The box office results for the weekend of November 2nd – 4th finally displays substantial revenues at theaters. Two newbies, Wreck-It Ralph and Flight, ignited the holiday cinematic season while Argo held strong once again. Here are the studio estimates:
1. Wreck-It Ralph ($49.1 million)
2. Flight ($25 million)
3. Argo ($10.2 million)
4. The Man with the Iron Fists ($8.2 million)
5. Taken 2 ($6 million)
6. Cloud Atlas ($5.2 million)
7. Hotel Transylvania ($4.5 million)
8. Paranormal Activity 4 ($4.3 million)
9. Here Comes the Boom ($3.6 million)
10. Silent Hill: Revelation 3D ($3.3 million)
Analysis
Wreck-It Ralph is off to a rock-solid start but it’s definitely going to need to maintain some momentum in week #2 if it wants to build profits off that $165 million production budget. But with no other animation on-tap until Thanksgiving, this should perform admirably for Disney.
Even though Flight came in second, it’s actually in a better position than this weekend’s leader. With a production budget of $31 million, and stellar reviews from both the lovely critics and audiences, this could end performing much like Argo is at the moment (dropped just 15% from last weekend). In other words, it will avoid major percentage dips over the next 3-4 weeks and score the black ink from Paramount.
The other new guy joining the party this past Friday, just didn’t have enough punch to put its respective investors’ minds at ease. The Man with the Iron Fists landed with a thud in trying to go the “alternate route” with a high-octane martial arts action flick. Outside of the niche market these flicks attract, that relatively small production budget of $20 million may end up causing more damage than once thought. Everyone involved will be looking to make up the difference during the DVD/On-Demand circuit.
Hotel Transylvania currently holds the longest streak in the top ten with 6 weeks. The 3D animated Halloween cash-grab (for suckers) is now up to $137.5 million on the domestic front off a production budget of $85 million.
This Friday, Bond, James Bond, returns in Skyfall. And that’s all you get this week my fellow Shockers!
