Though we may yet see Brave do good business, basically everything that’s opened since The Avengers has eaten curb, and that’s a trend that’s likely to continue until The Dark Knight Rises. It’s possible a couple may see a profit through international, but this is one of the most pathetic summers on record and you can add Rock of Ages and That’s My Boy to that bonfire.
| Film | Weekend | Per Screen | Total | |
| 1 | Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted |
$35,500,000 (-41.1%) | $8,327 | $120,451,000 |
| 2 | Prometheus | $20,200,000 (-60.4%) | $5,869 | $88,858,000 |
| 3 | Rock of Ages | $15,060,000 | $4,340 | $15,060,000 |
| 4 | Snow White and the Huntsman | $13,805,000 (-40.1%) | $3,730 | $122,602,000 |
| 5 | That’s My Boy | $13,000,000 | $4,290 | $13,000,000 |
| 6 | MIB 3 | $10,000,000 (-28.0%) | $3,190 | $152,679,000 |
| 7 | The Avengers | $8,848,000 (-21.3%) | $3,427 | $586,737,000 |
| 8 | The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel | $2,200,000 (-32.7%) | $1,858 | $35,133,000 |
| 9 | Moonrise Kingdom | $2,181,000 (+39.8%) | $12,253 | $6,779,000 |
| 10 | What to Expect When You’re Expecting | $1,330,000 (-52.3%) | $1,094 | $38,766,000 |
Madagascar 3 is performing strongish for an animated title, though next week it’s got direct competition from Pixar, so it probably won’t reach $200 Million domestic. I’d guess that it ends up in the $180 range when it’s all said and done. It will be interesting to see how Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter does in this environment – as it could hurt Prometheus - but that’s also already starting to fade. Prom took a 60% tumble, and so it might get to around $150 domestic if it’s lucky.
But that’s not as pathetic as Rock of Ages or That’s My Boy. Rock did a little over $15 Million, so $100 seems out of the question. If older audiences like it, we could see the picture getting to near $80 or $90, but it’s also possible that with a 50% tumble next weekend it won’t get to $50 Million. Boy is Adam Sandler‘s lowest comedy opening since he became a star, so perhaps the rating – or Jack and Jill – worked against him. Yeah, it opened to less than his biggest flop Little Nicky. Just sad numbers.
The Avengers is about two weeks away from cracking $600 Million, and unless The Dark Knight Rises is a super-phenomenon, it’s a lock to be the biggest picture of the summer and year. In limited release Marigold and Moonrise continue to do stellar business.
This is – without question – the most dispiriting summer we’ve had in ages, and even years in which movies brought about by a supposed strike haven’t produced this many duds. Either people are less interested in seeing movies in general, or it’s the films themselves. Either way, something went wrong.
Reality Check: I thought the new pictures would open. They did not.