Theaters continue to struggle, but results are minimal, with just over 1 million tickets sold this weekend.
Since no new films premiered this weekend, the 30 percent drop in post-holiday box office is not as bad as it looks. However, the news was worse for “Wonder Woman 1984, which raised $ 3 million with a 45% drop.
The weekend total was about $ 10 million, with 11 films. (Disney’s “Alien” reissue tied with Focus Features’ “Half Brothers” for 10th place.) The same weekend last year totaled $ 132 million. To date, 59 percent of all cinemas remain closed under COVID-19 regulations. This includes some cinemas that reopened this week, mainly in Colorado. According to industry sources, there is no indication that cinemas will close again – but some are considering reduced hours, opening only on weekends and other cost-saving options.
“Fatale”
Lionsgate
These new cinemas, along with some cinemas bringing previous films, led to several titles to increase the number of screens, such as “Fatale” (which debuted on PVOD Friday). The current number 3, “News of the World,” will add PVOD this week.
This Friday, there will be a new release. Open Road, which recently raised $ 14 million with “Honest Thief” as a theater-only release, will feature another Liam Neeson vehicle, “The Marksman”, with a similar strategy. Anticipate that this will happen next weekend. In October, “Honest Thief” debuted with $ 4.1 million.
Warner Bros., which limited its box office reports to weekend and weeklong estimates and blocked daily figures, reported that in Canada “Wonder Woman 1984” grossed more than $ 7.2 million in just two weeks on PVOD . (There is no HBO Max in Canada.) This is Canadian dollars; with exchange, it is about US $ 5.7 million.
It is difficult to attach much importance to this; about five percent of Canadian cinemas are open. (Studio credit for revealing the number.) One way to look at it: The US has about nine times the population, so by measure, we would be looking at a $ 51 million PVOD performance. This is still far from definitive, especially since PVOD saturation is more developed in America.
One thing is certain: whatever the exhibition on HBO Max, the theatrical result is not impressive. “Wonder Woman 1984” has raised $ 32.6 million so far, going to $ 40 million. The world theater is at $ 133 million. (Most European cinemas remain closed, although Russia will launch this Friday.)
Optimistically, industry sources expect normal US launches to return in May. That would call into question “No Time to Die”, currently scheduled for April 2, but it is a film that is expected to see up to 75 percent of its gross revenue in foreign territories. American circumstances may not determine your future.
“World News”
Universal
The first ten
1. Wonder Woman 1984 (Warner Bros.) Week 3; Last weekend # 1; also streaming
$ 3,000,000 (-45%) in 2,218 cinemas (+67); PTA: $ 1,353; Cumulative: $ 32,600,000
2. Croods: a new era (Universal) Week 7; Last weekend # 2; also available in Premium Video on Demand
$ 1,810,000 (-19%) in 1,818 cinemas (+67); PTA: $ 996; Cumulative: $ 36,880,000
3. World news (Universal) Week 3; Last weekend # 3
$ 1,240,000 (-27%) in 1,986 cinemas (+58); PTA: $ 624; Cumulative: $ 7,100,000
4. Monster Hunter (Sony) Week 4; Last weekend # 4
$ 1,100,000 (-13%) in 1,765 cinemas (-42); PTA: $ 623; Cumulative: $ 7,805,000
5. Fatale (Lionsgate) Week 4; Last weekend # 5; also available in Premium Video on Demand
$ 670,000 (-4%) in 1,222 cinemas (+39); PTA: $ 548; Cumulative: $ 4,011,000
6. Promising young woman (Focus) Week 3; Last weekend # 6
$ 560,000 (-19%) in 1,448 cinemas (+115); PTA: $ 548; Cumulative: $ 2,697,000
7. Pinocchio (Lionsgate) Week 3; Last weekend # 7
$ 208,770 (-29%) in 821 cinemas (+26); PTA: $ 254; Cumulative: $ 1,113,000
8. The war with grandpa (101) Week 14; Last weekend # 8; also available on Video on Demand
$ 147,327 (+ 17%) in 385 cinemas (+80); PTA: $ 383; Cumulative: $ 19,002,000
9. Come play (Focus) Week 11; Last weekend # 10; also available in Premium Video on Demand
$ 95,000 (+ 60%) in 151 cinemas (+41); PTA: $ 629; Cumulative: $ 9,679,000
10. (tie) Alien (Disney) REFUNDS – Last weekend # 9; also streaming
$ 60,000 (-20%) in 456 cinemas (-49); PTA: $ 132; Cumulative: $ (adjusted) 320,200,000
10. (tie) Half brothers (Focus) Week 6 – Last weekend # 12; also available in Premium Video on Demand
$ 60,000 in 167 cinemas (+27); PTA: $ 359; Cumulative: $ 2,128,000
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