Weekend Box Office: Lucky number 7 for 'Avatar'

[The Clown Prince]

First off, thanks to James Harvey for stepping in last week while I dealt with my hard drive crash. Boy what a pain in the butt that was. :)

OK, for the seventh straight weekend, Avatar is the number one movie with an additional earning of $30 million. It fell only 14% from last weekend and it's total is now at $594.4 million. It's now only $6.3 million away from reaching the unadjusted inflated gross of Titanic's $600.7 million. Avatar also crossed the $2 billion mark over the weekend at the international box office.

Mel Gibson's return to the front of the camera with Edge of Darkness earned him a second place spot with $17.1 million.

Debuting too was the comedy When in Rome which came in third place with $12 million.

Coming in fourth place was The Tooth Fairy with $10 million and a $26.1 million total.

And rounding out the top 5 is The Book of Eli with $8.7 million and a $74.3 million total.

Out of the top 12 this weekend is Extraordinary Measures (13th), and The Spy Next Door (15th).

Opening next weekend are two new movies. First up is From Paris With Love (http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=59398) (rated R) starring John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Kasia Smutniak, and Richard Durden.

And then we have the latest Nicholas Sparks adapted book Dear John (http://www.comingsoon.net/films.php?id=45304) (rated PG-13) with Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Henry Thomas, Richard Jenkins, and Keith Robinson.

Here are your numbers....

1) Avatar- $30,000,000 ($594,472,000)
2) Edge of Darkness- $17,120,000 ($17,120,000) NEW!
3) When in Rome- $12,065,000 ($12,065,000) NEW!
4) The Tooth Fairy- $10,000,000 ($26,106,000)
5) The Book of Eli- $8,770,000 ($74,373,000)
6) Legion- $6,800,000 ($28,646,000)
7) The Lovely Bones- $4,735,000 ($38,014,000)
8) Sherlock Holmes- $4,510,000 ($197,596,000)
9) Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel- $4,000,000 ($209,297,000)
10) It's Complicated- $3,720,000 ($104,027,000)
11) The Blind Side- $3,020,000 ($237,913,000)
12) Up in the Air- $2,700,000 ($73,173,000)

[JPPT1974]

I wonder if all of those films will suffer a bit due to the Super Bowl coming.
At least non-fans will have a movie to go to.
But my sister and her niece went and saw the When In Rome film and her husband and sons, saw the Mel Gibson film, Edge of Darkness.

[NewcomerDC]

I thought I had a hand with putting up the Top 5 last week before James Harvey stepped in. I know I made a thread about it.

[Old Guy]

I see an 8th week at #1 for Avatar. At this point it's either gonna be Shutter Island or Alice in Wonderland. But, regardless, even when Avatar stops being #1, it'll be in the top 5 and 10 till atleast May. So, is $700 million and $3 billion out of the question?


thanks to James Harvey for stepping in last week


I thought I had a hand with putting up the Top 5 last week before James Harvey stepped in. I know I made a thread about it.

Yes, NewcomerDC, you technically were the one to step in but I guess there's a policy about non-mods doing box office threads.

Mod Note: Disrespectful remark removed.

[Spideyzilla]

Didn't expect this! I was sure Avatar would get knocked off. Not complaining though.

[Lord Dalek]

Time to go back in time...


Well lets look at the rest of January...

January 15
The Book of Eli (another lousy Denzel paycheck movie, but this and Dwayne the following week are probably the only things that could knock Avatar for the next few weeks) 2nd. Still this is the most successful "also ran" so far this year.
The Lovely Bones (been delayed too much to matter) 3rd. PJ's biggest dud since "Frighteners"
The Spy Next Door (nah) 5th

January 22

Tooth Fairy (see The Book of Eli) #4, bit of a flop really. I'm somewhat surprised.
Legion (#5 at best) Did better than I expected (#2) but quickly bottoming out.
Extraordinary Measures (nah) Was not even a factor at 8th, about to fall out.

