Box Office

[blixie]

 

I not exactly an expert on box office numbers, but that's an impressive opening for an original comedy starring two very untested box-office draws, no?

 

Yes that was my point, the movie earned more than was expected and it was a hard R comedy starring largely B-list SNL and CC stars. Tilda was the biggest name in the cast (well and LeBron) and she was unrecognizable practically! That's why I'm bothered that people still report who won the box office in who made the most money in given week, because yeah who cares if Ant Man made more money over all, it made less than expected and cost way more to make.

[ribboninthesky1]

I have to admit, I was curious whether Amy Schumer's recent explosion would translate into box office dollars, or if she'd turn out to be another case of someone more "internet famous" than "really famous". 

 

No opinion on Schumer's level of fame, but I'm glad to read an acknowledgement of this.  The lines are definitely blurred thanks to social media, but I've always believed there was a difference. 

[Dejana]

Yes that was my point, the movie earned more than was expected and it was a hard R comedy starring largely B-list SNL and CC stars. Tilda was the biggest name in the cast (well and LeBron) and she was unrecognizable practically! That's why I'm bothered that people still report who won the box office in who made the most money in given week, because yeah who cares if Ant Man made more money over all, it made less than expected and cost way more to make.

 

I get why most of the mainstream (non-industry) sources just stick to the basics. When you start discussing marketing costs, the impact of VOD-day and date release on indie films, how a one-off comedy might lack sequel potential or overseas appeal, while a mediocre big-budget tentpole can make 70% of its money outside of the domestic market (though studios may get a lower share or have pre-sold the rights) and brings in hundreds of millions in merchandising for the studio (which is usually part of some mega-conglomerate)....all of that is a lot more than many people want to know, even though these things have a huge impact on what movies are made in the future. When there are the articles wrapping up the summer or yearly box office, that's a time when multiple trends and various kinds of success get highlighted.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Dejana

[Dejana]

Lackluster weekend, some due to the new releases and the shooting likely played a part in keeping people at home.

 

Sandler's downward trajectory continues. Southpaw didn't have a huge opening but the expectations weren't too high. OTOH, Paper Towns was probably not supposed to make about a fourth of what The Fault in Our Stars did in its OW last year ($48 million). It won't lose money but even this weekend has already been massively frontloaded; general audiences aren't going to keep it lingering in theaters for weeks and weeks. The expectation was probably that it could be half, maybe 70 percent as popular as TFIOS, if they were lucky (except they weren't). Has the next John Greene adaptation been cast? I guess they'll want to go for a bit more star power than Cara Delevingne and Nat Wolffe.

 

Jurassic World passes The Avengers on the all-time unadjusted domestic list.

 

July 24–26, 2015 Estimates:

 

1 (1) Ant-Man  $24,765,000 | 3,868 Theaters | $6,403 Avg. | $106,075,529
2 (N) Pixels  $24,000,000 | 3,723 Theaters | $6,446 Avg. | $24,000,000
3 (2) Minions  $22,058,050 | 4,066 Theaters | $5,425 Avg. | $261,578,460
4 (3) Trainwreck  $17,281,950 | 3,171 Theaters | $5,450 Avg. | $61,526,975
5 (N) Southpaw  $16,500,000 | 2,772 Theaters | $5,952 Avg. | $16,500,000
6 (N) Paper Towns  $12,500,000 | 3,031 Theaters | $4,124 Avg. | $12,500,000
7 (4) Inside Out  $7,356,000 | 3,263 Theaters | $2,254 Avg. | $320,334,811
8 (5) Jurassic World  $6,850,550 | 2,645 Theaters | $2,590 Avg. | $623,753,325
9 (11) Mr. Holmes  $2,849,000 | 686 Theaters | $4,153 Avg. | $6,431,879
10 (6) Terminator: Genisys  $2,400,000 | 1,702 Theaters | $1,410 Avg. | $85,665,614

 

Magic Mike XXL  $1,865,000 | 1,440 Theaters | $1,295 Avg. | $63,132,078

The Vatican Tapes  $850,000 | 427 Theaters | $1,991 Avg. | $850,000

Amy  $700,000 | 370 Theaters | $1,892 Avg. | $5,516,392

Love & Mercy  $135,537 | 126 Theaters | $1,076 Avg. | $12,060,034

I'll See You in My Dreams  $111,000 | 103 Theaters | $1,078 Avg. | $7,077,000

 

Global Totals:

 

JURASSIC WORLD: $917.7M Overseas Total | $1.542B Global Total

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON: $939.3M Overseas Total | $1.396B Global Total

MINIONS: $497.8M Overseas Total | $759.4M Global Total

INSIDE OUT: $229.8M Overseas Total | $550.135M Global Total

 

TERMINATOR: GENISYS: $219.4M Overseas Total | $305M Global Total

PITCH PERFECT 2: $98.3M Overseas Total | $282.2M Global Total

SPY: $122.28M Overseas Total | $230.34M Global Total

ANT-MAN: $120.4M Overseas Total | $226.475M Global Total

 

TED 2: $74.0M Overseas Total | $153.6M Global Total

MAGIC MIKE XXL: $38M Overseas Total | $101M Global Total

POLTERGEIST: $48.4M Overseas Total | $95.77M Global Total

PIXELS: $25.4M Overseas Total | $49.4M Global Total

PAPER TOWNS: $16.1M Overseas Total | $30.0M Global Total

Edited July 26, 2015 by Dejana

[Rick Kitchen]

 

Has the next John Greene adaptation been cast? I guess they'll want to go for a bit more star power than Cara Delevingne and Nat Wolffe.

