THR had Hansel's & Gretel doing a bit better than expected on Friday but updated numbers have it to coming in just in line with expectations.
From Deadline
| Friday January 25, 2013 @ 6:11pm PST
SUNDAY 3:30 AM, 4TH UPDATE:
Saturday’s box office was big after Friday’s business slowed when
R-rated newcomers dominated North American movie theaters. The
turnaround put this weekend around $100M for all moviegoing but
that’s still -15% from last year. “Tough sledding for the new films this
week – and next week won’t get any easier with the Super Bowl,” one
studio exec warned me. First up: fairytale characters who are
heavily armed. Not exactly PC for the serious gun control discussion
begun in this nation over recent violence in real life and
entertainment. Paramount‘s Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D co-financed with MGM playing on 3,372 theaters opened to $5.9M Friday then went up +40% to $8.4M Saturday. That
still makes for a disappointing $18M for the weekend, especially with
the 3D premium. On 2,000 screens for its midnight opening, this mashed
mash-up masquerading as an action comedy made $500K in midnight
grosses, less even than Warner Bros’ recent disappointing Gangster Squad. Even though Hansel & Gretel
will be #1 this weekend, Paramount has another underperformer. The
R-rated pic only had one semi-star, machinegun-toting Jeremy Renner.
Good thing Paramount claims it only cost $50M (though sources say
budget was $83M). Audiences gave it a ‘B’ CinemaScore which won’t hurt
or help its prospects. Exit polls showed filmgoers were 55% male
with 57% over 25.
This reimagined dark twist on the classic Grimm tale kept moving its release date – never a good sign – from March 2nd, 2012, to January 11th, to now. “This should really set up the international,” a studio exec gave me as an excuse back then. ”Jeremy Renner’s international profile should be in great shape after being in Mission: Impossible 4, then The Avengers, then The Bourne Legacy.” Nope. Renner’s Bourne grossed only so-so: he just can’t carry a movie solo. It didn’t help that guns are falling out of favor. So I was surprised that Paramount didn’t change the TV ads to delete that shoot-em-up nonsense and instead show more comedy. Then again, this new film picks up the fairy tale 15 years after Hansel and Gretel’s evil encounter at the gingerbread house. They’ve become bounty hunters tracking and killing wicked witches. Tommy Wirkola directed and co-wrote the script with Dante Harper. Will Ferrell’s and Adam McKay’s Gary Sanchez Prods produced.
Major studios are great marketers but only if they have the goods. To announce the IMAX release, Paramount debuted pic on MGM’s Skyfall
IMAX screens – but without generating any buzz. The studio also
negotiated coverage of an exclusive custom content piece with talent
intros that launched at all Regal theatres on January 18th with Django Unchained, Broken City, and The Last Stand. Problem is, filmgoers only turned out for Quentin Tarantino’s pic. On opening night, the first 100 Hansel And Gretel
fans at all Cinemark XD theatres across the country received a free
movie shirt, while the first 60,000 Regal IMAX 3D audience members
received a collector’s print of exclusive movie art. Kinda late for
that. Media-wise, Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton did the usual press
junket and talk show circuit plus Hispanic and African-American
targets. Street teams visited nearly 50 high profile sporting events
covering the NBA, NFL, NGL and College Football. New Years Day featured
male-targeted cable marathons. H&G also had presence three
weeks in a row in NFL playoff games. There was partnering with MTV. The
online campaign focused on movie’s red band trailer. A custom Hansel & Gretel Play & Win sweepstakes on Xbox aligned with the rabid Halo 4 audience. And still pic’s grossed domestically underwhelmed.But international prospects look good after Russia opened to huge $8.6M. Latin America and Southeast Asia are debuting after a strong lead by Brazil and Mexico. These markets represent 30% of the international box office.
#2 is last week’s PG-13 suspense thriller topper Mama from Universal in 2,682 theaters. Developed and presented by Guillermo Del Toro and starring Zero Dark Thirty‘s Best Actress Oscar likely Jessica Chastain as a brunette, pic had a second Friday of $3.8M and $6.2M Saturday for a weekend of $13.2M (-54%) for an expected cume through Sunday of $49M.
#3 is The Weinstein Company’s R-rated Oscar-buzzed Silver Linings Playbook in 2,641 theaters with a $2.3M Friday and $4.3 Saturday for a $9.3M weekend and $68.8M cume through Sunday. “Notice that Silver Linings is going to beat Zero Dark Thirty this weekend which is pretty impressive in my book,” a Weinstein exec gushed to me. “It is the best hold of the top films by far and that is after 11 weeks!”
