It's because of the exchange rate, and the film being re-released. They're converting the Yen total using the current exchange rate of today.

Back when it left theaters in April (post-Alice in Wonderland opening), Y15.4 billion was about $165 million. But if you convert Y15.4/15.5 billion using today's exchange rate, you get over $185 million.

What I'm doing when I update my charts is simply taking the current weekly grosses from the re-releases, and adding that to the USD total it finished with back in April. I personally feel that's the most accurate way of coming up with a USD total. Same goes for all re-releases I feel. If Spirited Away was re-released next Summer for a 10 year anniversary (not happening), it's just not accurate at all to convert the Y30.4 billion ($234 million) it grossed to over $375 million for it's total.

Where is weekend of 30-31 Oct for Japan?

Usually out about now..

Weekend Numbers (10/30-31) (estimates):

1. SP: Chapter of Ambition - Y529 million ($6.5 million)
2. Despicable Me - Y236 million ($2.9 million)
3. HeartCatch Pretty Cure - Y202 million ($2.5 million)
4. Umizaru 3: The Last Message - Y145 million ($1.8 million), Y7.35 billion ($91.5 million)
5. Knight and Day - Y111 million ($1.4 million), Y1.85 billion ($23 million)
6. The Incite Mill: 7-Day Death Game - Y108 million ($1.3 million)
7. The Expendables - Y70 million ($.8 million)
8. Saw 3D - Y69 million ($0.8 million)
9. The Lady Shogun and Her Men (Ohoku) - Y68 million ($.8 million), Y2 billion ($24.5 million)


I posted these on Monday. The entire top 10, and those below the Top 10 will be released later today. Wednesday Holiday shouldn't delay the results I don't think.

Ah, yeah, sorry, I meant to say that I was looking for the totals as of that date with the films, namely The Expendables.

The Expendables should be around Y625-650 million (near $8 million) now after three weeks in release.

I projected it would likely finish with Y750 million or so earlier, but with Wednesday being a Holiday this week, and the good weekdays last week, it can probably hit Y800 million (almost $10 million).


Weekend 1 - 176,523,851, 176,523,851
Weekend 2 - 118,965,903, 488,682,237
Weekend 3 - 70,000,000 (official estimate), 625/650,000,000 (my estimate)

Oh thanks for that. Is there likely to be more of an accurate total coming out soon, though?

Yep,

Weekend Summary,
Oct. 30-31, 2010



1. SP: The Motion Picture Toho $6,587,571 1 394 $16,718 0 $6,587,571
2. Despicable Me Toho Towa $2,935,710 1 225 $13,047 0 $3,125,629
3. Heart Catch Pretty Cure! Fashion And Adventure In Paris! TOEI $2,532,264 1 163 $15,535 0 $2,532,264
4. Umizaru: The Last Message Toho $1,803,298 7 467 $3,861 -30 $91,944,386
5. Knight And Day Fox Int'l $1,388,508 4 493 $2,816 -33 $23,460,332
6. The Incite Mill: 7-Day Death Game Warner Bros. Int'l $1,343,762 3 278 $4,834 -35 $10,109,561
7. Expendables, The Shochiku $877,111 3 280 $3,132 -40 $8,425,523
8. Saw 3D Asmik Ace $868,404 1 103 $8,431 0 $868,404
9. The Lady Shogun and Her Men Asmik Ace $847,452 5 310 $2,734 -38 $24,982,865
10. The Lightning Cherry Blossom Tree Toho $561,390 2 300 $1,871 -29 $2,872,749


Great opening for Security Police. A total in the low/mid 40's is reasonable and likely. Yet another big hit for Toho.

Also a great opening for Despicable Me. It's one of the few imported animated films that hasn't bombed over the past several years, and the screen count wasn't even that large. Toho/Towa distributing contributes greatly to this. Mid-teens for the total.

And another great opening this weekend, opening third (second in admissions), HeartCatch Pretty Cure. The opening is a little less than the first films opening back March, but that one had a wider release. A total in the low-teens is likely.

