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February 12, 2014
 

Weekend Box Office Predictions FEBRUARY 14-16

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Written by: Mitch Metcalf
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Weekend #7 of 2014 is looking like a great $184 million for the top 12 films, a 40% increase over the average for this weekend the past several years.  The Lego Movie will dominate the box office in its second weekend, but also two new films are set to open to $25 million or more.

Opening at around 3,372 theaters Wednesday (well above the 2,886 average theater count for opening weekends the last two years), RoboCop from Sony should average a decent $8,700 per theater for the weekend (for a $29.5 million opening three-day weekend and about $37 million from Wednesday-Sunday). [The average wide-release film the past two years has had an three-day opening weekend of $5,300 per theater.] Early reviews at RottenTomatoes are mediocre: 48% positive so far. RoboCop is on track for around $89 million domestic.

Opening at around 2,100 theaters Friday, About Last Night  from Sony/Screen Gems and starring the red-hot Kevin Hart should average a very good $11,900 per theater for the weekend (for a $25.0 million opening weekend). Early reviews are non-existent, but as a romantic comedy it should play well nonetheless.  About Last Night is on track for around $84 million domestic.

Opening at around 2,900 theaters Friday, Endless Love from Universal should average a middling $5,900 per theater for the weekend (for a $17.0 million opening weekend). Not a lot of critical support: only 30% positive so far. Endless Love is on track for around $42 million domestic.

Opening at around 2,750 theaters Friday, Winter’s Tale from Warner Brothers should average a just below average $5,100 per theater for the weekend (for a $14.0 million opening weekend). Brutal reviews: only 6% positive so far. Winter’s Tale is on track for maybe $29 million domestic.

NEW FILMS THIS WEEKEND

February 14-16, 2014

Critics Positive ($ millions)
Opening Weekend Forecast Domestic Total Projection
RoboCop Sony PG13 48% 29.5 89
About Last Night Sony R N/A 25.0 78
Endless Love Uni PG13 30% 17.0 42
Winter’s Tale WB PG13 6% 14.0 29
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.

 

But The Lego Movie will be the biggest movie of the weekend and the top holdover by far.  

RETURNING FILMS

February 14-16, 2014

Change vs Last Weekend ($ millions)
Weekend Forecast Showbuzz Domestic Final Proj.
The Lego Movie WB -19% 55.8 295
The Monuments Men Sony -31% 15.3 62
Frozen 3D Dis -0% 6.9 380
Ride Along Uni -32% 6.5 124
Lone Survivor Uni -25% 4.2 129
That Awkward Moment Uni -23% 4.1 26

 

Box Office Volume

For the past four years, the top 12 films this weekend have averaged $132 million total, ranking 24th of 52 weeks. Last year, this weekend’s total was $126 million (while 2012 was $143 million, 2011 was $130 million and 2010 was $122 million). This Friday-Sunday is looking like a robust $184 million, 40% above the multi-year average for the comparable weekend and 46% above the same weekend last year.

 

This Weekend Last Two Years

2.15.2013

A Good Day to Die Hard Fox R Bruce Willis
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $39 Actual: $25
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $72 Actual: $67
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $237

Safe Haven Rel PG13 Josh Duhamel Julianne Hough
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $24 Actual: $21
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $69 Actual: $71
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $0

Escape from Planet Earth Weins PG
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $15 Actual: $16
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $61 Actual: $57
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $14

Beautiful Creatures WB PG13 Alice Englert Emma Thompson
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $15 Actual: $8
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $25 Actual: $19
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $41

2.17.2012

This Means War FOX PG13 Chris Pine Reese Witherspoon
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $16 Actual: $17
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $51 Actual: $55
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $101

Secret World of Arrietty DIS G
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $4 Actual: $6
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $32 Actual: $19
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $126

Ghost Rider Spirit of Vengeance SONY PG13 Nicolas Cage Idris Elba
Opening Weekend — Forecast: $27 Actual: $22
Domestic Gross — Estimate: $54 Actual: $52
International — Estimate: n/a Actual: $81

 

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.