book

June 16th, 2015

After disappointing weekend after disappointing weekend, I had become pessimistic about any film's chances of being a breakout success this summer. Jurassic World changed that. The film didn't just top expectations, it broke all-time records. Over the weekend, the film pulled in $208.81 million. That is the record for biggest single weekend and it helped take the overall weekend box office to an all-time high with $273.67 million. This is 106% more than last weekend; that's right, the weekend box office was more than double last week's result. Additionally, and more importantly, it was 46% higher than the same weekend last year. Jurassic World itself earned 12% more than all films combined this weekend last year. More...

Weekend Predictions: Is There Still an Audience for a Jurassic Film?

June 12th, 2015

Jurassic World is the only wide release this week and its box office potential is so high that it has scared away even the counter-programming. It isn't the only film playing in theaters this weekend, but it will very likely make more at the box office than the rest of them combined. Spy will be a distant second place and is hoping not to be crushed. If it can avoid falling 50%, it should have enough legs to reach the century mark. ... with a push from the studio. The only other film that is on track to earn more than $10 million over the weekend is San Andreas, which already crossed the $100 million mark. This weekend last year, two films opened wide, 22 Jump Street and How to Train Your Dragon 2. Neither film will match Jurassic World individually, but they might have the advantage if you combine their openings. Additionally, there will only be two $10 million films this weekend, while there were three last year. 2015 will win on top, but 2014 has better depth and I think 2015 will lose the year-over-year comparison... again. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Spy High, but not a Monster Hit

June 9th, 2015

None of the three new releases matched expectations and while the holdovers pulled their weight, it wasn't enough to help the overall box office. Spy didn't make it to $30 million during its opening weekend, but it came within a rounding error of that mark. Insidious Chapter 3 did very well compared to its production budget, but will likely be the weakest installment in the franchise. Meanwhile, if it weren't for its lower production budget, Entourage would be considered a bomb. Overall, the box office fell 4.3% from last weekend to $133 million. Worse still, the box office fell 18% from last year. Year-to-date, the overall box office has pulled in $4.39 billion, which is 1.2% above 2014's pace. More...

Weekend Predictions: Will Spy Become McCarthy / Feig's Third Hit?

June 5th, 2015

There are three wide releases this week, including one that is already in theaters. The biggest of these three releases is Spy, which is the latest film from Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig. Both of their previous films crossed $100 million with ease. Insidious Chapter 3 is the third film in the Insidious franchise, but most think it won't be the best. Entourage started out ahead of expectations, but its reviews could cause a quick decline. This weekend last year, The Fault in Our Stars opened with nearly $50 million, while Maleficent landed in second place with more than $30 million. I don't think 2015 will be strong on top, but I think it will have better depth. More...

International Box Office: San Andreas Rumbles to the Top

June 4th, 2015

San Andreas opened in first place on the international chart with $63.9 million on 15,420 screens in 60 markets. Its best international market was Mexico where it earned first place with $9.97 million. It also opened in first place in Australia with $2.47 million in 449 theaters. The film generated $7.07 million in 505 theaters in the U.K. and $5.16 million on 2,256 screens in Russia. The film was also potent in Brazil with an opening of $3.2 million in 926 theaters, while it earned a nearly identical amount in France with $3.19 million in 496. It is still too soon to tell where the film will end up, but it made more worldwide than it cost to make during its opening weekend, so the studio must be happy. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: San Andreas Shakes Up Box Office

June 2nd, 2015

The post-holiday weekend was softer than the holiday weekend, which is to be expected. However, thanks to a stronger than predicted opening by San Andreas, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. On the other hand, Aloha was on the low end of expectations. The overall box office fell 9.5% from last weekend to $139 million, which is acceptable. By comparison, the overall box office fell 17% from this weekend last year, as San Andreas couldn't keep up with Maleficent's opening. Year-to-date, 2015 has pulled in $4.20 billion, putting it 1.2% ahead of 2014's pace of $4.15 million. 2015 is coming dangerously close to losing its lead over last year. More...

Weekend Predictions: Will May End on a Disastrous Note?

May 28th, 2015

The weekend after a holiday is usually a bad weekend at the box office. This time around, San Andreas is the clear front-runner while Aloha might struggle, even as counter-programming. San Andreas will earn more than $30 million over the weekend, no other film is on track to hitting $20 million. On the other hand, there could be six other films that earn $10 million or more over the weekend. By comparison, this weekend last year, Maleficent opened with nearly $70 million, while X-Men: Days of Future Past earned more than $30 million. There's no way the top of the chart will match that. Even with better depth, it is very unlikely 2015 will win in the year-over-year comparison. More...

