TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count  / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 N MIB 3 Sony $69,2...


TWLWTitle (click to view)StudioWeekend Gross% ChangeTheater Count /ChangeAverageTotal GrossBudget*Week #
1NMIB 3Sony$69,254,717-4,248-$16,303$69,254,717-1
21Marvel's The AvengersBV$47,222,414-15.1%3,918-331$12,053$523,907,202$2204
32BattleshipUni.$13,938,030-45.4%3,702+12$3,765$47,443,375$2092
43The DictatorPar.$11,465,417-34.2%3,014+6$3,804$43,313,521$652
54Dark ShadowsWB$9,439,246-25.0%3,404-351$2,773$64,922,142$1503
6NChernobyl DiariesWB$9,355,124-2,433-$3,845$9,355,124-1
75What to Expect When You're ExpectingLGF$8,805,565-16.5%3,021-$2,915$23,826,813-2
86The Best Exotic Marigold HotelFoxS$8,360,743+158.8%1,233+879$6,781$18,564,239-4
97The Hunger GamesLGF$3,013,383+2.1%1,421-643$2,121$396,022,168$7810
108Think Like a ManSGem$1,814,607-31.5%786-936$2,309$88,686,548$126


  The Hunger Games reaches higher than TLaM in its 10th on the US charts and both movies are bound to exit in their respective next weekend. Both have still grossed above $1,000,000 and that is impressive. So TLaM will most definitely finish with just above $90m domestically off $12m and that is super impressive in an era of big-budget releases.
Not all mega-produced films did so well this year in America: Wrath of the Titans only made about $90m off $150m. Disney's John Carter miserably made just about $72m off $250m. The Hunger Games and The Avengers are doing pretty well and for the latter, rightfully so.
  The new entry Chernobyl Diaries opens at no.5 and has outgrossed its $1m with an approximated $8m. It stars well-known pop singer and Leonardo DiCaprio look-alike Jesse McCartney (whom I also used to be a big fan). He stars as and along with a group of 5 other tourists who visit the abandoned city Pipyat, the former home of the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. During their exploration, they discover they are not alone.
  Sure the plot seems original when you mention them visiting an abandoned nuclear disaster site instead of a haunted house. But the trailer doesn't show an ounce of horror durability. Though I'll catch this one when it releases on Blu-ray as I haven't seen a theatrically-released scary flick in a long time.

  Sasha Baron Cohen's The Dictator drops to no.4 in its 2nd week. This might as well be the comedy of the year. So far, 21 Jump Street has been the most brilliant. Dark Shadows has chosen a really bad date to be released in the States. The Johnny Depp headliner has made only $64m in its 3rd week at the BO off a budget of $150m. And has just made $20m in profit universally.
  Pre-pregnant rom-com What to Expect When You're Expecting grossed only $10.55m last week on its debut off a budget of $40m (this week $7.2m) and this is nothing compared to TLaM's opening of $30m. WtEWYE might end up with $55m at the end of its theatrical run.
  This LionsGate production has an ensemble cast of Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Dennis Quiad and Chris Rock. But event that doesn't save it from less budgeted and non star-powered TLaM's competitive gross. Relatively, both are based on bestselling books.
  Now for the BoxOffice101 correct prediction of the week: MIB3 lands directly on no.1 I mentioned in my last week's post that it would open at 1 or 2 and I am correct. It has successfully kicked Marvel's The Avengers off the top spot in their 4th week.
  MIB3 is also based on a comic series created by Lowell Cunningham. It is directed by Barry Sonnenfield (director of the first 2 installments) and written by Etan Cohen (co-written Tropic Thunder/Madagascar 2). So making this is first solo venture the result is bound to be unpredictable.
  The third part follows Agent J (Will Smith reprising his role) going back in time - the 60s to be exact - to stop an alien from assassinating Agent K (Josh Brolin) and changing history. Tommy Lee Jones also reprises his role as the older Agent K and he is a fine actor. Catch his film The Missing which is a treat.
  Men in Black 3 has made an estimated $70m entru in the States and Canada over Memorial Day (a 3-day weekend opening). Sad to say this is nothing compared to The Hunger Games and The Avengers. MIB3 has a megabudget of $215m. But the film almost manages to outgross its cost of production as when adding the worldwide figures it accumulates to $203.2m and that is impressive.
  Pundits have already announced that this feature will outgross its predecessors and I agree. It will have no problem beating the first's foreign total of about $340m and MIB 2's $251m. It also has the star power of Will Smith whose last 9 films have grossed above $100m worldwide. MIB 3 has been released in 3D and 2D globally. Catch this more extensive trailer to get a kick start of the plot:

