Yikes, this is not what Warner Bros. was hoping for with Jack the Giant Slayer, a film with a reported $195 million budget, though marketing costs appear to have pushed that budget around $300 million. When you’re spending that kind of money, a $28 million opening won’t bring a smile to your face. Comparisons to John Carter are already being made and while a “B+” CinemaScore isn’t bad, this is a film that needed a $50+ million opening minimum to justify that budget.
The rest of the weekend’s newcomers weren’t exactly lighting the box-office on fire either. Granted, both 21 & Over and The Last Exorcism Part II weren’t carrying budgets anywhere near Jack‘s. 21 & Over came in at a reported $13 million while Last Exorcism kept costs at $5 million. The two films earned $9 million and $8 million respectively.
Neither film will do much going forward, however, with 21 & Over earning a “B” CinemaScore and a dismal “C-” for Last Exorcism, but the gamble for the studio on each was small.
Looking over predictions from Thursday, Laremy should have stuck with tracking on Jack. Expectation was a $29 million opening and the end result wasn’t too far off. Laremy ended up going high at $35.3 million while reader Arthur Carlson wasn’t fooled and his $27 million prediction was the closest on the board.
Laremy way overshot on both 21 & Over and Last Exorcism going with $18 million and $14.3 million respectively. Many readers were close to the 21 number, but it was Corbin‘s $8.8 million number that came closest, while Mario edged out Arthur Carlson‘s chance at a second victory on on Last Exorcism with an $8.36 million prediction.
Elsewhere, Identity Thief is still holding on strong, dropping only 30% and remaining in second, but wow, wow, wow… look at Beautiful Creatures! Well, you can’t because it’s not in the top ten in its third weekend as it brought in only $923,000, dropping a whopping 74% as it is already down to just 1,075 theaters.
Oh, and for anyone that thought that Phantom movie was going to do anything at the box-office. Sorry. But with 1,118 theaters to its name, the submarine feature starring Ed Harris, David Duchovny, William Fichtner and Lance Hendricksen never came up for air and scored only $465,000 and a $416 per theater average.
Finally, opening in only seven theaters was Chan-wook Park‘s Stoker and it brought in $159,000 for a decent $22,714 per theater average. I don’t expect it to do much when, if and where it expands.
Next weekend the winner will clearly be Oz the Great and Powerful, but how much will the $200 million budgeted 3-D feature bring in? Over $100 million? Competition includes Dead Man Down and Emperor. Early predictions are welcomed.
