Minister for Finance
This is the place to check out the latest box office results and what they mean. Do you want to be the Minister for Finance? Head over to the Your Say section to tell us why.
Elementary Opening for Sherlock, While Mission 4 Does the Impossible
The victor this weekend at the U.S. box office was Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol despite the fact it opened at number three. Last week (As you can see below) I expressed concern over whether MI:4 could finish in the top five given its limited opening however it took just under 13 million US dollars, making it the highest limited release debut in the U.S. ever. With The Dark Knight Rises prologue in front of it and the heavy pushing of the IMAX format, Ghost Protocol became a must see event for many film fans. With the incredibly solid reviews (95% on RT) and the strong word of mouth the film is getting, I'm tipping Ghost Protocol to top the box office when it gets its wide release next week. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows had a significantly smaller opening than its predecessor taking 39.6 million U.S. dollars in its opening weekend (Compared to 62.3 million for the original) whether the film can go on to replicate and/or surpass the box office achievements of the first is now in reasonable doubt. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (Yes that is what it is called) opened to 23.25 million U.S. dollars, the lowest opening of the three. Regarding my predictions last week, apart from the Mission Impossible miss I got them all spot on, here's my attempt for five out of five next weekend. Following 21st December I think the box office top five in the U.S. will be
1. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
2. The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Post Christmas Day:
1. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
2. Tintin
3. We Bought a Zoo
4. War Horse
5. Dragon Tattoo
Let me know that I'm wrong by giving us your predictions in the Your Say section. Don't forget you can be the Minister for Finance and make this page your own by also letting us know in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
1. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
2. The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
Post Christmas Day:
1. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
2. Tintin
3. We Bought a Zoo
4. War Horse
5. Dragon Tattoo
Let me know that I'm wrong by giving us your predictions in the Your Say section. Don't forget you can be the Minister for Finance and make this page your own by also letting us know in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
(Insert New Year's Eve Pun Here)
New Year's Eve may have topped the U.S. box office in its first weekend but looking at the numbers, they basically won a best Chris Foy decision contest (Let me know in the Your Say section if you get that reference) The film made 13.7 million U.S. dollars, with Jonah Hill's The Sitter finishing at number two, 3.7 million dollars behind. As I have not done a box office update in a few weeks (For shame) I will get to the much more fulfilling task of discussing the box office fates of The Muppets, Hugo and Arthur Christmas since I last wrote. The Muppets has done well finishing at number four this weekend and so far racking up 69.8 million dollars worldwide (I stand to get four free Kit Kat Chunky White's if Life's A Happy Song deservedly wins the Oscar for original score) While Hugo helped by critical love (The National Board of Review win has made the film a serious Oscar contender) currently stands at 35 million dollars worldwide, taking 6.1 million over this weekend in the states. Arthur Christmas just beat Hugo to a top five finish, with its total being around 78 million dollars worldwide. The Twilight Saga meanwhile is as expected well past the half a billion mark worldwide, haven't seen the film so I'm not going to make the obligatory lets trash Twilight comment but I doubt it deserves this much money in its bank. The best piece of box office news this weekend is the terrific performance of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in its limited opening, get it out wide, let it be a word of mouth hit and lets get the Oscar campaign it deserves up and running.
Here are my predictions for next week at the U.S. box office (Will do a U.K. update in the week)
1. Sherlock Holmes 2 (Would be a big disappointment for this film if it didn't open at number one)
2. Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 (This may take top spot though, then again, it is what it is but then again, it is what it is)
3. New Year's Eve
4. The Sitter
5. Breaking Dawn: Part One
Want to be putting Mission Impossible 4 in there but its only opening at 400 theaters...then again THAT prologue is going to push numbers up. Expect a top five finish (Despite the fact I'm not predicting it) What about you? What are your box office predictions? Will the chipmunks beat the detective? Will Cruise and Co. pull off the impossible and finish at number one despite the fact it is opening in less screens than Young Adult? (You better not be failing me with this information Box Office Mojo...) Don't forget if you want to be the Minister for Finance and make up for my lack of consistency in this section of the site, let us know in the Your Say section and make this page your own!
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Here are my predictions for next week at the U.S. box office (Will do a U.K. update in the week)
1. Sherlock Holmes 2 (Would be a big disappointment for this film if it didn't open at number one)
2. Alvin and the Chipmunks 3 (This may take top spot though, then again, it is what it is but then again, it is what it is)
3. New Year's Eve
4. The Sitter
5. Breaking Dawn: Part One
Want to be putting Mission Impossible 4 in there but its only opening at 400 theaters...then again THAT prologue is going to push numbers up. Expect a top five finish (Despite the fact I'm not predicting it) What about you? What are your box office predictions? Will the chipmunks beat the detective? Will Cruise and Co. pull off the impossible and finish at number one despite the fact it is opening in less screens than Young Adult? (You better not be failing me with this information Box Office Mojo...) Don't forget if you want to be the Minister for Finance and make up for my lack of consistency in this section of the site, let us know in the Your Say section and make this page your own!
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Breaking Dawn Breaks the Bank
The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn: Part One opened as expected at number one at the U.S. box office. The film made 139 million U.S. dollars in the States, grossing a further 144 million everywhere else, making an opening total of 283.5 million U.S. dollars. The film's opening is not a surprise due to the immense fan base this series has, proving that this is a critic proof property. This is not the record opening for the franchise however, with New Moon holding that title, however this may be challenged when Part 2 rolls around. The decision of splitting final books into two films will now become even more popular due to both the impressive numbers for this and Harry Potter. The most important news regarding this weekend at the U.S. box office however is that my predictions made for the top five last week...were spot on. five out of five, as Happy Feet Two opens at two with 22 million U.S. dollars (Too many twos) Immortals is at 3 making 12.2 million, with Jack and Jill surprisingly not far behind at 4 with 12 million U.S. dollars. Puss in Boots rounds out the top five with 10.7 million U.S. dollars. As far as next week goes...
1. The Muppets (A family film, a known brand, hoping this can knock Twilight off top)
2. The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn: Part One (Will probably hold on to top spot, either way it's guaranteed to remain in the top two)
3. Arthur Christmas (It's 3D, a family film...will be interesting how it does in comparison to The Muppets which is aiming for the family market as well)
4. Hugo (3D, Scorsese, family film, critically well received...not opening on as many theaters as others however, may struggle to get into top 5)
5. Happy Feet Two
With The Muppets, Arthur Christmas and Hugo all being released the family market is spoilt for choice. It will be really interesting to see how these three films do, Arthur Christmas and Hugo have 3D in their favour (Higher ticket prices), however Hugo is not on in as many theaters as The Muppets and Arthur Christmas. The Muppets also has brand recognition and nostalgia in its favour. Breaking Dawn in its second week will also be dominating multiplexes and Happy Feet Two could struggle to hold on in that top 5 and establish a decent run, what with 3 new family films taking potential audience members away. Plus the word of mouth on it will be nowhere near as good as it will be for Muppets, Christmas and Hugo, all of which are getting much better reviews.
What are your predictions for next weekend at the U.S. box office? Do you think The Muppets will be the highest out of the new family releases? Will Hugo finish top 5? Will Breaking Dawn hold on to number one? Give us all your box office analysis and predictions in the Your Say section.
Don't forget you can be the Minister for Finance and make this page your own by letting us know in the Your Say section.
1. The Muppets (A family film, a known brand, hoping this can knock Twilight off top)
2. The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn: Part One (Will probably hold on to top spot, either way it's guaranteed to remain in the top two)
3. Arthur Christmas (It's 3D, a family film...will be interesting how it does in comparison to The Muppets which is aiming for the family market as well)
4. Hugo (3D, Scorsese, family film, critically well received...not opening on as many theaters as others however, may struggle to get into top 5)
5. Happy Feet Two
With The Muppets, Arthur Christmas and Hugo all being released the family market is spoilt for choice. It will be really interesting to see how these three films do, Arthur Christmas and Hugo have 3D in their favour (Higher ticket prices), however Hugo is not on in as many theaters as The Muppets and Arthur Christmas. The Muppets also has brand recognition and nostalgia in its favour. Breaking Dawn in its second week will also be dominating multiplexes and Happy Feet Two could struggle to hold on in that top 5 and establish a decent run, what with 3 new family films taking potential audience members away. Plus the word of mouth on it will be nowhere near as good as it will be for Muppets, Christmas and Hugo, all of which are getting much better reviews.
What are your predictions for next weekend at the U.S. box office? Do you think The Muppets will be the highest out of the new family releases? Will Hugo finish top 5? Will Breaking Dawn hold on to number one? Give us all your box office analysis and predictions in the Your Say section.
Don't forget you can be the Minister for Finance and make this page your own by letting us know in the Your Say section.
Jack and Jill Went Up The Hill but Immortals Takes the Top Spot
Last week with my U.S. box office predictions I failed to account for one thing...the opening of the latest Adam Sandler masterpiece, Jack and Jill. Maybe my memory just blocked out the traumatic experience of acknowledging that film's existence, however either way it severely damaged the success of my predictions. Immortals took top spot, defying my belief that Puss in Boots could hold on to top spot for a third week, with 32 million U.S. dollars a solid opening for that film. Whether Immortals can sustain these big numbers however is another questions, I'm thinking no especially due to this week's releases. Jack and Jill finished second but still made 26 million U.S. dollars, word of mouth probably won't be positive (Mind you bad reviews didn't stop it from making this much) and it may find its potential family audience being eaten up this week by the tap dancing penguins (Mind you if I was given the choice between Happy Feet Two and Jack and Jill, I would probably choose Jack and Jill...I feel like I need to see the awfulness to believe it) Puss in Boots finished third only making 500,000 less than Jack and Jill, this critical and commercial success for Puss in Boots makes it a viable contender at the Oscars for Best Animated Feature, a category that really is up for grabs this year even with Pixar and now Spielberg possible nominees in it. Tower Heist finished fourth with 13.2 million U.S. dollars and so I was correct in saying that it would finish behind Puss in Boots and Immortals. Meanwhile rounding out the top five was Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar which surely would have been helped by the star power of Leonardo Dicaprio. This week sees the release of Happy Feet Two and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1. Here's how I think the U.S. top five will look by the end of next weekend.