#4 is another R-rated Oscar-touted pic. Zero Dark Thirty financed by Annapurna Pictures and distributed by Sony Pictures. Playing in 2,929 theaters, it made $2.3M Friday and $4.3M Saturday for a $9M weekend and cume of $69.1M through Sunday.
#5 is FilmDistrict’s barely registering R-rated crime drama Parker
despite a ‘B+’ CinemaScore which could help word of mouth. It was
directed by Taylor Hackford and stars Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez
who only is in shadow on the main one-sheet and whose film career truly
is DOA. in 2,224 theaters. Parker opened to $2.1M Friday and
+40% for $3.1M Saturday for a lousy weekend of$7.2M. FilmDistrict licensed the U.S. distribution rights and knew pic would only gross in the single digits. Film had been tracking strongest with males ages 17-34 so primary media focused heavily on channels and programming tailored to men as well as actions fans
and Hispanics. Based on the series of bestselling novels by Donald E. Westlake, Parker was financed by Sierra/Affinity, Incentive Filmed Entertainment, and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment. Doubtful whether future films based on the franchise will be made given this outcime. Current Entertainment’s Steven Chasman produced along with Sidney Kimmel, Les Alexander and Jonathan Mitchell via their Alexander/Mitchell banner, and Taylor Hackford.
Falling from #6 to #7 is Relativity’s $6M R-rated ensemble comedy Movie 43
that earned a dreaded ‘D’ CinemaScore from audiences to hurt word of
mouth. Playing in 2,023 theaters, its gimmick is 12 directors, 30 name
actors, and 18 writers working on different shorts stitched together.
I’m already hearing a lot of them regret taking part. Movie 43 debuted
at $1.8M Friday and +10% to $2M Saturday for a weekend of $4.0M. That’s
only half what Relativity predicted. “If you are going to take a
creative risk, what better way to do it than on a $6M budget with the
opportunity to work with a large pool of writers, directors and actors
including Peter Farrelly and Charles Wessler – two comedic geniuses.”
Actors worked for scale and the production moved to accommodate
schedules. This explains why the film was shot over 3 years. Seriously,
how much longer is Relativity going to keep claiming its risk is
mitigated by international pre-sales, outputs and Netflix before P&A
spend? Meanwhile Ryan Kavanaugh, listed as a producer, may well be in
the Witness Protection Program because he’s mercifully stopped
publicizing himself. With Alliance Films distributing in Canada,
Relativity owns worldwide rights and Lionsgate International handled
international sales and distribution. Movie 43 has supposedly taken in $10M overseas.Here are the Top 10 films based on weekend estimates:
1. Hansel And Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D (MGM/Paramount) NEW [Runs 3,372] R
Friday $6.0M, Saturday $8.4M, Weekend $18.0M
2. Mama (Universal) Week 2 [Runs 2,682] PG13
Friday $3.8M, Saturday $6.2M, Weekend $13.2M (-54%), Cume $49.0M
3. Silver Linings Playbook (Weinstein) Week 11 [Runs 2,641] R
Friday $2.3M, Saturday $4.3M, Weekend $9.3M, Cume $68.8M
4. Zero Dark Thirty (Annapurna/Sony) Week 6 [Runs 2,929] R
Friday $2.3M, Saturday $4.3M, Weekend $9.0M, Cume $69.1M
5. Parker (FilmDistrict) NEW [Runs 2,224] R
Friday $2.1M, Saturday $3.1M, Weekend $7.2M
6. Django Unchained (Weinstein) Week 5 [Runs 2,007] R
Friday $1.2M, Saturday $2.2M, Weekend $4.8M, Cume $146.1M
7. Movie 43 (Relativity) NEW [Runs 2,023] R
Friday $1.8M, Saturday $2.0M, Weekend $4.0M
8. Les Miserables (Universal) Week 5 [Runs 2,210] PG13
Friday $1.0M, Saturday $1.9M, Weekend $4.1M, Cume $137.4M
9. Gangster Squad (Warner Bros) Week 3 [Runs 2,590] R
Friday $1.1M, Saturday $1.8M, Weekend $4.1M, Cume $39.5M
10. Broken City (New Regency/Fox) Week 2 [Runs 2,622] R
Friday $1.0M, Saturday $1.8M, Weekend $3.8M (-54%), Cume $15.1M
From THR
Box Office: 'Hansel & Gretel' Headed for No. 1, Eyeing $25 Million Weekend
UPDATED: The R-rated version of the classic fairy tale stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the famous siblings; fellow new entries "Parker" and "Movie 43" struggling despite plenty of star power.
