August 26, 2018

Could ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Hit $200 Million? After This Weekend, It’s Quite Possible

Conventional studio thinking doesn’t leave room for a contemporary film set in an entirely Asian milieu to reach even $100 million, and “Crazy Rich Asians” will pass that number sometime early next weekend. And with a tiny box-office drop of six percent in its second weekend, it could see a total domestic gross as high as $200 million. 

The film opened on a Wednesday, so weekend-to-weekend comparisons aren’t the same as a normal Friday opener. But those numbers are nearly as good, a little more than nine percent down, and that’s phenomenal. It suggests a momentum that could mean that substantial gross remains ahead, and broadened interest that will come from publicity and word of mouth. (Of note: 73 percent of the audience was non-Asian this weekend.)

Next weekend will also see the benefit of a holiday release with Labor Day weekend. There’s not much competition, either; studios usually ignore it. Historically, those films doing well see a pickup for the four-day holiday, by at least 20 percent and often more. (Last year, the third weekend of “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” climbed about 30 percent.) If “Crazy Rich Asians” sees a four-day gross of $30 million next weekend, after adding a likely $12 million during the precedent weekdays, it would stand at nearly $120 million.

That trajectory would place it ahead of “The Help,” 2011’s sleeper August smash. Tate Taylor’s film opened one week earlier in the month, so had a bit of an edge in better playtime. But it ended up (adjusted) at $198 million. “The Help” also opened on a Wednesday, and its second five days fell 26 percent. That was an excellent hold, and suggested a lengthy run ahead.

September is no longer a dead zone. “The Nun” (also Warner Bros.) has high expectations on September 7, though there will be plenty of room for both to thrive. But don’t be surprised to see “Crazy” in the top three films for at least a few weeks.

Courtesy of STX Entertainment

Until recently, Melissa McCarthy reigned as the biggest draw in comedy. She stars in and produces “The Happytime Murders,” which tries to combine a retro-Muppets film feel (director Brian Henson is the son of Jim) and a “Sausage Party” raunchy comedy feel. With a $10 million opening, it didn’t work. This is her worst wide opening since she rose to prominence around 2010.

Even worse is “A-X-L,” a family-oriented tale set in the world of robotic dogs; it couldn’t even manage $3 million in 1,710 theaters. Global Road, which was formed with seemingly solid backing and top industry veterans with its initial release earlier this year, has been taken over by investors. This won’t help their future. The company also canceled the upcoming “City of Lies” with Johnny Depp; this might be more a result of their financial standing than the quality of the film.

 

Even so, this was a great box-office weekend of $100 million, up from $69 million this time last year. “The Meg” retained the #2 spot with a 38 percent drop. Another rare non-franchise studio release (though hardly original) is up to $105 million domestic, with $408 million so far worldwide. That’s with one major territory (Japan) yet to open, making $500 million in reach. That will push it into a decent profit, even with its $130 million budget (before marketing).

Already at $538 million worldwide, “Mission-Impossible: Fallout” (Paramount) — with China still to open — continues its very strong domestic run with only a 26 percent fifth weekend drop. After “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Incredibles 2,” it is only the third film this summer to be among the top four in its fifth weekend. It needs about $28 million to reach what “Rogue Nation” grossed (adjusted) three years ago.

“Christopher Robin,” helped by the dearth of family alternatives, dropped only 28 percent. It held in better than its mediocre opening, and already has exceed a three-time multiple over its opening. $100 million now seems not impossible.

“BlacKkKlansman” also continues to stay strong, dropping 28 percent. Spike Lee’s film has reached $32 million, with $50 million plausible, terrific for the $15-million budget film.

Last week’s two openers fell much more. Peter Berg’s Mark Wahlberg starring “Mile 22” dropped 56 percent and won’t reach $40 million, unexpectedly soft for what has been a strong partnership. “Alpha” kept its drop to 46 percent, but it won’t move much above $30 million.

The Top Ten

1. Crazy Rich Asians (Warner Bros.) Week 2 – Last weekend #1

$25,010,000 (-6%) in 3,526 theaters (+142); PTA (per theater average): $7,093; Cumulative: $76,818,000

2. The Meg (Warner Bros.) Week 3 – Last weekend #2

$13,030,000 (-38%) in 4,031 theaters (-87); PTA: $3,232; Cumulative: $105,301,000

3. The Happytime Murders (STX) NEW – Cinemascore: C-; Metacritic: 29; Est. budget: $40 million

$10,020,000 in 3,256 theaters; PTA: $3,077; Cumulative: $10,020,000

4. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Paramount) Week 5 – Last weekend #4

$8,000,000 (-26%) in 3,052 theaters (-430); PTA: $2,621; Cumulative: $193,901,000

