Monday, 30 December 2013
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Beaten By Frozen At US Box Office
China Box Office 2013: The Top 10 Movies
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
From 'After Earth' to 'The Lone Ranger': The Box
Monday, 16 December 2013
The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug Storms To The Top Of The US Box Office ...
Monday, 9 December 2013
Frozen freezes Catching Fire out of US box office top slot
'Frozen' Heats Up the Box Office
NEW YORK | In its second weekend at the box office, the Disney animated tale "Frozen" finally cooled off "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," while the week's lone new wide release "Out of the Furnace" wasn't a match for either blockbuster.
According to studio estimates Sunday, "Frozen" led the multiplexes with a haul of $31.6 million over the weekend, taking over the top spot from "Catching Fire." Lionsgate's "Hunger Games" sequel had topped the box office for the last two weeks, but slid to second with $27 million in its third week of release.
Relativity Media's steel-town drama "Out of the Furnace," starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, posed no challenge for the bigger blockbuster holdovers. It opened with $5.3 million, good enough for third place on what's typically a quiet early December weekend, sandwiched between Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season releases.
But it was an excellent weekend for Hollywood, with total box office up 16.9 percent over the same weekend last year. Opening in a limited release of four theaters, the Coen brothers' folk tale "Inside Llewyn Davis" also had one of the year's highest per-theater averages of $100,500 for CBS Films.
With only a handful of moviegoing weeks left in the year, the strong weekend boosts the year's chances of exceeding 2012's record box office. This year may surpass last year's $10.8 billion domestic box office, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.
"We're running just slightly ahead of last year's record pace," said Dergarabedian. "It's going to be really close."
Dergarabedian expects next week's big release, Warner Bros.' "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," to open in the neighborhood of Peter Jackson's first "Hobbit" film, "An Unexpected Journey," which debuted with $84.6 million last year. This weekend's new releases were minimal since "The Hobbit" is expected to dominate the marketplace next weekend.
Both "Frozen" and "Catching Fire" continued to show legs around the world. "Catching Fire" added $44.3 million internationally, bringing its global cumulative total to $673.4 million over four weeks. With many millions still to come, "Catching Fire" has already almost equaled the $691.2 million worldwide of the 2012 original.
"Frozen," too, has found strong business abroad. It added $30.6 million internationally over the weekend.
In its second week of limited release, the Weinstein Co.'s biopic "Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom," starring Idris Elba, continued to play in four theaters, earning an average of $19,400 per-theater. The Weinstein Co. has said it's not altering the movie's release following the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela on Thursday. "Mandela" opens wide on Christmas.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1." Frozen," $31.6 million ($30.6 million international).
2." The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," $27 million ($44.3 million international).
3." Out of the Furnace," $5.3 million.
4." Thor: The Dark World," $4.7 million ($5.4 million international).
5." Delivery Man," $3.8 million.
6." Homefront," $3.4 million.
7." The Book Thief," $2.7 million.
8." The Best Man Holiday," $2.7 million.
9." Philomena," $2.3 million.
10." Dallas Buyers Club," $1.5 million.
Frozen Heats Up Box Office, Knocks Catching Fire From Top Spot
Disney's animated hit Frozen has toppled Hunger Games: Catching Fire and claimed the top spot of the U.S. box office in its second week of release.
According to early estimates, Frozen took $31.6 million over the weekend, with the Hunger Games sequel slipping to second place with $27 million.
Catching Fire has still made over $300 million in three weeks of release. Frozen is closing in on the $100 million mark through two weeks in theaters.
The only new wide release was Out of the Furnace, which took $5.3 million. Marvel's Thor: The Dark World and Delivery Man rounded out the top five.
Despite opening in just four cinemas, the Coen brothers' latest, Inside Llewyn Davis, scored one of the year's highest per-cinema averages of $100,500.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom continued to play in four cinemas in its second week of limited release, averaging around $19,400 per cinema.
Producer Harvey Weinstein has said he will not alter the film's release date to take advantage of Nelson Mandela's death to boost sales for his biopic.
The film is due to be rolled out to about 850 cinemas on Christmas Day.
Here's the top five for a typically slow weekend in mid-December ...
Frozen ($31.6 million) Hunger Games: Catching Fire ($27 million) Out of the Furnace ($5.3 million) Thor: The Dark World ($4.7 million) Delivery Man ($3.8 million)
Frozen Sneaks Past Catching Fire To Top The US Box Office
It's good news for Disney as it's one of the best holds following Thanksgiving ever and suggests the movie will continue to do well going into Christmas.
The only new entry on the chart was the Christian Bale starrer Out Of The Furnace, which may have placed third, but still tanked pretty badly taking just $5.3 million. Some had thought the movie might be an awards contender, but it's unlikely it'll be in the running and will probably end up a complete flop, especially as it seems to be getting pretty lousy word of mouth.
Take a look below for the US box office top 10 for the weekend of December 6th-9th.
