1. MARLEY & ME FOX 3,480 6,955,000 1,999 n/a 72,515,250
2. BEDTIME STORIES DISNEY 3,681 5,720,000 1,554 n/a 56,705,000
3. CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, THE PARAMOUNT 2,988 4,325,000 1,447 n/a 52,707,996
4. VALKYRIE MGM 2,711 3,475,000 1,282 n/a 40,816,000
5. YES MAN WARNER BROS. 3,434 2,745,000 799 42% 60,022,577
6. SEVEN POUNDS SONY 2,758 2,245,000 814 54% 45,933,000
7. TALE OF DESPEREAUX, THE UNIVERSAL 3,104 1,935,000 623 23% 34,059,120
8. DOUBT MIRAMAX 1,267 1,230,000 971 n/a 11,822,000
9. DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, THE FOX 2,402 1,125,000 468 -3% 67,299,426
10. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE FOX SEARCHLIGHT 614 960,000 1,564 48% 22,199,000
11. FOUR CHRISTMASES WARNER BROS. 2,510 910,000 363 -25% 1,023,139
12. BOLT WARNER BROS. 1,923 895,000 465 1% 106,420,000

http://www.showbizdata.com/dailybox.cfm

This is so weird. Weren't we expecting films to actually increase, especially the more-adult oriented ones?

Wow, opening weeks of $72.5m, $56.7m, $52.7m and $40.8m achieved on the same date...

No.

Who goes to the movies on New Years Eve?

Expected dips.

Very impressive for Marley & Me! It barely went down. We're looking at $105-110 million in 11 days here!

^ it's good but how is it impressive? We have had no major December blockbuster this year which sucks.

I just noticed that for the first time Button dropped less than Bedtime Stories.

So should we expect increases for the more adult oriented films today (Thursday)? I guess that's what someone was saying in the other thread.

It's impressive because before it opened no one expected that. Hell, there were people who claimed it would not pass $100 million at all and now it is almost a lock for $200 million.

New Year Eve is quite different from Christmas Eve. In 2003, adult-oriented films did see good increases (Something's Gotta Give - +47%, Cold Mountain - +31%, House of Sand and Fog - +16%, M&C - +13.5%), while family films suffered declines, so it's a little concerning again for BB.

Well, I keep saying that something like Benjamin Button was bound to be initialy frontloaded, but that wilkl wear off after two weks or so and then Oscar buzz will equal it out. I don't think we'll see $200 million from it, unless it wins Best Picture, but $160+ million should be guaranteed.

Every film should. Generally people stop going to the movies after 6 on New Years Eve, Adults go to parties, or marathons, and kids have noone to drive them, hence the drop off. For kids, a lot of schools start back up on the 2nd, so this will be a movie day almost as big as Christmas Day, though with the 2nd falling on a Friday this year, Id be surrpised if a lot didnt just push reopening schools until Monday or taking the 2nd off.

I always thought theaters closed early on New Year's Eve.

Around here schools don't open until Monday.

I figured as much, then this should be a very even and maybe even increases from last weekend if not for a softer Sunday.

I think they do for Christmas Eve, not New Year Eve.

Ours close early on New Year's Eve too.

Impressive for Marley & Me. Lecter is right, it will likely be at over $100M when the weekend's over.

Yeah, the eves tend to be low I think.

Today should have strong numbers.

Yeah, I there will be slight drops. I'm sure there won't be increases given the drops last week.

Everything should drop around 20% for the 3 day

2004 was mostly 15%-30%. With frontloading maybe 20%-35% for most. I'm guessing 4C and The Spirit both drop over 40%. Maybe 50%. BB might see about 40%.

Based on that year also we could see increases for some films on both Friday and Sat.

Valkyrie seems most likely to suffer this weekend as a result of the direct competition coming on Saturday and Sunday.

The Reader?

I doubt that will have that much of an effect...

Adult dramas usually hold up well at this time of the year regardless of the new incoming competition. It won't even earn that much anyway.

I think he referred to the ball games.

Oh... I don't think that affect it that much until the championship games. But good point.