As the summer season closes, I had an incredible weekend of predictions. I correctly predicted all top 5 films in order and my top 5 predictions were off by a combined $7.3 million. I’d say that is pretty strong. So let’s see how all the films did.
The Final Destination opened at #1 with a gross of $28.3 million (I predicted $25 million) and a per theatre average of $9,079. The opening marked the highest opening weekend for the franchise, and it has a great chance of becoming the highest grossing film of the franchise [Final Destination 3-D holds that mark at $54 million]. The film was well marketed, had the benefit of being in 3-D, which inflates the box office gross, and was a good film to end summer with. The question to be asked now is how well will it hold up in its 2nd weekend? We’ll have to wait until next weekend for the answer.
In 2nd place is Inglourious Basterds. The Quentin Tarantino//Brad Pitt collaboration was only off 47.3% from last weekend for a gross of $20 million (I predicted $21.3 million), and a per theatre average of $6,332. Its total gross stands at $73.7 million, so $100 million is definitely going to happen. It is an excellent sign for a film to have such a strong per theatre average in its second weekend, so this shows that audiences like the film as much as critics do. This will become Tarantino’s highest grossing film [Pulp Fiction is his highest at $107.9 million]. These are excellent numbers for a film released in August.
In 3rd place is Halloween II with a gross of $17.4 million (I predicted $18 million) and a per theatre average of $5,754. Not stellar numbers by any means, but a lot of people found this sequel to be unnecessary. The first one did all right at the box office, but was generally panned by audiences and critics alike. This horror film is definitely geared more to the adults, but the biggest challenge Halloween II will have is next weekend, and how well it holds up. Horror films usually collapse on the 2nd weekend, so we’ll see what happens to Halloween II and The Final Destination.
In 4th place is District 9 which was down 41.3% from last weekend for a total gross of $10.7 million (I predicted $10.9 million) and a per theatre average of $3,365. The total gross stands at $90.8 million. The film is still playing strong and I don’t think anyone would have predicted that District 9 would gross over $100 million at the start of the summer.
In 5th place is a film that just keeps hanging around the Top 5. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra dropped 34.5% to gross $8 million (I predicted $6.1 million), and has a per theatre average of $2,307. I said that my brain and my gut were having a battle over what the #5 film would be, and I correctly used my gut (so I guess that proves I’m not very smart, if my stomach is smarter than my brain). G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra has made $132.4 million in its 4 week run.
As for other films I made predictions for:
Julie & Julia did finish in 6th place as I predicted and grossed $7.4 million (I said $5.72 million). It had an incredible hold, and only dropped 15.9% from last weekend. This once again proves that you never doubt a film with Meryl Streep at the box office. The total gross for Julie & Julia stands at $70.9 million
The Time Traveler’s Wife finished in 7th place as I predicted and grossed $6.7 million (I predicted $5.6 million). It was down 30.8% from last weekend and its total gross is $48.1 million.
The other new release this weekend was Taking Woodstock. It never had a chance of making the Top 5 because it was not given a big launch. It debuted in 1,393 theatres, and grossed $3.7 million to finish in the #9 spot. Its per theatre average was a dismal $2,691.
In very limited release, the documentary The September Issue which is about Vogue magazine’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour putting together the Fall 2008 issue of the magazine opened in 6 theatres and grossed $240,078 for a sparkling per theatre average of $40,013
So once again, here were my predictions:
1) The Final Destination – $25 million
2) Inglourious Basterds – $21.3 million
3) Halloween II – $18 million
4) District 9 – $10.9 million
5) G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – $6.1 million
And here are the actual numbers:
1) The Final Destination – $28.3 million
2) Inglourious Basterds – $20 million
3) Halloween II – $17.4 million
4) District 9 – $10.7 million
5) G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – $6.1 million
Scotty G’s Top 5 Predictions were off by: $7.3 million
Next weekend brings us All About Steve, Gamer and Extract. Check back next week Friday for my predictions.
Scotty! Nailed it!