Frozen chills Hunger Games' lead at US box office
Disney animation Frozen has toppled Hunger Games: Catching Fire off the top of the US box office chart in its second week of release.
According to early estimates, Frozen took $31.6m (£19.3m) over the weekend, with the Hunger Games sequel slipping to second place with $27m (£16.5m).
The only new wide release was Out of the Furnace, which took $5.3m (£3.2m) to earn third place.
The steel-town drama stars Christian Bale and Casey Affleck.
Marvel's Thor: The Dark World and Vince Vaughn's Delivery Man rounded out the top five.
The weekend was typically quiet placed between Thanksgiving and Christmas, however takings were still up 16.9% on last year.
NORTH AMERICAN BOX OFFICE 1. Frozen ($31.6m) 2. Hunger Games: Catching Fire ($27m) 3. Out of the Furnace ($5.3m) 4. Thor: The Dark World ($4.7m) 5. Delivery Man ($3.8m) Source: Hollywood.com
Despite opening in just four cinemas the Coen brothers' latest film, Inside Llewyn Davis, scored one of the year's highest per-cinema averages, taking $100,500 (£61,300).
Box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian said this year's takings may surpass the $10.8bn (£6.6bn) made at the 2012 box office.
"We're running just slightly ahead of last year's record pace, it's going to be really close," he said.
Next week sees the release of Peter Jackson's second Hobbit film, The Hobbit: The Desolation of the Smaug.
The first, An Unexpected Journey, debuted with $84.6m (£51.6m) last year.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom continued to play in four cinemas in its second week of release, averaging $19,400 (£11,800) per cinema.
The Weinstein Company said it would not be altering the film's release following the death of Nelson Mandela on Thursday.
The film will open across the US at Christmas.
Frozen tops box US box office
IN its second weekend at the box office, the Disney animated tale Frozen finally cooled off The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, while the week's lone new wide release Out of the Furnace wasn't a match for either blockbuster.According to studio estimates on Sunday, Frozen led the multiplexes with a haul of $US31.6 million ($A34.88 million) over the weekend, taking the top spot from Catching Fire.
Lionsgate's Hunger Games sequel had topped the box office for the last two weeks, but slid to second with $US27 million in its third week of release.
Relativity Media's steel-town drama Out of the Furnace, starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, posed no challenge for the bigger blockbuster holdovers. It opened with $US5.3 million, good enough for third place on what's typically a quiet early December weekend, sandwiched between Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season releases.
But it was an excellent weekend for Hollywood, with total box office up 16.9 per cent over the same weekend last year. Opening in a limited release of four theatres, the Coen brothers' folk tale Inside Llewyn Davis also had one of the year's highest per-theatre averages of $US100,500 for CBS Films.
With only a handful of moviegoing weeks left in the year, the strong weekend boosts the year's chances of exceeding 2012's record box office. This year may surpass last year's $US10.8 billion domestic box office, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.
"We're running just slightly ahead of last year's record pace," said Dergarabedian. "It's going to be really close."
Dergarabedian expects next week's big release, Warner Bros. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, to open in the neighbourhood of Peter Jackson's first Hobbit film, An Unexpected Journey, which debuted with $US84.6 million last year. This weekend's new releases were minimal since The Hobbit is expected to dominate the marketplace next weekend.
Both Frozen and Catching Fire continued to show legs around the world. Catching Fire added $US44.3 million internationally, bringing its global cumulative total to $US673.4 million over four weeks. With many millions still to come, Catching Fire has already almost equaled the $US691.2 million worldwide of the 2012 original.
Frozen, too, has found strong business abroad. It added $US30.6 million internationally over the weekend.
In its second week of limited release, the Weinstein Co.'s biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba, continued to play in four theatres, earning an average of $US19,400 per-theatre. The Weinstein Co. has said it's not altering the movie's release following the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela on Thursday. Mandela opens wide on Christmas.
Frozen tops box US box office
IN its second weekend at the box office, the Disney animated tale Frozen finally cooled off The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, while the week's lone new wide release Out of the Furnace wasn't a match for either blockbuster.According to studio estimates on Sunday, Frozen led the multiplexes with a haul of $US31.6 million ($A34.88 million) over the weekend, taking the top spot from Catching Fire.
Lionsgate's Hunger Games sequel had topped the box office for the last two weeks, but slid to second with $US27 million in its third week of release.
Relativity Media's steel-town drama Out of the Furnace, starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, posed no challenge for the bigger blockbuster holdovers. It opened with $US5.3 million, good enough for third place on what's typically a quiet early December weekend, sandwiched between Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season releases.
But it was an excellent weekend for Hollywood, with total box office up 16.9 per cent over the same weekend last year. Opening in a limited release of four theatres, the Coen brothers' folk tale Inside Llewyn Davis also had one of the year's highest per-theatre averages of $US100,500 for CBS Films.