  Just above $1.3b is Marvel's The Avengers total as of 29th May 2012. Will it reach $2b? I hope so but may not reach Titan's humongous cumulative of $2.2b and definitely not come close to Avatar's $2.8b...
  The latter 2 films are both directed by James Cameron whose name has been cemented in box office ink. I'm just afraid of the sequel to Avatar. Will it be the first to reach $3b? Looks like it.

(Chart by Box Office Mojo)


TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count  / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 1 Marvel's The...


TWLWTitle (click to view)StudioWeekend Gross% ChangeTheater Count /ChangeAverageTotal GrossBudget*Week #
11Marvel's The AvengersBV$55,644,102-46.0%4,249-100$13,096$457,665,517$2203
2NBattleshipUni.$25,534,825-3,690-$6,920$25,534,825$2091
3NThe DictatorPar.$17,435,092-3,008-$5,796$24,476,173$651
42Dark ShadowsWB$12,583,338-57.6%3,755-$3,351$50,721,759$1502
5NWhat to Expect When You're ExpectingLGF$10,547,068-3,021-$3,491$10,547,068-1
68The Best Exotic Marigold HotelFoxS$3,230,584+20.9%354+176$9,126$8,228,025-3
74The Hunger GamesLGF$2,950,331-34.5%2,064-467$1,429$391,581,441$789
83Think Like a ManSGem$2,650,549-54.4%1,722-330$1,539$85,838,460$125
95The Lucky OneWB$1,778,453-56.7%2,005-834$887$56,934,628-5
107The Pirates! Band of MisfitsSony$1,578,632-49.8%1,840-1,239$858$25,490,136$554
  Finally, I get the chance to show off my forecasting skills. As predicted 2 weeks before Battleship sinks at no.2 with a gross the half of The Avengers.
  Both Battleship and The Avengers had a world premiere on April 11, 2012. The difference is that of May 22 Bship has grossed just above $240m worldwide compared to our Marvel superheroes' over $1,800,000.000!
  So is it must be rightly said that Taylor Kitsch who has a main role in both Bship and John Carter will garner a name for himself in being 'the actor whose films always badly underperform'.  I also think that Battleship should've been released at the start of the year where the New Year gross could've saved it. Maybe it could've made a very quick $800m in January. So bad marketing people.
  Due to The Avengers buzz I forgot that The Dictator starring famed comedian Sacha Baron Cohen (Ali G Indiahouse, Borat, Bruno). The best comedy film of this year so far, in my opinion, is 21 Jump Street. But it has a big chance of being overwhelmed by the mastery of Cohen's acting skills
  The plot follows Cohen play a Dictator of a fictional North African county visiting America. And we all know what happens to foreign leaders (with giant hairy beards) when they visit the US. The trailer proves it could be a must-watch:

  It lands at no.3 surprisingly outgrossing Johnny Depp's Dark Shadows which was at no.2 last week.  The Dictator is directed by Larry Charles who also directed the hit mockumentaries Borat and Bruno starring the same actor in the lead role. Written by Cohen along with 3 other screenwriters.
  The Hunger Games is still at the US chart in its 9th week. It'll probably leave on the 11th. I also predict that Men in Black 3 would land at no.1 or most probably 2 next week due to The Avenger's uproar. Also Think Like a Man has made just above $85m off a $12m budget domestically which is a big breakthrough for Indie films compared to the pressure faced by mega budget action features recently released.
  That's all for now. Catch the US box office next Tuesday to see Men in Black 3's exciting opening.

(Chart from Box Office Mojo)

Bruce Willis (Die Hard 1-4, Surrogates, Hostage, Red) Sylvester Stallone (Rambo 4, Cobra, The Expendables, D-Tox) Jean-Claude Van Damme ...

