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Craig Younkin
Friday Box Office Analysis (12/26)
By Lee Tistaert Published December 27, 2003
With Christmas weekend being a tricky frame, rush factors may be in order for some films, but Cheaper by the Dozen should nevertheless be headed for a three-day debut in the area of $27 - 30 million.
Having similar success as his Bringing Down the House escapade, Steve Martin?s family comedy, Cheaper by the Dozen, did explosive business in its second day of release, fighting off Miramax?s Oscar contender, Cold Mountain, along with Paycheck and the latest edition of Peter Pan. With Christmas weekend being a tricky frame, rush factors may be in order for some films, but Cheaper by the Dozen should nevertheless be headed for a three-day debut in the area of $27 - 30 million.
Bombarded with sour and mediocre reviews from critics, Cheaper by the Dozen seemed to have moviegoers ignoring the crop of critical folk, as the parenting/chaos comedy grossed a massive $10.3 million on Friday, averaging $3,108 per-screen in 3,298 theaters. The gross was in line with Martin?s Bringing Down the House ($9.8 million - $3,513 per-screen), which was also considered unfunny by the mean of the critic?s society.
Bringing Down the House received a substantial increase on Saturday with its cross-culture appeal and wide age attracting factor (leading to a $31.1 million weekend), but Cheaper could be more in line with Eddie Murphy?s family comedy, Daddy Day Care at the box office. That movie turned in $7.6 million on its first day, but a more relevant $10.9 million on its Saturday, heading to a $27.6 million weekend frame. Saturday may not see a big increase given the Thursday release date and may even downsize in ticket sales, but Cheaper by the Dozen should still surprise with a larger than expected tally.
Miramax received solid returns from their Oscar bait flick, Cold Mountain, as the Nicole Kidman/Jude Law war romance turned in $5.2 million in ticket sales on Friday, averaging a sturdy $2,422 per-screen in 2,163 theaters. In comparison, Kidman?s thriller, The Others, debuted with $4.8 million ($2,831 per-screen) in 1,678 theaters (for a $14.1 million weekend), while Law?s Enemy at the Gates performed with $4.8 million as well but a stronger $3,188 average in 1,509 theaters (and a $13.8 million weekend).
The Talented Mr. Ripley, which also premiered on Christmas and co-starred Law, earned $6.4 million ($2,776 per-screen) on opening day (Saturday), with a $12.7 million two-day weekend. For the weekend, Cold Mountain should secure roughly $14 - 16 million for the three-day frame.
Going into the weekend with the possibility of performing like Timeline, John Woo?s action/thriller, Paycheck, starring Ben Affleck, performed fairly decently given its situation, turning in $5.0 million on Friday for a $1,824 per-screen average in 2,762 theaters. The figure was in line with Woo?s previous entry, Windtalkers, which grossed $4.7 million on opening day and a $1,627 average.
For Ben Affleck, however, the performance was leagues behind his Daredevil entry ($15.3 million - $4,414 per-screen), proving that that movie may have had the advantage of an ensemble cast. With Paycheck having decreased slightly on Friday from its Thursday position, its weekend stability is questionable, but a $13 - 15 million gross should be expected.
The potential wildcard of the week, Peter Pan, scored modest results in its debut, grossing $4.2 million on Friday, averaging $1,478 per-screen in 2,813 theaters. The tally was similar to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron ($4.6 million - $1,381 per-screen), as well as Spy Kids 2 ($5.2 million - $1,567 per-screen), and Stuart Little 2, which took in $5.3 million and $1,624 per-screen. For the three-day weekend, Peter Pan is headed for about $12 - 13 million.
Bombarded with sour and mediocre reviews from critics, Cheaper by the Dozen seemed to have moviegoers ignoring the crop of critical folk, as the parenting/chaos comedy grossed a massive $10.3 million on Friday, averaging $3,108 per-screen in 3,298 theaters. The gross was in line with Martin?s Bringing Down the House ($9.8 million - $3,513 per-screen), which was also considered unfunny by the mean of the critic?s society.
Bringing Down the House received a substantial increase on Saturday with its cross-culture appeal and wide age attracting factor (leading to a $31.1 million weekend), but Cheaper could be more in line with Eddie Murphy?s family comedy, Daddy Day Care at the box office. That movie turned in $7.6 million on its first day, but a more relevant $10.9 million on its Saturday, heading to a $27.6 million weekend frame. Saturday may not see a big increase given the Thursday release date and may even downsize in ticket sales, but Cheaper by the Dozen should still surprise with a larger than expected tally.
Miramax received solid returns from their Oscar bait flick, Cold Mountain, as the Nicole Kidman/Jude Law war romance turned in $5.2 million in ticket sales on Friday, averaging a sturdy $2,422 per-screen in 2,163 theaters. In comparison, Kidman?s thriller, The Others, debuted with $4.8 million ($2,831 per-screen) in 1,678 theaters (for a $14.1 million weekend), while Law?s Enemy at the Gates performed with $4.8 million as well but a stronger $3,188 average in 1,509 theaters (and a $13.8 million weekend).
The Talented Mr. Ripley, which also premiered on Christmas and co-starred Law, earned $6.4 million ($2,776 per-screen) on opening day (Saturday), with a $12.7 million two-day weekend. For the weekend, Cold Mountain should secure roughly $14 - 16 million for the three-day frame.
Going into the weekend with the possibility of performing like Timeline, John Woo?s action/thriller, Paycheck, starring Ben Affleck, performed fairly decently given its situation, turning in $5.0 million on Friday for a $1,824 per-screen average in 2,762 theaters. The figure was in line with Woo?s previous entry, Windtalkers, which grossed $4.7 million on opening day and a $1,627 average.
For Ben Affleck, however, the performance was leagues behind his Daredevil entry ($15.3 million - $4,414 per-screen), proving that that movie may have had the advantage of an ensemble cast. With Paycheck having decreased slightly on Friday from its Thursday position, its weekend stability is questionable, but a $13 - 15 million gross should be expected.
The potential wildcard of the week, Peter Pan, scored modest results in its debut, grossing $4.2 million on Friday, averaging $1,478 per-screen in 2,813 theaters. The tally was similar to Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron ($4.6 million - $1,381 per-screen), as well as Spy Kids 2 ($5.2 million - $1,567 per-screen), and Stuart Little 2, which took in $5.3 million and $1,624 per-screen. For the three-day weekend, Peter Pan is headed for about $12 - 13 million.
