The box office results for the first weekend of 2012 sees a long list of 2011 holdovers getting dethroned by a low-budget horror flick. A flick, which just about every critic and moviegoer hated. Here are the studio estimates:
1. The Devil Inside ($34.5 million)
2. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol ($20.5 million)
3. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows ($14 million)
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 2011 ($11.4 million)
5. Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked ($9.5 million)
6. War Horse ($8.6 million)
7. We Bought a Zoo ($8.4 million)
8. The Adventures of Tintin ($6.6 million)
9. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy ($5.7 million)
10. New Year’s Eve ($3.6 million)
Analysis
After roughly three to four weeks with no major releases on-tap, the sole wide-release to start off the 2012 box office was able to capitalize on the situation, despite the drubbing it took from the lovely critics and moviegoers. The Devil Inside, made just for a million bucks, has already done its job from a financial perspective for both the producers and distributor, Paramount Pictures. Since most audiences have already caught all the holiday movie releases, this indie-horror piece was able to bank on the success of the “found footage” marketing campaign that so many people are still eating up at the moment. Clearly, this has over-achieved and this leads to proclaiming our first Sleeper Hit of the New Year.
Tom Cruise has a charmed life; yet even he must be thrilled that Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is well over $400 million at the worldwide box office. The fourth installment of the franchise is well on its way in becoming one the actor’s highest grossing films ever. Granted, about 60% of Ghost Protocol’s bounty is from international markets, but the domestic attraction has definitely comeback around thanks to stellar reviews from both audiences and critics.
New Year’s Eve currently has the longest streak in the top ten (somehow) with 5 weeks. The $56 million flick is now up to $120 million worldwide. Apparently, bad taste is all over the world.
Flop Alert: It would be easy to go with The Darkest Hour here, but that was on alert as soon as it started filming. So instead, we’re going to just note that War Horse, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo remake, and We Bought a Zoo could be trending towards the dreaded break even status. Now there is a chance that DVD and On-Demand runs will make up some of the difference from the mediocre theater runs; and War Horse has yet to open in many international territories. However, the next couple weeks will be key for these three.
This Friday crowds up the place slightly with three wide-releases on hand. Contraband, Joyful Noise, and the re-release of Beauty and the Beast in 3D, will more than likely cause a few flicks in the top ten to take a hit. Reviews for all the newbies will be right here my fellow Shockers!
By Joe Belcastro
