UPDATED: EARLY BOX OFFICE: CARS 2 drives towards $75mil/ TEACHER high at $30mil/LANTERN drops 63%

"Bright lights and colours distract from little plot!"

Early box office numbers for the weekend at Deadline Hollywood show CARS 2 grabbing the pole position with an expected (if not overwhelming) estimated $75mil (updated) for this weekend.  

This can be considered a disappointment of sorts as sequels are expected to perform higher than the originals (based on the original's DVD sales, repeated viewings,  merchandising, brand name...).  The original opened to $60mil in 2006 which adjusted for today's dollar equals $67mil.


Comparisons for Pixar series opening weekends (unadjusted for inflation):
TOY STORY        1995       $30mil     
TOY STORY 2     1999       $57mil
TOY STORY 3     2010       $110mil


So you see, each TOY STORY almost doubled whereas CARS 2 will barely top its predecessor.

"Just say when Ms. Diaz and I'll be there!"

BAD TEACHER on the other hand, is exceeding expectations with an astounding $30mil opening weekend.  Super number considering the budget for the film is about $19mil (plus add about the same for promotion/advertising costs for a grand total of about $40mil) and an audience limiting R-rating too. 

AND...

GREEN LANTERN dropped like a stone this weekend.  Last weekend it grossed a disappointing $52mil.  This week it showed it had no legs as it went down 63% for a weekend gross of about $19mil.  Ouch.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/first-box-office-cars-2-bad-teacher-look-to-be-overperforming-friday/

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2011/06/movie-projector-cars-2-expected-to-sputter-to-no-1.html

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GREEN LANTERN = Fail??

I liked GREEN LANTERN but I cannot imagine non-fans clamoring to see it.  But they'll all turn out for TRANSFORMERS 3D.

Dumb.  Dumb.  Dumb.


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LATE SAT/EARLY SUN BOX-OFFICE UPDATE: LANTERN very low at $53mil!

"In brightest day.  In blackest night.  In emptier theatres."

GREEN LANTERN is a disappointment no matter which way the studio will spin the numbers Sunday morning.

"I'll give you this ring if you buy a ticket!"

It started with a less-than-stellar $21mil Friday, stumbled Saturday (down 21% from Friday with $17mil) and instead of numbers north of $60mil it looks to settle at about $53mil for the first three days.

High number?  Sure.  But as I wrote yesterday the movie final cost (production, prints, advertising) is about $400mil(!).  A $60mil start means its domestic run ends at about $200mil (at most!).  Hopefully it makes back more money internationally.



http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/green-lantern-makes-3-35m-midnights/


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EARLY BOX OFFICE: GREEN LANTERN $60mil/wknd. PENGUINS $18mil

           

GREEN LANTERN opened strong Friday with $24mil but looks like a slight disappointment with about $60mil projected for the three-day weekend.

Comparisons for the year:  THOR opened with $65mil over three days while X-MEN: FIRST CLASS had $55mil in its opening weekend.

THOR looks to end its run with about $185mil which gives it a about a 3x multiplier (based on total gross divided by opening weekend).

Using the same math (most movies fall within a 2.5 to 3.5 multiplier) GREEN LANTERN should end up with about the same.  The film's cost though is $300mil though plus millions more in advertising.  It should be OK after foreign grosses get tallied.

MR. POPPER'S PENGUINS looks surprisingly weak for a kids film AND a Jim Carrey vehicle with only $18mil.  It will probably lose a lot of its potential audience next week to CARS 2.


http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/green-lantern-makes-3-35m-midnights/

http://boxofficemojo.com/


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