Box Office Guru Wrapup: Ghost Rider Smokes Rivals During Record Presidents' Day Weekend
Hollywood studios opened five new wide releases targeting different audiences and were rewarded with a record-breaking Presidents' Day holiday weekend tally as moviegoers opened their wallets and spread their cash across a variety of films. The comic book actioner "Ghost Rider" led the way with an explosive debut while the family drama "Bridge to Terabithia" was a solid performer in the runnerup spot.
The quintet of freshman films pumped in more than $100M of new business over the Friday-to-Sunday portion of the long weekend as the top ten soared to the highest gross in box office history during the January-to-April span.
Nicolas Cage led the bustling box office and set a new career high in the process with "Ghost Rider" which opened at number one grossing an estimated $44.5M over three days doubling the performance of its nearest competitor. Averaging a scorching $12,296 from an ultrawide release in 3,619 locations, the Sony smash based on the popular Marvel Comics character outgunned the $35.1M bow of "National Treasure," Cage's previous best opening. The studio reported a preliminary four-day estimate for "Ghost Rider" of $51M over the extended Friday-to-Monday holiday span.
The PG-13 film performed much like director Mark Steven Johnson's last film, 2003's "Daredevil," which was also based on a Marvel Comics character and launched over the same holiday frame. That Ben Affleck vehicle bowed to $40.3M over three days and $45M over four days which at today's ticket prices would be almost identical to the "Ghost" numbers. Cage's new motorcycle actioner will also set a new opening weekend record for the Washington-Lincoln holiday session beating the $45.1M four-day launch of the studio's own "50 First Dates" from 2004.
Fanboys as expected powered "Ghost Rider" to its stellar grosses. Sony research indicated that an exceptionally high 62% of the turnout was male while 55% was under the age of 25. The effects-driven pic accounted for one-third of all ticket sales within the top ten and posted the largest opening of any film over the last six months.
Finishing the weekend in second place was Disney's "Bridge to Terabithia" which collected an estimated $22.1M worth of ticket stubs over the Friday-to-Sunday period. The PG-rated fantasy about two seventh graders who imagine a magical wonderland to escape to averaged a sturdy $7,032 from 3,139 theaters. Earning strong reviews from critics, "Bridge" was adapted from the popular novel and played to younger children and their parents.
Last weekend's number one flick "Norbit" fell 51% in its second weekend which considering all the new competition was a decent hold for the Eddie Murphy comedy. The Paramount release collected an estimated $16.8M over three days and lifted its ten-day cume to a solid $58.9M. The studio also reported a preliminary four-day estimate of $20.6M which would send the 11-day cume to $62.7M. "Norbit" marked the best ten-day start for a Murphy live-action picture since 2000's summer hit "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" which took in $76.7M by the end of its second weekend on its way to $123.3M.
Opening in fourth place with an estimated $14M was the Hugh Grant-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy "Music and Lyrics." The Warner Bros. release about a washed up 80s singer who falls for a plant waterer averaged a respectable $4,738 from 2,955 locations and took in $19.5M since debuting on Wednesday for Valentine's Day. Reviews were mixed for the PG-13 film and the three-day gross was similar to the opening of Grant's 2002 hit "Two Weeks Notice" ($14.3M) and a bit better than Barrymore's "Fever Pitch" which bowed to $12.4M two years ago. In its second weekend in the U.K., "Music" slipped only 17% and has grossed $10.5M in that market thus far and $14.2M overall internationally.
Lionsgate followed in fifth with another date film that bowed on the love holiday, Tyler Perry's "Daddy's Little Girls." The PG-13 pic grossed an estimated $12.1M from 2,111 theaters for a solid $5,732 average over three days. Since launching on Wednesday, the tale of an attorney who couples up with a single working class father has taken in $17.8M. The opening was a far cry from the debuts of the filmmaker's recent comedy hits. Last February, "Madea's Family Reunion" opened to $30M on its way to $63.3M while the previous year, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" opened to $21.9M before finishing with $50.4M. Both films were released by Lionsgate on the last weekend of February and starred Perry as the outrageous Madea character. "Girls" may have generated less audience interest without Perry on screen.