5. Christopher Robin (Disney) Week 4 – Last weekend #6

$6,340,000 (-29%) in 3,394 theaters (-208); PTA: $1,868; Cumulative: $77,629,000

6. Mile 22 (STX) Week 2 – Last weekend #3

$6,030,000 (-56%) in 3,050 theaters (no change); PTA: $1,713; Cumulative: $25,171,000

7. Alpha (Sony) Week 2 – Last weekend #5

$5,600,000 (-46%) in 2,719 theaters (no change); PTA: $2,060; Cumulative: $20,161,000

8. BlacKkKlansman (Focus) Week 3 – Last weekend #7

$5,345,000 (-28%) in 1,914 theaters (+126); PTA: $2,793; Cumulative: $32,038,000

9. A-X-L (Global Road) NEW – Cinemascore: B+; Metacritic: 34; Est. budget: $10 million

$2,939,000 in 1,710 theaters; PTA: $1,719; Cumulative: $2,939,000

10. Slender Man (Sony) Week 3 – Last weekend #8

$2,785,000 (-42%) in 2,065 theaters (-293); PTA: $1,349; Cumulative: $25,403,000

 

 

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Source: IndieWire film

August 26, 2018

John Cho’s ‘Searching’ Grabs Specialty Crowd as ‘Papillon’ and ‘Support the Girls’ Struggle

The dog days of summer are a dropping ground– just before the festival launch of many major award season entries –for weaker commercial entries that need room to breathe. Still, multiple new titles opened this weekend. One, Sundance grad “Searching” (Sony), looks set for wider interest ahead.

Remake “Papillon” (Bleecker Street) opened in 544 theaters, neither platform nor wide, but standard for general interest openers that still require special handling. Results were desultory, but without a lot of competition the grim period prison drama probably could have done no better, with a chance of some Labor Day holiday playtime ahead.

“The Wife” (Sony Pictures Classics) showed some real strength on its second weekend and should play well for the next few weeks. A standout run could help position Glenn Close for awards ahead of the glut of new contenders that will soon arrive.

Opening

Papillon (Bleecker Street) – Metacritic: 52; Festivals include: Toronto 2017

$1,151,000 in 544 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $2,115

This weakly-reviewed second version of the true island prison escape story stars Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek, while the first showcased Dustin Hoffman and Steve McQueen at their peak. Nearly a year after Red Granite’s $12-million foreign-sales title premiered at Toronto, it opened in sophisticated upscale theaters to modest results similar to two previous Bleecker Street releases, “The Man Who Invented Christmas” and “Beirut.” Both films scored domestic totals between $5,000,000 and $6,000,000. This looks to end up in the same range.

What comes next: This will stay at about the same level next week.

Courtesy of Sundance Institute, photo by Juan Sebastian Baron

Searching (Sony) – Metacritic: 73; Festivals include: Sundance, San Francisco 2018

$360,000 in 9 theaters; PTA: $40,000

While “Crazy Rich Asians” boosts Asian-American actors, John Cho, a leading box-office success both in studio (“Star Trek”) and specialized films (“Columbus”) shines again in this missing child thriller. He stars as a dad who researches his beloved missing daughter’s computer and finds out who she really is. Sony opened this Sundance premiere in nine theaters as a platform release (rare outside of awards season) to a strong result. This should enhance its attention as it moves to a more conventional wide break.

What comes next: This expands to 1,100 theaters this Friday.

Support the Girls (Magnolia) – Metacritic: 86; Festivals include: South by Southwest, San Francisco 2018

$(est.) 51,000 in 34 theaters; PTA: $(est.) 1,500

Set in a Hooters-style venue and shot in Austin, Texas with a strong female ensemble led by well-reviewed Regina Hall, this drama opened in more than 20 cities in a mixture of specialized and African-American neighborhood theaters. The result was mediocre overall, despite rave reviews with major placement in top newspapers. This film might get more attention on other platforms ahead. It’s tricky to grab initial specialized attention with characters who are outside the daily lives of most specialized audiences.

What comes next: The reviews could give this some traction for expansion, but overall this ‘tweener looks like it will struggle to get a lot more national attention.

The Bookshop (Greenwich) – Metacritic: 62; Festivals include: Berlin 2018

$48,000 in 4 theaters; PTA: $12,000

Spanish director Isabel Coixet (“The Secret Life of Words”) has worked in several countries. This time she goes British, as a young woman opens a bookstore in a resistant conservative 1959 English coastal town. This could be an appealing subject for older audiences in the week ahead. With only modestly favorable reviews, its opening is strong enough to give it a foot in the market for interested moviegoers.

What comes next: This expands quickly to 65 theaters for the holiday weekend, so we’ll see soon how much appeal this could have.

John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection (Oscilloscope) – Metacritic: 84; Festivals include: Berlin 2018

$8,060 in 1 theater; PTA: $8,060; Cumulative: $11,915

This documentary portrait of tennis champion (already the subject of the narrative film “Borg Vs. McEnroe” earlier this year) opened exclusively on Wednesday in New York to a decent initial five day gross.

