hot movie previews > The Twilight Saga: E...NineLegionArmoredRemember MeKick-AssSalt
 
Filed under: Box-Office News

Box-Office Oracle: Jul. 31 – Aug. 2, 2009

It's an easy call at the top, Funny People or bust.

#1 movie predicted correctly: 0 Weeks in a Row
I just can't give this Knocked Up dollars. I liked it quite a bit, but it's not as marketable. If it goes higher than this it will be because there is basically no competition out there. At all.
Estimate: $27.1 million
A 43.5 percent drop is what I'm calling for. Will Aliens in the Attic take a chunk out of its flank?
Estimate: $17.9 million
Alert commenter Jacob made a good point last Sunday. The Sunday wrap-up should be about why movies made what they made. The Thursday Oracle projection columns should be about the predictions.

Now then, I've got this beating The Ugly Truth by a cool $300k. So yeah, it could go either way.

Estimate: $15.0 million
This should follow The Proposal's path… well, a two percent more dip because the names aren't as recognizable as Bullock.
Estimate: $14.7 million
I haven't seen anything resembling an advertisement for this film. How about you guys? Am I not watching enough Nickelodeon?
Estimate: $12.4 million
The genre just doesn't make huge grosses, which is why they make them so cheaply. Anyone want to take a guess as to the highest worldwide cume on a horror in 2009? Friday the 13th is the answer, and it didn't even hit $100m. After $113m for Saw V, I'd say Saw VI has a better than even shot to crack the $100m mark worldwide, but what about Halloween 2?
Estimate: $7.0 million
The Collector, if you're curious, will finish 11th. Hurt Locker 12th. And it will be the weakest weekend since April.
Estimate: $4.4 million
$164m worldwide cume on a production budget of $40m. That's playing with power. Expect another few rom-coms starring Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock… though probably not together again. That would just be lazy.
Estimate: $4.1 million
The original made $708m. This version will go over $800m this weekend. Advantage: Michael Bay.
Estimate: $3.8 million
The original made $383m worldwide. The sequel made $652m worldwide. This one stands at $686m, including a whopping half a billion internationally. Advantage: whatever Ray Romano charges for a few days of work.
Estimate: $3.5 million

You know the drill. Where did I go wrong? Can you see Knocked Up numbers for Funny People? Am I sleeping on Aliens in the Attic? Drop your predictions and witty insight posthaste.


Click Here to add an
Avatar to Your Account
Post #1
Gravatar

I think Funny People could end the weekend with $30M. About the other movies i think is all in the right spots.

- John (PT)
( July 30th, 2009 | 4:34 pm )
Reply to this comment
Post #2
Gravatar

Funny People: 35.9
G-Force: 17.9
Harry Potter: 16.2
The Ugly Truth: 12.7
Aliens in the Attic: 7.7
Orphan: 6.2
The Hangover: 5.0
Transformers II: 4.9
The Proposal:4.7
Ice Age III: 4.5

Extra:
The Collector: 3.3

- Sebastian
( July 30th, 2009 | 4:46 pm )
Reply to this comment
Post #3
Gravatar

"Aliens" is the wildcard. Seen movie previews for months, and without seeing reviews, does not look too bad. But still to many kids movies out there. I say it will get $18M, but not to surprised if it hit $25M and gets close to Funny People.

- Steve
( July 30th, 2009 | 5:07 pm )
Reply to this comment
Post #4
Gravatar

I've got Funny People at Pretty much the same numbers you do, Laremy… I have it's location average smack in the middle of the 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. Reactions have been pretty positive so far, aside from the complaints about the running time, so word of mouth shouldn't hurt it… but I think it's important to note that Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen have just come off duds (Observe and Report, Year One) so it will be interesting to see if that plays any effect on how much Funny People makes.

I also think Harry Potter will fall a bit less than what you are predicting… It now is playing at IMAX theaters, so that will definitely
stabalize it a bit.