Older adults lined up for the FBI thriller "Breach" which debuted better than expected with an estimated $10.4M from only 1,489 sites. The PG-13 film which stars Ryan Phillippe and Chris Cooper averaged a strong $6,965 per theater and earned good reviews. According to studio research from Universal, half of the audience was over the age of 50 and 52% of the crowd was female. The studio also reported a preliminary four-day estimate of $12.1M and $8,155 average.
"Hannibal Rising" sank to seventh place in its second weekend tumbling 58% to an estimated $5.5M. With $22.2M in ten days, look for the MGM release to reach about $30M. Universal's comedy "Because I Said So" followed with an estimated $5M, off 46%, for a $33.2M cume.
Sony's former number one "The Messengers" dropped 47% and scared up an estimated $3.8M giving the thriller a total of $30.5M. Fox's Ben Stiller action-comedy "Night at the Museum" grossed an estimated $3.7M, down 36%, and lifted its tally to $237.3M becoming the first film to spend nine straight weekends in the top ten since last winter's "The Chronicles of Narnia." "Night" also climbed up to number 46 on the list of all-time domestic blockbusters sandwiching itself between a pair of action-comedy hits from 1984 - "Ghostbusters" ($238.6M) and "Beverly Hills Cop" ($234.8M). Of course, ticket prices were much lower two decades ago so "Night" has sold fewer tickets.
The top ten films grossed an estimated $137.8M over three days which was up a stunning 30% from last year when "Eight Below" opened at number one with $20.2M; and up a healthy 26% from 2005 when "Hitch" remained on top with $31.4M in its sophomore session.
Author: Gitesh Pandya, www.BoxOfficeGuru.com
The quintet of freshman films pumped in more than $100M of new business over the Friday-to-Sunday portion of the long weekend as the top ten soared to the highest gross in box office history during the January-to-April span.
Nicolas Cage led the bustling box office and set a new career high in the process with "Ghost Rider" which opened at number one grossing an estimated $44.5M over three days doubling the performance of its nearest competitor. Averaging a scorching $12,296 from an ultrawide release in 3,619 locations, the Sony smash based on the popular Marvel Comics character outgunned the $35.1M bow of "National Treasure," Cage's previous best opening. The studio reported a preliminary four-day estimate for "Ghost Rider" of $51M over the extended Friday-to-Monday holiday span.
The PG-13 film performed much like director Mark Steven Johnson's last film, 2003's "Daredevil," which was also based on a Marvel Comics character and launched over the same holiday frame. That Ben Affleck vehicle bowed to $40.3M over three days and $45M over four days which at today's ticket prices would be almost identical to the "Ghost" numbers. Cage's new motorcycle actioner will also set a new opening weekend record for the Washington-Lincoln holiday session beating the $45.1M four-day launch of the studio's own "50 First Dates" from 2004.
Fanboys as expected powered "Ghost Rider" to its stellar grosses. Sony research indicated that an exceptionally high 62% of the turnout was male while 55% was under the age of 25. The effects-driven pic accounted for one-third of all ticket sales within the top ten and posted the largest opening of any film over the last six months.
Finishing the weekend in second place was Disney's "Bridge to Terabithia" which collected an estimated $22.1M worth of ticket stubs over the Friday-to-Sunday period. The PG-rated fantasy about two seventh graders who imagine a magical wonderland to escape to averaged a sturdy $7,032 from 3,139 theaters. Earning strong reviews from critics, "Bridge" was adapted from the popular novel and played to younger children and their parents.
Last weekend's number one flick "Norbit" fell 51% in its second weekend which considering all the new competition was a decent hold for the Eddie Murphy comedy. The Paramount release collected an estimated $16.8M over three days and lifted its ten-day cume to a solid $58.9M. The studio also reported a preliminary four-day estimate of $20.6M which would send the 11-day cume to $62.7M. "Norbit" marked the best ten-day start for a Murphy live-action picture since 2000's summer hit "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps" which took in $76.7M by the end of its second weekend on its way to $123.3M.
