FilmDistrict scored on the specialty side this weekend with a solid $11K-plus average with Safety Not Guaranteed. The movie grossed $100K across 9 locations. FilmDistrict distribution president Jim Orr said, “Safety Not Guaranteed opened very close to what we expected, though the increase on Saturday from Friday was higher than we anticipated which we think reflects the great word of mouth that this picture will enjoy. We expand Safety into a total of 17 markets and close to 50 theater on the 15th, then expand into a total of 37 markets on the 22nd and roughly 120 theaters.”
Related: HOT WEEKEND! Both ‘Madagascar 3′ And ‘Prometheus’ On Fire For $59.6M/$49.5M
Todd Solondz has long been a favorite of a certain kind of movie lover. His last film, Life During Wartime opened in one theater with just over $30K its opening weekend in 2010 and for comparison sake, Palindromes (2005) averaged a bit over $8K in its opener in seven theaters. His latest, Dark Horse, came in ‘asi-asi’, or just fine for the uninitiated, with $15K in one location. “We are extremely proud of the weekend numbers for Dark Horse,” said Ruth Vitale, who is spearheading Brainstorm Media’s entry into theatrical. “Todd Solondz is one of the definitive voices in independent cinema, and the combined teams of Brainstorm, Double Hope Films, and Vitagraph have all contributed to his latest film’s success.”
Focus Features added 80 locations for their Wes Anderson-directed Moonrise Kingdom in its third weekend, the Cannes 2012 opener grossed just under $1.6M for a $16,443 average. And even better is the fact that the feature landed in the big box office top 10. The averages were on the spectacular side in the film’s first two rounds, and now let’s say it clearly has legs. “Moonrise Kingdom‘s box office momentum was strong Saturday with many theaters experiencing near or full sell out conditions carrying over from Friday,” said Focus. “The new opening markets are very strong, all are generating impressive grosses.”
NEW
1. Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (IFC Films) NEW [30 Theaters] Weekend $102K, Average $3,400
2. Safety Not Guaranteed (FilmDistrict) NEW [9 Theaters] Weekend $100K, Average $11,111
3. Lola Versus (Fox Searchlight) NEW [4 Theaters] Weekend $34K, Average $8,525
4. Double Trouble (China Lion) NEW [12 Theaters] Weekend $20K, Average $1,666
5. Dark Horse (Brainstorm Media) NEW [1 Theater] Weekend $15K
6. Cartas a Elena (Freestyle Releasing) NEW [12 Theater] Weekend $7,500
0. Bel Ami (Magnolia Pictures) NEW Box office not reported
Returning / 2nd Weekend
1. For Greater Glory (ARC Entertainment) Week 2 [642 Theater] Weekend $845K, Average $1,316, Cume $3.439M
2. Hardflip (Rocky Mountain Pictures) Week 2 [12 Theaters] Weekend $24,792, Average $2,066, Cume $79K
Holdovers / 3RD+ Weekends
1. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Fox Searchlight) Week 6 [1,298 Theaters] Weekend $3.23M, Average $2,492, Cume $31M
2. Moonrise Kingdom (Focus Features) Week 3 [96 Theaters] Weekend $1.578M, Average $16,443 Cume $3.276M
3. Bernie (Millennium Entertainment) Week [332 Theaters] Weekend $821K, Average $2,475, Cume $4.842M
4. The Intouchables (The Weinstein Company) Week 2 [50 Theaters] Weekend $385K, Average $5K, Cume $1.01M
5. Hysteria (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 4 [84 Theaters] Weekend $161K, Average $1,923, Cume $701K
6. Darling Companion (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 8 [51 Theaters] Weekend $46K, Average $915, Cume $695K
7. Where Do We Go Now? (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 5 [ Theaters] Weekend $39K, Average $1,270, Cume $322KThe Artist (The Weinstein Company) Week 29 [36 Theaters] Weekend $14K, Average $389, Cume $44.65M
8. Girl In Progress (Pantelion/Lionsgate) Week [57 Theaters] Weekend $30K, Average $526, Cume $2.555M
9. Bully (The Weinstein Company) Week 11 [31 Theaters] Weekend $17,500, Average $565, Cume $3.464M
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