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SATURDAY PM/SUNDAY AM: Sources tell me that Sony Picture’s opening Angels & Demons received a much-needed +7% boost at Saturday’s domestic box office for $17.9M from 3,527 theaters. With Friday’s $16.6M and Sunday’s $13.6M estimate, the studio didn’t get divine intervention for a hoped-for $50M weekend – poor reviews took their toll — but settled for $48M. (That’s 62% of its predecessor The Da Vinci Code‘s North American grosses.) That’s because the pic appealed to a more mature audience: opening weekend demographics showed the under/over 30 age break was evenly split. But the day and date international take has been spectacular — so Sony reported an additional $104.3M on 10,468 screens from 96 countries where Angels & Demons debuted for a worldwide take in $152.3 million. Overseas, the pic was #1 in every territory it debuted. It did 73% of the foreign opening Da Vinci Code — and that is without Mexico, India, a few other countries included in the DVC launch but still ahead for A&D.
Rival studios predicting a $55M-$60M domestic weekend called the result “very disappointing”. Especially since this wasn’t a cheap movie to make what with all the top dollar and/or gross players involved like Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer. Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman received $4 million, a new high for a book adaptation, then another marquee name, David Koepp, rewrote the screenplay. But Sony said the film has taken in more than its production budget in its first few days of release and the studio expects a good multiple in the weeks ahead. Angels & Demons also is the 2nd highest live-action debut of Tom Hank’s career with an opening greater than Castaway.
Angels & Demons wasn’t expected to do bigger numbers than The Da Vinci Code which sold twice as many books with a similar Vatican mystery storyline. The 2006 film phenom did $77M domestic its opening weekend for $758M worldwide. Which is why Sony is depending on Angels & Demons, too, to make the bulk of its money overseas. (Da Vinci Code did $217M domestic vs $540M international).
The No. 2 movie was Paramount’s Star Trek which showed strong legs Saturday with $18.3M – better even than Angels & Demons take. That’s a remarkable hold as great word-of-mouth about the film kicked in and the studio said families turned out in a big way. Add in Friday’s $11.7M and Sunday’s estimate, and JJ Abrams’ reboot earned another big $43M, down only 43% from last week’s total. Its new cume is $147.6M.
At No. 3, Fox’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine earned $4.2M Friday and $6.4M Saturday from 3,892 venues for a $14.8M weekend after two weeks in theaters and fresh $151M cume.
In 4th place, New Line/Warner Bros’ Ghosts of Girlfriends Past eked out a $2.1M Friday and $2.8M Saturday in 3,150 dates for a $6.6M weekend and disappointing $39.8M cume.
And, rounding out the Top 5 was Screen Gems/Sony’s Obsessed in its 4th week of release with $1.4m Friday and $1.9M Saturday from 2,634 runs for another $4.5M weekend and nice $62.5M cume.
Overall, it was a huge $131.7M summer blockbuster weekend, up 7% from last year.
FRIDAY PM/SATURDAY AM: Friday’s opening North American grosses for Imagine/Sony’s Angels & Demons were $16.6 million Friday from 3,527 theaters. After less than expected matinees, “it’s been getting better as the night goes on – so the number could even be a little bigger,” a Sony exec told me Friday night. “Everything points to a huge adult Saturday.” So the studio believes the weekend total can’t be lower than $47M and still has a shot at the $50M Sony wanted. “That, plus the great results we got today around the world, put us on target for the big worldwide opening we’ve hoped for.”
Meanwhile, what some predicted as a neck-and-neck race for No. 1 wasn’t, as Paramount’s Star Trek fell -56% from last week’s big opening. This Friday, the reboot made $11.8M from 3,860 theaters for what should be a $37M weekend and big new cume of $141M. Meanwhile, in a marketing bonanza for the pic, up in the International Space Station, the 3 astronauts watched JJ Abrams reboot in space. It was beamed up to them Friday after being reformatted by NASA technicians. Turns out all 3 astronauts — the American, Russian, and Japanese, are Trekkies. A “movie night” is a tradition on the station.
FRIDAY 3:30 PM: First word on North American matinees for Imagine/Sony’s Angels & Demons is coming in to me, and it’s causing the experts to revise downward their early Fri-Sat-Sun predictions of low $50sM-$60M from 3,527 domestic theaters. Now a more realistic weekend total is “40ish” after Sony internally had been hoping for $50+M. But matinees can be notoriously unreliable unless a movie is an immediate blockbuster or bomb. Even so, it’s tough for films to sustain just on older females making Angels & Demons their first choice, followed by older males, with definite interest and awareness trending the same way. The problem is that young males are the laggard quadrant. Like duh, because of huge choices in the marketplace.
So there’s amazing concensus that Paramount’s No. 1 monster hit from last weekend, Star Trek, won’t lose much momentum. It’s put in some very strong midweek numbers. So this weekend it probably will be down around 50% for a $38M second-place finish. (Though some think it could reach $40M because of the great word of mouth.)