Opening in fourth place with an estimated $14M was the Hugh Grant-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy "Music and Lyrics." The Warner Bros. release about a washed up 80s singer who falls for a plant waterer averaged a respectable $4,738 from 2,955 locations and took in $19.5M since debuting on Wednesday for Valentine's Day. Reviews were mixed for the PG-13 film and the three-day gross was similar to the opening of Grant's 2002 hit "Two Weeks Notice" ($14.3M) and a bit better than Barrymore's "Fever Pitch" which bowed to $12.4M two years ago. In its second weekend in the U.K., "Music" slipped only 17% and has grossed $10.5M in that market thus far and $14.2M overall internationally.
Lionsgate followed in fifth with another date film that bowed on the love holiday, Tyler Perry's "Daddy's Little Girls." The PG-13 pic grossed an estimated $12.1M from 2,111 theaters for a solid $5,732 average over three days. Since launching on Wednesday, the tale of an attorney who couples up with a single working class father has taken in $17.8M. The opening was a far cry from the debuts of the filmmaker's recent comedy hits. Last February, "Madea's Family Reunion" opened to $30M on its way to $63.3M while the previous year, "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" opened to $21.9M before finishing with $50.4M. Both films were released by Lionsgate on the last weekend of February and starred Perry as the outrageous Madea character. "Girls" may have generated less audience interest without Perry on screen.
Older adults lined up for the FBI thriller "Breach" which debuted better than expected with an estimated $10.4M from only 1,489 sites. The PG-13 film which stars Ryan Phillippe and Chris Cooper averaged a strong $6,965 per theater and earned good reviews. According to studio research from Universal, half of the audience was over the age of 50 and 52% of the crowd was female. The studio also reported a preliminary four-day estimate of $12.1M and $8,155 average.
"Hannibal Rising" sank to seventh place in its second weekend tumbling 58% to an estimated $5.5M. With $22.2M in ten days, look for the MGM release to reach about $30M. Universal's comedy "Because I Said So" followed with an estimated $5M, off 46%, for a $33.2M cume.
Sony's former number one "The Messengers" dropped 47% and scared up an estimated $3.8M giving the thriller a total of $30.5M. Fox's Ben Stiller action-comedy "Night at the Museum" grossed an estimated $3.7M, down 36%, and lifted its tally to $237.3M becoming the first film to spend nine straight weekends in the top ten since last winter's "The Chronicles of Narnia." "Night" also climbed up to number 46 on the list of all-time domestic blockbusters sandwiching itself between a pair of action-comedy hits from 1984 - "Ghostbusters" ($238.6M) and "Beverly Hills Cop" ($234.8M). Of course, ticket prices were much lower two decades ago so "Night" has sold fewer tickets.
The top ten films grossed an estimated $137.8M over three days which was up a stunning 30% from last year when "Eight Below" opened at number one with $20.2M; and up a healthy 26% from 2005 when "Hitch" remained on top with $31.4M in its sophomore session.
Author: Gitesh Pandya, www.BoxOfficeGuru.com
Related Items
(1-16 of 16 posts) | Reply
 on Feb 19 2007 03:35 PM CHUCK NORRIS ALL THE WAY!!!!! i'm here first!!!!! weeeeeeeeeee!!!!! (Reply to this) |
 on Feb 19 2007 03:37 PM (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 19 2007 05:57 PM its presidents day a holiday in the states. for us in canada its just another day (Reply to this) |
 on Feb 19 2007 06:05 PM Who cares about Canada? The answer is nobody, jk. (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 19 2007 06:49 PM [b]Super Cool[/b] Yeah Nic C. is going to be good in The Man of Steel, fo sho' (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 19 2007 07:18 PM the top five movies in the states suck, except breach, which was pretty good (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 19 2007 07:52 PM Cage was a terrible choice as Jonny Blaze!!! Not that he did bad. He just WASN'T Jonny Blaze. The Ghost Rider looked cool, but the movie just sucked. Terabithia on the other hand was enjoyable. (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 19 2007 08:26 PM Ghost Rider was pretty! good! Cage Made the character more alive and interesting! The transformation into the rider is one of the coolest effects ever! Over all a pretty good popcorn film! Glad to see the summer Blockbuster season started out early this year now bring on 300!!!! (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 19 2007 08:40 PM Ghost Rider was, yeah, pretty terrible (to me). The transformation into the rider was pretty cool, but in the end I wish I had downloaded it instead of seeing it in the theater :) .... 