Umizaru 3 holds very well, placing 4th after ranking 1st for six consecutive weeks. Now having grossed $91.9 million after 7 weeks in release, $100 million should be achieved sometime during the third week of November.

Knight and Day continues to do well, edging closer to making the Top 20 Films of 2010 by Gross (USD). The film should finish in the high 20's.

The Incite Mill passes $10 million after it's third week in release. Mid-teens for the total here, giving WB a very solid local release this fall.

The Expendables is still dropping fairly hard, but it's making some of that up with it's solid weekdays. $10 million looked almost impossible when it opened three weeks ago, but that's now highly likely. It should finish with $10/11 million.

The Lady Shogun and Her Men didn't have the best week of it's run, but with nearly $25 million grossed after five weeks, it's landed a spot on the Top 20 Films of 2010 by Gross (USD) and will climb a few more positions to stay there at the end of the year.

Updates with actuals,

Top 20 Opening Weekends of 2010 by Gross




_________________________________________________________________________________


Top 20 Opening Weekends of 2010 by Admissions




_________________________________________________________________________________


Top 20 Films of 2010 by Gross




_________________________________________________________________________________


Top 20 Films of 2010 by Admissions




New Entries
i - still playing

Notes:

-SP: The Movie - Chapter of Ambition's opening this weekend earns it good positions on the Opening Weekend by Gross (USD and Yen) and by Admissions Charts.

-The Lady Shogun and Her Men debuts on the Top 20 Films by Gross (USD) and Top 20 by Admissions Charts after a month in release.

-Umizaru 3 becomes the biggest local live-action film of the year (just like it's predecessor back in 2006), passing Bayside Shakedown 3 in USD and Yen.

-Resident Evil IV lost most of it's screens, and looks to narrowly miss becoming the 7th Biggest Film of the Year in USD; 8th in Yen.

-Avatar: Special Edition left theaters after last weekend. The re-release earned about $1.5 million.

Update,

Umizaru 3: The Last Message:
2day total - Y956,960,566 ($11.3m), 612,211 admissions
3day total - Y1,430,954,460 ($16.7m), 939,950 admissions (Holiday Monday)
6day total - Y2.25b ($26.7m), 1.5m admissions
9day total - Y3,205,745,040 ($38.1m), 2,113,264 admissions
16day total - Y4,684,973,509 ($56.3m), 3,123,278 admissions
23day total - Y5,774,373,324 ($69.7m), 3.85m admissions
24day total - Y6,016,949,020 ($73.7m), 4,012,783 admissions (Holiday Monday)
30day total - Y6,567,904,735 ($80.8m), 4,382,250 admissions
37day total - Y7,045,853,340 ($86.8m), 4,700,702 admissions
44day total - Y7,385,089,932 ($91.9m), 4,924,136 admissions

I read an new article saying the film hit Y7.5 billion (about $93 million) after 47 days in release, Wednesday was a Holiday. I won't confirm it as official until I find more information though.

And if I had to project a final total, it would be 5.5 million admissions, Y8.3 billion (about $104 million).

EDIT - It has been confirmed to have exceeded 5 million admissions, Y7.5 billion ($93 million) as of 11/3 (47 days in release).

The trailer for the 3D re-release of Battle Royale was released last month, but I forgot to post it for those who expressed interested before from either seeing the original, or reading/hearing about it (mainly due to Quentin Tarantino listing it as his favorite movie since the 90's).




The movie shows the 'survival game' among middle-school students, who hunt each other down until only one of them is left. At the time when the movie was published, the extreme violence of it was a shock and received harsh criticisms.

While the theme of the individual behavior in that situation became an issue, the movie became a hit with box-office sales of more than 3,200,000,000 yen ($26 million then, $40 million today).

Not only teacher Beat Takeshi (Takeshi Kitano), but also Fujiwara Tatsuya, Kuriyama Chiaki and Shibasaki Kou had been part of the premium cast and their juvenile characters can be re-seen in 3D amidst intense apprehension and the amplified sensation of fear.

The film opens on November 20th.

