Box-Office Wrap-Up: 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Scores $54 Million While 'The Change-Up' Stumbles
Apes over-perform, but can they hold momentum through next weekend?
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| On a $93 million budget, Rise of the Planet of the Apes managed to bring in an estimated $54 million and it did so without any major A-list talent. Looking back, James Franco isn't a box-office draw and nobody even knows who director Rupert Wyatt is. To tell the truth, I'm quite happy with the American public at the moment for supporting a film in which apes take over the world. I was concerned such a risky venture wouldn't be able to strike up enough curiosity in audiences to go see it and I wasn't alone as Rise of the Apes now holds the fifth highest August opening of all-time. Laremy remained confident in his $50.4 million prediction and when you consider the fact this film was made for $70 million less than last week's Cowboys & Aliens it certainly goes to show audiences can be encouraged to go to the theaters for something a bit more challenging over something as rudimentary as aliens in the Wild West. On the reader side of things, predictions were all over the board. One reader said, "50 million is way too high for this. I think 35 million tops." Another writes, "Apes will be lucky to get $30 million." Reader predictions ranged from $17-70 million with "tom z" having the closest prediction at $52.1 million. Based on the A- Cinemascore and the solid hold over Saturday and Sunday after opening at $19.7 on Friday is a good sign Apes may be able to hold up next weekend with reports that it is appealing to all age groups and that women are making up 44% of the audience. Weekend: $54 million RottenTomatoes Score: 81% Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #1 and his prediction of $50.4 million was $3.6m off for a percentage error of 6.67%. | |
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Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #3 with $19.22 million, which is $1.78m off for a 8.48% error.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #2 with $20.4 million, which is $4.7m off for a 29.94% error.
As for predictions go, Laremy was a bit high as were most of the predictions that ranged from the low teens all the way up to $33 million as both of this weekend's new releases were tricky picks. Chris Etrata, however, wasn't confused when it came to this one as his $13 million prediction bested the board.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #4 with $16.8 million, which is $3.3m off for a 24.44% error.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #6 with $11.76 million, which is $1.24m off for a 9.54% error.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #5 with $13.19 million, which is $1.03m off for a 8.47% error.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #7 with $9.93 million, which is $2.17m off for a 17.93% error.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #8 with $4.73 million, which is $0.03m off for a 0.64% error.
However, the bigger R-rated comedy story of the weekend is Bridesmaids, which has now crossed the $250 million mark worldwide with $166.5 million domestically, another $89.8 million internationally on a $33 million budget.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #9 with $3.35 million, which is $1.25m off for a 27.17% error.
Laremy's rank: Laremy picked it to finish #10 with $2.62 million, which is $0.38m off for a 12.67% error.
In other new release news, the limited release must see Bellflower opened in only two theaters and took in $24,000 and the Rachel Weisz-led The Whistleblower opened in seven theaters and brought in $58,100.
And now comes time to explore our options when it comes to next week's offerings.
Things begin early on Wednesday, August 10 as The Help hits theaters. It's a solid film and one that is going to bring in a lot of money, but what will the early opening do when it comes to predicting its weekend box-office total?
Opening next Friday we have another R-rated comedy in 30 Minutes or Less, the R-rated 3D experience Final Destination 5 and Glee: The 3D Concert Movie. You expecting any of these to break out?
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FINAL DESTINATION 5 will top next weekend!
Final destination 5 might win next weekend simply due to Help's Wednesday opening burning off demand.
So The whistle blower making $58,100 on 7 screens. Is that good?
I find this fascinating……………just as I was ranting about How Do You Know inexplicably costing $120 million to create a half-dozen apartments, you have the visual effects heavy Apes coming in with a sub $100 million price tag? Is that budget maybe a bit low?
But it's nice to see what I get the impression is a decent film over-performing against expectations. If that budget is true, and the revenues hold, it would seem a sequel should be in order before too long.
Next weekend if I was going to the cinema I would want to go and see 'Final Destination 5' because the others look more like 'wait til rental' if need be, than 'must see in theatres'.
But in the US the 3D market has diminished since The Final Destination in 2009 used it to the franchise's advantage in setting a record high then. FD5 might struggle to do the same domestically, but like other genre franchises, clean up a lot better internationally, since 3D is still popular everywhere else.
I'd be tempted to suspect that if it can hold strongly enough then Rise of The Planet of the Apes could quite well be able to take a second weekend at the top.
Transformers 4? Why not? Disney is doing Pirates 5 and they're just as 'bad' film-wise. If you've just pulled in a Billion, there's obviously a market for more.
The latest Potter also grossed a billion, however that was the franchise's swan song so just because a film grosses a billion, doesn't always mean a sequel is inevitable, otherwise Titanic would have been joined by a sequel or 2 courtesy of James Cameron.
On the other hand you don't always need $1 billion to warrent a sequel. The 007 franchise is notorious for this. Casino Royale is the highest grossing film of it's series, but even that didn't gross a billion and got 2 sequels reguardless (Quantum of Solace and the as of yet untitled 23rd 007).
Titanic was not a franchise or a sequel, Transformers is both, and it's grossed more with each installment than the previous film when total global is factored.
Although actually they did try and very loosely try to work out a way to make a sequel to Titanic at the time (this would probably be around 1998), but it never really gained serious traction and I'm not sure if it was Cameron himself who finally nixed the idea. The Titanic story being much more self-contained by it's very nature and not really lending itself to a sequel.
Clive Cussler novels notwithstanding.
However, yes, it is blindingly obvious that you don't need to pull in a billion to earn a sequel either. If studios did, then there would be virtually no sequels ever.
