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November 5, 2014
 

Weekend Box Office Predictions 11.7-9.2014

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Written by: Mitch Metcalf
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Weekend #45 of 2014 is looking like $167 million for the top 12 films this weekend, up 19% from the norm for this weekend.  

Opening at 3,500 theaters Friday (well above the 2,886 average theater count for opening weekends the last two years), Interstellar from Paramount should average a terrific $18,500 per theater for the weekend (for a $64.5 million opening three-day weekend). [The average wide-release film the past two years has had a three-day opening weekend of $5,300 per theater for a $14.5 million weekend.] With previews at several hundred large-format screens Wednesday and Thursday, the film should total $68 million in its first five days. Critical sentiment is positive: 74% positive so far at RottenTomatoes. Interstellar is on track for around $185 million domestic. Overseas the film could bring in around $310 million, giving it a worldwide box office target of $495 million.

Opening at around 3,700 theaters Friday, Big Hero 6 from Disney should average a very good $15,500 per theater for the weekend (for a $57.5 million three-day weekend). Critical sentiment is very supportive: 82% positive reviews. Big Hero 6 is on track for around $195 million domestic. Overseas the film could gross $295 million, giving it a worldwide box office target of $490 million.

 

NEW FILMS THIS WEEKEND

Nov 7-9, 2014

Critics Positive ($ millions)
Opening Weekend Forecast Domestic Total Projection
Interstellar Par PG13 74% 64.5 185
Big Hero 6 Dis PG 82% 57.5 195
Note: Although critic reviews are not related to the size of the opening weekend, they are significantly correlated with the size of the declines in the opening weeks of a movie. The Domestic Total is a very early ShowBuzzDaily projection of the total North American gross, based on the Weekend Forecasts.

 

And now all the holders are below $6 million each this weekend.  It’s all up to the big guns opening this weekend to drive the box office.

RETURNING FILMS

Nov 7-9, 2014

Change vs Last Weekend ($ millions)
Weekend Forecast Showbuzz Domestic Final Proj.
Nightcrawler OpenR -45% 5.8 40
Gone Girl Fox -32% 5.8 161
Fury Sony -42% 5.2 84
Ouija Uni -53% 5.1 54
St. Vincent Weins -29% 5.1 41
The Book of Life Fox -49% 4.2 59
John Wick LG/Sum -49% 4.1 50
Alexander and the… Dis -41% 3.9 67

 

Box Office Volume

For the past four years, the top 12 films this weekend have averaged $140 million total, ranking 19th of 52 weeks. Last year, this weekend’s total was $160 million (while 2012 was $163 million, 2011 was $126 million and 2010 was $112 million). This Friday-Sunday is looking like a very good $167 million, up 19% from the multi-year average for the comparable weekend and up 4% from the same weekend last year.

 

This Weekend Last Two Years

11.8.2013

Thor: The Dark World Dis PG13 Chris Hemsworth Natalie Portman
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $96 Actual: $86
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $229 Actual: $206
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $438

About Time Uni R Tom Hollander Rachel McAdams
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $6 Actual: $5
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $22 Actual: $15
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $72

11.9.2012

Skyfall Sony PG13 Daniel Craig Judi Dench
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $80 Actual: $88
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $264 Actual: $304
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $804

Check back throughout the weekend for box office updates as the actual numbers come in.



About the Author

Mitch Metcalf
MITCH METCALF has been tracking every US film release of over 500 screens (over 2300 movies and counting) since the storied weekend of May 20, 1994, when Maverick and Beverly Hills Cop 3 inspired countless aficionados to devote their lives to the art of cinema. Prior to that, he studied Politics and Economics at Princeton in order to prepare for his dream of working in television. He has been Head of West Coast Research at ABC, then moved to NBC in 2000 and became Head of Scheduling for 11 years.