Per Theater Chart: Mandela Sprints to the Top

December 4, 2013

Mandela Long Walk to Freedom earned first place on the per theater chart with an average of $21,071 in four theaters. However, its reviews are only good, not great, and it likely won't have great legs. Frozen and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire were neck and neck with averages of $18,009 and $17,819 respectively.

There were very few other new limited releases this week. The Punk Singer did well with an average of $8,243 in three theaters. On the other hand, Caught in a Web only managed $361 in one theater.

This past week also saw milestones reached for a couple of Per Theater Chart alumni:

• The Christmas Candle reached $1 million since this time last week. Its per theater average is barely more than $1,000 so it will collapse quickly. That said, it should get to $2 million before its run is done.
• Nebraska expanded to just over 100 theaters and that helped it crack $1 million at the box office. It should continue to expand, but it is too art house to expand truly wide.
• Blue is the Warmest Color reached $1 million over the weekend. Its per theater average is low enough that it will likely not expand significantly from this point, but it should still last long enough to get to $2 million.
• Philomena expanded dramatically over the weekend earning more than $3 million over the weekend lifting its total to over $4 million.
• All is Lost topped $5 million over the weekend, but that's as far as it will go.
• The Book Thief also expanded dramatically over the weekend helping it crack $5 million. It will be at $10 million by this time next week and should finish with north of $15 million.
• As expected, 12 Years a Slave got all the way to $30 million since this time last week. It is just behind R.I.P.D. on the yearly chart and it is the second best limited release hit of the year behind only Instructions Not Included.

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Theater Averages, Frozen, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, All is Lost, The Book Thief, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, 12 Years a Slave, Sou Suo, Nebraska, La Vie d'Adèle – Chapitres 1 & 2, The Punk Singer, Philomena, The Christmas Candle