1. Breaking Dawn Part 1 (This is by far the easiest prediction I will make in a while)
2. Happy Feet Two (3D+Family+Sequel to a successful film)
3. Immortals (Guys option at the box office what with it being currently dominated by children's films and Twilight+3D)
4. Jack and Jill (Will probably still make money somehow)
5. Puss in Boots (The cat will stay strong)
Feel free to give us your box office predictions in the Your Say section, as well as apply to be The Minister for Finance and make this page your own. Be sure to keep checking Movie Parliament as we keep you posted on the box office figures in the U.S. and around the world.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
1. Breaking Dawn Part 1 (This is by far the easiest prediction I will make in a while)
2. Happy Feet Two (3D+Family+Sequel to a successful film)
3. Immortals (Guys option at the box office what with it being currently dominated by children's films and Twilight+3D)
4. Jack and Jill (Will probably still make money somehow)
5. Puss in Boots (The cat will stay strong)
Feel free to give us your box office predictions in the Your Say section, as well as apply to be The Minister for Finance and make this page your own. Be sure to keep checking Movie Parliament as we keep you posted on the box office figures in the U.S. and around the world.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Tower Heist Fails to Steal Top Spot
Last weekend I predicted that Tower Heist would top the box office, leaving Puss in Boots and A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas in its wake. Well I was right in guessing that Harold and Kumar would finish 3rd but I failed to foresee the strong hold for that Puss in those boots. Puss in Boots took 33 million U.S. dollars in its second weekend a very impressive number for that film and a sign that the film has positive buzz. Tower Heist opened to 25 million U.S. dollars a decent opening however not getting the top spot certainly takes a bit of the sheen away. Whether Tower Heist will get good word of mouth and hang in the top 3 for the next couple of weeks remains to be seen, however I predict we will be seeing it in the top 3 next weekend. Tintin is continuing its impressive march in Europe taking its total gross well past the 100 million dollar mark. These numbers point to a green light for the Tintin sequel and perhaps to another Puss in Boots film. In Time had another poor week at the box office in its second week of release, failing to finish above Paranormal Activity 3 (Which is in its third week of release and doesn't have halloween behind it anymore) While this looks set to be Moneyball's last week in the top ten, finishing at number ten with 1.9 million U.S. dollars. A decent box office run for a great film and hopefully around the world it can make enough money to get past the 100 million dollar mark and show studios that intelligent sports movie that are not actually about the sport, is how you make a good sports movie.
Predictions for Next Weekend's U.S. Box Office:
1. Puss in Boots (Three weeks at top I think is a real possibility for this film, would be a tight victory however)
2. Immortals (Many would probably predict this for number one but it doesn't have the family pull+word of mouth of Puss...plus it looks awful)
3. Tower Heist (Other two films have the 3D ticket prices but I think Tower Heist will hold strong and I actually think it could sneak second place)
What do you think? Will Puss in Boots spend three weeks at number one? Will Tower Heist get good buzz? Am I underrating the box office potential of Immortals? Will Tintin do as well in the States as in Europe? Give us all your box office analysis and predictions in the Your Say section. If you want to be the Minister for Finance and make this page your own then let us know in the Your Say section.
Be sure to check this section of the site for the box office numbers from the U.K., to see if Tower Heist can take Tintin's top spot.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Predictions for Next Weekend's U.S. Box Office:
1. Puss in Boots (Three weeks at top I think is a real possibility for this film, would be a tight victory however)
2. Immortals (Many would probably predict this for number one but it doesn't have the family pull+word of mouth of Puss...plus it looks awful)
3. Tower Heist (Other two films have the 3D ticket prices but I think Tower Heist will hold strong and I actually think it could sneak second place)
What do you think? Will Puss in Boots spend three weeks at number one? Will Tower Heist get good buzz? Am I underrating the box office potential of Immortals? Will Tintin do as well in the States as in Europe? Give us all your box office analysis and predictions in the Your Say section. If you want to be the Minister for Finance and make this page your own then let us know in the Your Say section.