International Box Office: Ultron Still Ultimate Film on International Chart

May 28th, 2015

For the fifth week in a row, The Avengers: Age of Ultron remained in first place. This week it pulled in $45.8 million in 91 markets for month-long totals of $859.8 million internationally and $1.265 billion worldwide. The film made $53.98 million in China, but that was for the full week, giving it a running tally of $209.39 million after 13 days of release. At this pace, the film should have no trouble hitting $900 million internationally and $1.3 million worldwide, likely over the weekend. Meanwhile, it has yet to open in Japan and should made $50 million, more or less, in that market alone. Will it get to $1 billion internationally? It is still too soon to tell. It should at least be close. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: The Sun didn't Shine on Tomorrow

May 27th, 2015

The Memorial Day long weekend was not as strong as anticipated, as no film in the top five really topped expectations. Tomorrowland did earn first place, but it barely earned more in four days as it was expected to earn in three. Pitch Perfect 2 crossed $100 million over the weekend and The Avengers: Age of Ultron crossed $400 million, so those milestones helped cushion the blow. Even so, the overall box office fell 18% when compared to last week, falling to $152 million over the three day weekend. It was also down 19% from last year over the three day period. Over four days, the box office pulled in $191 million, which was 17% lower than the same weekend last year. This is a disappointing loss. 2015 is still ahead of 2014, albeit by a margin of just 2.1% at $4.02 billion to $3.95 billion. More...

Weekend Estimates: Tomorrowland Barely Ahead of Pitch Perfect 2

May 24th, 2015

The good news this Memorial Day weekend is that five movies will gross over $20 million. The bad news is that none of them will do any better than Tomorrowland’s soft $32 million debut. Disney’s latest will barely scrape in ahead of Pitch Perfect 2 over three days, with the singing sensation expected to generate $30.3 million. Over four days, Tomorrowland may pull into a slightly larger lead, thanks to its more family-friendly nature, but it will take a much better performance overseas for the sci-fi adventure to recoup its costs. More...

Weekend Predictions: Will Tomorrow be a Better Day?

May 22nd, 2015

It's Memorial Day long weekend, which is one of the best weekends of the year at the box office. There are two new releases trying to take advantage of the holiday, Tomorrowland and Poltergeist. There are also three major holdovers that will remain potent over the weekend: Mad Max: Fury Road, Pitch Perfect 2, and The Avengers: Age of Ultron. There's a chance all five of these films will made $30 million or more over the next four days. Like we've seen most weeks this summer, this weekend last year had a much bigger hit on top. X-Men: Days of Future Past opened with more than $90 million, but only one other film, Godzilla earned more than $15 million over the three-day weekend. So again, 2015 won't match 2014 at the top, but the depth should help 2015 win in the year-over-year comparison. More...

International Box Office: Age of Billionaires

May 21st, 2015

The Avengers: Age of Ultron remained in first place with ease earning $185.0 million in 91 markets for totals of $770.5 million internationally and $1.143 billion worldwide. The film is now the eighth biggest hit of all time, while two of the films above it are also from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We actually thought that Disney might have overpaid when they bought Marvel. We were wrong. In our defense, no one saw this coming. This past weekend, the film opened in first place in China with $84.84 million for a six-day opening of $154.63 million. China is already the biggest market for Age of Ultron's international run, and it only took four days to get there. Up next for the film is Japan, but the film doesn't open there till July. More...

Per Theater Chart: Perfect Dreams

May 20th, 2015

Pitch Perfect 2 opened in first place on the overall chart and matched that on the per theater chart earning an average of $19,930. I'll See You in My Dreams placed second with an average of $16,447 in three theaters. Its reviews suggest it has at least some potential to expand. Pather Panchali was the only holdover in the $10,000 club with $14,793 in its lone theater during its second week of release. Mad Max: Fury Road earned an average of $12,271. It is not that common that we have two wide releases in the $10,000 club. Every Secret Thing was the final film in the $10,000 with $11,083 in one theater. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Perfection, Times Two

May 19th, 2015

The overall box office was a little stronger than expected, including the number one film. Pitch Perfect 2 did something very few sequels do. It opened with more during its first weekend than its predecessor made in total. Mad Max: Fury Road also opened with more than Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome earned in total, but it has 30 years of inflation and population growth of roughly 33% to help it out, so it is a less impressive feat. Because both wide releases were so strong, the overall box office grew by 40% from last weekend to $184 million. This was also 3.4% higher than the same weekend last year, which allowed 2015 to maintain its lead over 2014. At the moment, 2015 is ahead of 2014 by 3.2% or $120 million at $3.78 billion to $3.66 billion. More...

