Turtles keeps dream alive in second session
Paramount and Nickelodeon Films' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is performing as well as anybody could have hoped for. A sterling box-office run and two consecutive number 1 weekends that will do no harm in marketing the movie across DVD and digital platforms bode well. Last weekend's opening numbers were very strong indeed, and the Turtles followed up with a solid $28.4m in the second weekend after a 57% box office fall. That the movie cost $125m will be of concern, because there is still a way to go before it recoups. Distributors take roughly half of theatrical box office (the balance goes to the cinema chains) and then there are marketing costs to deduct. For a tentpole summer release with global reach, those costs are expected to be at least $50m, possibly considerably more. So the theatrical performance is crucial to drive interest in the ancillary markets, and this has been a very promising start. By comparison, Warner Bros' 2007 release TMNT finished on $54m.
The Expendables 3 limps into action
The boys-with-toys action release delivered the feeblest debut of the franchise, on an estimated $16.2m through Lionsgate that secured fifth place in the charts. However, the series has mustered more than $580m worldwide and the overall conceit shows no signs of perishing in the eyes of its godfather Stallone – even if on this showing it may be in its death throes in North America.
Stallone has spoken of broadening the appeal to a host of new fans and the Expendabelles movie, which he alluded to in Cannes last May, offers potential. The Expendables 3 has every chance of succeeding internationally, of course, because audiences in less mature markets still put most things Hollywood on a pedestal. The action sequel debuted in approximately 39 territories at the weekend and we may not get those results until Monday or Tuesday.
The Giver doesn't give back
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Harvey Weinstein's YA (young adult) adaptation, based on the revered schoolchild staple by Lois Lowry, opened at number five on $12.8m, which cannot have pleased the studios' combustible chief. After a heavy promotional push at the recent Comic-Con in San Diego and plenty of advertising spots, the movie arrived with something of a whimper. Reviews were generally poor and maybe audience ennui is setting in with the blizzard of YA movies. It's hard to tell if that is good or bad for Fox's upcoming release The Maze Runner, which is packed with virile young talent, many of them unknown, and lacks the star power of The Giver. The Weinstein movie stars Brenton Thwaites from Maleficent, alongside Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes and Alexander Skaarsgard. Heck, it even features a cameo by Taylor Swift. The Maze Runner opens on 19 September. The Giver looks likely to exit the top 10 within several weeks.
Boyhood bounces back – again
Richard Linklater's beloved coming-of-age drama is like a slo-mo yo-yo, popping in and out of the top 10 but never straying too far. In its sixth session IFC boosted the theatre-count from 506 to 771. That helped the movie surge three places to number 10 and add $2.2m for $13.8m. This is a spectacular result for a $4m production cost, given that IFC has not spent much on marketing. That's no slight to the distributor; they tend not to shell out heavily in the promotional department, fully aware their movies are destined to play across digital platforms. They may need to revise that spending policy when awards season kicks in, because a lot of Hollywood insiders are expecting the movie to sparkle.
The Trip to Italy
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The prolific Michael Winterbottom returns with a rather needless but nonetheless entertaining comedy follow-up to The Trip. Those who saw it in the US adored The Trip, as they should, and there is a core following for Winterbottom's work, too. The Trip to Italy arrived in three sites and grossed $71,6000 for an excellent $23,867 average. IFC is the distributor, as it was on The Trip, which finished on $2m back in 2011.
North American top 10, August 15-17 2014
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, $28.4m. Total: $117.6m
2. Guardians of the Galaxy, $24.7m. Total: $222.3m
3. Let's Be Cops, $17.7m. Total: $26.1m
4. The Expendables 3, $16.2m
5. The Giver, $12.8m
6. Into the Storm, $7.7m. Total: $31.3m
7. The Hundred-Foot Journey, $7.1m. Total: $23.6m
8. Lucy, $5.3m. Total: $107.5m
9. Step Up All In, $2.7m. Total: $11.8m
10. Boyhood, $2.2m. Total: $13.8m