January 29

Edge of Darkness (nah) This year's "State of Play" at #2 (instead of this year's "Taken"). Apparantly this film's audience either A: doesn't care, or B: knows its crap in relation to the old BBC serial (which it is).

Avatar could theoretically (now it is going to) make it to 600,000,000 domestically. It appears to be the only film playing in 3-D for the next month (then the Beauty and the Beast 3-D reissue comes out) (guess it isn't). I'm not saying it will, (now I am) but the schedule is pretty lousy at the moment. (which it was)

Must resist urge to use Stephen Colbert reference.

[Gold Guy]

And Avatar still reigns supreme. Sorry Edge of Darkness.

[NewcomerDC]

Must resist urge to use Stephen Colbert reference.
If you want to use it, go right ahead. It's not as annoying as the "facepalm".

Yes, NewcomerDC, you technically were the one to step in but I guess there's a policy about non-mods doing box office threads.
Wonder how you become a mod?

[Lord Dalek]

If you want to use it, go right ahead. It's not as annoying as the "facepalm".
Oh very well...


http://colbertnation.mtvnimages.com/images/shows/colbert_report/video_archive/season_4/cr_04009_01_v6.jpg

[Old Guy]

Time to go back in time...

Where's your February predictions?

[NewcomerDC]

Oh very well...


http://colbertnation.mtvnimages.com/images/shows/colbert_report/video_archive/season_4/cr_04009_01_v6.jpg

Now in beautiful HD!!

Where's your February predictions?
Lord Dalek can only go into the past. If he goes into the future, he would spoil every ending to all of this year's big releases.

[KCJ506]

I'm not expecting Avatar to go down until Wolfman or Shutter Island come out.

[Old Guy]

I'm not expecting Avatar to go down until Wolfman or Shutter Island come out.

Or worst case scenario, Alice in Wonderland.

[Lelouch]

Or maybe even the Percy Jackson movie.

But that is unlikely. The trailers make the movie itself look rather silly. The books were decent enough, so I hope the movie does well enough to warrant a sequel. I wouldn't be surprised if it were a bomb though.

[Spideyzilla]

Oh very well...


http://colbertnation.mtvnimages.com/images/shows/colbert_report/video_archive/season_4/cr_04009_01_v6.jpg


Never seen this before. That is pure awesomeness.

[HomeMoviesFan]

Or worst case scenario, Alice in Wonderland.

That reminds me of when I was at the Avatar midnight showing at the local faux IMAX, and overhearing that the next feature to be screened in this theater was "Alice in Wonderland". I just thought, "March?!" That's an eternity! It's just passing unadjusted Titanic now and still has those IMAX theaters for another full month. Cameron and Fox deserve major props for their scheduling efforts...

[NewcomerDC]

Or maybe even the Percy Jackson movie.

But that is unlikely. The trailers make the movie itself look rather silly. The books were decent enough, so I hope the movie does well enough to warrant a sequel. I wouldn't be surprised if it were a bomb though.
Hey, last decade had some bombs based on books lately so I do agree if the film doesn't do so hot in the box office.

[macattack]

I don't see why people are complaining that Avatar is still number one? What the heck is wrong with a genre film that tries to break new ground (at least visually) being number one? I don't get it. Do people outside the sci-fi "cult" completely despise sci-fi?

I'm personally hoping Avatar's success will result in more epic and dreamy productions that take us to foreign and alien worlds. We as a population need to dream about space and exploring again.

Granted, Avatar does imply a message about we're all greedy bastards who suck and deserve to die but still.

[Wounded_Dragon]

Problem is Avatar was extremely expensive to make, so it hasn't really raised any bars; rather, it's continuing the trend of needing more SFX money to make more BO money.