 

Looking For Alaska is being cast, but no word on names yet.  There is no information on An Abundance of Katherines.

[absnow54]

I'm still surprised they pushed Paper Towns into production before Looking for Alaska. Alaska has been pushed into some high school curriculums, and is a tighter story overall, and could probably stand on its own without star power (I don't really think star power is what made Fault in Our Stars successful, since Shailene is either getting critical acclaim in indies that nobody sees or carrying lackluster Hunger Games rip offs.)

[methodwriter85]

I'm still surprised they pushed Paper Towns into production before Looking for Alaska. Alaska has been pushed into some high school curriculums, and is a tighter story overall, and could probably stand on its own without star power (I don't really think star power is what made Fault in Our Stars successful, since Shailene is either getting critical acclaim in indies that nobody sees or carrying lackluster Hunger Games rip offs.)

 

Because Looking for Alaska is not a very PG-13 friendly material source for a movie, and I think that's what has been holding it up, them trying to figure out how to get it to a PG-13 without destroying the story. (Perks of Being A Wallflower was actually able to pull that off.)

 

I'm kind of not that surprised it didn't do that well because I really just haven't seen that much interest in it. I mean, the week before the movie came out it was trending 45 on IMDB and that's not that good of a sign there.

[Dejana]

I'm still surprised they pushed Paper Towns into production before Looking for Alaska. Alaska has been pushed into some high school curriculums, and is a tighter story overall, and could probably stand on its own without star power (I don't really think star power is what made Fault in Our Stars successful, since Shailene is either getting critical acclaim in indies that nobody sees or carrying lackluster Hunger Games rip offs.)

 

The people who made Mortal Instruments or Vampire Academy would have killed for the mediocre success of Divergent. I don't think Shailene was the primary reason The Fault in Our Stars was a hit, but I think star power generally helps (though not in every case). Surely, "You loved her on that popular teen show and in the latest hit YA action movie!" is an easier sell than "...she's great on Instagram and totally a better model than Kendall Jenner. You're willing to go out and pay to see if she can act, right?" The smaller the fanbase, the more the story has to be sold on other factors.

 

Because Looking for Alaska is not a very PG-13 friendly material source for a movie, and I think that's what has been holding it up, them trying to figure out how to get it to a PG-13 without destroying the story. (Perks of Being A Wallflower was actually able to pull that off.)

 

I'm kind of not that surprised it didn't do that well because I really just haven't seen that much interest in it. I mean, the week before the movie came out it was trending 45 on IMDB and that's not that good of a sign there.

 

I haven't read the book, but glimpsed a synopsis and is John Green a one-man Manic Pixie Dream Factory or what? Anyway, aside from

suicide

what's so not PG-13 about the story? That alone isn't an automatic R, is it?

Edited July 30, 2015 by Dejana

[BatmanBeatles]

Are there R-rated words?

[methodwriter85]

There's pretty heavy alcohol use throughout the book.

[Skyline]

And tons of cigarette smoking.

[methodwriter85]

And both the alcohol and smoking are pretty integral to the plot.

 

Also, the stripper plot might be frowned upon as well.

[Dejana]

Thanks, all, for the explanations! Yeah, the MPAA would probably slap that sort of material with an R and since it's geared to teens, theaters would be extra vigilant about selling tickets to underage patrons. Though the PG/PG-13 rated competition might get a boost from attempted theater hoppers, that doesn't help the actual movie so much...

Edited July 31, 2015 by Dejana

[methodwriter85]

I would love for them to be willing to go for an R, but I honestly can't think of a single wide-release teen drama that was Rated R in recent years. I guess the Spectacular Now, but that was an indie movie that kind of had hopes of getting widely seen, but didn't take off. The only teen R-rated stuff you see now are horror movies or American Pie wannabees that go directly to video.

 

I thought that the Perks of Being A Wallflower was good at balancing it, but man, you could really see what they did to keep things PG-13. I would have loved to have seen what an R-rated version would have been.

[caracas1914]

"Me and Earl and the dying girl" was a box office disappointment, grossing only 6 million despite critical nods and being a Sundance darling.

Maybe it's just me, but shouldn't these HW distributors/marketers have figure out that it is NEVER a good thing to insert the words "dying girl" into the title of movie for release?

[methodwriter85]

That was a PG-13 movie, for the lot of good it did it.

 

I actually really liked it, but the cynical part of me thought that it would have done better if this HAD been turned into a romance, instead of just a friendship. I guess that's good in the directors for not bowing to Hollywood mainstream demands and staying true to the story.

Edited July 31, 2015 by methodwriter85

[caracas1914]

i dont mind the SL , nor do I think it was too dark perse, but marketing an unknown movie with that title. I mean, I know it's the name of the book but I would rather compromise the title to get more seats in the theatre than the actual source material.