With only a handful of moviegoing weeks left in the year, the strong weekend boosts the year's chances of exceeding 2012's record box office. This year may surpass last year's $US10.8 billion domestic box office, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.
"We're running just slightly ahead of last year's record pace," said Dergarabedian. "It's going to be really close."
Dergarabedian expects next week's big release, Warner Bros. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, to open in the neighbourhood of Peter Jackson's first Hobbit film, An Unexpected Journey, which debuted with $US84.6 million last year. This weekend's new releases were minimal since The Hobbit is expected to dominate the marketplace next weekend.
Both Frozen and Catching Fire continued to show legs around the world. Catching Fire added $US44.3 million internationally, bringing its global cumulative total to $US673.4 million over four weeks. With many millions still to come, Catching Fire has already almost equaled the $US691.2 million worldwide of the 2012 original.
Frozen, too, has found strong business abroad. It added $US30.6 million internationally over the weekend.
In its second week of limited release, the Weinstein Co.'s biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba, continued to play in four theatres, earning an average of $US19,400 per-theatre. The Weinstein Co. has said it's not altering the movie's release following the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela on Thursday. Mandela opens wide on Christmas.
Sunday, 8 December 2013
'Frozen' chills 'Catching Fire' to top US box office
IN ITS second weekend at the box office, the Disney animated tale Frozen finally cooled off The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, while the week's lone new wide release Out of the Furnace wasn't a match for either blockbuster.According to studio estimates on Sunday, Frozen led the multiplexes with a haul of $US31.6 million ($34.7 million) over the weekend, taking over the top spot from Catching Fire. Lionsgate's Hunger Games sequel had topped the box office for the last two weeks, but slid to second with $US27 million in its third week of release.
Relativity Media's steel-town drama Out of the Furnace, starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, posed no challenge for the bigger blockbuster holdovers. It opened with $US5.3 million, good enough for third place on what's typically a quiet early December weekend, sandwiched between Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season releases.
But it was an excellent weekend for Hollywood, with total box office up 16.9 per cent over the same weekend last year. Opening in a limited release of four theaters, the Coen brothers' folk tale Inside Llewyn Davis also had one of the year's highest per-theater averages of $US100,500 for CBS Films.
With only a handful of moviegoing weeks left in the year, the strong weekend boosts the year's chances of exceeding 2012's record box office. This year may surpass last year's $US10.8 billion domestic box office, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.
"We're running just slightly ahead of last year's record pace," said Dergarabedian. "It's going to be really close."
Dergarabedian expects next week's big release, Warner Bros' The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, to open in the neighborhood of Peter Jackson's first Hobbit film, An Unexpected Journey, which debuted with $US84.6 million last year. This weekend's new releases were minimal since The Hobbit is expected to dominate the marketplace next weekend.
Both Frozen and Catching Fire continued to show legs around the world. Catching Fire added $US44.3 million internationally, bringing its global cumulative total to $US673.4 million over four weeks. With many millions still to come, Catching Fire has already almost equaled the $US691.2 million worldwide of the 2012 original.
Frozen, too, has found strong business abroad. It added $US30.6 million internationally over the weekend.
In its second week of limited release, the Weinstein Co's biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba, continued to play in four theaters, earning an average of $US19,400 per-theater. The Weinstein Co has said it's not altering the movie's release following the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela on Thursday. Mandela opens wide on Christmas.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. Frozen, $US31.6 million ($US30.6 million international).
2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, $US27 million ($US44.3 million international).
3. Out of the Furnace, $US5.3 million.
4. Thor: The Dark World, $US4.7 million ($US5.4 million international).
5. Delivery Man, $US3.8 million.
6. Homefront, $US3.4 million.
7. The Book Thief, $US2.7 million.
8. The Best Man Holiday, $US2.7 million.
9. Philomena, $US2.3 million.
10. Dallas Buyers Club, $US1.5 million.
'Frozen,' 'Catching Fire' fuel US, Canada box office
Credit: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni
Cast member Kristen Bell poses at the premiere of ''Frozen'' at El Capitan theatre in Hollywood, California November 19, 2013.
"Frozen" sold $31.6 million worth of tickets from Friday through Sunday during its second weekend in theaters to top domestic movie charts, while "Catching Fire" earned $27 million, according to studio estimates from Rentrak.
The weekend's only new nationwide release, crime thriller "Out of the Furnace," took third place with $5.3 million.
The 3D "Frozen," inspired by "The Snow Queen" fairytale, features the voice of Kristen Bell as a Scandinavian princess intent on finding her sister, the Queen, who has the power to freeze anything with a touch and accidentally sets off a long winter that is destroying their kingdom.
"Catching Fire," among the year's biggest hits in its third week in release, stars Jennifer Lawrence as heroine Katniss Everdeen, a skilled archer who provides hope for an oppressed society on the edge of rebellion. The film is the second in the "Hunger Games" series based on novels by Suzanne Collins.
