Box Office Report Week of Dec 25th 2005

Dude here again. This week is a little strange. We had a few movies opening on Wednesday, some on Friday, and some on Sunday. And to make matters fun, the program I'm writing on has no spell check. PLUS, I'm getting all my stuff ready to leave on a flight back to LA LA land in the morning, so this might be a bit truncated. Regardless, here goes...

This week, not much in the way of HUGE box office, with the same two films duking it out for the lead as last week. Although with slightly lower grosses than normal for a holiday weekend. Let's go to the numbers, shall we? (All in millions, remember, and these are the studio estimates. Numbers could change on Monday. OR whenever they post the actuals, because it's Monday right now, isn't it?).

1. King Kong (Uni) - $21.3, 3576 screens, week 2, $108.6 total
2. The Chronicles of Narnia (BV) - $20.379, 3853 screens, week 3, $153.8 total
3. Fun With Dick and Jane (SONY) - $14.5, 3056 screens, week 1, $22.061 total (Wed. Open)
4. Cheaper by the Dozen 2 (Fox) - $9.35, 3175 screens, week , $14.6 total (Wed Open)
5. Memoirs of a Geisha (SONY)- $6.8, 1547 screens, week 3, $9.889 total
6. The Family Stone (Fox) - $6.7, 2469 screens, week 2, $25.9 total
7. The Ringer (FoxSrch) - $5.275, 1829 screens, week 1, $5.275 total (Fri open)
8. Munich (Uni)- $4.09, 532 screens, week 1, $4.09 total (Fri Open)
9. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (WB) - $3.9, 2521 screens, week 6, $260.6 total
10. Rumor Has It (WB) - $3.47, 2815 screens, week 1, $3.47 total (Sunday Open)

Ok, those are the numbers, so what does this all mean? Well, if you're Kong and Narnia, you're fighting it out for the top spot, and it could very well change by tomorrow when the official numbers are tallied. Both are trying to attract the widest audience possible, especially with the holidays, and families on vacations. (Narnia has a slight advantage with a shorter running time, and a family friendly PG rating, but Kong kicks ass, so go figure.)

If you're Dick or Jane, I suppose you have some modicum of fun. Not bad $20 million five day haul, considering the obscene amount of competition. Speaking of segue, Cheaper by the DOzen 2 proves that just because the fist movie is heart warming, family friendly and above all successful, it does not mean that audiences are clutching their armrests in anticipation for a second one. Seriously, did we need this movie? Not when there are plenty more Zombie tales to be told.
If you're The Ringer, you're probably happy that you got released at all. This film has been on the shelf for quite some time now, and it was finally released to decent reviews, but a lot of comedic competition. (I have yet to see it, but really want to. IS that wrong?) If you're Spielberg, you made an impressive debut with your latest film, despite mixed reviews, and very few screens. And Rumor Has It impressed us all with a one day haul of $3.4 million dollars. Something I will never make in one day. And neither will you.

The holdovers all dropped, save for Memoirs of a Geisha which opened on more screens and attracted a sizable audience.

Below the radar, Wolf Creek opened at 12th with $2.762 million, proving that audiences don;t really enjoy being all that frightened around the holidays. Family is scary enough. Also increasing in screens and take are The Producers and Brokeback Mountain. Cassanova opened up on 37 screens to take in $119,000, so it's funny to see which Heath Ledger audiences are more willing to accept, gay or straight.

And in the "just because it's there and because I can" series: Capote has taken in $181,000 this weekend, bringing its total to 11,12,000 in 13 weeks.

There you have my wonderful break down. It's short, I know, but it's been a tough day. NExt week, I don;t believe we have anything new coming out. But then begins 2006, and a whole new year begins. ANd to kick us off with that new year is none other a film by Dr. Uwe Boll. God bless us everyone!  Until next weekend....