Be sure to check this section of the site for the box office numbers from the U.K., to see if Tower Heist can take Tintin's top spot.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Tintin Dominates Europe, While In Time Finds Solace in Oz
The Adventures of Tintin has had a massive European opening, topping the U.K. box office with 6.7 million pounds. In the U.K. the film overwhelmingly beat fellow new releases The Help and The Ides of March (Which opened at places 7 and 8 respectively) while also making more than the rest of the top 5 combined. Overall Tintin made an approximate 55.8 million US Dollars in 19 markets over its opening weekends. The film is one with much more of an appeal to European audiences due to the origins on the source material, whether the film can have such a big U.S. opening is unlikely. The film looks set to be well past the 100 million dollars mark by the time it is released in the U.S. and taking everything into account financially we should be getting a Peter Jackson directed sequel. Meanwhile down under In Time made up for its disappointing U.S. opening by topping the Australian box office. The film made 2.3 million and knocked Paranormal Activity 3 off its top spot. Whether these numbers can make up for its U.S. opening in the eyes of the studio and lead to a box office recovery remains to be seen. I will hopefully see Tintin this weekend and be sure to check this site for a review (Or why not subscribe and get an email whenever new content is up...just put subscribe in the Your Say section along with your name and email address) In Time I will not be able to see until early December. If you have seen either of this films however be sure to give us your thoughts on them in the Your Say section.
Do you want to be the Minister for Finance, report on box office numbers around the world and make this page your own? Let us know in the Your Say section.
Be sure to check this section again come Sunday evening for U.S. box office figures and to see if my predictions (See below) turn out to be correct. What do you think of Tintin's opening? Can it be replicated in the U.S.? Do you have alternative predictions than the ones offered below? Give us all your Box office thoughts and opinions in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Do you want to be the Minister for Finance, report on box office numbers around the world and make this page your own? Let us know in the Your Say section.
Be sure to check this section again come Sunday evening for U.S. box office figures and to see if my predictions (See below) turn out to be correct. What do you think of Tintin's opening? Can it be replicated in the U.S.? Do you have alternative predictions than the ones offered below? Give us all your Box office thoughts and opinions in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Puss and Paranormal Dominate Halloween Weekend at U.S. Box Office
Last week I predicted that halloween weekend might give Paranormal Activity 3 decent staying power at the box office, however I was not expecting it to beat the new Justin Timberlake release "In Time" to number two. My correct prediction was the big one however as Puss in Boots expectedly took top spot with 34 million US dollars. The film has been receiving positive reviews (The most positive for this series since the second Shrek film) and this coupled with its decent opening suggest we may have a new favourite in the Best Animated Feature field. Paranormal's 18.5 million is solid and no doubt received a halloween bump. In Time is the big loser of the week making only 12 million dollars, word of mouth looks set to poor as well with negative reviews and polarized audience response. Footloose is riding its positive word of mouth however finishing at number four with 5.4 million, beating Johnny Depp's Rum Diary which rounds out the top 5 with around 5 million U.S. dollars. While a Johnny Depp release finishing at fifth spot seems like a disappointment, the film is skewing towards a less mainstream audience.
Prediction for next week at the U.S. Box Office:
1. Tower Heist (Ben Stiller+Eddie Murphy+Slightly topical)
2. Puss in Boots (Strong word of mouth+3D+Family film)
3. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (Detest the idea of a Christmas film being released in November but it's in 3D and part of a reasonably successful series)
Meanwhile around the world Paranormal Activity 3 has been dominating with a 3 million opening at the U.K. box office. Next Sunday as well as U.S. box office results we will cover how Tintin, The Ides of March and The Help all fared in the U.K. Remember you could be the Minister for Finance and be covering the Box Office monthly, weekly or daily and make this part of the site your own. If you are interested let us know in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Prediction for next week at the U.S. Box Office:
1. Tower Heist (Ben Stiller+Eddie Murphy+Slightly topical)
2. Puss in Boots (Strong word of mouth+3D+Family film)
3. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas (Detest the idea of a Christmas film being released in November but it's in 3D and part of a reasonably successful series)