  1. Bruce Willis (Die Hard 1-4, Surrogates, Hostage, Red)
  2. Sylvester Stallone (Rambo 4, Cobra, The Expendables, D-Tox)
  3. Jean-Claude Van Damme (Timecop, Sudden Death, Wake of Death, Replicant, Until Death, Assassination Games, In Hell)
  4. Liam Neeson (Taken, The Grey, Unknown, Star Wars - The Phantom Menace)
  5. Dwayne Johnson AKA The Rock (Walking Tall, The Rundown, Faster, Fast Five)
  6. Jackie Chan (Rumble in the Bronx, Rush Hour 1-2, The Tuxedo, The Medallion, The Myth, The Forbidden Kingdom)
  7. Nicolas Cage, also my all-genre fav actor (Con Air, Face Off, National Treasure 1-2, 8mm, The Rock, Gone in 60 seconds)
  8. Hugh Jackman (Swordfish, X-men 1-3, Real Steel, The Prestige)
  9. Jason Statham (The Transporter 1-3, Death Race, The Expendables)
  10. Jet Li (The One, The Expendables, Romeo Must Die, Kiss of the Dragon, The Forbidden Kingdom, Cradle 2 The Grave)
  11. Keanu Reeves (The Matrix Trilogy, Point Break)
  12. Wesley Snipes (Blade 1-3, The Art of War, Undisputed)
  13. Scott Adkins (Undisputed 2-3)
  14. Luke Goss (Death Race 2)
  15. Danny Trejo (Machete, Con Air)
  Note: These only concern H-town actors as if it was a global film industry list the first would be Thai martial artist Tony Jaa (The Protector, Ong Bak 1-2)  and 2nd Donnie Yen of Chinese films (Ip Man 1-2, 14 Blades, Flash point). And worst would be Rajinikanth.
  Catch The Rock and Bruce Willis along with Channing Tatum in GI Joe 2 releasing this year in late June globally.
  An ensemble cast of Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jet Li, Sylvester Stallone, Van Damme, Norris, Chris Hemsworth, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Lundgren, Scott Adkins, and Jason Statham star in The Expendables 2 releasing in August 2012 worldwide. 

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count  / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 1 Marvel's The...


TWLWTitle (click to view)StudioWeekend Gross% ChangeTheater Count /ChangeAverageTotal GrossBudget*Week #
11Marvel's The AvengersBV$103,052,274-50.3%4,349-$23,696$373,071,647$2202
2NDark ShadowsWB$29,685,274-3,755-$7,906$29,685,274$1501
32Think Like a ManSGem$5,816,108-28.3%2,052+42$2,834$81,432,840$124
43The Hunger GamesLGF$4,505,362-19.4%2,531-263$1,780$387,007,048$788
55The Lucky OneWB$4,107,492-23.5%2,839-166$1,447$53,788,233-4
66The Five-Year EngagementUni.$3,314,010-34.1%2,569-372$1,290$24,623,420$303
74The Pirates! Band of MisfitsSony$3,143,442-42.9%3,079-279$1,021$23,047,000$553
816The Best Exotic Marigold HotelFoxS$2,672,140+262.5%178+151$15,012$3,744,656-2
99ChimpanzeeBV$1,755,507-29.3%1,559+28$1,126$25,717,478-4
107Safe (2012)LGF$1,447,174-45.9%1,690-581$856$15,717,429-3
  Well. duh it reached that milestone in 19 days. If you have a opening in the US of over $200m what else can be forecast.
  Now The Avengers starring an ensemble cast of Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johannson, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury was built to break records. The film had its worldwide premiere on April 11, 2012 and released in the UAE on May 3 to full houses. It broke midnight screening records in the US. In North America, the presales tickets exceeded those of all of last year Marvel live-action film releases.
  Hell, they exceeded in NOT making Thor look gay in his feature film of 2011. So The Avengers' success does not come as a surprise as all of last year's Marvel releases opened to positive to mixed reviewed and covered their budget by $200-$300m.