[Dejana]

July 31–August 2, 2015 Estimates:

 

1 (N) Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation  $56,000,000 | 3,956 Theaters | $14,156 Avg. | $56,000,000
2 (N) Vacation  $14,850,000 | 3,411 Theaters | $4,354 Avg. | $21,172,334
3 (1) Ant-Man  $12,619,000 | 3,322 Theaters | $3,799 Avg. | $132,147,919
4 (3) Minions  $12,155,000 | 3,575 Theaters | $3,400 Avg. | $287,346,275
5 (2) Pixels  $10,400,000 | 3,723 Theaters | $2,793 Avg. | $45,611,497
6 (4) Trainwreck  $9,694,000 | 2,960 Theaters | $3,275 Avg. | $79,703,400
7 (5) Southpaw  $7,519,000 | 2,772 Theaters | $2,712 Avg. | $31,576,485
8 (6) Paper Towns  $4,600,000 | 3,031 Theaters | $1,518 Avg. | $23,816,439
9 (7) Inside Out  $4,517,000 | 1,904 Theaters | $2,372 Avg. | $329,593,892
10 (8) Jurassic World  $3,757,080 | 1,912 Theaters | $1,965 Avg. | $631,456,710

 

Mr. Holmes  $2,414,000 | 901 Theaters | $2,679 Avg. | $10,385,368

Magic Mike XXL  $656,000 | 565 Theaters | $1,161 Avg.|  $64,771,790

Irrational Man  $509,528 | 135 Theaters | $3,774 Avg. | $1,146,859

Amy  $413,958 | 245 Theaters | $1,690 Avg. | $6,405,470

The End of the Tour  $126,459 | 4 Theaters | $31,615 Avg. | $126,459

Listen to Me Marlon  $29,215 | 2 Theaters | $14,608 Avg. | $37,227

 

Global Totals:

 

JURASSIC WORLD: $928M Overseas Total | $1.560B Global Total

AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON: $941.5M Overseas Total | $1.398B Global Total

MINIONS: $567.3M Overseas Total | $854.6M Global Total

INSIDE OUT: $272.7M Overseas Total | $602.294M Global Total

 

TERMINATOR: GENISYS: $230.0M Overseas Total | $317.65M Global Total

ANT-MAN: $159.5M Overseas Total | $291.648M Global Total

PITCH PERFECT 2: $99.2M Overseas Total | $283M Global Total

SPY: $123.56M Overseas Total | $232.39M Global Total

 

TED 2: $79.8M Overseas Total | $160.3M Global Total

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION: $65.0M Overseas Total | $121.0M Global Total

INSIDIOUS: CHAPTER 3: $65.43M Overseas Total | $117.5M Global Total

MAGIC MIKE XXL: $46.4M Overseas Total | $111.1M Global Total

PIXELS: $56.5M Overseas Total | $102.11M Global Total

 

TRAINWRECK: $0.6M Overseas Total | $80.3M Global Total

PAPER TOWNS: $25.7M Overseas Total | $49.5M Global Total

THE GALLOWS: $13.55M Overseas Total | $32.0M Global Total

[manbearpig]

Paper Towns is not doing as well as expected, but considering that it apparently had a $12 million budget, it's still doing okay and could make a good profit if it continues to do well overseas.

Edited August 2, 2015 by manbearpig

[methodwriter85]

There's this one troll on the Paper Towns IMDB board who keeps posting on and on about what a huge bomb that movie is. It has had mediocre box office success, but it's not going to lose a huge amount of money.

 

I do wonder though if they're going to insist on an actual box office star for Looking for Alaska.

Edited August 3, 2015 by methodwriter85

[Dejana]

After a troubled production, bad reviews and being trashed by its own director, the latest Fantastic Four unsurprisingly tanks, making less than half of what the 2005 version did in its opening weekend ($56 million).

 

August 7–9, 2015 Estimates:

 

1 (1) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation  $29,400,000 | 3,988 Theaters | $7,372 Avg. | $108,654,207
2 (N) Fantastic Four  $26,200,000 | 3,995 Theaters | $6,558 Avg. | $26,200,000
3 (N) The Gift  $12,007,000 | 2,503 Theaters | $4,797 Avg. | $12,007,000
4 (2) Vacation  $9,145,000 | 3,430 Theaters | $2,666 Avg. | $37,324,780
5 (3) Ant-Man  $7,826,000 | 2,910 Theaters | $2,689 Avg. | $147,436,546
6 (4) Minions  $7,370,280 | 3,123 Theaters | $2,360 Avg. | $302,724,400
7 (N) Ricki and the Flash  $7,000,000 | 1,603 Theaters | $4,367 Avg. | $7,000,000
8 (6) Trainwreck  $6,274,625 | 2,525 Theaters | $2,485 Avg. | $91,076,455
9 (5) Pixels  $5,430,000 | 2,864 Theaters | $1,896 Avg. | $57,645,304
10 (7) Southpaw  $4,764,000 | 2,274 Theaters | $2,095 Avg. | $40,725,841

 

Shaun the Sheep Movie  $4,000,000 | 2,320 Theaters | $1,724 Avg. | $5,571,000

Inside Out  $2,689,000 | 1,358 Theaters | $1,980 Avg. | $335,375,150

Irrational Man  $883,561 | 925 Theaters | $955 Avg. | $2,251,474

 

Amy  $258,962 | 149 Theaters | $1,738 Avg. | $6,965,339 
The End of the Tour  $252,702 | 36 Theaters | $7,020 Avg. | $428,047 
Ted 2  $222,585 | 209 Theaters | $1,065 Avg. | $80,966,530

 

