The box office results for the weekend of January 11th-13th has a brand-spankin’ new Oscar nominee showing the rest of the pack that timing is everything. Zero Dark Thirty expanded to theaters all over the country just one day after it received a nod from the Academy for Best Pic. Meanwhile, R-rated newbies in Gangster Squad and A Haunted House fought admirably in attaining some coin. Here are the studio estimates:
1. Zero Dark Thirty ($24 million)
2. A Haunted House ($18.8 million)
3. Gangster Squad ($16.7 million)
4. Django Unchained ($11 million)
5. Les Miserables ($10.1 million)
6. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ($9 million)
7. Lincoln ($6.3 million)
8. Parental Guidance ($6.1 million)
9. Texas Chainsaw 3D ($5.1 million)
10. Silver Linings Playbook ($5 million)
Analysis
For those that are unfamiliar with the phrase “Being front-loaded,” look no further than the bi-polar performance of last week’s #1, Texas Chainsaw 3D. It fell a deadly 76% from its opening weekend, knocking it out of the top ten. Fans of the iconic horror franchise clearly got to this one early. The domestic total has reached $30 million but a healthy DVD/On-Demand run will be necessary to secure profits off the $20 million production budget.
Zero Dark Thirty has been quietly invading select theaters since early December. And while patiently waiting on Oscar reinforcements, it timely unleashed its might this past weekend. With a production budget of $40 million, the meticulous film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden is poised to methodically earn profits over the next two months, as hype revs up for the Oscars in late February. Currently rising to $31 million on the home-front, this will see the black ink by the time gold statues are being handed out.
The poorly reviewed Gangster Squad and A Haunted House got off to a decent starts yet will probably fall victim to lack of promotion during the Award Season push. While A Haunted House only rang up a $2.5 million production bill, and therefore, is already making cash, Gangster will struggle reach a similar status, thanks to a lofty $75 million cost. Look for this violent star-studded dud to hit movie channels by September.
Lincoln currently has the longest streak in the top ten with 10 weeks. The Academy darling (12 nominations) has climbed to $152.7 million. The production budget was $65 million.
This Friday, four more marquee titles enter the crowded 2013 slate led by the expansion of an another Oscar fav in Silver Linings Playbook. Also joining the party is Broken City, The Last Stand, and MAMA. Reviews will be right here my fellow Shockers!