[mr.happy]

Oh very well...


http://colbertnation.mtvnimages.com/images/shows/colbert_report/video_archive/season_4/cr_04009_01_v6.jpg
Once the Canadian Olympic Committee succeeds in getting the Colbert Bump recognized as a performance enhancing substance, your prediction will be disqualified. :p

[Old Guy]

That reminds me of when I was at the Avatar midnight showing at the local faux IMAX, and overhearing that the next feature to be screened in this theater was "Alice in Wonderland". I just thought, "March?!" That's an eternity! It's just passing unadjusted Titanic now and still has those IMAX theaters for another full month. Cameron and Fox deserve major props for their scheduling efforts...

There has probably been other movies with that much IMAX time to themselve, but those didn't have ground-breaking 3D.

[Ryoutarou]

Or maybe even the Percy Jackson movie.

But that is unlikely. The trailers make the movie itself look rather silly. The books were decent enough, so I hope the movie does well enough to warrant a sequel. I wouldn't be surprised if it were a bomb though.I really would love to see another fantasy book franchise succeed as a movie series that isn't Harry Potter or the Twilight series, was hoping Inkheart could be one of those franchises, but I'd be just as happy with Percy Jackson.

Problem is Avatar was extremely expensive to make, so it hasn't really raised any bars; rather, it's continuing the trend of needing more SFX money to make more BO money.
At least through effects, I think it's a step in the right direction in making top notch CGI more affordable (not right off the bat, but it will happen) while raising the bar on what can be done.

[DarthGonzo]

I'm personally hoping Avatar's success will result in more epic and dreamy productions that take us to foreign and alien worlds. We as a population need to dream about space and exploring again.


Nah. Avatar's success is probably just going to result in 3D films becoming absolutely mainstream in a studio-driven effort to make as much money as possible from gullible theatergoers who have no problem putting down almost $15 to go see a movie. Crazy.

[Old Guy]

Ladies and gentlement. Boys and girls. Today is an historic day in the world of cinema. Or should I say...yesterday was an historic day. Yesterday, Tuesday, February 2, 2010 the Titanic was sunk yet again! Its been sunk three times. In real life, on the big screen, and now at the box office. That's right! Avatar has surpassed Titanic as the highest grossing movie at the domestic box office!!!

Avatar - $601.1 million
Titanic - $600.7 million

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3192/3289285752_4166b45fd5_m.jpg

Sail into that good night.

[Hanshotfirst113]

It must be so nice to be James Cameron.

[Michael24]

It must be so nice to James Cameron.
Who could have predicted, in 1981, that the guy who made Piranha II would, almost three thirty years later, be responsible for the #1 and #2 highest-grossing films of all time? Haha!!

[Spideyzilla]

No words. I am delighted and amazed this awesome movie did this. That's it. I'm at a lost for words.

[Novapocalypse]

Now let's see if Avatar can make it to $700 million.

[Old Guy]

Now let's see if Avatar can make it to $700 million.

and $3 billion worldwide

[R. Escobar]

I'm pretty sure James Cameron could buy some land and name it Cameronland at this point

[Old Guy]

Avatar Score Card
Average Ticket Price: $7.61, plus addition of 3D and IMAX
Theaters: 3,461, plus IMAX
Domestic Box Office: $601.1 million (and counting)
Foreign Box Office: $1.4 billion (and counting)
Worldwide Box Office: $2 billion (and counting)
Opening Weekend: $77 million
Weeks At #1: 7 (and counting)
Weeks To Reach #1 Domestically: 7

Titanic Score Card
Average Ticket Price: $4.59
Budget: $200 million
Theaters: 3,265
Domestic Box Office: $600.7 million/Adjusted For Inflation: $976.7 million
Foreign Box Office: $1.2 billion
Worldwide Box Office: $1.8 billion
Opening Weekend: $28.6 million
Weeks At #1: 15
Weeks In Top 10: 26
Weeks To Reach #1 Domestically: 13

[garfield15]

Well, I'm a happy fan right now.

[Old Guy]

As we head into a new weekend with new competition and a Super Bowl on Sunday, Avatar finishes its 7th week with $606.4 million domestically. $700 million, here we come.