What comes next: Timed to expand while the U.S. Open takes place, this expands to top markets next weekend.

Crime + Punishment (Hulu) – Metacritic: 88; Festivals include: Sundance, Seattle 2018; also on Hulu

$(est.) 8,400 in 3 theaters; PTA: $(est.) 2,800; Cumulative: $(est.) 8,400

Parallel to its debut on Hulu, Stephen Maing’s acclaimed documentary opened in three theaters in order to cop some good reviews. Sure enough, its Metascore is slightly ahead of the three breakout documentaries this summer. The subject — eye-popping New York Police Department quota systems that unfairly target minorities — doesn’t lend itself to major theatrical audience response. But theater placement will get this more attention.

What comes next: Nearly all of its viewings will be on Hulu, but it’s eligible for Oscar consideration and could enter that conversation.

Andrei Roublev (Janus) (reissue)

$12,979 in 2 theaters; PTA: $6,490

Andrei Tarkovsky’s seminal 1960s Russian film opened in New York along with only one show in Los Angeles (at the Aero) to a better-than-average result for a reissue.

What comes next: This will have limited engagements in top cities ahead.

Graeme Hunter Pictures

Week Two

The Wife (Sony Pictures Classics)

$217,382 in 18 theaters (+4); PTA: $12,077; Cumulative: $380,112

The second weekend for this family drama set at a Nobel Prize ceremony is grabbing major attention for Glenn Close. This initial expansion is one of the best performers for SPC since “Call Me By Your Name.” The grosses are better than “Paris Can Wait” at the same point. With not many appealing options for the older specialized crowd in the next few weeks, this drama looks primed for a performance ahead of “Paris.”

Blaze (IFC)

$51,286 in 7 theaters (+4); PTA: $7,326; Cumulative: $104,476

IFC’s unusual release of this Ethan Hawke-directed biopic about a little-known but influential Texas musician added more theaters in that state after its Austin debut. These are decent results for a regional release, which will see two more Texas theaters plus Nashville open this week before a wider national expansion the following week.

Juliet, Naked (Roadside Attractions)

$250,370 in 43 theaters (+39); PTA: $5,822; Cumulative: $344,602

This musical romantic comedy starring Ethan Hawke, Rose Byrne, and Chris O’Dowd got some sampling its second weekend as expanded quickly to major cities nationwide. The entertaining film could pull some crowds over the upcoming holiday weekend.

Cinereach

We the Animals (The Orchard)

$(est.) 44,000 in 11 theaters (+8); PTA: $(est.) 4,000; Cumulative: $(est.) $134,000

With elements of “Beasts of the Southern Wild,” “Moonlight,” and “The Florida Project,” this critically-supported independent film set among disadvantaged young people expanded to top cities this weekend to modest results.

Memoir of War (Music Box) 2-18

$17,743 in 11 theaters (+9); PTA: $1,613; Cumulative: $35,682

This French World War II resistance drama expanded to several new theaters with a typical response these days for subtitled films.

Expanding/ongoing (grosses over $50,000)

Eighth Grade (A24) – Week 7

$440,000 in 366 theaters (-176); Cumulative: $12,480,000

As the season winds down, this acclaimed middle-school drama is A24’s third film (including “Hereditary” and a third of the gross for “Lady Bird”) to bring in over $10 million this year. It’s the best performer of the wider specialty films in release.

Puzzle (Sony Pictures Classics) – Week 5

$372,433 in 265 theaters (+157); Cumulative: $1,210,000

More than doubling the theaters gave this drama about a suburban woman coming out of her shell by playing jigsaw puzzles wider exposure, but not much in the way of gross. This should top out despite a national release including crossover theaters no higher than $2 million.

Courtesy of Sundance Institute

Three Identical Strangers (Neon) – Week 9

$310,000 in 221 theaters (-55); Cumulative: $11,137,000

This non-celebrity-focused documentary continues to add to its already impressive total. This is Neon’s second $10 million-plus grosser in its under 18 months of existence (“I, Tonya” grossed over $30 million). For context, A24, which became successful quickly, was in its third year when it achieved that.

Sorry to Bother You (Annapurna) – Week 8

$151,500 in 88 theaters (-55); Cumulative: $16,606,000

Boots Riley’s imaginative science-fiction comedy is firmly placed third among this year’s many Sundance successes in gross (behind “Hereditary” and “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?”).

The Miseducation of Cameron Post (FilmRise) – Week 3

$120,000 in 85 theaters (+13); Cumulative: $618,730

This gay conversion drama continues it modest response as it expands to more cities.

Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (Focus) – Week 12

$120,000 in 160 theaters (-46); Cumulative: $22,319,000

Mr. Rogers’ very busy neighborhood keeps adding to its population nearly three months after its release.