Meanwhile around the world Paranormal Activity 3 has been dominating with a 3 million opening at the U.K. box office. Next Sunday as well as U.S. box office results we will cover how Tintin, The Ides of March and The Help all fared in the U.K. Remember you could be the Minister for Finance and be covering the Box Office monthly, weekly or daily and make this part of the site your own. If you are interested let us know in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Paranormal Activity 3 Scares Off the Competition
Looking at the post below this one you can see that this is a section of the site not updated as much as it should be. However the Box Office section will now be updated weekly with numbers and analysis. The big box office story this weekend is the mammoth Paranormal Activity 3 opening in the U.S. The third installment of the horror franchise has raked in 54 million U.S. Dollars in its opening weekend scoring the largest horror opening of the year and the largest ever October opening. The film is one that I am looking forward to despite disliking the first and skipping the second. Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (Catfish) directed this film and it is their involvement which will make me go and see this film in the cinema. What I hope this opening does is encourage two things in Hollywood
1. More opportunities for Joost and Schulman
2. More low budget franchise filmmaking
This opening is a great result for the studio and the filmmakers. Hopefully we will soon be seeing Joost and Schulman be helming original, Hollywood backed projects even if they are only part of a deal to direct Paranormal Activity 4 (I would try and keep them on the series as long as possible after these numbers and their appeal to film fans such as myself) Regarding point 2 it startles me that Hollywood budgets are so high considering what James Wan, Gareth Edwards, Duncan Jones and Neil Blomkamp have been able to pull off on low budgets, maximizing profit for their respective studios. Movies don't need to cost as much as they do and if you can keep the budget under ten million, you stand a good chance of automatically going into profit on your first day let alone first weekend. Insidious is the most profitable movie of the year on a budget of 1.5 million, not Harry Potter and not Transformers. Keep budgets low and hire talented filmmakers, you can make a lot of money out of doing so. Whether next weekend being Halloween weekend can give Paranormal Activity a decent second weekend remains to be seen however its international numbers should be very strong. Elsewhere at the box office Johnny English Reborn currently stands at 86 million dollars worldwide and has been dominating the charts in the U.K. proving that a sequel can come out nearly ten years after its predecessor and be a hit, whether we will get Johnny English Re-Reborn remains to be seen (If they do indeed make a third named that...you heard the title here first)
Give us your opinions on the latest box office figures. Do you agree with my 2 lessons for Hollywood? Did you see Paranormal Activity 3? Are you looking forward to it? Have you seen Johnny English Reborn?
Predictions for next weekend's U.S. places.
1. Puss in Boots (3D+Family movie+Brand familiarity)
2. In Time
3. Paranormal Activity 3
Yours?
Come back next weekend to see if I am right and to see more lectures aimed to (yet unread by) Hollywood. Don't forget that you can make this page your own and become the Minister for Finance. If it interests you then give us your application in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Realize where all my Schulman/Joost excitement comes from by seeing Catfish (Trailer below)
1. More opportunities for Joost and Schulman
2. More low budget franchise filmmaking
This opening is a great result for the studio and the filmmakers. Hopefully we will soon be seeing Joost and Schulman be helming original, Hollywood backed projects even if they are only part of a deal to direct Paranormal Activity 4 (I would try and keep them on the series as long as possible after these numbers and their appeal to film fans such as myself) Regarding point 2 it startles me that Hollywood budgets are so high considering what James Wan, Gareth Edwards, Duncan Jones and Neil Blomkamp have been able to pull off on low budgets, maximizing profit for their respective studios. Movies don't need to cost as much as they do and if you can keep the budget under ten million, you stand a good chance of automatically going into profit on your first day let alone first weekend. Insidious is the most profitable movie of the year on a budget of 1.5 million, not Harry Potter and not Transformers. Keep budgets low and hire talented filmmakers, you can make a lot of money out of doing so. Whether next weekend being Halloween weekend can give Paranormal Activity a decent second weekend remains to be seen however its international numbers should be very strong. Elsewhere at the box office Johnny English Reborn currently stands at 86 million dollars worldwide and has been dominating the charts in the U.K. proving that a sequel can come out nearly ten years after its predecessor and be a hit, whether we will get Johnny English Re-Reborn remains to be seen (If they do indeed make a third named that...you heard the title here first)
Give us your opinions on the latest box office figures. Do you agree with my 2 lessons for Hollywood? Did you see Paranormal Activity 3? Are you looking forward to it? Have you seen Johnny English Reborn?
Predictions for next weekend's U.S. places.
1. Puss in Boots (3D+Family movie+Brand familiarity)
2. In Time
3. Paranormal Activity 3
Yours?