[Radiant]

Avatar's #1 again?

Geez, it really isn't THAT good.

[suss2it]

Avatar's #1 again?

Geez, it really isn't THAT good.
It's evidently good enough to be #1 seven weeks in a row.

[Hanshotfirst113]

Who could have predicted, in 1981, that the guy who made Piranha II would, almost three thirty years later, be responsible for the #1 and #2 highest-grossing films of all time? Haha!!

The universe has a very strange sense of humor :p!

[Old Guy]

According to early estimates, Dear John was #1 on Friday. Still...that doesn't mean that Avatar has been dethroned for the weekend. Avatar has had days where its been beaten, Alvin 2 comes to mind, but it always bounces back to claim the weekend. Although...with the Super Bowl on Sunday, this race may be neck and neck.

[Novapocalypse]

Avatar tends to increase around 75-95% from Friday to Saturday, and movies that had just been released tend to make smaller Friday to Saturday increases, so it really all depends on how close the numbers were.

[NewcomerDC]

I hate to say it but I really don't want Dear John to be number 1. I wouldn't mind reading about Avatar hitting it big for an eighth week in a row. It might be because I don't care about romance films but it also might be the fact that Nicholas Sparks had to have two of his books become movies opening almost a month apart from each other with the lastter, The Last Song, probably being this year's Raise Your Voice, in where Miley Cyrus might hit a snag in the Box Office and the film may not do as well as she or the distributor might've thought it would because of its "star power".

Dear John, while it's the one of many films to be released in time for Valentine's Day, is one of those films that should do okay in the Box Office with making its budget back but that's about it. No record-breaking numbers, no news of it being a groundbreaking hit in theaters but probably being a popular film among young couples ages 16 and up.

[Old Guy]

Friday Box Office:

1. Dear John - $13.8 million
2. Avatar - $6.1 million
3. From Paris With Love - $3 million
4. Edge of Darkness - $2.3 million
5. When in Rome - $2 million
6. Tooth Fairy - $1.6 million
7. Book of Eli - $1.5 million
8. Crazy Heart - $1.08 million
9. Legion - $1.06 million
10. Sherlock Holmes - $785,000

So, Avatar has indeed been dethroned. Even if it bounces back today (Saturday), it'll do horrible business tomorrow since it's the Super Bowl. Dear John wouldn't have that problem since it's a chick flick.

For the record:

Titanic was dethroned by Lost in Space after 15 weeks at #1.
Avatar was dethroned by Dear John after 7 weeks at #1.

[SpongeJosh]

Wow, didn't think that movie would end Avatar's streak.

[Old Guy]

Wow, didn't think that movie would end Avatar's streak.

It's Super Bowl weekend. It's a chick flick. And, Avatar isn't Titanic.

[Old Guy]

EARLY Saturday Estimates

1. Dear John - $12.4 million
2. Avatar - $11.3 million

VERY close race. Still, not close enough for Avatar to claim an 8th straight weekend. Since Avatar only grossed $6 million yesterday and Sunday being the Super Bowl we can safely say that Dear John has dethroned Avatar.

[DonkeyKongSong]

Wow, I knew Avatar would be dethroned sometime, but I didn't think it would be this of all films. Nothing against Dear John (want to see it, couldn't due to being snowed in), but I was seriously expecting either The Wolfman or The Lightning Thief. Now I do remember what happened with The Squeakquel, Sherlock Holmes, and The Book of Eli, but they were close margins.

On a side note, IDK how old this is or if anyone already reported it, but Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and Sherlock Holmes have knocked Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs and Monsters vs Aliens out of the top 10 for 2009.

[NewcomerDC]

Here ya go with the Top 5 of the week. This link below proves it. Dear John's #1 this week. Now I wish that the Na'Vi could infiltrate the movie and take out the humans depsite Avatar being one of the most overrated films of 2009.

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=457070&GT1=28101

If anyone wants to, re-post this thread in the new Weekend Box Office thread.

-NewcomerDC