Battle Royale 3D looks fun.

Weekend Forecast,
Nov. 6-7, 2010



1 1 SP: The Movie - Chapter of Ambition (Toho) 2
2 2 Despicable Me (Toho/Towa) 2
3 3 Heart Catch Pretty Cure! Fashion And Adventure In Paris! (TOEI) 2
4 4 Umizaru 3: The Last Message (Toho) 8
5 N The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Asmik Ace) 1
6 5 Knight and Day (Fox) 5
7 6 The Incite Mill: 7-Day Death Game (WB) 4
8 7 The Expendables (Shochiku) 4
9 9 The Lady Shogun and Her Men (Asmik Ace) 6
10 10 The Lightning Cherry Blossom Tree (Toho) 3

Only one wide opener, so hopefully there are some strong holds all around.

Eclipse will probably open to about Y70 million ($.8/.9 million or so) like the previous films, and finish below them in total seeing as New Moon decreased from Twilight.

SP: The Movie topped Y900 million (just over $11 million) on Wednesday, so Y1.3 billion ($16 million) may be achieved this weekend after just 9 days in release.

Despicable Me and Pretty Cure should be around Y600 million ($7.5 million) after 9 days in release.

Umizaru 3 will exceed Y7.6 billion (most likely Y7.65 billion or $94.5 million) after 8 weeks in release.

Knight and Day will cross the Y2 billion ($25 million) milestone.

Four weeks to go in Japan's Box Office Calendar Year, and here are the latest results:

The Motion Picture Association of Japan, Inc. only includes films that grossed 1 billion or more Yen in their yearly Box Office Anaysis charts, so the below lists do also.


[JAPANESE FILMS]

1. The Borrower Arrietty - Y9.17 (Y9.3 projected finish)
2. Umizaru 3: The Last Message - Y7.5 (Y8.3 projected finish)
3. Bayside Shakedown 3: Set The Guys Loose! - Y7.23 (Y7.3 projected finish)
4. One Piece Film Strong World - Y5.02
5. Pokemon 13: Diamond & Pearl Ruler of Illusions - Zoroark - Y4.07
6. Nodame Cantabile: The Final Score, Part I - Y4.05
7. Nodame Cantabile: The Final Score, Part II - Y3.91
8. Confessions - Y3.87
9. Detective Conan 14: Lost Ship in the Sky - Y3.3
10. Doraemon 30: Nobita's South Sea Adventure - Y3.14
11. Flowering Dogwood - Y2.74
12. Liar Game: The Final Stage - Y2.36
13. Ohoku - Y2.0 (Y2.2 projected finish)
14. Younger Brother - Y2.0
15. Trick the Movie: Psychic Battle Royale - Y1.9
16. Villain - Y1.9 (Y2 projected finish)
17. Beck - Y1.8 (Y1.9 projected finish)
18. Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider W & Dikeido - Y1.5
19. Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Double & Decade Forever A-Z - Y1.5
20. Thirteen Assassins - Y1.5 (Y1.55 projected finish)
21. Kimi ni Todoke - Y1.4 (Y1.5 projected finish)
22. Golden Slumber - Y1.1
23. Sayonaraitsu - Y1.1
24. Crayon Shin-chan - Y1.1
25. Pretty Cure All Stars DX2 - Y1.0
26. Gekijouban Gintama: Shin'yaku benizakura hen - Y1.0
27. SP: The Movie - Chapter of Ambition - Y1.0 (Y4.0 projected finish)

2010 Total - Y78.16 billion ($966.8 million)
2009 Total - Y83.34 billion.

2009's number will be passed with just the current releases. Add in the remaining releases, and we should be looking at Y87/88 billion this year, comfortably setting a new record.