Come back next weekend to see if I am right and to see more lectures aimed to (yet unread by) Hollywood. Don't forget that you can make this page your own and become the Minister for Finance. If it interests you then give us your application in the Your Say section.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Realize where all my Schulman/Joost excitement comes from by seeing Catfish (Trailer below)
Harry Potter Breaks Records Worldwide
As expected Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two has had a huge opening at the box office breaking records in the U.S. and the U.K. The first record it broke was the midnight screenings record in the U.S. (A record previously held by The Twilight Saga: New Moon) by making 43.5 million dollars. It then went on to have the largest opening day ever at the U.S. box office with 92 million dollars. Finally it eclipsed The Dark Knight to have the highest grossing opening weekend ever at the U.S. box office with a weekend total of 169 million dollars. It wasn't just the U.S. where it was breaking records however, Deathly Hallows: Part Two can also lay claim to having the worldwide opening record making a total of 481.5 million dollars worldwide in its opening weekend. The film also broke weekend records in the U.K (23 million pounds) and Australia (27.1 million dollars) These numbers are nothing short of staggering and Deathly Hallows: Part Two will most likely be the first Potter film to cross the billion mark worldwide due to it being the last in the series and it having the 3D induced higher ticket prices. Transformers: Dark of the Moon has become the second highest grossing film of 2011 (for now) as its worldwide total now stands at 762 million dollars. It will be interesting to see how much Captain America: The First Avenger can make when it opens this upcoming weekend, as Potter looks set to be not just the hit of the summer but potentially the hit of the year.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister
Michael Dalton
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister
Michael Dalton
Pirates 4 Makes a Billion, Transformers and Bridesmaids Break Records
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has crossed the 1 billion mark in terms of worldwide ticket sales, placing it in the top ten highest grossing films of all time. The huge success of this film means a fifth film is inevitable with the news today suggesting that Johnny Depp is close to signing on for it. Transformers: Dark of the Moon has opened worldwide and to huge numbers. In the United States of America, Transformers 3 is the highest grossing Independence day weekend ever and the film has currently made 418 million worldwide, 180 million in the U.S and 237 million worldwide so far. These numbers are behind where Revenge of the Fallen was at this stage but Transformers 3 is on course to join Pirates 4, Fast Five and The Hangover: Part Two as one of the biggest money makers of the year and could yet surpass all of them with its extra money from 3D tickets and a stronger word of mouth than its predecessor. Bridesmaids has also been a success and is now the highest grossing R rated female comedy of all time. The film has made 188 million dollars worldwide so far, with 153 million of that coming from the U.S. Cars 2 currently stands at 204 million dollars worldwide, passing the 100 million dollar mark in the U.S. The money Pixar makes from the Cars films all comes from merchandising so they won't be too worried that these figures are a step down after the success of Toy Story 3. Finally X-Men: First Class should have done enough to warrant a sequel, it currently stands at around 335 million worldwide on a production budget of 160 million.
The highest grossing films of 2011 (So Far):
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides- 1,008,876,965 billion dollars worldwide
2. Fast Five- 597,362,550 million dollars worldwide
3. The Hangover: Part Two- 548,651,272 million dollars worldwide
4. Kung Fu Panda 2- 536,579,401 million dollars worldwide
5. Rio- 470,137,158 million dollars worldwide
6. Thor- 439,688,100 million dollars worldwide
7. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Expect this to move up this list rapidly)- 418,011,064 million dollars worldwide
8. X-Men: First Class- 335,029,355 million dollars worldwide
9. Rango- 242,555,350 million dollars worldwide
10. The Green Hornet- 227,817,248 million dollars worldwide.
five sequels, a prequel, three adaptations and six in 3D. Only two "original" films in the top ten currently, Rio and Rango. Expect in the coming weeks Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two to gatecrash this list with that, Pirates 4 and Transformers 3 probably being the three big moneymakers of the year, all three of them released in 3D. If Tintin and Hugo Cabret are also financial successes then 3D could be around for much longer, at least in blockbuster filmmaking.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister
Michael Dalton
The highest grossing films of 2011 (So Far):
1. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides- 1,008,876,965 billion dollars worldwide
2. Fast Five- 597,362,550 million dollars worldwide
3. The Hangover: Part Two- 548,651,272 million dollars worldwide
4. Kung Fu Panda 2- 536,579,401 million dollars worldwide
5. Rio- 470,137,158 million dollars worldwide
6. Thor- 439,688,100 million dollars worldwide
7. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (Expect this to move up this list rapidly)- 418,011,064 million dollars worldwide