"Out of the Furnace" stars Christian Bale and Casey Affleck as brothers in a revenge tale set in a working-class Pennsylvania steel town.
"Catching Fire" was released by Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. Privately held Relativity Media distributed "Out of the Furnace."
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine and Chris Michaud; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
'Frozen' chills 'Catching Fire' to top US box office
IN ITS second weekend at the box office, the Disney animated tale "Frozen" finally cooled off "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire," while the week's lone new wide release "Out of the Furnace" wasn't a match for either blockbuster.According to studio estimates on Sunday, Frozen led the multiplexes with a haul of $US31.6 million ($34.7 million) over the weekend, taking over the top spot from Catching Fire. Lionsgate's Hunger Games sequel had topped the box office for the last two weeks, but slid to second with $US27 million in its third week of release.
Relativity Media's steel-town drama Out of the Furnace, starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck, posed no challenge for the bigger blockbuster holdovers. It opened with $US5.3 million, good enough for third place on what's typically a quiet early December weekend, sandwiched between Thanksgiving and the coming holiday season releases.
But it was an excellent weekend for Hollywood, with total box office up 16.9 per cent over the same weekend last year. Opening in a limited release of four theaters, the Coen brothers' folk tale Inside Llewyn Davis also had one of the year's highest per-theater averages of $US100,500 for CBS Films.
With only a handful of moviegoing weeks left in the year, the strong weekend boosts the year's chances of exceeding 2012's record box office. This year may surpass last year's $US10.8 billion domestic box office, said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak.
"We're running just slightly ahead of last year's record pace," said Dergarabedian. "It's going to be really close."
Dergarabedian expects next week's big release, Warner Bros' The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, to open in the neighborhood of Peter Jackson's first Hobbit film, An Unexpected Journey, which debuted with $US84.6 million last year. This weekend's new releases were minimal since The Hobbit is expected to dominate the marketplace next weekend.
Both Frozen and Catching Fire continued to show legs around the world. Catching Fire added $US44.3 million internationally, bringing its global cumulative total to $US673.4 million over four weeks. With many millions still to come, Catching Fire has already almost equaled the $US691.2 million worldwide of the 2012 original.
Frozen, too, has found strong business abroad. It added $US30.6 million internationally over the weekend.
In its second week of limited release, the Weinstein Co's biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, starring Idris Elba, continued to play in four theaters, earning an average of $US19,400 per-theater. The Weinstein Co has said it's not altering the movie's release following the death of South African leader Nelson Mandela on Thursday. Mandela opens wide on Christmas.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak. Where available, latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.
1. Frozen, $US31.6 million ($US30.6 million international).
2. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, $US27 million ($US44.3 million international).
3. Out of the Furnace, $US5.3 million.
4. Thor: The Dark World, $US4.7 million ($US5.4 million international).
5. Delivery Man, $US3.8 million.
6. Homefront, $US3.4 million.
7. The Book Thief, $US2.7 million.
8. The Best Man Holiday, $US2.7 million.
9. Philomena, $US2.3 million.
10. Dallas Buyers Club, $US1.5 million.
Friday, 6 December 2013
How Paul Walker helped create a fast and furious box
"Fast and The Furious" movie franchise has taken more than $2 billion worldwide through ticket sales The future of the series is now being considered following the death of star Paul Walker More than 60% of its box office has come from international, boosted by China in recent years The series floundered for several years when its two leads were absent
READ: Universal scrambles to save 'Fast & Furious 7' after Paul Walker's death READ: Big questions in Walker crash probe READ: Why race car drivers crave speed
(CNN) -- Hollywood executives love a movie franchise: a series of films with an in-built audience who return time and again to enjoy their favorite characters, stories and themes. Such box-office gold is usually based on pre-existing properties, for example comics ("Iron Man" et al), novels ("The Hunger Games") -- even theme-park rides ("Pirates of The Caribbean").
But the strong interest that followed the death of actor Paul Walker last weekend has been boosted by his crucial role in an unlikely franchise whose appeal has built steadily during the past decade, especially outside the United States.
The six "Fast & Furious" films have spawned a globe-trotting, block-busting series, generating $2.4 billion in ticket sales alone since the turn of the century. Back then few predicted that a mid-budget actioner with little-known actors set in the hi-octane world of LA street-racing would still be going strong 12 years later.
How did it happen?
Released in June 2001, " The Fast And The Furious" was a testosterone-fuelled boys-with-toys movie set around a cat-and-mouse game between an undercover cop (Walker) and his prey (Vin Diesel).
"I remember being in Honolulu when Mark Shmuger (former co-chairman of Universal Pictures) called to say they'd just had the most amazing test screening of a film we'd never heard of, called 'The Fast And The Furious,' recalls Andrew Cripps, former president and COO of UIP, the distribution joint-venture between Universal and Paramount which released the first three films internationally.