The 3D film rolled out in north of 2,000 screens at 10 p.m. Thursday before expanding into a total of 3,372 locations Friday.
Based on Thursday night and early Friday grosses, box-office observers expect the action-comedy -- a more violent rendition of the classic fairy tale that stars Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton as the famous siblings -- to gross $24 million to $25 million for the weekend.
Hansel & Gretel, costing $50 million to produce, is already a crowd-pleaser overseas. It debuted in Russia last weekend, grossing more than $8 million to place No. 1.
The movie is one of three R-rated titles opening in North America this weekend.
VIDEO: 'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters' Trailer: Jeremy Renner Bloodies a Fairy Tale
So far, the Jason Statham-Jennifer Lopez action-thriller Parker and irreverent sketch comedy Movie 43 -- featuring one of the more ambitious ensemble casts in history -- appear to be in a relatively close race with best picture Oscar nominees Zero Dark Thirty and Silver Linings Playbook, with each pacing to gross in the $8 million to $10 million range for the weekend.
Directed by Taylor Hackford (Ray), Parker is being distributed domestically by FilmDistrict.
STORY: 'Movie 43': What the Critics Are Saying
The roster of stars appearing in Movie 43, a series of comic shorts and the brainchild of Peter Farrelly, includes Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Emma Stone, Halle Berry, Gerard Butler, Naomi Watts and many others. A raft of filmmakers and talent directed the various vignettes, including Elizabeth Banks, Brett Ratner, Griffin Dunne and Bob Odenkirk.
Relativity Media spent a modest $6 million to make Movie 43 and says it was a creative risk worth taking.
From BoxOffice.com
Weekend Predictions: 'Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters', 'Movie 43' & 'Parker'
Featured Stories -
on January 23, 2013 by BOXOFFICE Staff
Coming off of last weekend's 4-day MLK holiday, things should be a bit slower this weekend as Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Movie 43 and Parker make their way into theaters.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
PROS:
- Jeremy Renner's recent box office successes might give it some needed appeal.
- The recognizable name could pull in viewers.
CONS:
- The R rating will push away teen audiences and families that otherwise go to these fairy tale-inspired movies.
- The number of adult-driven / R-rated movies in the market will limit the film's potential.
- Twitter buzz has been trailing that of last summer's Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Movie 43
PROS:
- A large ensemble of known actors could pique the interest of audiences.
- This is the first bona fide comedy to release since Christmas.
CONS:
- The obscure title.
- Marketing has struggled to sell the seemingly erratic, plot-less concept behind the movie.
Parker
PROS:
- Jason Statham boasts a consistent box office history, albeit a humble one. The addition of Jennifer Lopez could help as well.
- Marketing has been consistent and the comedy/action hybrid might sell with male audiences.
CONS:
- Statham's not known for box office breakouts.
- Competition for adult audiences is still very stiff.
| Title | Release Date | Distributor | Opening Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters | Jan 25, 2013 | Paramount | $17,000,000 | $17,000,000 |
| Mama | Jan 18, 2013 | Universal | $15,500,000 | $51,400,000 |
| Movie 43 | Jan 25, 2013 | Relativity Media | $11,100,000 | $11,100,000 |
| Zero Dark Thirty | Dec 19, 2012 | Sony / Columbia | $10,300,000 | $70,400,000 |
| Parker | Jan 25, 2013 | FilmDistrict | $9,400,000 | $9,400,000 |
| Silver Linings Playbook | Nov 16, 2012 | Weinstein Company | $8,500,000 | $68,000,000 |
| Les Miserables (2012) | Dec 25, 2012 | Universal | $5,300,000 | $138,600,000 |
| Django Unchained | Dec 25, 2012 | Weinstein Company | $5,200,000 | $146,500,000 |
| Gangster Squad | Jan 11, 2013 | Warner Bros. | $4,500,000 | $40,000,000 |
| Lincoln | Nov 9, 2012 | Disney / DreamWorks | $4,200,000 | $167,400,000 |
| Broken City | Jan 18, 2013 | Fox | $4,000,000 | $15,300,000 |