8. X-Men: First Class- 335,029,355 million dollars worldwide
9. Rango- 242,555,350 million dollars worldwide
10. The Green Hornet- 227,817,248 million dollars worldwide.
five sequels, a prequel, three adaptations and six in 3D. Only two "original" films in the top ten currently, Rio and Rango. Expect in the coming weeks Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two to gatecrash this list with that, Pirates 4 and Transformers 3 probably being the three big moneymakers of the year, all three of them released in 3D. If Tintin and Hugo Cabret are also financial successes then 3D could be around for much longer, at least in blockbuster filmmaking.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister
Michael Dalton
Hangover 2, Kung Fu Panda 2 and Pirates 4
If the success of Fast Five and Thor was not enough, the triple whammy of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Hangover Part 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2 is the sign that the summer blockbuster season has hit and hit with a bang. Pirates 4 has currently made more than 635 million dollars worldwide, roughly 163 million of this was made in the U.S, while in foreign territories the film has grossed roughly 472 million dollars. Despite not making as much as its predecessors in this time, the box office success of Pirates 4 is enough for a Pirates 5 to be around the corner. The Hangover Part 2 had a storming opening weekend at the U.S box office, with its four day opening grossing more than 100 million dollars. The film currently stands at roughly 195 million dollars worldwide and will reach and go well beyond the 200 million mark worldwide by this weekend. 135 million of that total was made in the U.S while in foreign territories it has made just shy of 50 million dollars but with many regions yet to start screening it, the foreign gross could easily equal if not better the films current domestic gross. Finally Kung Fu Panda 2 opened in the U.S with a weekend haul of roughly 65 million dollars and a current worldwide gross of 122 million dollars. Meanwhile Fast Five and Thor stand at 547 million worldwide and 416 million worldwide respectively. With these huge figures and with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two, Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Captain America yet to open it seems like this is going to be one huge summer at the box office. This week sees the release of X-Men: First Class, a film that I fear will struggle to compete with the current blockbusters dominating the box office.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Fast Five and Thor Dominate U.S and International Box Office
Fast Five grossed 83.6 million Dollars in its opening weekend at the U.S box office, the biggest opening weekend gross in the U.S this year. This opening coupled with its international take means Fast Five has currently made 165 million dollars worldwide. It seems like a Fast Six (Or whatever they choose to call it) will be around the corner and given its box office domination, perhaps they could squeeze 600 films out of it (See video below) Thor while not released in the U.S has got off to a very impressive start internationally, grossing 93 million dollars. This is a big boost for the chances of a Thor 2 and for the box office potential of The Avengers, due for release next year. If Thor is a hit in the U.S then it could join Fast Five as one of the highest grossing films of the year. Scream 4 has dropped out of the U.S box office top ten and that pretty much means that Scream 5 is even less likely to happen. When Paranormal Activity 3 tops the box office and gets the green-light for Paranormal Activity 4 I will bask in my Scream DVD's. On a lighter note however, Source Code is still hanging in there at number ten at the U.S box office, the financial success of this film will hopefully help the talented Duncan Jones get more of his projects approved and supported by big studios.
My prediction for next weeks U.S box office: Thor to be number one, quite a predictable prediction but is the most likely outcome.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
My prediction for next weeks U.S box office: Thor to be number one, quite a predictable prediction but is the most likely outcome.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Fast Five Races to the Top of the U.K and Australian Box Office
Fast Five has made an impressive start at the box office, topping the charts in the U.K and Australia. In the U.K the film made a total of 5,332,096 pounds while in Australia it grossed 7,439898 Australian dollars, beating Marvel's Thor which made a total of 5,335693 Australian dollars. It seems that movies set in Rio are equalling box office gold right now, with Rio and Fast Five dominating the box office. Scream 4 has had a disappointing drop in both countries however, decreasing the chance for a Scream 5. The film fell to number four in the U.K box office and to number 8 in Australia. It's a shame that the Scream series has not lit up the box office the way they would have hoped, however by the end of its theatrical run and by the time it has sold Blu-Ray's and DVD's there may be enough money for us to get another big screen Scream outing. The box office top tens of the U.K and Australia can be seen below.
U.K
1. Fast Five- 5,332,096 pounds
2. Rio- 886,669 pounds
3. Arthur- 764,468 pounds
4. Scream 4- 730,963 pounds
5. Beastly- 553,069 pounds
6. Hop- 466,676 pounds
7. Red Riding Hood -345,421 pounds8. Source Code - 331,988 pounds
9. TT3D: Closer to the Edge - 312,998 pounds
10. Limitless - 282,879 pounds
Australia 1. Fast & Furious 5 - 7,439,898 Australian Dollars
2. Thor - 5,355,693 Australian Dollars
3. Rio - 1,881,547 Australian Dollars
4. Hop - 1,681,542 Australian Dollars
5. Arthur - 1,360,934 Australian Dollars
6. Paul - 1,042,909 Australian Dollars7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules - 785,650 Australian Dollars8. Scream 4 - 597,362 Australian Dollars
9. Just Go With It - 375,971 Australian Dollars
10. The Lincoln Lawyer - 297,656 Australian Dollars
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
U.K
1. Fast Five- 5,332,096 pounds
2. Rio- 886,669 pounds
3. Arthur- 764,468 pounds
4. Scream 4- 730,963 pounds
5. Beastly- 553,069 pounds
6. Hop- 466,676 pounds
7. Red Riding Hood -345,421 pounds8. Source Code - 331,988 pounds
9. TT3D: Closer to the Edge - 312,998 pounds
10. Limitless - 282,879 pounds
Australia 1. Fast & Furious 5 - 7,439,898 Australian Dollars
2. Thor - 5,355,693 Australian Dollars
3. Rio - 1,881,547 Australian Dollars
4. Hop - 1,681,542 Australian Dollars
5. Arthur - 1,360,934 Australian Dollars
6. Paul - 1,042,909 Australian Dollars7. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules - 785,650 Australian Dollars8. Scream 4 - 597,362 Australian Dollars
9. Just Go With It - 375,971 Australian Dollars
10. The Lincoln Lawyer - 297,656 Australian Dollars
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Rio Continues U.S Box Office Reign
Animated film Rio spends its second week on top of the U.S box office, taking 26,800,000 dollars. New releases Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Big Happy Family and Water for Elephants take numbers two and three with 25, 750,00 million dollars and 17,500,000 million dollars respectively. Hop has brought its total U.S gross past the 100 million dollar mark, its now fourth at the U.S box office with latest takings of 12,461,000. Scream 4 rounds off the top five, taking 7,154,00 brining up to a total of 31,158,000 so far in the U.S after two weeks. Many are seeing Scream 4 as a box office failure however worldwide it has made back its production budget and by the end of its theatrical run and its Blu-Ray and DVD release will most likely make back its advertising budget as well. I for one hope Scream 4 hangs on in there in the box office as it is inventive horror sequels like Scream 4 that should be supported so that Hollywood can produce some more intelligent and enjoyable horror than the current norm.