  The Avengers has become the highest-grossing film based on comics (created by the late Jack Kirby and legend Stan Lee respectively). It has become the biggest grossing superhero film and the fifth highest grosser distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. It shares its speed of earning the $1b milestone with Avatar, and Harry Potter - The Deathly Hallows Part 2. That speed being 19 days.
  Rotten Tomatoes gives it 93% certified fresh and why wouldn't it be? I watched it in the theatre 2 times and I'm still craving another viewing. This film will excite both comic book fans and those who have never read a page. I'll give a full review later on. The current rating on IMDB is 8.7/10 and the running time is 2 hours, 23 minutes and you'll never feel that you wasted that time.
  Think Like a Man falls to no. 3 spot in its 4th week. No surprise Johnny Depp's Dark Shadows reached no.2 but fails to beat The Avengers (as predicted). The horror comedy film is based on the mid 60s soap opera series of the same name. And its based on vampires and unsurprisingly directed by Tim Burton. This mark Depp's eighth collaboration with Burton that started with Edward Scissorhands (a teen fantasy romantic film), which I found one of Depp's best acting flicks and Burton's only movie that I would recommend. The trailer is quite impressive though and I'm looking forward to watch this one:

 Battleship might reach no.2 or no.3 next weekend. The only film that can and most probably beat the superhero squad is Men in Black 3 releasing on May 25 with a strong budget of $215m.
  So I'm excited for the weekend after next...

TW LW Title (click to view) Studio Weekend Gross % Change Theater Count  / Change Average Total Gross Budget* Week # 1 N Marvel's The...


TWLWTitle (click to view)StudioWeekend Gross% ChangeTheater Count /ChangeAverageTotal GrossBudget*Week #
1NMarvel's The AvengersBV$207,438,708-4,349-$47,698$207,438,708$2201
21Think Like a ManSGem$8,106,166-54.0%2,010-5$4,033$73,135,600$123
33The Hunger GamesLGF$5,587,661-48.3%2,794-778$2,000$380,614,659$787
42The Pirates! Band of MisfitsSony$5,502,482-50.6%3,358-$1,639$18,665,941$552
54The Lucky OneWB$5,368,115-50.3%3,005-170$1,786$47,775,060-3
65The Five-Year EngagementUni.$5,029,110-52.6%2,941+5$1,710$19,133,015$302
76Safe (2012)LGF$2,677,125-66.1%2,271+5$1,179$13,080,883-2
87The RavenRela.$2,636,780-63.8%2,209+6$1,194$12,176,125$262
98ChimpanzeeBV$2,484,456-52.5%1,531-36$1,623$23,101,889-3
109The Three StoogesFox$1,832,333-64.5%2,174-931$843$39,669,015$304
  I wrongly predicted that The Avengers won't beat the opening of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. The last film of the HP series made a massive $169m on its opening weekend. I also thought Avengers' would equal the opening of The Dark Knight ($158.4m) but it did a lot more than that. Though I did correctly predict it would beat The Hunger Games ($152.2m).
  Marvel's The Avengers, based on the superhero team comic-book series written by legends Stan Lee and the late Jack Kirby, has earned just over $205m in just 3 days at the US theatres. I saw this one recently and I have to say it's a summer blockbuster must-watch! (review coming soon).
  It has broken multiple records which weren't predicted by me and other box office pundits: Fastest to $100m. Fastest to $150m. Fastest to $200m.
  Now many people had this feature on top of their summer watchlist. Even the female fanbase. But I'm shocked it beat Harry Potter's said to be unbeatable record. This has also sparked the interest of viewing superhero movies again which was lost by last year's Green Lantern and the uninteresting grosses of Captain America: The First Avenger and X-Men: First Class. Last year only Thor is to be considered a masterpiece not only commercially (approximately $450m worldwide) and critically (Rotten Tomatoes: 77%, BoxOffice101: 3/4). So I wasn't surprised to see Thor not being underrated in this hot seasoned entertainer.
  Joss Whedon has written and directed The Avengers off a story by him and Zak Penn. Whedon enjoys cult status and is a well renowned TV writer having created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly along with popular others. This being his 2nd mainstream film he does a pretty good job at it and although his first film (Serenity 2005) barely managed to reach its budget, this year luck favours him. His co-written horror film that has gotten critics jumping is off the top 10 week this list after its 3rd week. It has made just above $45m off $12m and I'm super eager to see it. It will release on May 10, 012 in the UAE.
  This week also marks Think Like a Man's fall off the top (as predicted last week) along with The Hunger Games at no.3. Both no.2 and no.3 haven't managed to make up to $10m this week and I'm sure Battleship won't take The Avengers off the highest rank with its North America debut on May 18. Men in Black 3 will do that though.
  That's enough for one weekend folks. BoxOffice101 predicted that Marvel's The Avengers would made $990m - $1b. Now let's see how much it ends up with in the end...
 
(Chart by Box Office Mojo)