Weekend Estimates: Mad Max Caught in Perfect Storm

May 17th, 2015

Pitch Perfect 2 is coming out the clear winner of an odd couple match-up at multiplexes this weekend. The tuneful sequel will post $70 million or so at the box office this weekend, according to Universal, the third-best weekend ever for a live action comedy after The Hangover Part II ($85.9 million) and Austin Powers in Goldmember ($73.1 million). As Brent Lang notes at Variety it also shares another record with Austin Powers as a sequel that earned more in its opening weekend than the first movie did in its entire theatrical run: The Spy Who Shagged Me did the same back in 1999. Actually, this is arguably an achievement shared by Mad Max: Fury Road too: its $44.44 million beats the $36.23 million total earned by Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. More...

Weekend Predictions: Will We Have a Perfect Opening, or Will the Box Office Be Mad?

May 14th, 2015

Mad Max: Fury Road and Pitch Perfect 2 both open wide this week. It is normally not a good idea to have two films competing for limited box office dollars, but these two films have divergent enough target audiences that it is unlikely that they will cannibalize each other too much. The Avengers: Age of Ultron will also still do well this weekend and help the overall box office do well. This weekend last year, Godzilla led the way with $93 million during its opening weekend. Neither Mad Max: Fury Road nor Pitch Perfect 2 will earn that much this weekend; however, they should earn more than that combined. Additionally, Age of Ultron should earn more than last year's second place film, Neighbors, and this depth could give 2015 the win in the year-over-year comparison. More...

International Box Office: Age Completes Threepeat, Tops $500 million

May 13th, 2015

It was a milestone weekend for The Avengers: Age of Ultron, as it remained in first place on the international chart with $68 million in 90 markets over the weekend for totals of $562 million internationally and $875 million worldwide. The film had no major market openings this past weekend, although it did open in China on Tuesday earning $33.9 million during its opening day. We will deal with that next week. Currently, the film's biggest market is South Korea, where it has pulled in $72.53 million, including $6.29 million on 1,295 screens over the weekend. I can't see that lead lasting more than a couple more days, not with the opening we saw in China. More...

Weekend Wrap-Up: Ultron Runs Away from Hot Pursuit

May 12th, 2015

As expected, The Avengers: Age of Ultron earned first place and Hot Pursuit earned second place. Unfortunately, they missed expectations in terms of raw numbers. They missed expectations so much that the box office fell 44% from last weekend to $131 million. Worse still, this is down 4.1% from the same weekend last year. 2015 still has a lead over 2014 by a margin of 4.6% at $3.57 billion to $3.41 billion. Unfortunately, I think this lead will start to slip this week. More...

Contest: Bad Prizes

May 7th, 2015

There is a two-horse race next week with Mad Max: Fury Road and Pitch Perfect 2. While I think people are underestimating Pitch Perfect 2, Fury Road should have a faster start. Because of this, it is the choice for the target film in this week's box office prediction contest. In order to win, one must simply predict the opening weekend box office number for Mad Max: Fury Road.

Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going over, will win a Frankenprize. Normally I just grab prizes at random, but in this case the first prize I grabbed was Bad Santa on Unrated DVD. At first I thought, "I can't give out Christmas DVDs in May?" But why not? So each Frankenprize includes one Christmas release. Whoever comes the closest to predicting the film's opening 3-day weekend box office (Friday to Sunday), without going under, will win a Frankenprize consisting of a previously reviewed DVD or Blu-ray and a Christmas release. Finally, we will be choosing an entrant from the group of people who haven't won, or haven't won recently, and they will also win a Frankenprize consisting of a previously reviewed DVD or Blu-ray and a Christmas release. Entries must be received by 10 a.m., Pacific Time on Friday to be eligible, so don't delay! More...

2015 Preview: May

May 1st, 2015

April is over and there was good news and bad news. Good news: Furious 7 crushed the competition, and broke records along the way. Bad news: Furious 7 crushed the competition and no other April release will earn as much in total as Furious 7 earned during its opening day. Fortunately, Furious 7 was so strong that it carried April of 2015 to a draw when compared to April of 2014. May has a lot of similarities to April. The Avengers: Age of Ultron is expected to break records during its opening weekend and even the low end has it earning more than $1 billion worldwide. Unfortunately, no other film is going to come close to that figure. There are five other films with a potential to reach $100 million at the box office. The keyword there is "potential". There's a chance less than half of those five films will get to that milestone. And like last April, last May had much better depth with five films that reached $100 million, including four that surpassed $200 million. Age of Ultron will earn more than the combined totals of Maleficent, last month's winner, and X-Men: Days of Future Past, which placed second for the month. I am a little concerned about the lack of depth this month and this could cause May to lose in the month-over-month comparison in the end. More...

Pitch Perfect 2 Trailer

February 25th, 2015

Musical comedy starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow opens May 15... Full movie details... More...