300: I'm praying it's good. IGN gave it 5 stars which rarely happens, has to be a good sign right....right? (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 20 2007 12:48 AM In reply to this comment (#856118) er...i care about Canada....and this is a film forum not a slag of a country forum. (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 20 2007 06:36 AM [b]Ghost Rider[/b] I enjoyed it, but it was mostly because it was so damn corny. Nick Cage brought a lot to the lead role, but everyone else was pretty ridiculous, especially the villains. I guess there will likely be a sequel now. Maybe next time they can make Ghost Rider talk without looking like a muppet. "LOOK INTO MY EYES!" (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 20 2007 09:08 AM theres a lot that was going on in the film and I'm a lil suprised not more people on here have mentioned it. such as Peter Fonda as the devil, who was the original Rider, easy rider. How can you not love that? And Sam Elliot!!!! Come on it doesnt gett much better than that! more more and I'm losing a lot of respect for people on here! Seems like everyone just repeats what other have siad without processing any thoughts or ideas on their own, RT needs to change this place from Rotten Tomato, to Sheep tomato (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 20 2007 10:44 AM [b]^^ LOL[/b] Man, the critics didn't like it either...not to say that they are the end all on the quality of movies, but c'mon straight across the board critics didn't like it. It WAS better than Fantastic 4 (just barely) and was also better than DD/Elektra (Elektra was sooooo f**king terrible, just wanted to say that). However, since Nic Cage has the weird ability to capture your attention, and a semi-badly created flaming CGI skeleton is kinda funny, the movie is actually watch-able. Sam Elliot is awesome (see Big Lebowski) as the token Cowboy Guy, and I thought he did great. Fonda was Fonda, just being a weird a$$ old guy taking on strange roles, and collecting a paycheck, as if he needs it. Eva Mendes was a wooden log, ready to be roasted by the flames of GR. Her acting was so wooden, all I saw was a tree with a booty. Still, the movie was entertaining, and ultra cheesy. I like the daredevil scenes with Cage, thought all the bike jumping was cool. The action scenes where 'OK', but I feel for the same budget or maybe a little more they could have done something better. Ghost Rider is really powerful, and they just had him doing weird sh*t. Wasting his time using his ultra powerful abilities on common street thugs, thugs we don't even know and have no 'anger' towards, why? Why does the audience even care? He stares down that one punk and kills him (for harssing an emo fat chick), and the poor punk doesn't even put up any fight, and just gets owned hard. And those elemental guys.......PLEASE, they were very plain jane and soooooo cliche. Not to mention GR was just pestered by them. And then Black Heart dies from the stare......DUH Blacky, you didn't know that when you were all full of souls GR couldn't stare you to death, even when you knew he had the ability and tried to use it on you earlier!!! BH is a dumbass, the son of Satan? Bah...that guy was a tard! Son of Satan my a$$, he had a really dumb plan, and I don't think hiring lame CGI elementals helped..........the only powers he had was sucking the life out of you, ala the "Grudge" method when you get all black and shrunken (while scarry soundFX are playing in the bg). Also, GR never once seemed like he was going to lose or wwas even that challenged. You have this cool character that doesn't do that much during the movie. And the Helicopter scene, that was Ch (Reply to this) |
 on Feb 20 2007 11:54 AM I thought both Ghost Rider and Music and Lyrics were enjoyable corny popcorn films that were worth seeing, nothing great, I probably won't see either of them again but they were allright. And I'm happy that Cage got himself a hit. I still need to see Breach though. (Reply to this) |
 on Feb 20 2007 12:46 PM The more i think about Ghostrider, the more I didnt like it, The fight sequences were soooo horrible, seriously the bad guys with the elemental powers the fights between them and Ghostrider was short and pathetic (Reply to this) |
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on Feb 20 2007 01:23 PM Whos more powerful, Ghost Rider one of the most powerful superheros or a fallen angel? Of course he was going to make short work of them. (Reply to this) |
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