And 20th Century Fox’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine still has legs starting its 3rd week for $12M to $14M.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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I will say this: It was a pleasure to work with Ron A&D last summer/October 2K8. The man was ALL BUSINESS and treated EVERYONE with respect. All Night shoots from 4pm to 7:30am the next morning. Tom was just too much fun.
Surf’n’ Turf, Your comments was truly THE TRUTH and on the money!
Though he has far from a perfect track record, Ron Howard is NO hack, give me break, he’s done some quality work. And as far as Tom Hanks being “over”, i don’t think any 40+ million opening signifies the “end” of an actors box office pull.
@ Uncle Bill. The nice thing about being faithless lefties is at least we won’t burn in hell for intolerance like some of you folk…
This is madness, kids – the two films have entirely different audiences, there’s no need to squabble.
Anyway, a few points:
1.) Tom Hanks is the biggest movie star in the world. An argument could also be made for Will Smith. If you don’t like them or their movies – tough bananas, most of the world disagrees with you.
2.) Critics didn’t give “A&D” middling reviews b/c they’re “left-leaning and godless”, you poor delusional nitwit. They’re lukewarm on the film because seeing and judging movies is their job, and that means they watch far more films per year than the average moviegoer. Unless a film surprises a critic, it is unlikely to get a rave. That makes most of their writing all but useless for moviegoers, but many people already know that.
3.) “A&D” is a competent and well-made film. It’s not one of the greatest films ever made, but neither is “Star Trek”. If you like Tom Hanks, Dan Brown, conspiracy thrillers, movies with themes of history or religion – you’ll enjoy this movie. Otherwise go see “Star Trek again. (Those choosing to re-watch “Wolverine” should have their heads examined.)
4.) Since it’s obvious new gen jen doesn’t even work in the industry, why not ignore her instead of responding to ageism with sexism? Or at least hit above the belt. This is librul Hollywood, people. Now everybody sing a chorus of “We are the World” and remember Coppola was in his 40s before he directed “The Godfather”.
Tom Hanks is not over. You people amaze me.
new gen jenn is a pathetic troll who wants some attention. Please ignore that retarded comment. Sure,Howard is no genius and Hanks isn’t the actor he was 10 or 15 years ago, but they are not ‘hacks’ and surely they are not ‘over’.
i just love reading the posts from all the “industry folk” who don’t know wtf they’re talking about. “ron is this” and “trek will win” bla bla bla… let’s just stick to what we know simple “creative” people and it ain’t much…
Star Trek is back with a vengeance. This thing will top 250 domestically.
Right now, I’d give 50/50 odds that Star Trek makes over $300 million domestic by July (and if it doesn’t it’s probably because they lose so many screens over the next two months to Up, Terminator, Night at the Museum, etc.) $150 mil in 11 days is a win no matter how you cut it – Paramount execs must be very happy right now.
Will someone please force David Koepp to take a Screenwriting 101 class?
On day #1 you learn a basic lesson: SHOW don’t TELL
But thanks for the talking heads history lesson.
I loved the book (A&D) and I really really wanted to love this movie, but this adaptation is unbearably boring (since Da Vinci was adapted pretty well, and since Avika got the notorious second billing “and” credit, I assume Koepp is to blame here).
Unless, of course, the writer got bullied by the much smarter executives. But that never happens…
I just saw Angels & Demon one of the best movies ever.
Here is the truth. SONY has been coasting on the tails of SPIDER MAN. Yes, they’ve had hits in between , but when you look closer it’s only after paying EXORBINANT amounts of money to Adam Sandler (Paul Blart) Will SMith (Hancock). Left to their own devices, they give you wonderful movies like I SPY, STEALTH, and BEWITCHED. Amy Pascal has been very smart. Years ago, when she thought she was being replaced, she very quickly figured out a way to sidle up to Lynton and make him her partner. Very good politically, but not so good creatively. Marketing at SONY has saved the creative. But even marketing (where they overspend so Amy can save face) can’t save this pooch. They’ll shout about how big it is worldwide, they’ll create a lot of noise to DIVERT truth. But truth (sorry Amy) is a constant. Everyone inside has known for awhile. Now the secret’s out, and I hope she doesn’t blame marketing.
Case in point: Amy got so mad that that piece of crap, HOLIDAY, opened below expectations that she blamed Sony marketing. LOUDLY. Interesting how she never thought to blame Matt/Doug or HERSELF for green lighting that overblown budgeted ridiculous piece of fluff. Does anyone have any idea how much that cost? I mean, REALLY COST? Shocking. Still, when Nancy left the studio, she blamed Val.