The rest of the U.S box office top ten:
6. African Cats with 6.4 million dollars
7. Soul Surfer with 5.6 million dollars
8. Insidious with 5.38 million dollars
9. Hanna with 5.28 million dollars
10. Source Code with 5.06 million dollars
My prediction for next weeks Box Office: Fast Five to top the U.S box office, Rio down to number 2 but going strong and Hanna and Source Code to drop out of the top ten.
If you have any opinions concerning the box office then share them in the Your Say section. If you wish to be the Minister for Finance then tell us why in the Your Say section and you can be doing these weekly box office analysis and predictions.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
The rest of the U.S box office top ten:
6. African Cats with 6.4 million dollars
7. Soul Surfer with 5.6 million dollars
8. Insidious with 5.38 million dollars
9. Hanna with 5.28 million dollars
10. Source Code with 5.06 million dollars
My prediction for next weeks Box Office: Fast Five to top the U.S box office, Rio down to number 2 but going strong and Hanna and Source Code to drop out of the top ten.
If you have any opinions concerning the box office then share them in the Your Say section. If you wish to be the Minister for Finance then tell us why in the Your Say section and you can be doing these weekly box office analysis and predictions.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
Scream 4 Tops UK Box Office
Scream 4, the latest installment in the famous horror franchise has topped the UK box office in its first week of release. Directed by Wes Craven, Scream 4 is the first Scream film in 11 years. The film topped the box office with a total of 2,061,885 pounds. This will be a boost for the Scream box office after its perceived failure in its US opening where it finished number two to Rio, with a total of 18.7 million dollars. This was seen by many to be a disappointing opening however when you look at some key elements it is not such a surprising or terrible performance. First of all Rio is in 3D, which makes tickets more expensive and therefore generates more revenue than a 2D film, which Scream 4 is. Another factor is the age rating for both of the films. With an R rating people under the age of 17 can only get into Scream 4 in the U.S if they are accompanied by somebody 17 or above. Rio therefore is open to all ages and will attract large families who are going to the cinema. It is also worth noting that with a running time of 111 minutes, Scream 4 is longer than Rio which has a running time of 99 minutes. While that may be only a difference of twelve minutes, length plays a part in how many showings of a movie a cinema can have in one day.
The rest of the UK Box Office Top Ten:
2. Rio with 1,695,927 pounds- The film did not replicate its success in the States. One of the reasons why Scream 4 may have topped the UK box office rather than the U.S is that the minimum age in the U.K is 15, therefore teenagers on a night out are more likely to get into Scream 4 in the U.K whereas in the U.S they would need to bluff their way in or find a 17 year old.
3. Your Highness with 926,338 pounds
4. Red Riding Hood with 842,398 pounds
5. Hop with 788,809 pounds
6. Source Code with 674, 202 pounds
7 Limitless with 603, 963 pounds
8.Winnie the Pooh with 159, 369 pounds
9. Sucker Punch with 144, 612 pounds
10. Little White Lies with 125, 273 pounds
Be sure to keep checking this page weekly for reports on the UK, US and international box office. Do you want to be doing these weekly reports? Do you want to be the Minister for Finance? if so go to the Your Say section to tell us why.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
The rest of the UK Box Office Top Ten:
2. Rio with 1,695,927 pounds- The film did not replicate its success in the States. One of the reasons why Scream 4 may have topped the UK box office rather than the U.S is that the minimum age in the U.K is 15, therefore teenagers on a night out are more likely to get into Scream 4 in the U.K whereas in the U.S they would need to bluff their way in or find a 17 year old.
3. Your Highness with 926,338 pounds
4. Red Riding Hood with 842,398 pounds
5. Hop with 788,809 pounds
6. Source Code with 674, 202 pounds
7 Limitless with 603, 963 pounds
8.Winnie the Pooh with 159, 369 pounds
9. Sucker Punch with 144, 612 pounds
10. Little White Lies with 125, 273 pounds
Be sure to keep checking this page weekly for reports on the UK, US and international box office. Do you want to be doing these weekly reports? Do you want to be the Minister for Finance? if so go to the Your Say section to tell us why.
By Movie Parliament Prime Minister,
Michael Dalton
