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MONDAY AM: Yep, there was an 'Up'set. Final figures showed Warner Bros' The Hangover fell only 12% from Saturday to Sunday and grossed $45 million from 3,269 theaters for the weekend, while Pixar/Disney's Up finished at $44.3 million from 3,818 theaters, right around where Disney projected it would be. Universal's loser Land Of The Lost did worse than thought, only $18.7M.
SUNDAY PM: We won't know for sure until Monday AM. But don't be surprised if the weekend actuals show an upset at the domestic box office. Hollywood studio executives are emailing me tonight that, if the trend holds the way it's going right now, Warner Bros' The Hangover may win the weekend by $200K to $300K over Pixar/Disney's holdover Up. Propelled by its "A" Cinemascore, the R-rated Bachelor Party comedy is "giving Up a run for its money today. It has a real shot at being first this weekend," a source tells me. "Even if it doesn't catch Up, it will be closer than anyone projected as it now looks like it will get to $44M." (See my previous, 'Up' Takes Down 'The Hangover': $44M vs $43M Weekend Race For #1) There's more bad news for Universal's tanking Land Of The Lost, however: it will end the weekend closer to $18.5M than the $19.5M projected. Uni needed it to open at $30M.
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Regardless of who eeks out the #1 slot, the Hangover was the most WATCHED movie this weekend – when you consider the teens who bought tickets to PG and PG-13 films at the multi-plex and then walked right into the Hangover. A gaggle of 6 teens did just that in front of me Friday – the Nat’l Amusements cashier asked for their IDs when they tried to buy tix to the Hangover. They said they didn’t have any on them. LOL. She wouldn’t sell them the tickes so they bought 6 tickets to UP – and then sat right behind me in the theater showing the Hangover. Sucks for Warner Bros cuz their profits are goin to Pixar/Disney.
BEST R – RATED COMEDY EVER! SHITS ALLLL OVER WEDDING CRASHERS
Is this the most underwhelming performance by an “anticipated to do ok” picture since ‘Zack & Miri’?
“Regardless of who eeks out the #1 slot, the Hangover was the most WATCHED movie this weekend – when you consider the teens who bought tickets to PG and PG-13 films at the multi-plex and then walked right into the Hangover.”
But couldn’t you say something similar about UP, since children’s tickets are priced cheaper than regular tickets? That means for to get to $44 million, UP had to sell even more tickets than Hangover
@Brian. That may be (teens buying for other movies and going to Hangover)… but I still think UP has the edge in total viewers. By a large margin. When you realize that its 44m+ gross is compromised of millions of discounted kids tickets. Whereas the Hangover has NO kids tickets in its total. I’d say it’s likely UP has a HUGE advantage in terms of total viewers this weekend. Which is not to take anything away from Hangover’s impressive showing…
I would be so pissed if i was WB reading this – how do u not have people at the door to an R rated film like this where kids would definitely sneak in???
I saw the film last week at a packed screening and people were rolling in the aisles – this one will have legs.
For anyone who wants a good laugh at moronic review writing refer to Time Out (Egg on face)
you think Universal didn’t suffer when 40 Year Old Virgin came out or Sony with Pineapple Express? The other W bros are likely losing their company because the Kevin Smith and Tarantino movies that they’ve put out have been “snuck in” theatrical movies by hoards of teenagers.
Warners has a hit on their hands, possible franchise, and its their first R comedy to make buzz in the last two decades. This weekend was a HUGE win for them.
“Regardless of who eeks out the #1 slot, the Hangover was the most WATCHED movie this weekend”
But counter that argument with the fact that a large percentage of Up’s ticket sales were for children, who are charged at a discounted rate. So a lot of the tickets for Up were at $2-$3 less than those for The Hangover, and, because it’s a family-oriented film, more sales for Up were likely to be discounted matinees.
I don’t get the love for ‘Up’ – while technically great as always, the story was a disaster. Way too much tear-jerking, and the villain would have to be at least 100 years old! Sure it’s a cartoon but they went out of their way to be realistic in other areas. I disliked it, my kids were so-so and it will likely never be rented or owned by us, which is a Pixar first. A huge waste of talent.