Photo by Ariel Nava/Lionsgate

Blindspotting (Lionsgate) – Week 6

$70,000 in 38 theaters (-9); Cumulative: $4,145,000

This Oakland-set independent film handled by Lionsgate’s partner Code Black has grossed more than all but four of this year’s Sundance non-documentary releases.

Also noted:

McQueen (Bleecker Street) – $49,235 in 51 theaters; Cumulative: $1,118,000

Leave No Trace (Bleecker Street) – $45,134 in 66 theaters; Cumulative: $5,800,000

Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood (Greenwich)- $37,964 in 34 theaters; Cumulative: $338,254

Madeline’s Madeline (Oscilloscope) – $18,922 in theaters; Cumulative: $68,540

The Captain (Music Box) – $11,800 in 8 theaters; Cumulative: $83,235

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Source: IndieWire film

August 26, 2018

David Lynch Narrates ‘Curtain’s Up,’ a Short Film About Cinema, Ideas, and Meditation — Watch

David Lynch may never make another film — his most recent, “Inland Empire,” was released in 2006 — but at least he’s still narrating them. He’s done that with “Curtain’s Up,” which comes from Stella McCartney, Case Simmons, and his son Austin; like much of Lynch’s extracurricular work, the 10-minute short explores his thoughts on the creative process, among other things. Watch it here.

“Cinema is a language. It can say things, big abstract things, and I love that about it,” Lynch says as the short begins. “Some people are poets and have a beautiful way of saying things with words, but cinema is its own language and so you can express a feeling or a thought that can’t be conveyed any other way. It’s a magical medium.”

Lynch also ruminates on the ways in which painting inspired his love of film, how ideas are like fish, and his love of transcendental meditation (TM). “Maybe enlightenment is far away, but it’s said that when you walk toward the light, with every step, things get brighter,” he says. “Every day, for me, gets better and better, and I believe that enlivening unity in the world will bring peace on Earth. So I say, ‘peace to all of you.’”

Lynch most recently co-wrote and directed all 18 episodes of “Twin Peaks: The Return,” earning dual Emmy nods for doing so.

Source: IndieWire film

August 26, 2018

Three Million People Still Use Netflix to Rent DVDs, Presumably to Avoid Late Fees

You may have forgotten that Netflix still mails DVDs to people, but three million subscribers haven’t. That’s according to a new Variety report on the company’s state of affairs, which notes that, at $7.99 per month or higher, the streaming giant’s DVD plans bring in around $50 million per quarter.

That’s money that Netflix might not be making had its short-lived, ill-fated Qwikster spinoff actually panned out. If you’ve already forgotten about that poorly named venture, a reminder: Netflix was already growing tired of physical media back in 2011, and in an effort to hasten its transition toward a streaming-only platform announced its DVD offerings would now be under the guise of a new brand. (Making the whole thing even better was the company’s failure to secure the @Qwikster handle on Twitter, which belonged to a teenager who frequently tweeted about marijuana.)

Still, those three million subscribers are dwarfed by the approximately 130 million users currently signed up for Netflix’s streaming service. Speaking to Variety, CEO Ted Sarandos said that the company “never spent one minute trying to save the DVD business” and this was always the direction things were headed.

“Back then, [Reed Hastings] said that postage rates were going to keep going up and the internet was going to get twice as fast at half the price every 18 months. At some point those lines would cross, and it would become more cost-efficient to stream a movie rather than to mail a video. And that’s when we get in.”

Source: IndieWire film

August 26, 2018

Marvel Is Pushing for ‘Black Panther’ to Be Nominated for Best Picture, Not Best Popular Film

Reactions to the Academy’s announcement of a new Best Popular Film award have been mixed, which is a polite way of saying that most consider it a bad idea — especially in the year of “Black Panther,” the rare superhero movie to be as well received among critics as it is among audiences. According to a new Los Angeles Times report, Marvel Studios head Kevin Fiege has invested in a “significant awards season budget” for the first time, and doesn’t want to settle for the new award.

“Right now, I think [Academy CEO] Dawn Hudson would crawl in a hole if ‘Black Panther’ gets snubbed for best picture and winds up landing in the popular film category,” one anonymous Oscars consultant said to the Times. “The funny thing is that Dawn would be way more disappointed than anyone at Marvel.” Disney has hired Cynthia Swartz, a veteran Oscar strategist, to lead the film’s award campaign.

“I would like to see the hard work and the effort and the vision and the belief of the talented filmmaker Ryan Coogler, who sat across the table from us a few years ago and said, ‘I have been wrestling with questions about my past and my heritage and I think I really want to tell a story within this movie,’ ” Feige said. “And that he did it so unbelievably well and with so much impact…seeing that potentially being recognized is what excites me the most.”

Source: IndieWire film