Projected JAPANESE Films to eventually gross Y1 billion:

-Pretty Cure: Fashion and Adventure in Paris!
-Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Awakening of the Trailblazer
-Ghost (Japanese remake of Ghost)
-Battle Royale 3D (re-release)




[IMPORTED FILMS]

1. Avatar - Y15.5
2. Alice in Wonderland - Y11.8
3. Toy Story 3 - Y10.68
4. Up - Y4.8
5. Resident Evil IV: Afterlife - Y4.5 (Y4.52 projected finish)
6. Inception - Y3.45
7. Oceans - Y2.43
8. Sherlock Holmes - Y2.3
9. Salt - Y1.9
10. Knight and Day - Y1.88 (Y2.2 projected finish)
11. Sex and the City 2 - Y1.8
12. Shutter Island - Y1.7
13. Clash of the Titans - Y1.5
14. The Karate Kid - Y1.4
15. Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Y1.3
16. Iron Man 2 - Y1.2
17. The Sorcerer's Apprentice - Y1.0

2010 Total - Y69.14 billion ($855.3 million)
2009 Total - Y60.22 billion.

3D helped Hollywood smash last year's total, with the Top 5 all being in 3D. The top 3 films this year, the three major 3D releases, alone made about 60% of 2009's entire total. And looking at about Y80 billion this year thanks to Harry Potter.

Projected IMPORTED Films to eventually gross 1 billion:

-Despicable Me
-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I
-Daybreakers and Amelia are also possible, but unlikely.



Compared to previous years - http://www.eiren.org/boxoffice_e/index.html

There are a few films on both sides that may have reached 1 billion (where tracking ended around 900 million) earlier this year, so they'll be included if that's the case.

i - still playing

Knight & Day once again shows Cruise's huge bankablity in Japan! After Inception it'll be the biggest Hollywood non-3D film of the year. Well, until Harry Poter outdoes both.

Yeah, it's doing quite well.

Studio Ghibli President Koji Hoshino revealed at the Rome International Film Festival on Thursday that his company "will announce Ghibli's new work on December 15. I cannot say anything beyond that yet." Hoshino was responding to a question about studio co-founder Hayao Miyazaki, who said in the September issue of Cut magazine that he considered a hypothetical sequel of Porco Rosso. However, the entertainment news source Cinema Today emphasized that it is currently unclear whether Hoshino was referring to a new work directed by Miyazaki or another creator.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... ecember-15
http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/5119781/

Exciting news.

It's rumored to be Miyazaki's next (but not necessarily a Porco Rosso sequel), possibly final film, so the release will probably be in 2013.

Time for Isao Takahata to direct another movie for Ghibli, IMHO!!!!

So, 2010 should be another year where Japanese movies have beaten Hollywood ones at the box-office? Great if it's the case!

Ohhh! You mentioning Isao Takahata reminds me he was supposed to be adapting Taketori Monogatari/Kaguya Hime (The Tale of Princess Kaguya). It's been 11 years since his last film.

I don't remember if that rumor turned out false or what, but it may just be the new film that'll be announced next month. I hope it is because: 1. Isao Takahata is long overdue for a new film, and 2. While a Porco Rosso sequel sounds interesting, I'd prefer Miyazaki's likely final film to be something original.

Yeah, Japanese films will gross more than Hollywood films again for the third consecutive year (probably looking at 53/54% of the market this year), but Hollywood did see a big increase over their yearly 2008 and 2009 totals thanks to 3D. Outside of 3D releases though, Hollywood films lagged way behind.

You can see the Market Share ratio for previous years on the far right below,

From the usual locations only (10-15% of the market), the drops this weekend:

SP: The Motion Picture, -43.2%
Despicable Me, -47.8%
Pretty Cure, -59.6%
Umizaru 3, -43.1%
The Incite Mill, -38.3%
The Lady Shogun and Her Men, -40.2%

Harsh drops all around, and I can only assume it's because of the Holiday on Wednesday that brought down weekend admissions.

Also, Eclipse did 82.9% of Saw 3D's opening last week. If that translate to the whole country, it'll end up opening below Twilight and New Moon, both which opened to almost identical numbers (Yen).

Twilight - Y67,933,086
New Moon - Y68,788,463

Judging from THR's Eclipse number, the film did not decrease from the previous installments.