It was almost completely full, so there weren’t that many using it to sneak into the Hangover where I was.
Agree with Brian…this scenario happened in my hometown as well (SE Wisconsin)…unfortunately for the teens in question (2 groups making the attempt)…they were escorted OUT of the theater…..
The Hangover was AWESOME!!!!!!
Of course Brian is right. A teenage group tried to sneak in to watch The Hangover at our theater as well even though they bought tickets for Up. I wouldn’t be surprised if that heavily contributed to Up’s impressive drop this weekend. Not saying that was the sole reason but it surely couldn’t have hurt.
You have to kneel before the producers and marketers for their shrewd, flawless selling of this film. They nailed the sweet spot that they all crave: convince 18-34 males this is the greatest movie of the year and if they think otherwise, then they’re a bunch of humorless, priggish dolts. Ergo, practically every 18-34 male, who fancies himself cool with cutting-edge sensibilities, walked into the theater convinced of its greatness and were hell-bent on emerging from the theaters with that same feeling. Hey, it’s currently ranked 100-something on this IMDb’s list of the 250 greatest movies of all time. In the 100-year annals of filmdom, this is one of the greatest. Hmmmmmm.
And I’m sure these same males are getting a thrill out of blasting the cultural staidness of those who didn’t care for it.
“Hey, go home and watch your ‘Leave It To Beaver’ box set, you stodgy old coot,” and the old reliable “You just don’t get it!” are examples of the taunts I’m sure they’re employing.
Nah, I’ll just revel in the fact that I am tone-deaf to hype and do not succumb to mob rule.
How exactly is The Hangover going to spawn a franchise? Is the motley crew of idiots going to travel to a variety of different party hotspots to once again piece together the events of what happened the day after getting blackout drunk? Please, this flimsy concept could barely hold up to sustain the narrative of one movie. It wouldn’t surprise me to see the Hollywood vampires shoehorn a sequel for a shameless cash-grab, though, because they’ve learned through the success of this that they have a formula in place to exploit the dumbed-down standards of acceptance audiences have for comedy.
To P,
I don’t get Jack Black (Except in Tropic Thunder) ever! This I get. 35 year old male in a theater full of males and females screaming their praises as they filed out. Really – are we all sheep? This sheep and some of his herd are going back this week.
Whoa, moviegoers are actually rewarding GOOD films for once at the box office. Hangover opened extremely well, and UP displaying hella strong legs.Word of mouth is definitely going to fuel both films. Hangover will make a serious run at 200mil and UP will make a serious run at 300mil. Both films are great and they deserve the money they will be making in the ensuing weeks
The Hangover – great concept, horrible execution.
Very disappointing.
@Jake: Maybe the “franchise” will consist of various prequels, “origin stories,” and reboots.
Everybody jumping to point out Up’s kids ticketing prices should also factor in how many higher priced 3D tickets they sold. I’m not saying it gives us a clear cut winner, but you’re leaving out important factors.
I’m not completely sure, but I don’t think teenagers sneaking into ‘The Hangover’ by buying tickets for ‘Up’ is necessarily a bad thing for ‘The Hangover’. Like ‘Star Trek’, this movie is banking on strong word of mouth for subsequent visits and second-weekend sales.
Who proclaims their love of a good, dirty, raunchy movie louder than a horny teenager who has the added confidence of sneaking into the theater to see something he shouldn’t? Of course, to benefit ‘Hangover’ sales, they would have to know some adults, but with the rise of Facebook and Twitter, that’s entirely possible.
I could be wrong, but either way, I don’t think that a couple thousand sneaky teenagers are at the forefront of Warner Bros. thoughts at the moment.
@ Comment by P — June 8, 2009 @ 12:00 pm
Oh shut up, it’s a funny movie, you should go see it, I think we told you this on a previous post.
@ Comment by Working actor #274 — June 8, 2009 @ 3:04 pm
Jealous of Bradley Cooper’s career?
Again,
You nailed it. I’m jealous of Bradley Cooper’s career. Also, I don’t know who Bradley Cooper is.
HA – pretentious “working actor” got owned – love it.
you sir are what us un-working actors would call a douchecomet.