"It seemed pretty domestic at the time," continues Cripps, now president EMEA for IMAX. "It was about L.A. street-racing, it had a relatively unknown cast, but there was a chemistry there between the lead characters and it really worked with young audiences around the world. I was pleasantly surprised by the international box office of the first film."
"The Fast And The Furious" raced to an impressive $145 million in the U.S. during the lucrative and crowded summer season. An international release was delayed till fall to market the film as a fresh success that had swept the U.S. while also ensuring it avoided competition from bigger rivals. International grosses were low compared to domestic -- but they were strong for a $38 million movie skewed to an American audience.
But the chemistry between Walker and Diesel that engaged audiences was missing from the next two sequels. For the second installment, 2003's " 2 Fast 2 Furious," Diesel was absent (focusing on two potential franchises that positioned him as the clear star) although Walker remained front and center. While U.S. box office was down on its predecessor, international grosses jumped 75%: a domestic franchise clearly had global appeal. As before, the UK, France, Germany and Australia proved powerful markets, while Mexico saw sales more than double, mirroring the series popularity with Hispanic audiences in the U.S.
Universal sat up and took note, setting the third film -- which starred neither Walker nor Diesel -- in Tokyo. At the time it made sense: Japan has its own street-racing scene and in 2006 was the biggest international market. It was also a territory the franchise had yet to crack. " The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift" worked for the Japanese market, boosting box office by 28% from the previous film. But while Japan grew, other major markets shrank and North American box office halved. Without Walker or Diesel the franchise had lost its spark and seemingly run its course.
By 2009, with the careers of the original cast floundering, Diesel -- now a producer -- helped orchestrate the return of all four key players from the original cast for " Fast & Furious." International success had to be the focus if the franchise was to be revived: domestic success was no longer a guarantor of franchise longevity.
Nervous executives were still unsure the package would work and skipped a release into the overheated summer market, targeting instead an Easter rollout and building on the success of the first feature (the film's tagline was "New Model. Original Parts."). It worked and audiences returned, with fresh growth in all the franchise's previous key markets and new support in Russia, a traditional haven for action movies.
"The relationship between Paul Walker and Vin Diesel's characters was at the heart of the franchise," explains box office analyst Charles Gant of The Guardian. "So as soon as it brought those two guys back together they were on a money train."
That chemistry and rivalry between Walker and Diesel needed to be maintained. How? By turning the movies from street-racing series into a globe-trotting action franchise rooted in frenetic auto action. Thus 2011's "Fast Five" became a heist caper set in Brazil with Walker and Diesel working together instead of in opposition: global appeal broadened still further by bringing back multi-national characters from across the franchise.
But with Walker and Diesel both on the wrong side of the law the series now needed a new opponent. Enter former wrestler and human mountain Dwayne Johnson aka "The Rock." "We initially designed the role for Tommy Lee Jones," Diesel explained in an April 2011 interview. "One of my fans on Facebook said I would love to see you and The Rock in anything together. It really was the best choice in the world."
" Fast Five" became a major international player and from its late April release it landed a knockout blow on superhero slugfest "Thor" across several territories. It was also the first of the franchise to venture into the high-ticket giant-screens owned by IMAX, its bangs and ballistics sitting well with the format's male-heavy audience.
By the time the UK-set " Fast & Furious 6" opened in May 2013, expectations were heady: the first film had been a domestic-weighted surprise; the second a solid sequel; the third a flop; the fourth an all-or-nothing reboot; the fifth a take-a-chance change of direction. The sixth was primed to be a guaranteed blockbuster.
It didn't disappoint.
Grossing $550 million at the international box office alone, "Fast & Furious 6" has become the third highest grossing film of the year worldwide behind "Iron Man 3" and "Despicable Me 2." Seventy percent of its $788m gross has come from overseas: as with its predecessor, China was the top grossing market ($66m). Such heady figures were vital to sustain a movie series whose production costs had ballooned from $38m in 2001 to $160m in 2013.
But Walker's death has now left the future of the franchise in question: Universal announced this week that production has shut down on the seventh instalment "so we can assess all options available to move forward with the franchise," which was due to release on July 11 2014. Many of the cast are already signed up for an eighth episode.
"The latest was the biggest yet and the series looked set to grow and grow," says Gant. "The franchise is giddy and fun and I think it will be a real challenge for them to continue in the wake of Paul Walker's death and the manner in which it occurred."
READ: Universal scrambles to save 'Fast & Furious 7' after Paul Walker's death READ: Big questions in Walker crash probe READ: Why race car drivers crave speed
Nick Hunt contributed to this report.
Monday, 2 December 2013
'Catching Fire' Heats Up US and AU Box Office, Frozen Not Far Behind
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
Thor: The Dark World Beats The Best Man Holiday In Box Office Battle As It ...
Thor holds US box office top spot
Monday, 18 November 2013
Thor: The Dark World Dominates Box Office For Second Week As It Soars Past ...