The Diary of a Teenage Girl  $54,525 | 4 Theaters | $13,631 Avg. | $54,525

Cop Car  $27,000 | 3 Theaters | $9,000 Avg. | $27,000

Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet  $26,601 | 2 Theaters | $13,301 Avg. | $26,601

 

Global Totals:

 

JURASSIC WORLD: $945.6M Overseas Total | $1.581B Global Total

MINIONS: $609.8M Overseas Total | $912.5M Global Total

INSIDE OUT: $300.1M Overseas Total | $635.5M Global Total

 

ANT-MAN: $178.9M Overseas Total | $326.3M Global Total

TERMINATOR: GENISYS: $234.0M Overseas Total | $322.496M Global Total

 

PITCH PERFECT 2: $100.3M Overseas Total | $284.1M Global Total

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION: $156.7M Overseas Total | $265.35M Global Total

TED 2: $85.6M Overseas Total | $166.6M Global Total

PIXELS: $73.6M Overseas Total | $131.245M Global Total

 

TRAINWRECK: $6.1M Overseas Total | $97.2M Global Total

FANTASTIC FOUR: $34.05M Overseas Total | $60.25M Global Total

PAPER TOWNS: $31.39M Overseas Total | $60.19M Global Total

THE 33: $1.61M Global Total

[Dejana]

With the success of Straight Outta Compton, Universal becomes the fastest studio to reach $2 billion at the domestic box office in a calendar year (WB held this distinction before, reaching $2 billion in December 2009). Obviously, any milestone counted in pure dollars tends to skew favorably to the present, but tickets didn't cost that much less six years ago. Universal's 2015 successes include Fifty Shades of Grey, Furious 7, Pitch Perfect 2, Jurassic World, Minions and Trainwreck.

 

August 14–16. 2015 Estimates:

 

1 (N) Straight Outta Compton  $56,091,165 | 2,757 Theaters | $20,345 Avg. | $56,091,165
2 (1) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation  $17,000,000 | 3,700 Theaters | $4,595 Avg. | $138,136,555
3 (N) The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  $13,535,000 | 3,638 Theaters | $3,720 Avg. | $13,535,000
4 (2) Fantastic Four  $8,000,000 | 4,004 Theaters | $1,998 Avg. | $41,961,218
5 (3) The Gift  $6,500,000 | 2,503 Theaters | $2,597 Avg. | $23,577,323

 

6 (5) Ant-Man  $5,517,000 | 2,306 Theaters | $2,392 Avg. | $157,567,253
7 (4) Vacation  $5,330,000 | 3,088 Theaters | $1,726 Avg. | $46,852,065
8 (6) Minions  $5,161,200 | 2,640 Theaters | $1,955 Avg. | $312,929,910
9 (7) Ricki and the Flash  $4,570,000 | 2,064 Theaters | $2,214 Avg. | $14,655,717
10 (8) Trainwreck  $3,836,160 | 1,998 Theaters | $1,920 Avg. | $97,955,120

 

11 (9) Pixels  $3,415,000 | 2,176 Theaters | $1,569 Avg. | $64,532,781
12 (11) Shaun the Sheep  $2,850,000 | 2,360 Theaters | $1,208 Avg. | $11,117,271

13 (10) Southpaw  $2,460,000 | 1,727 Theaters | $1,424 Avg. | $45,667,290
14 (12) Inside Out  $2,035,000 | 1,019 Theaters | $1,997 Avg. | $339,354,797
15 (13) Jurassic World  $1,247,220 | 738 Theaters | $1,690 Avg. | $637,978,860

 

Mr. Holmes  $863,000 | 589 Theaters | $1,465 Avg. | $14,343,079

The End of the Tour  $399,000 | 133 Theaters | $3,000 Avg. | $937,663

Brothers: Blood Against Blood  $340,000 | 164 Theaters | $2,073 Avg. | $340,000

The Diary of a Teenage Girl  $112,387 | 22 Theaters | $5,109 Avg. | $194,781

Mistress America  $94,000 | 4 Theaters | $23,500 Avg. | $94,000

 

Global Totals:

 

JURASSIC WORLD: $968.3M Overseas Total | $1.6063B Global Total

MINIONS: $644.5M Overseas Total | $957.4M Global Total

INSIDE OUT: $327.5M Overseas Total | $666.955M Global Total

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION: $235.3M Overseas Total | $373.437M Global Total

ANT-MAN: $189.5M Overseas Total | $347.068M Global Total

TERMINATOR: GENISYS: $234.7M Overseas Total | $323.509M Global Total

PITCH PERFECT 2: $101M Overseas Total | $284.8M Global Total

 

TED 2: $92.6M Overseas Total | $173.7M Global Total

PIXELS: $91.1M Overseas Total | $155.41M Global Total

TRAINWRECK: $13.7M Overseas Total | $111.3M Global Total

FANTASTIC FOUR: $60.1M Overseas Total | $102.06M Global Total

 

PAPER TOWNS: $36.4M Overseas Total | $66.821M Global Total

UNFRIENDED: $25.6M Overseas Total | $58.4M Global Total

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON: $0.015M Overseas Total | $56.105M Global Total

Edited August 16, 2015 by Dejana

[vibeology]

Ouch for UNCLE. Not even second on its opening weekend. I have no interest in seeing it. I don't care about Henry Cavill or the Winklevoss twin actor. I'm too young to have any TV nostalgia and the commercials for the movie aren't selling it to me at all. Obviously most movie goers agree with me because $13million is a huge disappointment for the studio I'd expect.