Now, admission rankings by location,

TOHO
1. SP: The Motion Picture (Toho) 2
2. Despicable Me (Toho-Towa) 2
3. Saw 3D (Asmik Ace) 2
4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Kadokawa) 1
5. Umizaru 3: The Last Message (Toho) 8
6. Knight & Day (Fox) 5
7. The Incite Mill: 7-Day Death Game (WB) 5
8. Heart Catch Pretty Cure: Fashion and Adventures in Paris (TOEI) 2
9. The Lightning Cherry Blossom Tree (Toho) 3
10. The Lady Shogun and Her Men (Asmik Ace) 6

SHIKOKU
1. SP: The Motion Picture (Toho) 2
2. Heart Catch Pretty Cure: Fashion and Adventures in Paris (TOEI) 2
3. Despicable Me (Toho-Towa) 2
4. Umizaru 3: The Last Message (Toho) 8
5. Knight & Day (Fox) 5
6. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Kadokawa) 1
7. The Incite Mill: 7-Day Death Game (WB) 5
8. Mobile Suit Gundam 00: Awakening of the Trailblazer (Shochiku) 8
9. Farwell, Beloved President (Asmik Ace) 1
10. The Lady Shogun and Her Men (Asmik Ace) 6

WARNER
1. SP: The Motion Picture (Toho) 2
2. Heart Catch Pretty Cure: Fashion and Adventures in Paris (TOEI) 2
3. Despicable Me (Toho-Towa) 2
4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Kadokawa) 1
5. Umizaru 3: The Last Message (Toho) 8

Weekend Numbers,

1. SP: The Motion Picture (Toho) - Y317 million ($4 million) 2
2. Despicable Me (Toho-Towa) - Y143 million ($1.8 million) 2
3. Heart Catch Pretty Cure: Fashion and Adventures in Paris (TOEI) - Y116 million ($1.5 million) 2
4. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (Kadokawa) - Y95 million ($1.2 million) 1
5. Umizaru 3: The Last Message (Toho) - Y79 million ($1 million) 8
6. The Incite Mill: 7-Day Death Game (WB) Y67 million ($0.8 million) 5
7. Knight & Day (Fox) - Y62 million ($0.8 million) 5
8. The Lady Shogun and Her Men (Asmik Ace) - Y40 million ($0.5 million) 6
9. Saw 3D (Asmik Ace) - Y36 million ($0.5 million) 2
10. The Expendables (Shochiku) - Y36 million ($0.5 million) 4
11. Farewell, Beloved President (Asmik Ace) - Y31 million ($0.4 million) 1
12. The Lightning Cherry Blossom Tree (Toho) - Y24 million ($0.3 million) 3

Any total as of yet?

Only two of the holdovers have had their totals released so far (still early morning in Japan though, so perhaps some more will be available tonight),

SP: The Motion Picture - Y1.53 billion ($19 million), 1.25 million admissions after 9 days. (very impressive, with $40m+ looking good).
HeartCatch Pretty Cure - Y480 million ($6 million) after 9 days.

I would predict The Expendables is between Y750-775 million (between $9-9.5 million) now. And it'll probably finish with about Y850 million ($10.5 million or so).

Totals slowly coming in for the other holdovers,

Knight & Day - Exceeded Y2 billion (about $25 million) after 5 weeks.
Umizaru 3 - Exceeded Y7.6 billion (about $94 million) after 8 weeks.

Updates with estimates,

Top 20 Opening Weekends of 2010 by Gross




_________________________________________________________________________________


Top 20 Opening Weekends of 2010 by Admissions




_________________________________________________________________________________


Top 20 Films of 2010 by Gross




_________________________________________________________________________________


Top 20 Films of 2010 by Admissions




New Entries
i - still playing

Notes: (Added when actuals are released).

Upcoming releases:

Nov. 13th - Ghost (remake): I Want To Hold You Again, The Crazies, The Last Soldier, 442 Live with Honor, Die with Dignity
Nov. 19th - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part I
Nov. 20th - Battle Royale 3D (re-release), Leonie, Impure Black Village