Weekend Box Office 10/11: Holdovers Tops, PAN and WALK Flop

[AndyDursin]

Continued superb performance from both THE MARTIAN and HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2. Expected horrible opening for PAN (with a massive $150 mil budget) and Zemeckis' THE WALK also dies in expanded national release (good thing it cost $30 mil, they will still struggle to break even though).

1). The Martian (FOX), 3,854 theaters (+23) / $10.85M Fri. (-41%) / 3-day cume: $36.4M (-33%)/ Total cume: $108M /Wk 2

2). Hotel Transylvania 2 (SONY), 3,768 theaters (+14) / $5.2M Fri. (-31%)/ 3-day cume: $21M (-37%) / Total cume: $117.5M /Wk 3

3). Pan (WB), 3,515 theaters / $5.2M Fri. / 3-day cume: $18.25M /Wk 1

4). The Intern (WB), 3,224 theaters (-96)/ $2.55M Fri. (-29%) / 3-day cume: $8.6M (-27%)/Total cume: $49M/Wk 3

5). Sicario (LGF), 2,620 theaters (0) / $2.2M Fri. (-48%)/3-day cume: $6.9M (-43%) /Total cume: $26M /Wk 4

6). The Walk (SONY), 2,509 theaters (+2,061)/ $3.65M Fri. (+835%)/ 3-day cume: $6.4M (+310%)/ Total cume: $9.1M /Wk 2

7). Maze Runner: Scorch Trials (FOX), theaters ()/ $1.45M Fri. (-32%) / 3-day cume: $5.2M (-33%)/ Total cume: $70M/Wk 4

8 ). Black Mass (WB), theaters ()/ $950K Fri. (-48%)/ 3-day cume: $3.25M (-44%)/Total cume: $57.5M /Wk 4

9). Everest (UNI), 2,120 theaters (-889) / $938K Fri. (-42%) / 3-day cume: $3.15M (-44%) /Total cume: $38M/Wk 4

10.) The Visit (UNI) 1,759 theaters (-537)/$775K Fri (-335)/3-day cume: $2.6M (-34%)/Total cume: $61.2M/Wk 5

[AndyDursin]

That estimate for The Walk is apparently optimistic as I've seen folks peg it under $4 million for the weekend. Tepid by any measure.

[Monterey Jack]

Wow, The Walk only cost $30 million?! That movie looks a lot more expensive...you'd think the spot-on recreation of the Twin Towers would have cost $30 million just by itself.

Shame the movie is doing so poorly, because I loved it...enchanting, moving, and with a great Alan Silvestri score.

[AndyDursin]

Just in terms of diagnosing its poor performance, they had two big problems there -- first, Gordon-Levitt is not a star. He's a fine young actor, but he's not bringing in anyone just because he's in it (PREMIUM RUSH was terrific, and also tanked). His big movies had him in a supporting capacity, and he's shown repeatedly now that he can't open a film when he's the lead. Secondly -- and this is probably the bigger issue -- the subject matter would not have widespread appeal and they did a poor job selling why someone should care. OK, so the guy walks between the WTC towers. And, I care because...? They neither pushed the spectacle element or the "inspiring true story" element -- they tried doing both and convinced nobody it was a story worth seeing.

They decided to open on IMAX in limited release in an effort to drum up word of mouth, but it backfired also, which I think goes to show they did a very poor job marketing the film. And there's also the possibility seeing a recreation of WTC hits too close to home, even now, for some people,
and that too kept some away.

Fortunately they did not spend a lot -- they'll lose money on it, but the budget probably speaks of the hesitancy studios (rightly) had in bankrolling that kind of story. To get people out to see it was going to be a challenge and Sony's marketing -- and the lack of star power -- were not up to the task it seems.

[AndyDursin]

Actual numbers, lower numbers for THE WALK. Zemeckis' lowest grossing film? Probably.

1 1 The Martian Fox $37,005,266 -31.9% 3,854 +23 $9,602 $108,715,595 $108 2
2 2 Hotel Transylvania 2 Sony $20,420,392 -38.5% 3,768 +14 $5,419 $116,942,033 - 3
3 N Pan WB $15,315,435 - 3,515 - $4,357 $15,315,435 $150 1
4 4 The Intern WB $8,678,187 -25.7% 3,224 -96 $2,692 $49,592,234 - 3
5 3 Sicario LGF $7,579,324 -37.6% 2,620 - $2,893 $26,935,340 $30 4
6 5 Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials Fox $5,371,941 -31.2% 2,838 -481 $1,893 $70,765,331 $61 4

7 11 The Walk TriS $3,719,177 +138.4% 2,509 +2,061 $1,482 $6,430,676 $35 2
8 6 Black Mass WB $3,118,427 -46.7% 2,057 -711 $1,516 $57,557,218 $53 4
9 7 Everest (2015) Uni. $3,073,035 -45.5% 2,120 -889 $1,450 $38,253,250 $55 4
10 8 The Visit Uni. $2,523,505 -36.5% 1,759 -537 $1,435 $61,158,030 $5 5
11 9 War Room TriS $1,850,214 -34.5% 1,395 -351 $1,326 $63,570,344 $3 7
12 10 The Perfect Guy SGem $1,415,640 -41.3% 887 -477 $1,596 $54,737,351 $12 5