[Rick Kitchen]

That's a huge per-theater average for Compton!

[Dejana]

Ouch for UNCLE. Not even second on its opening weekend. I have no interest in seeing it. I don't care about Henry Cavill or the Winklevoss twin actor. I'm too young to have any TV nostalgia and the commercials for the movie aren't selling it to me at all. Obviously most movie goers agree with me because $13million is a huge disappointment for the studio I'd expect.

 

Tom Cruise was attached to the project but how many movie versions of 1960s spy shows does one actor need to headline? M:I was much more of a safe bet. Here are some of the other options the studio considered:

 

Cruise is the latest actor to leave the project. George Clooney had been attached to star but also exited. Since 2011, the studio has considered stars including Channing Tatum, Bradley Cooper, Ryan Gosling, The Killing star Joel Kinnaman and Michael Fassbender.

 

I think a project like U.N.C.L.E. either needed a lot more star power or a much smaller budget than $75 million not to be such a flop. At some point, it was supposed to be released on January 16 but got moved to this weekend. I'm not sure how much that would have helped the box office, though it would have been the first spy movie of the year instead of coming after Kingsman and Rogue Nation, not to mention Spy.

[Ohwell]

I think it's simply that U.N.C.L.E. came out in the wrong week.  I'm not surprised by the showing, and even Henry Cavill looked nervous when I saw him on Jimmy Fallon's show last week.  Straight Outta Compton got such publicity, I think he realized that U.N.C.L.E. would get buried.  Not to mention M:I is still showing strong.  I loved the original U.N.C.L.E series and I like Henry Cavill so I still plan to see the movie next week.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Ohwell

[ribboninthesky1]

I don't think it's just a matter of poor timing.  Right now, this kind of movie is more likely to build on word-of-mouth rather than a significant opening box office weekend.  It's not a franchise film, it's not YA dystopia, it's not comic related, it's not family-oriented, it doesn't cater to teens or young adults in most ways, and it's not a remake of a production that is well-known for the people who actually go to the movies regularly. When I went, the vast majority of people I noticed in my theater looked to be over 40, if not 50.  I typically don't pay attention to critics and reviews, but a lot of people do, and from what I understand, the reception is mixed.  Yet another factor working against it.  For my part, I enjoyed it a lot.        

 

In the trailers, I always noticed that Henry Cavill isn't as heavily featured as he could have been.  The screen time was fairly even, but Armie Hammer was listed before Cavill in the opening credits.  I suspect this was supposed to be more of a Hammer vehicle, but Cavill is the one with the looks and recognition.          

[Ohwell]

It's not a franchise film, it's not YA dystopia, it's not comic related, it's not family-oriented, it doesn't cater to teens or young adults in most ways, and it's not a remake of a production that is well-known for the people who actually go to the movies regularly.

Which is all the more reason why the timing of the release was important.  Producers should have considered that more.

[xaxat]

Somewhere there is a studio executive trying to figure out how the make Straight Outta Compton II. With Dre hustling headphones and Cube starring in family comedies.

[Skyline]

Compton rose to 60 million with actuals. 

[Dejana]

Somewhere there is a studio executive trying to figure out how the make Straight Outta Compton II. With Dre hustling headphones and Cube starring in family comedies.

Make it about Tupac...build a West Coast Cinematic Universe! No, really, it seems more likely for Hollywood to try to make a Beastie Boys biopic next.

[Ohwell]

Since I'm in thug mode right now, I would pay to see a movie about Suge Knight.

 

On second thought, I would watch that movie at home. 

Edited August 17, 2015 by Ohwell

[cynic]

I think it's simply that U.N.C.L.E. came out in the wrong week.  I'm not surprised by the showing, and even Henry Cavill looked nervous when I saw him on Jimmy Fallon's show last week.  Straight Outta Compton got such publicity, I think he realized that U.N.C.L.E. would get buried.  Not to mention M:I is still showing strong.  I loved the original U.N.C.L.E series and I like Henry Cavill so I still plan to see the movie next week.

 

I don't think it's just the wrong weekend at all. I can't imagine there's a big overlap between Straight Outta Compton and Uncle anyway. Sure, MI competes head to head, but it's in its third week. After that, there's no competition. It's not like people are flocking to Fantastic 4.

 

I hadn't even heard they were making a Man from Uncle movie until I saw the trailer while at another movie and the trailer did nothing to pique my interest. (And I love spy movies!) To me, it just looked like it was going to be all style over substance and not even fun to boot. It gave no indication that the plot would be interesting and the leads are handsome, but charisma-free.The whole thing just struck me as a fashion ad. Plus, I'm over 40 and I've never even seen a Man from Uncle rerun (and I watched a ton of old reruns as a kid), so there wasn't even a nostalgia draw for me. I was baffled that this was actually a big budget movie. 

Edited August 17, 2015 by cynic

[ribboninthesky1]

I think 75 million is small(ish) change these days, but I get your point, cynic.  I went to a Sunday 1st matinee showing, and my theater was almost full.  I wonder if the movie played well with the older demo that Hollywood ignores.  But then, I've never seen the TV show either, so I don't know how people felt about the film.  With no frame of reference, I enjoyed it for what it was.  

 

I can't imagine what would have been a good time to release it, but perhaps the lack of wide-scale promotion hurt it as well. 

[Dejana]

I don't think it's just a matter of poor timing.  Right now, this kind of movie is more likely to build on word-of-mouth rather than a significant opening box office weekend.  It's not a franchise film, it's not YA dystopia, it's not comic related, it's not family-oriented, it doesn't cater to teens or young adults in most ways, and it's not a remake of a production that is well-known for the people who actually go to the movies regularly. When I went, the vast majority of people I noticed in my theater looked to be over 40, if not 50.  I typically don't pay attention to critics and reviews, but a lot of people do, and from what I understand, the reception is mixed.  Yet another factor working against it.  For my part, I enjoyed it a lot.        

 

In the trailers, I always noticed that Henry Cavill isn't as heavily featured as he could have been.  The screen time was fairly even, but Armie Hammer was listed before Cavill in the opening credits.  I suspect this was supposed to be more of a Hammer vehicle, but Cavill is the one with the looks and recognition.          

 

 

I don't think it's just the wrong weekend at all. I can't imagine there's a big overlap between Straight Outta Compton and Uncle anyway. Sure, MI competes head to head, but it's in its third week. After that, there's no competition. It's not like people are flocking to Fantastic 4.

 

I hadn't even heard they were making a Man from Uncle movie until I saw the trailer while at another movie and the trailer did nothing to pique my interest. (And I love spy movies!) To me, it just looked like it was going to be all style over substance and not even fun to boot. It gave no indication that the plot would be interesting and the leads are handsome, but charisma-free.The whole thing just struck me as a fashion ad. Plus, I'm over 40 and I've never even seen a Man from Uncle rerun (and I watched a ton of old reruns as a kid), so there wasn't even a nostalgia draw for me. I was baffled that this was actually a big budget movie. 

 

When The Man from U.N.C.L.E. was going to star George Clooney or Tom Cruise it made some sense, if the budget was kept at a reasonable level. Clooney's not the same level of draw as Cruise, but he does have an appeal to "older" audiences looking for something besides franchise fare and he even headlined busted Oscar bait like The Monuments Men to a respectable total ($78M domestic/$155M worldwide). The Wikipedia entry says Steven Sodebergh was going to direct U.N.C.L.E. with Clooney aboard, but he wanted a bigger budget than the $60 million the studio wanted to spend, given the retro/international settings and the action involved. They ended up spending even more, with far less star power to show for it. In hindsight, the studio probably wishes they'd shelved the project when all the big names bailed.

 

 

Compton rose to 60 million with actuals. 

 

Outstanding! The projected Sunday drop looked too steep for the time of year, but a $4 million rise from estimates is pretty unusual.

Edited August 17, 2015 by Dejana

[Dejana]

We've approached the dog days for new releases, between the last two weekends of August until mid-September. Then, the dramas for grown-ups and minor kiddie/franchise movies come out to play, once studios figure summer vacation season is finally over and families/students have settled in after the beginning of a new school year. Expect the holdovers to do very well through Labor Day (most of them-sorry Fantastic Four).

 

August 21–23, 2015 Estimates:

 

1 (1) Straight Outta Compton  $26,756,125 | 3,025 Theaters | $8,845 Avg. | $111,479,595
2 (2) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation  $11,700,000 | 3,442 Theaters | $3,399 Avg. | $157,763,039
3 (N) Sinister 2  $10,633,000 | 2,766 Theaters | $3,844 Avg. | $10,633,000
4 (N) Hitman: Agent 47  $8,200,000 | 3,261 Theaters | $2,515 Avg. | $8,200,000
5 (3) The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  $7,420,000 | 3,673 Theaters | $2,020 Avg. | $26,636,840
6 (N) American Ultra  $5,500,000 | 2,778 Theaters | $1,980 Avg. | $5,500,000
7 (5) The Gift  $4,300,000 | 2,303 Theaters | $1,867 Avg. | $31,053,163
8 (6) Ant-Man  $4,088,000 | 2,016 Theaters | $2,028 Avg. | $164,524,370 
9 (8) Minions  $3,706,290 | 2,226 Theaters | $1,665 Avg. | $319,961,615
10 (4) Fantastic Four  $3,650,000 | 2,581 Theaters | $1,414 Avg. | $49,625,362

 

Trainwreck  $2,452,720 | 1,333 Theaters | $1,840 Avg. | $102,386,830

Mr. Holmes  $607,000 | 430 Theaters | $1,412 Avg. | $15,390,663

The End of the Tour  $523,625 | 355 Theaters | $1,475 Avg. | $1,689,540

Mistress America  $237,000 | 32 Theaters | $7,406 Avg. | $378,048

 

Irrational Man  $225,324 | 185 Theaters | $1,218 Avg. | $3,525,465

The Diary of a Teenage Girl  $180,359 | 69 Theaters | $2,614 Avg. | $425,030

Grandma  $120,856 | 4 Theaters | $30,214 Avg. | $120,856

Learning to Drive  $67,417 | 4 Theaters | $16,854 Avg. | $67,417

 

Global Totals:

 

JURASSIC WORLD: $983.3M Overseas Total | $1.622B Global Total

MINIONS: $669.4M Overseas Total | $989.4M Global Total

INSIDE OUT: $347.5M Overseas Total | $689.924M Global Total

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION: $280.8M Overseas Total | $438.563M Global Total