You don't even need a theatrical release to get a sequel…………..Lake Placid 3?
Does "Rope of Silicon" mean anything or is it just a random phrase? How did you come up with it? I'm very curious.
amazing question… i am quite curious as well
I've always wondered that too!
Maybe it's a way of saying they are obsessed with films. There's a Prince song about being strangled by technology. But why not turn it into a positive with a website?
Can't find it on the new version of the website, but the old version had a section which basically said that they won't explain what Rope of Silicon means or what its origin is…
That doesn't make any sense. Why refuse to explain his own website's name?
Kudos to Apes… I really didn't see it coming (and kudos to this who did with their picks.) like Winchester, I'm surprised they could bring it in with such a low budget when there apparently weren't any real apes on screen.
I'd say that based on those numbers Captain America seems to be doing fine. It's only around $2m behind Thor domestically at this point, cost less to make and has been earning more on the weekdays (and has apparently been doing it with a much lower 3D percentage). The $76m internationally is in a limited number of markets and only includes the opening week in those. It seems on track to earn more worldwide than higher budgeted successes that have sequels in the works.
Don Murphy already said there will be a 4th, and it won't be a reboot
I can't see Paramount not wanting to continue the Transformers gravy train, considering they fully own the franchise. They only distributed Marvel Studios' films for a percentage of the grosses, and that film deal is over.
They can make a fourth film, but they need to be prepared to shell out money if they want to keep Michael Bay and LaBeouf. A more simple method is hire Rupert Wyatt off his "Rise of the Apes" success and get a new cast. There's plenty of decent sequels where they don't have many returning characters — and Transformers is one of those.
It's not a question of Paramount wanting to continue with a still growing franchise. It's whether Michael Bay wants to continue with it. Paramount already had to play the loyalty card to get Bay to do this Transformers. Does he want to do another?
LaBeouf is as replaceable as Megan Fox in the series. The stars are the robots.
Very nice hold over for Crazy Stupid Love. And that 50 million budget is more than reasonable considering the talent involved. All of whom deservedley command their respective salaries. I can understand the scathing response to the bidget for Brooks's last film, but questions for a film like this seem unreasonable.
Remember, Hollywood, grown-ups still go to the movies.
I think "Rise of the Apes" may be the biggest surprise of the year so far, right?
I would say Bridesmaids. When the studio decided to make "The Hangover for females", did people really think that was going to work? And work well enough to add mojo to similar films?
I was surprised with Rise of the Apes, though. Apparantly, the goodwill from the original films is box office gold.
My early predictions for next weekend:
1) RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
U$28.1M (-48%)
2) FINAL DESTINATION 5
U$26M
3) 30 MINUTES OR LESS
U$14.8M
4) THE SMURFS
U$13.5M (-36%)
5) THE HELP
U$12M
Of course they'll continue the Transformers franchise. Just as long as idiots continue to waste money seeing it and drive up their profit margins.
I still don't get all the hate for Cowboys and Aliens, I think it will have a lot of international appeal.
Care to tell is why you believe that?
Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford for two!
I'm glad to see the support for such films as Bridesmaids and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Both of these film turned out to be great despite my initial reservations. Bravo to both.
Also, congrats to Harry Potter and friends, it is quite fitting that the best film in the series is now, also, the most successful at the box office. Much love.
According to http://www.boxofficemojo.com the new "Apes" film took in $23 million from international markets for a total global take of $77 million. Not too shabby for a film with a $93 million budget, which means everything it takes in after next weekend is gravy. This film will net a tidy sum for the studio. I smell SEQUEL!! Can't wait.
Finally, it was nice to see a Hollywood premiere held in Mississippi last week, for The Help. Shoutout to my hometown of Jackson, Mississippi being featured in a critically-acclaimed film!! I hope it does boffo business at the box office.
Thems the facts
Planet of the apes will take top spot next weekend over final destination 5. Too bad for cowboys and aliens. I hope it reaches 100 million. I Saw it today and I really liked it.
Gosh, that's it; the end of summer 2011, and what a let down it was. It was such a boring summer as far as movies are concerned. To be hones next summer looks just as crap. The only movie I'm curious about is WORLD WAR Z, but that's only because the screenplay I read a few years back was very cool, unlike the Max Brooks book which was terrible.
Brad, I would be pleased if you wrote a report on this summer's crop of flicks, assessing it both creatively and economically. I think you can frame the argument better than what I am in this comment.
Definitely surprised that Apes opened so high. Next weekend could be close…Final Destination is the safe pick, but this will be the first 3D horror film since 3D started its downward slide this summer. Will people still pay the inflated prices for horror or not? I'm guessing they still will, so I think it should hit $30-35 million. That's probably enough to beat Apes, but if word of mouth is good it could get close to $30 million too. 30 Minutes or Less could even conceivably be in the mix, but it'll probably be around $20-25 million. I don't know what to think about The Help or Glee dollar-wise just yet, but neither will win the weekend.
Also I was way off on my worldwide Potter prediction…it actually passed The Return of the King yesterday. Opening in China pushed up its international numbers. And it's starting to hold better than at least the last three of the franchise in terms of weekend drops. $400 million domestic is still in play.
I saw Planet of the Apes solely based on Brad's rec. And thx Brad, I was pleasantly surprised. It really was a good movie. I had written it off earlier this summer and figured I'd wait for dvd. Glad I didn't.
I also saw Cowboys & Aliens because I just refused to believe that a movie that had so much going for it could be bad. But it was a huge bore, sorry to say.