HOLY #$%@! Big Narnia news!

[imagineer boy]

I just went to imdb.com to check out the box office standings, and Narnia has reclaimed the #1 spot!:sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy: Kong has been bumped down to number 2. This is excelent news.

Its kinda sad to see Kong fall though. They say the reason for it is because of its length. Since its three hours long, the theater can only have so many showings. Which makes sence.

 

[FigmentJedi]

So it wasn't beauty that killed the beast but rather Aslan?

 

[wannab@dis]

Kong actually added a few theaters this weekend. Guess they needed to add even more to stay ahead. Narnia had the same count... Here are the estimates for the holiday weekend.

<table border="0" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="1"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">TW</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">LW</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Title (click to view)</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Studio</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Weekend Gross</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">% Change</td><td colspan="2" align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Theater Count / Change</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Average</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Total Gross</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Budget*</td><td align="center" bgcolor="#dcdcdc">Week #</td></tr><tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">1</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">2</td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff">The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe</td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff">BV</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$32,848,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">+66.1%</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">3,853</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">-</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$8,525</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$224,839,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$180</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">4</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">2</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">1</td> <td bgcolor="#f4f4ff">King Kong</td> <td bgcolor="#f4f4ff">Uni.</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">$31,591,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">+48.6%</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">3,627</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">+51</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">$8,709</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">$174,324,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">$207</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">3</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">3</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">3</td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff">Fun with ________ and Jane</td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff">Sony</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$21,000,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">+46.0%</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">3,056</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">-</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$6,871</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$64,568,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$100</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">2</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">4</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">4</td> <td bgcolor="#f4f4ff">Cheaper by the Dozen 2</td> <td bgcolor="#f4f4ff">Fox</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">$19,300,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">+107.3%</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">3,211</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">+36</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">$6,010</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">$55,127,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">-</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#f4f4ff">2</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">5</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">10</td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff">Rumor Has It</td> <td bgcolor="#ffffff">WB</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$11,625,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">+234.7%</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">2,815</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">-</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$4,129</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">$26,700,000</td> <td align="right" bgcolor="#ffffff">-</td> <td align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff">2</td></tr></tbody></table>

 

[NemoRocks78]

Narnia wins the 4-day by just $1,257,000. Both films have had great performances, and the $260m+ Narnia will earn and the $210m+ Kong will get both bring some major help needed to '05's B.O. totals.

 

[CTXRover]

The actuals show that Narnia beat Kong by about 2 million as compared to estimates. Over the 4 day holiday period, Narnia made 33.7 million, UP 2 million (6%) from last weekend. King Kong made 31.8 million, DOWN 1.4 million (4%) from last weekend.

In the end, Narnia was the champ over the holiday period in a photo finish, despite opening with a very big opening weekend before King Kong even opened. From Friday, December 23rd to Monday, January 2nd, King Kong made an impressive 87.23 million. Over that same time period though, Narnia made 92.3 million.

 

[Shaman]

Its kinda sad to see Kong fall though. They say the reason for it is because of its length. Since its three hours long, the theater can only have so many showings. Which makes sence.

Well, that excuse would make sense, in my opinion, if it was the first week of release....the fact that Narnia is "older" means that Kong should have an easier chance of being number one (even though it's just a week). Last week, Narnia nearly took the top spot, and this week it took it back...so out of the four weeks it has been out...it has held the top spot twice, and has nearly had it once.

If I were Universal, I would be somewhat dissapointed with Kong's box office performance. If I were Disney I would be really, really happy right now.

Sure Kong's length is a negative, but not because it limits the number of showings, rather because it keeps people away. Everyone says its a good movie, but they also seem to complain about the length (something that didn't happen as much with LotR). That I think means, that the movie could've been shorter and thus better.

Anyway, just some thoughts.

 

[prberk]

Has anyone noticed that the press largely ignores Narnia, though? They gave it obligatory press on its opening weekend, but since then you would think that the only two movies showing this holiday period were "King Kong" and "Brokeback Mountain." Even Potter and Star Wars have been mentioned a few times in year-in-review summaries that ignored Narnia.

I think that the Hollywood press sees this as a cheap kids' movie or Christian thing, that really is a blip on their screen. They did the same thing to "The Passion of the Christ." I think that they just pass it off as irrelevant.

But the box office figures beg to differ.

Paul

 

[Wilt Dasney]

Has anyone noticed that the press largely ignores Narnia, though? They gave it obligatory press on its opening weekend, but since then you would think that the only two movies showing this holiday period were "King Kong" and "Brokeback Mountain." Even Potter and Star Wars have been mentioned a few times in year-in-review summaries that ignored Narnia.

I think that the Hollywood press sees this as a cheap kids' movie or Christian thing, that really is a blip on their screen. They did the same thing to "The Passion of the Christ." I think that they just pass it off as irrelevant.

But the box office figures beg to differ.

Paul

I don't know about since it opened, but Narnia had a glut of coverage leading up to its opening. I saw those kids and that lion everywhere for about 2 weeks solid, it seems. Stories on C.S. Lewis and his beliefs, stories on how Disney was trying to pitch the movie, stories on whether kids or adults would go see it, etc.