ANT-MAN: $196.5M Overseas Total | $361.024M Global Total

TERMINATOR: GENISYS: $264M Overseas Total | $353.09M Global Total

 

TED 2: $98.4M Overseas Total | $179.6M Global Total

FANTASTIC FOUR: $80.8M Overseas Total | $130.425M Global Total

TRAINWRECK: $19.9M Overseas Total | $122.29M Global Total

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON: $0.17M Overseas Total | $111.65M Global Total

 

PAPER TOWNS: $42.65M Overseas Total | $73.75M Global Total

MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.: $26.0M Overseas Total | $52.64M Global Total

VACATION: $15.5M Overseas Total | $67.78M Global Total

HITMAN: AGENT 47: $8.5M Overseas Total | $16.7M Global Total

[KatWay]

Wow, Terminator may have bombed in the US, but I guess Schwarzenengger still has some appeal overseas.

 

Have to say though, seeing that Minions made so much more money than Inside Out kind of makes me sad.

[Ambrosefolly]

For Emilia Clarke's sake, I am glad the movie is doing well over seas.

[Dejana]

Wow, Terminator may have bombed in the US, but I guess Schwarzenengger still has some appeal overseas.

 

Have to say though, seeing that Minions made so much more money than Inside Out kind of makes me sad.

 

Minions is an offshoot of the Despicable Me franchise and sequels generally have a huge advantage globally compared to original Hollywood movies (though not always, Ted 2). It's similar to the boost of having Angelina Jolie or Tom Cruise for the overseas markets. In the US, Inside Out is going to win the battle. 

[methodwriter85]

Paper Towns was disappointing, box-office wise, but no one's gonna lose money over it and it can't really be called a massive flop. It'll probably close out close to 32 or 33 million...not too far off from the last hit teen comedy, the Duff.

[xaxat]

American Ultra, ouch.

 

You know your movie has bombed when its open can't beat the second week of a previous bomb.

[Dejana]

American Ultra, ouch.

You know your movie has bombed when its open can't beat the second week of a previous bomb.

The screenwriter, Max Landis, whined on Twitter that American Ultra was at a disadvantage by being original and not based on an existing property. He also noted that AU made five million more in its opening weekend than Boyhood or Birdman. Of course, he left out that those movies opened in ten theaters or less, while AU tanked in thousands of locations and got far worse reviews.

Edited August 24, 2015 by Dejana

[Dejana]

August 28–30, 2015 Estimates:

 

1 (1) Straight Outta Compton  $13,243,530 | 3,142 Theaters | $4,215 Avg. | $134,129,705 
2 (N) War Room  $11,000,000 | 1,135 Theaters | $9,692 Avg. | $11,000,000 (trailer)
3 (2) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation  $8,300,000 | 3,095 Theaters | $2,682 Avg. | $170,386,530
4 (N) No Escape  $8,288,000 | 3,355 Theaters | $2,470 Avg. | $10,348,860
5 (3) Sinister 2  $4,650,000 | 2,799 Theaters | $1,661 Avg. | $18,511,602

 

6 (5) The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  $4,410,000 | 2,706 Theaters | $1,630 Avg. | $34,121,626
7 (4) Hitman: Agent 47  $3,850,000 | 3,273 Theaters | $1,176 Avg. | $15,270,731

8 (8) Ant-Man  $3,073,116 | 1,690 Theaters | $1,818 Avg. | $169,205,642

9 (18) Jurassic World  $3,010,770 | 1,239 Theaters | $2,430 Avg. | $642,978,555

10 (7) The Gift  $3,004,313 | 1,934 Theaters | $1,553 Avg. | $35,830,756

 

11 (9) Minions  $2,924,480 | 1,976 Theaters | $1,480 Avg. | $324,805,070
12 (6) American Ultra  $2,800,000 | 2,778 Theaters | $1,008 Avg. | $10,488,109 

13 (10) Fantastic Four  $1,782,398 | 1,675 Theaters | $1,064 Avg, | $52,745,496

14 (N) We Are Your Friends  $1,767,308 | 2,333 Theaters | $758 Avg. | $1,767,308 *ouch*
15 (11) Vacation  $1,705,000 | 1,555 Theaters | $1,096 Avg. | $55,020,424

 

Mistress America  $430,000 | 150 Theaters | $2,867 Avg. | $909,733

The Diary of a Teenage Girl  $424,984 | 795 Theaters | $535 Avg. | $925,065
Grandma  $308,616 | 19 Theaters | $16,243 Avg. | $486,498

Irrational Man  $104,117 | 91 Theaters | $1,144 Avg. | $3,719,593

 

Global Totals:

 

JURASSIC WORLD: $993.6M Overseas Total | $1.637B Global Total

MINIONS: $694.1M Overseas Total | $1.019B Global Total

INSIDE OUT: $371.1M Overseas Total | $715.625M Global Total

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION: $309.0M Overseas Total | $479.387M Global Total

TERMINATOR: GENISYS: $320.1M Overseas Total | $409.484M Global Total

ANT-MAN: $199.8M Overseas Total | $368.986M Global Total

 

TED 2: $109.0M Overseas Total | $190.2M Global Total

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON: $6.8M Overseas Total | $140.93M Global Total

TRAINWRECK: $23.8M Overseas Total | $128.9M Global Total

 

VACATION: $26.5M Overseas Total | $81.52M Global Total

PAPER TOWNS: $46.8M Overseas Total | $78.3M Global Total

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.: $36.6M Overseas Total | $70.72M Global Total

HITMAN: AGENT 47: $25.0M Overseas Total | $40.29M Global Total

Edited September 1, 2015 by Dejana

[manbearpig]

I guess Terminator Genisys still has a shot at a sequel, then. I never got around to watching it. Paper Towns looks set to make a healthy profit, which hopefully means that other John Green adaptation, Looking for Alaska, will still happen.