One more thing about your predictions… I think that it's very possible that 500 Days of Summer could come in at 12th, or even 11th. It is playing at approximately 1/6 of the theaters that The Collector is playing in, so as long as it has 6x the location average (which isn't saying much, seeing as The Collector has been weakly advertised and
500 Days of Summer made nearly a 20,000 location average last weekend), it could beat it out at the box office.

1. Funny People- 28.1 million
2. G-Force- 18.5 million
3. Harry Potter 6- 17.4 million
4. The Ugly Truth- 16.0 million
5. Aliens In The Attic- 14.3
6. Orphan- 5.5 million
7. The Proposal- 5.1 million
8. Ice Age 3- 5.0 million
9. The Hangover- 4.6 million
10. Transformers 2- 4.4 million

- Bustray
( July 30th, 2009 | 5:48 pm )
Reply to this comment
Post #5
Gravatar

1. Funny People – $32M – It's a tough call. The movie looks very serious, but it does have Adam Sandler. But it's not crazy Adam Sandler. I think people will definitely come to check this one out. The marketing has been solid, and it could easily outdo Knocked Up for opening weekend. But after that. Tough call.

2. G-Force – $18M – This movie should lose around 45%. It's got Aliens in the Attic to contend with as well as the less than enthusiastic reviews. The weekday numbers aren't showing a lot of staying power. So, this seems right.

3. Harry Potter 6 – $16M – I've been talking to people and they aren't saying as many good things about the movie, so the replay value is over for this film. The IMAX theaters should keep the drop from being too outrageous.

4. The Ugly Truth – $14M – A lot of negative from this one as well. The R-rated audience could be checking out Funny People this weekend, but for romantic comedy thrills, this is the only non-Bullock film in town.

5. Aliens in the Attic – $12M – The only trailer I've seen for this film was back when it was still called They Came From Upstairs (a much better name in my opinion). I wouldn't be given the number this high if it wasn't for the fact that it's opening in over 3000 theaters. I'm not the audience, nor do I watch programs that would put this preview on. But I do live in New York, and I've yet to see a bus poster or a billboard, or anything else. From my office window, I can see four posters for G-Force. So, the marketing doesn't seem to be there.

6. Orphan – $5M
7. Ice Age 3 – $5M
8. Transformers 2 – $5M – These three films could easily displace each other. Orphan will take a huge drop. I'm leaving this as the rankings, but it will be close.

9. The Hangover – $4M
10. The Proposal – $3.5M – The only non-Heigl romantic comedy in town.

- The Check Spot
( July 30th, 2009 | 7:59 pm )
Reply to this comment
Post #6
Gravatar

I'm kinda shocked by the current 64% on RT right now, thought it would definitely fall in the same ballpark as Virgin/KU with the critics, but we'll see for ourselves (going tomorrow night, don't you love the opening night sold out crowds for comedies?).

I dropped my opinion on Funny People on Sunday's post, but it definitely SHOULD crack $30 and will probably have good holds, come the weekend after with G.I. Joe. I really wanna say $36-37m but I don't see it happening with that run time/somewhat serious tone.

1.) Funny People – $34.8m
2.) G-Force – $18.5m
3.) Harry Potter 6 – $17.2m
4.) The Ugly Truth – $15.8m
5.) Aliens in the Attic – $13.5m
6.) Orphan – $6.2m
7.) Transformers 2 – $4.8m
8.) Ice Age 3 – $4.6m
9.) The Hangover – $4.3m
10.) The Proposal / The Collector – $3m-ish

- Eli
( July 31st, 2009 | 1:19 am )
Reply to this comment
Post #7
Gravatar

1. Funny People – $36.2 million
2. G-Force – $17.5 million
3. Half-Blood Prince – $14.5 million
4. The Ugly Truth – $14.3 million
5. Aliens in the Attic – $10.9 million
6. Ice Age 3 – $6.6 million
7. Orphan – $5.6 million
8. The Hangover – $5.1 million
9. The Proposal – $4.9 million
10. Transformers 2 – $4.0 million

Runner-ups:

500 Days of Summer – $3.6 million
The Collector – $2.7 million
Public Enemies – $2.4 million
The Hurt Locker – $2.2 million

- Nick
( July 31st, 2009 | 2:32 am )
Reply to this comment
Post #8
Gravatar

1.) Funny People – $ 32.5 mil
2.) Harry Potter6 – $ 18.5 mil
3.) G-Force – $17.5 mil
4.) Ugly Truth – $ 16.5 mil
5.) Aliens in te Attic – $ 12 mil
6.) Orphan – $ 5.8mil
7.) Ice Age 3 – $ 4.5 mil
8.) The Hangover – $ 4.2 mil
9.) Transformers 2 – $ 3.8 mil
10.) The Proposal – $ 3.2 mil

- athar
( July 31st, 2009 | 5:21 am )
Reply to this comment
Post #9
Gravatar

1) Aliens in the Attic- $26 mil – It could go either way imo. This year hasn't been too bad for similar kids' movies, G-Force and Race to Witch Mountain earlier both pulled over $20 mil.

2) Funny People – $25 mil – Basing this off last year's Pineapple Express, I know that opened on a Wednesday but the ads were better IMO so should be about the same. I don't think Funny People's are funny – at all.

3) HP6 – $17 mil – G-Force leads weekdays so far, but it's pretty obvious aliens will hurt it more.

4) The Ugly Truth – $15 mil – should be similar enough to the Proposal

5) G – Force – $14 mil – 50%+ drops seem the norm now with not so great movies

- knuckles
( July 31st, 2009 | 7:05 am )
Reply to this comment
Post #10
Gravatar

This is pretty much how I see it also. The 'R' rating will drag Funny People down.
Good word of mouth will boost G-Force and the Ugly Truth. I see the Ugly Truth a bit higher though. Around the 17M range.
Too much competition for Aliens to even break 10M. That and there is not many adds to be found (TV spots and theatre adds). How are they supposed to sell this? No adds, No big names. Equals No draw. Movies that have little advertising or previews over the past year, have been trying to hide something (or should I say nothing).

- Bammer
( July 31st, 2009 | 8:06 am )
Reply to this comment
Post #11
Gravatar

I opened the NY Daily News today, and they had a giant ad for Funny People, a small ad for The Collector, and zero ads for Aliens in the Attic. I am dropping my Aliens prediction to about $8M this weekend.

- The Check Spot
( July 31st, 2009 | 8:47 am )
Reply to this comment
Post #12
Gravatar

I kinda suprised you don't even expect FP to make $30mill this weekend Laremy. Even Bruno a movie about a GAY Austrain dude doing mock shock humor for an hour and a half opened to $30mill. I mean this is Judd fricking Apatow the man responsible for two of the previous big breakout comedies in the summer over the last four years. Even if this isn't like any of his previous flicks the curosity around the whole Apatow/Sandler combo is enough to get people to see it. AS is red hot now in Hollywood and him finally teaming up with one of the most respected upcoming directors in Hollywood is a must see event.

- wrongturn687
( July 31st, 2009 | 12:56 pm )
Reply to this comment
Post #13
Gravatar

Aliens in the Attic will make "Imagine That" numbers, and it didn't even need Eddie Murphy's help!

- JAB
( July 31st, 2009 | 2:57 pm )
Reply to this comment
Post #14
Gravatar

fp 22 mil
g force 16
the collector 3 mil
aliens in the attic 8 mil

- jeremy wein
( August 1st, 2009 | 1:19 am )
Reply to this comment
~ PLEASE NOTE ~
If, in any way, your comment is an attack on the author of this post or a previous commenter, your comment will be deleted without question.
Leave Your Feedback
(required)
(will not be shown) (required)
DON'T WANT YOUR COMMENT DELETED?
Click to Read Our Commenting Rules & Guidelines
Follow Us On Twitter!
RSS Email
Latest Posts
Latest Video
Nine ~ TV Spot
New Pictures
Friend RopeofSilicon on Netflix!