Tag: Walking with Dinosaurs

Box Office Results: December 20-22

In a result that surprised yours truly, Ron Burgundy and company couldn’t dislodge Gandalf and company from the top spot at the box office in this crowded pre-holiday weekend.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug remained #1 for the second week in a row with an estimated $31.4 million – exactly on target with my $31.5M projection. Peter Jackson’s middle chapter in the franchise has earned $127.5M in its ten days of release.

This left Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues in the two spot and well below my projected opening. The sequel to the 2004 original made $26.7 million over the Friday to Sunday frame and $40 million since its Wednesday debut. I had it earning $41.9M and $61.2M, respectively, over those time periods. While the opening is decent, this is clearly below my overzealous expectations. Furthermore, audiences seem a bit disappointed with what they’re seeing as they awarded it a B Cinemascore grade, which is rather low.

There was a virtual tie for the #3 spot as Disney’s Frozen took in $19.1 million. I incorrectly had it left out of the top five. Oops. The animated pic has earned $191.5M since its November premiere. David O. Russell’s American Hustle also made $19.1 million, just under my $20.5M projection. This is a solid debut for the critically lauded comedy/drama and its per-screen average was almost identical to that of the Anchorman sequel.

Coming in fifth but well below my estimate was Saving Mr. Banks with Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. It started out of the gate rather slowly with $9.3 million, way under my $17.1M projection. Banks will count on very low drop-offs over the next few weekends and the chances of that are good with its A Cinemascore grade.

Finally, the animated 3D tale Walking with Dinosaurs was a huge disappointment with an 8th place opening at $7.3 million. I predicted it would earn $18.9M. Oops again. Family audiences are still choosing Frozen over this new offering.

Today on the blog – you’ll see the movie marketplace getting even more crowded as I’ll post predictions for all five features opening Christmas Day: The Wolf of Wall Street, Grudge Match, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, 47 Ronin, and the Justin Bieber doc Believe. Stay tuned!

Box Office Predictions: December 20-22

As the Christmas season approaches, four high profile pictures enter the marketplace with another five scheduled on Christmas Day. This weekend it’s Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues, American Hustle, Saving Mr. Banks, and Walking with Dinosaurs.

You can read my individual prediction posts on each here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2013/12/15/anchorman-2-the-legend-continues-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2013/12/15/saving-mr-banks-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2013/12/15/american-hustle-box-office-prediction/

https://toddmthatcher.com/2013/12/15/walking-with-dinosaurs-box-office-prediction/

If Anchorman 2 were to come in quite a bit below my projection, it could potentially face a battle with this weekend’s champ The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug for the #1 spot. However, I do believe Ron Burgundy and company will prevail. Last year in this same weekend, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey fell 56% from weekend #1 to #2 and I expect the roughly the same result for Smaug. As for the other three new entries, you’ll notice there’s only a $3.5 million difference between what I believe they’ll debut at. Therefore, these films could easily fluctuate between spots 3-5. Also if any of these newbies were to come in below my projections, it could allow Disney’s Frozen to remain in the top five. Got all that? We shall see how it shakes out, but here’s my predictions for this weekend’s top five:

1. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Predicted Gross: $41.9 million ($61.2 million Wednesday to Sunday)

2. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Predicted Gross: $31.5 million (representing a drop of 57%)

3. American Hustle

Predicted Gross: $20.5 million

4. Walking with Dinosaurs

Predicted Gross: $18.9 million

5. Saving Mr. Banks

Predicted Gross: $17.1 million

 

As always, I’ll have an update on the blog’s Facebook page Saturday with final results on the blog Sunday.

Walking with Dinosaurs Box Office Prediction

For some of the little brothers who had to attend Disney’s Frozen with their little sisters, this weekend’s Walking with Dinosaurs could provide an opportunity for revenge.

Based on a BBC miniseries, this animated tale will be shown in 2D and 3D and its concept is pretty simple… CG dinosaurs, dude. Distributed by 20th Century Fox, the studio is certainly hoping Dinosaurs appeals to family audiences over the holiday frame. It’s worth noting that Frozen is still making money, but it’s really the only competition this title faces with the possible exception of Saving Mr. Banks.

Animated features are often difficult to predict and Walking with Dinosaurs is no exception. It doesn’t have the pedigree of a Pixar behind it, but it’s trailers have been decent. I would think many youngsters interested in dinosaurs would be pressuring the ‘rents for a weekend trip to this one.

Walking with Dinosaurs has a decent shot at opening at #3 behind the Anchorman and Hobbit sequels. It could open as big as high 20s in my estimation (with a reported $85M budget, the studio would love that). Still I cannot shake the feeling that high teens to low 20s is more probable and that’s where I’m going prediction wise.

Walking with Dinosaurs opening weekend prediction: $18.9 million

For my Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2013/12/15/anchorman-2-the-legend-continues-box-office-prediction/

For my American Hustle prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2013/12/15/american-hustle-box-office-prediction/

For my Saving Mr. Banks prediction, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2013/12/15/saving-mr-banks-box-office-prediction/