[Rick Kitchen]

I never even heard of War Room.  Another one of those films that gets its advertising from churches.  But it certainly seems to be drawing bigger audiences than its predecessors did.

[methodwriter85]

I work at a movie theater, and in the dog days of late summer, War Room has basically been our blockbuster.

[Dejana]

September 4–6, 2015 Estimates:

 

1 (2) War Room  $9,345,000 | 1,526 Theaters | $6,124 Avg. | $24,658,458
2 (1) Straight Outta Compton  $8,848,840 | 3,094 Theaters | $2,860 Avg. | $147,784,545
3 (N) A Walk in the Woods  $8,168,499 | 1,960 Theaters | $4,168 Avg. | $10,200,499
4 (3) Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation  $7,150,000 | 2,849 Theaters | $2,510 Avg. | $180,386,692 
5 (N) The Transporter Refueled  $7,100,000 | 3,434 Theaters | $2,068 Avg. | $7,100,000

 

6 (4) No Escape  $5,445,000 | 3,415 Theaters | $1,594 Avg. | $18,446,079
7 (6) The Man From U.N.C.L.E.  $3,445,000 | 2,102 Theaters | $1,639 Avg. | $39,379,148
8 (N) Un gallo con muchos huevos  $3,400,000 | 395 Theaters | $8,608 Avg. | $3,400,000
9 (5) Sinister 2  $3,377,000 | 2,651 Theaters | $1,274 Avg. | $23,716,893
10 (19) Inside Out  $3,146,000 | 2,967 Theaters | $1,060 Avg. | $348,219,280

 

11 (8) Ant-Man  $2,887,000 | 1,527 Theaters | $1,891 Avg. | $173,189,700
12 (11) Minions  $2,717,070 | 1,927 Theaters | $1,410 Avg. | $328,588,530
13 (10) The Gift  $2,617,000 | 1,591 Theaters | $1,645 Avg. | $39,635,012
14 (9) Jurassic World  $2,600,005 | 1,571 Theaters | $1,655 Avg. | $646,643,645
15 (7) Hitman: Agent 47  $2,175,000 | 2,191 Theaters | $993 Avg. | $19,723,787

 

Fantastic Four  $1,125,000 | 1,135 Theaters | $991 Avg. | $54,445,511 (still not $56M)
We Are Your Friends  $640,000 | 2,333 Theaters | $274 Avg. | $3,160,318 (next week's drop will be epic)
Grandma  $491,020 | 52 Theaters | $9,443 Avg. | $1,063,034
The Black Panthers: Vanguards of the Revolution  $20,215 | 1 Theater | $20,215 Avg. |  $28,580

 

Global Totals:

 

JURASSIC WORLD: $1.003B Overseas Total | $1.650B Global Total

MINIONS: $714.2M Overseas Total | $1.043B Global Total

INSIDE OUT: $386.2M Overseas Total | $734.419M Global Total

 

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION: $328.7M Overseas Total | $511.87M Global Total

TERMINATOR: GENISYS: $346.3M Overseas Total | $435.92M Global Total

ANT-MAN: $210.5M Overseas Total | $383.69M Global Total

 

TED 2: $120.0M Overseas Total | $201.3M Global Total

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON: $18.1M Overseas Total | $168.27M Global Total

FANTASTIC FOUR: $101.17M Overseas Total | $155.62M Global Total

TRAINWRECK: $26.1M Overseas Total | $133.61M Global Total

 

VACATION: $34.1M Overseas Total | $90.75M Global Total

PAPER TOWNS: $50.4M Overseas Total | $81.9M Global Total

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.: $46.0M Overseas Total | $84.38M Global Total

HITMAN: AGENT 47: $43.22M Overseas Total | $62.95M Global Total

Edited September 6, 2015 by Dejana

[AimingforYoko]

Tells you how little there is for the kiddies that Inside Out took in $3mil.

[methodwriter85]

I hope Joel Edgerton and Justin Bateman have a percentage of the gross for The Gift- 40 million domestic gross on a 5 million budget? Pretty damn good.

Edited September 6, 2015 by methodwriter85

[Dejana]

Tells you how little there is for the kiddies that Inside Out took in $3mil.

 

Inside Out did nearly quadruple its theater count from last week, but the failure of We Are Your Friends is a good example of how you can show a movie all you want, but that doesn't mean people will want to see it. The Shaun the Sheep Movie looks like last real kids thing that's been released since Minions, but it's based on a British children's show and stop-motion has a limited appeal compared to CG animation.

 

 

I hope Joel Edgerton and Justin Bateman have a percentage of the gross for The Gift- 40 million domestic gross on a 5 million budget? Pretty damn good.

 

Joel Edgerton directed it and wrote the script (he's written a few others) so even more than whatever salary or compensation he took home for the film, its success should really help him get funding for future efforts behind the camera.

Edited September 6, 2015 by Dejana