'Thor' holds top spot with $38.5m
Thor: The Dark World Tops The US Box Office Again
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Thor: The Dark World Scores $86 Million Debut At US Box Office
Tuesday, 12 November 2013
Thor: The Dark World Hammers US Box Office Rivals With $86 Million Debut
Thor: The Dark World Hammers US Box Office Competition, Nets $86 Million Debut
Top movies at North American box offices
Thor: The Dark World Scores $86 Million Debut At US Box Office
Monday, 11 November 2013
Thor: The Dark World soars to top of US box office
Marvel superhero blockbuster Thor: The Dark World pounded its rivals at the North American box office, taking $86.1m (£53.8m) in its opening weekend.
The sequel to the 2011 movie sees Chris Hemsworth reprise his role as the god of thunder who battles to save Earth from evil forces.
Bad Grandpa, from the makers of Jackass, held the number two spot for a second week, taking $11.3m (£7.1m).
Animated film Free Birds was just behind at three with $11.2m (£7m).
The film features the voices of Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson as a pair of turkeys who try to keep their kind off Thanksgiving dinner plates.
NORTH AMERICAN BOX OFFICE
1. Thor: The Dark World - $86.1m
2. Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa - $11.3m
3. Free Birds - $11.2m
4. Last Vegas - $11.1m
5. Ender's Game - $10.2m
Source: Hollywood.com
Last Vegas, featuring Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline as four friends who reunite for a stag party, fell one place to four.
Last week's number one, Ender's Game, tumbled down the chart in its second week to five.
Industry forecasts had predicted the second Thor instalment would debut with at least $90m (£56m). It missed that target but did surpass the original film, which opened with $65.7m (£41m).
"It's a great start," Dave Hollis, executive vice president of distribution for Walt Disney Studios said, adding Disney would have considered "anything north of $80m (£50m) to be a good result."
Including international markets - where the movie has been playing since 30 October - the film has now taken some $327m (£204m) globally.
Sunday, 10 November 2013
Domestic Box Office Top 10: 'Thor 2′ …
2ND UPDATE: Thor: The Dark World has performed more strongly than expected and it will finish anywhere from $85.8 million this weekend to $87.7 million, even though I have one pundit who feels it could exceed that. Though many of our commenters have taken after Thor (and me, but the latter is inevitable given who I am temporarily replacing) in the 
The key will be how it plays before the opening of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire , which could have a $150 million opening weekend and consume all the oxygen in the room. Marvel seems to be able to do no wrong. The studio is in a zone I've seen in the past only with animated films, back when Jeffrey Katzenberg's Disney was cranking out one classic 2D animated classic after the other (my kids were small then, I saw The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast probably 500 times each and knew the words to every tune), and John Lasseter's Pixar. Marvel could probably score a big hit right now with a movie devoted to Tom Hiddleston's Loki character. The studio will undoubtedly come back to earth at some point, as the label tries to launch new franchises like Guardians Of The Galaxy and , and those will be Kevin Feige 's real test.
There's a real horse race going on for second place, and all three of the horses have held strongly. It's a virtual dead heat for
Another title worth watching is Fox's slow build on The Book Thief , the Brian Percival-directed adaption of the Michael Petroni WWII novel for Fox 2000. It opened in four locations and put up a per screen average of $27,000, for $108,000 total.
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa had another strong weekend and looks likely to squeak out second place. I saw this movie on the anniversary of a personal tragedy, picked up my distraught son from college and took him hoping to pull him out of the rut. I suppose it is easy to critically dismiss movies rife with physical comedy, but the two of us laughed like idiots, and director Jeff Tremaine and Johnny Knoxville will always occupy a place in my heart for helping my son get through what would have otherwise been an unbearable evening. As Tremaine told me, "Sometimes, you just need to laugh." That movie, which cost a reported $15 million, ends the weekend around $78.5 million as Tremaine continues his evolution as a filmmaker with a movie on the decadent rock band Motley Crue.
Coming in third will be Free Birds , the Relativity released animated film that could get to $30 million after its second frame. Is that a good outcome for a film with a reported $55 million budget? I saw the Relativity team at last night's AFI premiere of the Scott Cooper-directed Out Of The Furnace (more on that in a later post), and they seemed relieved that the film was performing more strongly than was expected going into the weekend. Over half that budget was covered by foreign pre-sales in what was the first film from Relativity and Reel FX as they find their footing in animation.
As for the rest of the Top 10, the under-$30 million Last Vegas will finish fourth and get to $33 million; Ender's Game should finish with a $44 million gross.
One of the other two noteworthy films in the Top 10 is 
Richard Curtis's About Time will finish ninth in the rankings, getting to a $6.2 million gross. Does that make it a flop? I don't think so. I'm told by insiders that the film cost under $15 million to make, and is has already grossed $43 million overseas. You empower a writer/director like Curtis and hope you get another Love Actually. Even if you don't, when he covers the bet like he will here, it's good news that he can keep taking his swings.
