Every week we dissect the good, the bad, and the bombs of the Aussie box office world. No talk of box office would be complete without mention of the US, so we’ll also take a look at what’s hitting big, what’s not, and where our refined Aussie movie palates differ from our blockbuster loving American brethren. Let’s dig in…
This weekend, we hunkered down until the Force Awakens on Thursday. So how did the holdovers do in the absence of new competition?
AUSTRALIAN BOX OFFICE – DEC 10-13
Source: Urban Cinefile
Same Same, But Slightly Different: The lack of new blood was a good thing as it turns out, and although the box office was down 14% from last week, no movie dropped more than 30% and in the case of Love The Coopers and Bridge Of Spies, some actually gained on last week (7 and 35% respectively). Katniss was once again top dog, tallying another $2 million to bring her total to $25 million. The rest of the top ten was almost stationary, except last week’s newcomers The Night Before and In The Heart Of The Sea, which swapped positions, The Night Before no doubt benefiting more from the Christmas period.
Good Preview: The lone new entry in the top ten, based purely on advanced preview screenings, was Disney/Pixar’s Boxing Day release The Good Dinosaur. Roaring into 187 screens for selected sessions, it managed to hunt down almost $300K, which bodes well as the only new family title heading into the post-Christmas period.
Over in the U.S, Chris Hemsworth tried to land a whale and find an audience, but did he succeed?
US BOX OFFICE – DEC 11-13
Source: Box Office Mojo
Calm Seas: As is the case before any gigantic world-destroying blockbuster, the weekend before The Force Awakens was a pretty quiet affair as many ticket buyers decided to skip the multiplexes and no doubt binge-watch Star Wars at home. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 enjoyed it’s last frame at the summit, making the 4th frame in a row (a franchise feat only matched by the first Hunger Games). It’s total now stands at $244 million, still running 11% behind the first Mockingjay ($276.8 million).
Dead Fish: The only wide release this weekend, Ron Howard’s In The Heart Of The Sea, was always going to struggle and so it was that it couldn’t even push past a 4 week old blockbuster for the top spot. Reeling in $11 million, this $100+ million blockbuster is going to really find it hard to recoup it’s budget based on these numbers, and with a lack of awards buzz and no nominations thus far, it’s pretty much dead in the water.
New to cinemas this week: Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware that Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens finally unleashes upon the world.
So there you go folks, any surprises? Everything pan out just as you suspected? Hit us up in the comments and let us know what you’re enjoying at the movies. Also, if there’s anything you’d like to see us cover in the world of box office, speak up and let your opinion be known!