Weekend Wrap-Up: Best Man Bests Prediction, Thor Still Powers Through
November 19, 2013
As expected, Thor: The Dark World led the way on the weekend box office chart. However, The Best Man Holiday was surprisingly strong and helped soften the blow at the overall box office. Even so, the box office was down 26% from the last weekend at $125 million. A 26% drop-off is bad, but the year-over-year comparison was even worse. So much worse. Compared to this weekend last year when The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 debut, the box office was down almost exactly 50%. And with that, 2013 is no longer ahead of 2012's pace. It was bound to happen with the weak box office numbers recently. Granted, 2013 is only behind by 0.4% at $9.02 billion to $9.06 and one really good weekend could reverse that situation. In fact, the opening of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire this coming weekend could reverse that situation, but 2013 will be neck-and-neck with 2012 from here on out, instead of the solid leads it held for much of the year.
Thor: The Dark World fell 57% to $36.59 million over the weekend for a total of $145.10 million after ten days of release. This is on the lower end of expectations, but still a solid outing. The film remains on pace to crack $200 million domestically, while it already has more worldwide than the original finished with. Unless Disney's P&A budget was insane, the film is well on its way to profitability and the studio is likely working on a third installment.
It has been 14 years since The Best Man was released, which is a huge time between sequels. However, despite this, The Best Man Holiday smashed expectations earning $30.11 million in just 2,024 theaters. This is significantly more than even high-end expectations and makes it one of the biggest surprise hits of the fall. With good reviews and the holidays coming up, it could have solid legs. Or The Hunger Games: Catching Fire could crush everything next weekend and this film could disappear before Christmas gets here. Let's hope that's not the end result.
Last Vegas held on a little better than anticipated earning third place with $8.44 million. After three weeks of release, the film has pulled in $46.53 million and by this time next week it could have $56 million, which is twice what it cost to make. The studio should be very happy with its run so far.
Free Birds was right behind with $8.11 million over the weekend for a total of $42.02 million after 17 days of release. The film cost $55 million to make. It will pass that number at the box office shortly, but it will need a strong run on the home market to break even.
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa was also stronger than predicted with $7.42 million over the weekend. With $89.95 million so far, the film is on pace to crack $100 million.
About Time's second weekend wide saw it drop to tenth place with $3.34 million over the weekend for a total of $11.45 million. It only dipped 30%, which is good, but even if it gets to $20 million, it is not enough.
Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Free Birds, Thor: The Dark World, About Time, Last Vegas, The Best Man Holiday, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa