Weekend Wrap-Up: Superman is Truly Super
June 17, 2013
It was a very good week at the box office with Man of Steel breaking the record for biggest June weekend topping Toy Story 3 by more than $6 million. Nearly every film in the top five matched or beat expectations, which helped the overall box office reach $204 million. This was 37% higher than last weekend and 57% higher than the same weekend last year. Year-to-date, 2013 is still behind 2012, but is has closed the gap to $150 million, or 3.1%, at $4.56 billion to $4.71 billion.
Man of Steel opened on the very high end of expectations with $116.62 million over the weekend and $128.68 million including Thursday night screenings. This is more than three of the previous five Superman movies made in total. On the downside, the film's reviews are just 56% positive. This is certainly not terrible, but it is below the other blockbusters released so far this summer and will likely result in shorter legs. Worse still, it cost $225 million to make, so it will need to earn a bundle to break even. How it performs this weekend will go a long way in determining how difficult it will be to earn enough to make a profit.
This is the End matched expectations perfectly with $20.72 million over the weekend and $33.03 million since Wednesday. This is great for counter-programming and with excellent reviews, it should have strong legs, although The Heat will provide some direct competition in a couple weeks. That said, it has already made more in theaters than it cost to make and even with weaker than average international prospects, it should break even sooner rather than later.
Now You See Me also matched expectations perfectly with $11.02 million over the weekend and $80.71 million after three. The film should get to $100 million before it exits theaters, but not before it exits the top five. We will need a few more surprise $100 million hits before 2013 is a success, but every little bit helps.
Fast and Furious 6 slipped to fourth place with $9.58 million over the weekend for a total of $219.72 million after four. This is the best in the franchise and should earn another $20 million, more or less.
The Purge fell from first to fifth with $8.32 million over the weekend for a ten-day total of $51.96 million. This might be enough to break even, including the film's prints and advertising budget. Because of this, the studio shouldn't care that it plummeted 76%.
The only sophomore stint film not in the top five was The Internship, which fell to sixth place with $7.15 million over the weekend and $31.10 million after two. It also saw deep declines down 59%, but unlike The Purge, this film cost $58 million to make and likely $90 million or more including prints and advertising. It won't break even, not unless it is a surprising hit internationally and on the home market.
Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Man of Steel, Fast and Furious 6, Now You See Me, This is the End, The Internship, The Purge, Superman, Fast and the Furious