But Amy, gone are the days where people overspend so your job is safe. Now your group has actually got to DO it’s job. How do you greenlight CATCH AND RELEASE and expect an executive to save it after the fact? You have to scratch your head and go, “why did she make this”? I did. But more than anything, you must stop blaming the poor souls who have to sell the crap you green light. Maybe if you stop doing favors for your “friends” and start getting smart about script/story/dailies/budgets, then marketing can actually do the job you pay them to do instead of covering up your mistakes. Oh wait, that is their job…
As for Julie, Julia (which I, and many of us have seen ) I have to wonder if it wouldn’t it have been smarter to just make a biopic of Julia Childs? Amy Adams is so beneath Meryl that you spend half the movie wishing that half of it didn’t exsist. Don’t get me wrong, Meryl is as good as anyone has ever been, but the Amy Adams part is such a let down that the movie ultimately doesn’t deliver. Once again – everyone at SONY knows it. They’re just hoping that marketing can come up with a creative way to highlight the good parts. I worked on it for about five minutes once upon a time, and those were my notes. But once the big guns took over they dismissed me and did what they normally do. Maybe I’m bitter – the truth will be in the pudding (so to speak). But I don’t need to tell the marketing department how to be creative with Amy’s handiwork. They’ve had years of experience covering up her team’s mistakes. When you look at it as a while, it’s hard to deny the truth… unless you spend lots of money.
So, cut everyone’s salaries, and travel expenses because you’re going to need it for marketing.
Bon Ami
A&D was overwhelmed by Star Trek and Wolverine in promotion in the U.S., but the real chunk for A&D will come from overseas. It won’t get Da Vinci’s numbers but still it make money for Sony.
And people, don’t feed the trolls…
lol@ Uncle Bill. He got all hysterical about people saying Star Trek could be #1 again this weekend. Well, looking at the numbers I don’t see what is so pathetic and “delusional” about that seeing how close both movies grosses have been for this weekend. The main point is that D&A opening weekings is far from being a great success and reaching #1 won’t change that fact.
Usher, did you see “The Grinch”? Howard is a HACK! And Hanks is just boring.
I think SONY waited to long to make a sequel. People don’t remember Da Vinci code well enough. Sequels really need to come out within a year of the original to keep the fire stoked.
Tom Hanks is NOT over. But SONY may be running on fumes in terms of hits. Don’t even know what they have coming up – but I must say from a PR end – they’re very arrogant.
@ what the
Have you seen Splash, Cocoon, Gung Ho, Parenthood, Apollo 13 (Best Pic nom), A Beautiful Mind (Best Pic Winner) or Frost/Nixon (Best Pic nom)?! Also he’s the EP of Arrested Development, he’s NO hack, he has his good and bad films. But more good than bad, you need to take your head out of your ass!
Even if Angels & Demons makes more worldwide than Star Trek, this site and its commentators will still be turning their collective noses up at Howard and Hanks while gushing about how fortunate mankind was to witness within their lifetimes the release of something so extraordinary as a reboot of a franchise that’s been around since the 60′s. The praise for this movie is seriously getting out of hand. It was good, can’t we just leave it at that? I think what happened here is that alot of the losers…er, excuse me, people in the geek communities were just too darned desperate for another Dark Knight-type event that could unify them together in nerd-euphoria bliss so they overlooked a lot of the problematic or unremarkable elements in the the film to arrive at their predestination.
If Trek is so f-ing brilliant, why did it only make half of what the most recent installment of the universally hated Star Wars prequel trilogy did in its opening weekend? And how wasn’t it able to stave off a critically panned release by an internet pariah director in week 2? Maybe…just maybe…because Trek isn’t quite the masterpiece its fans claim it to be, and Angels & Demons isn’t quite as worthy of the mass derision it’s received from critics who may have just used up all their superlative adjectives the week prior.
Interesting stuff, “Bon Ami”.
48 Million is respectable I guess for an adaptation of a major bestselling book sequel to an literary phenomenon. Hardly suggests that either Tom Hanks or Ron Howard are pulling in the audience though. It’s too bad that older actors just don’t matter that much to the movie going public by and large but it’s true, whether some people on this post want to believe it or not. You might argue that these days (with the exception of Will Smith possibly), that no actors are drawing big audiences — perhaps the days of the big Hollywood superstar are drawing to a close. As far as Ron Howard goes, he’s vanilla — not particularly talented and not completely awful either. Just kind of serviceable.
I find it remarkable that people in Hollywood are trying to downplay the fact that “Angels and Demons” is the # 1 movie this weekend. Instead of focusing on it success, these snarky comments dwell on how the film allegedly did not make as much money as expected, or some of the reviews are not great. The reality is that the film worked and will do huge business worldwide because the underlying subject matter — faith — matters to people everywhere on this planet except in this town.
I am a practicing Muslim and have personally experienced the prejudice of many Hollywood professionals not just against my own religion, but against people of faith in general. And today I published a review of this film on the Huffington Post to share my perspectives on that anti-religion agenda, as well as how “Angels and Demons” represents a triumph of good storytelling that respects religious faith:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kamran-pasha/why-angels-and-demons-wil_b_204311.html
I encourage and welcome dialogue on this subject, as it is long past due for Hollywood to acknowledge that God matters to people, and that most believers are not fundamentalists or lunatics. They deserve sophisticated stories about faith, and “Angels and Demons” is a great start.
Sincerely,
Kamran Pasha
The A&D second weekend drop off is going to be brutal as T4 opens with a 90+ mil weekend, decimating everything in its path.
Ron Howard is a good director and Tom Hanks is a global superstar (yes gen, even in spite of “his age”). The problem (as in always) is with the text. Even the trailer looks tired.
Star Trek was brilliant & I am planning to see it again. Two completely different films.