Finally, a word about the future of Deadline's box office reporting. This is my second weekend at it; last week I put up numbers because nobody else did. And so I did it, in between moderating panels at our Contenders Event. I have my eye on someone who'll soon be taking this over and who will elevate it and make it their own. But I do have some observations about this beat. There is a learning curve here, just as I am learning things every day in my new adventure here in Hollywood after covering this business from Long Island for so long. For instance, I learned from last night's Out Of The Furnace premiere that when they post a 6PM start time, what they really mean is they won't be dropping the puck for at least an hour after that. Box office has similar challenges for a newcomer.
People who have been critical of Deadline's box office coverage in the past have said films got thumped based on the biased observations of studios jockeying for position. I don't know about that, but I have seen all the spinning that goes on this weekend, and it's an easy trap to fall into if you don't actually go see the films and be better able to judge quality. I can see the spin at work, how one studio will over-project a rival's weekend expectations, so that when the actual numbers roll in, the movie can be spun as disappointing. Or how reporting factors in tracking service projections. Tracking is a tool that allows studios to see whether their marketing is creating awareness, and campaigns are fine-tuned in the final weeks based on those results. That tracking is not a reliable measure of performance. When some journalists see that actual film performance falls below tracking projections, they thump the movies and not the flawed tracking.
I can tell you that while I am doing this for the next couple of weeks, I will try my best to see as many of the new movies as I can, something that wasn't a priority here. I have a healthy respect for the creative process, for how hard it is to make a movie, and all the places it can go wrong. Last night at Out Of The Furnace, I met with the director, Scott Cooper. Here was a guy who put his own imprint on a spec script by Brad Inglesby (who was selling insurance when he got paid $500,000 against $1.5 million when Ridley Scott was directing and Leo DiCaprio starring), and Cooper made it very reminiscent of one of my fave films The Deer Hunter, with timely themes of economic hardship and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in soldiers returning from the Middle East. When I told Cooper how much I liked his movie, I could see him looking hard at me, as though trying to be sure I wasn't shining him on (I wasn't). Maybe it won't be this way for every film he makes, but I could tell this one has themes that are very personal to Cooper and he really threw himself into this. Maybe this sense of empathy will make me the worst box office reporter of all time. I have seen already it isn't pleasing some readers who come for bloodsport. I figure these would have been running around in togas in ancient Rome, using phrases like "epic fail" when they stopped throwing Christians to the lions. The only blood on display here will be my own, because I tend to bleed on the page sometimes. If that's not good enough, so be it.
Top 10
1) Thor: The Dark World/ PG13/ Disney / Wk 1/ Runs: 3841/ New / $31.850 Fri./ $31.737 Sat. 0% / $22.216 Sun. -30% = $85.803 million for weekend. Per Screen Average: $22,339. Total domestic gross so far $85.8 million.
2) Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa/ R Rating, Paramount/ Week 3/ Runs: 3187/ -158 / $3.366 Fri./ $4.801 Sat. 43% / $2.881 Sun. -40% = $11.048 million for weekend. Per screen average: $3,466. Total domestic gross so far $78.5 million.
3) Free Birds/ PG/ Relativity / Week 2/ Runs: 3736/ $2.559 Fri./ $5.039 Sat. 97% / $3.275 Sun. -35% = $10.873 million for weekend. Per Screen Average: $2,910. Total domestic gross so far $29.9 million.
4) Last Vegas/ PG13/ CBS / Week 2/ Runs: 3082/ 17 / $3.209 Fri./ $4.790 Sat. 49% / $2.874 Sun. -40% = $10.9 million for weekend. Per Screen Average: $3,528. Total weekend gross $33.3 million.
5) Ender's Game/ PG13/ Lionsgate / Week 2/ Runs: 3407/ 0 / $2.927 Fri./ $4.478 Sat. 53% / $2.911 Sun. -35% = $10.316 million for weekend. Per screen average: $3,028. Total weekend domestic gross $44.1 million.
6) Gravity/ PG13/ Warner Bros/ Wk 6/ Runs: 2720/ -304 / $2.291 Fri./ $3.870 Sat. 69% / $2.129 Sun. -45% = $8.290 million for weekend. Per screen average: $3,048. Total domestic gross $231 million.
7) 12 Years A Slave/ R/ Fox Searchlight/ Wk 4/ Runs: 1144/ 734 / $1.847 Fri./ $2.867 Sat. 55% / $1.864 Sun. -35% = $6.578 million for weekend. Per screen average: $5.75 million. Total domestic gross $17.3 million.
8 ) Capt. Phillips / PG13/ Sony / Wk 5/ Runs: 2646/ -375 / $1.578 Fri./ $2.531 Sat. 60% / $1.392 Sun. -45% = $5.5 million for weekend. Per screen average: $2,079. Total domestic gross $90.7 million.
9) About Time/ R/ Universal/ Wk 2/ Runs: 1200/ 1025 / $1.551 Fri./ $1.918 Sat. 24% / $1.247 Sun. -35% = $4.716 million for weekend. Per screen average: $3,930. Total domestic gross $6.2 million.
10) Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2/ PG/ Sony / Wk 7/ Runs: 1836/ -594 / $0.576 Fri./ $1.275 Sat. 121% / $0.829 Sun. -35% = $2.68 million for weekend. Per screen average: $1,460. Total domestic gross so far $109.9 million.
RELATED: 'Thor: The Dark World' Thursday Previews Wield $7.1M; International Cume Passes $150M
UPDATED: As expected, Marvel 's dropped the hammer on the competition to gross around $31 million between Thursday and Friday nights. The film got an A- Cinemascore and did even better than that in the young demo. It will finish in the $83 million range for the weekend.
Now, that certainly is imposing, but it is not as impressive as last year, when the 007 installment grossed $88.4 million. Then again, the first had a domestic gross of $65 million on its opening frame. That is what you want from a sequel, to exceed the original. This comes a weekend after the film opened to near $110 million internationally. Wonder how some other worthy films that had their growth stunted during the brutally competitive summer would have done if they'd been saved to open in this corridor? This might well establish Veteran's Day as a destination box office weekend, same as MLK weekend has become.
Way below those Thor grosses comes a battle for runner-up. It looks like will finish second, followed by the raucously funny Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa , the animated Free Birds and Ender's Game . The latter was an unabashed franchise play, but the weekend could prove a franchise ender; the box office gross is down over 60% from last weekend, putting the gross after two weekends at $44.2 million. That's not good enough. Coming in behind that is Alfonso Cuaron's , which continues to be a marvel that will finish the weekend at over $230 million; 12 Years A Slave , the critical darling upped its screens to 1144 and should gross around $6.5 million for the weekend for a $17.2 million total so far. Behind that is Captain Phillips , another prestige picture which in its fifth weekend should be at a total $91 million gross after the weekend.
Top 10
1)Thor: The Dark World / PG13/ Disney / Week 1/ Runs: 3841/ NEW / $31.85 Fri./ $30.258 Sat. -5% / $21.18 Sun. -30% = $83.288. Per Screen Average: $21,684. Total domestic gross $83.3 million.
2) Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa / R Rating, Paramount/ Week 3/ Runs: 3187/ $3.366 Fri./ $4.881 Sat. 45% / $2.928 Sun.= $11.175. Dropoff -44% from last weekend. Per Screen Average: $3,506. Total domestic gross $78.6 million.
3)Last Vegas / PG13 / CBS Films / Week 2/ Runs: 3082/ $3.208 Fri./ $4.972 Sat. 55% / $2.983 Sun. -40% = $11.164. Dropoff from last weekend: -32%. Per Screen Average: $3,622. Total domestic gross $33.6 million.
4) Free Birds / PG/ Relativity. Week 2/ Runs: 3736/ $2.559 Fri./ $5.118 Sat. 100% / $3.327 Sun. -35% = $11.004 Wknd -30%. Per Screen Average: $2,945. Total domestic gross $30 million.
5) Ender's Game / PG13/ Lionsgate/ Week 2/ Runs: 3407/ $2.927 Fri./ $4.391 Sat. 50% / $2.854 Sun. -35% = $10.171 Weekend drop off is -62%. Per screen average is $2,985. Total domestic gross $43.9 million.
6) Gravity / PG13/ WB / Wk 6/ Runs: 2720/ $2.291 Fri./ $4.009 Sat. 75% / $2.205 Sun. -45% = $8.505 Weekend dropoff is -34%. Per Screen Average is $3,127. Total domestic gross is $231.2 million.
7) 12 Years A Slave / R/ Fox Searchlight / Week 4/ Runs: 1144, increased from 734/ $1.847 Fri./ $2.863 Sat. 55% / $1.861 Sun. -35% = $6.571 Weekend gross is up 37% from last weekend. Per Screen Average: $5,744. Total domestic gross $17.3 million.
8 ) Capt. Phillips / PG13/ Sony/ Week 5/ Runs: 2646/ $1.578 Fri./ $2.604 Sat. 65% / $1.432 Sun. -45% = $5.614. Dropoff From Last Weekend -33%. Per Screen Average: $2,122. Total domestic gross $90.8.
9) About Time / R/ Universal / Week 2/ Runs: 1200 / $1.526 Fri./ $2.136 Sat. 40% / $1.389 Sun. -35% = $5.051. Up 369% From Last Weekend's Limited Release. Per Screen Avg: $4,209. Total domestic gross $6.6 million.
10) Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 / PG/ Sony / Week 7/ Runs: 1836/ $0.576 Fri./ $1.296 Sat. 125% / $0.842 Sun. -35% = $2.714. Weekend Dropoff is -35%. Per Screen Average is $1,478. Total domestic gross $109.9 million.
For more estimates listed by title, see box office results here...
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