Is Code Blue also about a disaster or something? Looks like it. It was a fitting weekend for it to be released, if so.

I saw its trailer and I didn't see any disaster but probably they need more of Code Blue after the typhoon

Or maybe Code Red...

Sort of. The TV show is a medical drama that follows a group of helicopter doctors that travel to assist patients, which includes disaster incidents. And yes, the film was certainly released on a "fitting" weekend.

Amazingly, the film managed to improve upon estimates to deliver the third biggest opening weekend ever for a domestic live-action film.

It opened to ¥1.096 billion ($9.8 million) on 810,918 admissions over the weekend frame, and earned a 3-day total of ¥1.548 billion ($13.9 million) on 1,160,000 admissions. Its 3-day total is the second highest of the year, besting the 3-day total of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom by 2.7%, and it trailed Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer by 7.4%.

Other accomplishments:
>Third biggest opening weekend ever for a domestic live-action film.
>Fourth domestic live-action film to debut with over 800,000 admissions.
>Fifth domestic live-action film to debut above ¥1 billion.
>Biggest opening weekend for a domestic live-action film since 2009.
>Most attended opening weekend for a domestic live-action film since 2009.

Full Weekend Actuals will be posted later this evening.

Is Code Blue a surprise contender to top the year?

We're nearing the middle of Summer now, and weekday grosses are going to overtake weekend grosses for the next three weeks for every release (not just the heavily skewing adult films).

The next three weeks are the strongest weeks of the year at the box-office, so I'll be posting daily estimates for a while.

Certainly. Code Blue was expected to do well, but definitely not this well. Domestic live-action films have struggled to become hits for years now, so for one to open so huge and possibly become a challenger for the yearly title is very surprising.

Weekday Estimates (07/30-08/03)

Monday (07/30)
¥305 million ($2.8 million), 0, ¥1.855 billion ($16.7 million), Code Blue (Day 4)
¥130 million ($1.2 million), -15%, ¥5.050 billion ($45.0 million), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Day 18)
¥70 million ($630,000), -09%, ¥1.250 billion ($11.3 million), Mirai of the Future (Day 11)
¥55 million ($495,000), -02%, ¥1.705 billion ($15.3 million), Pokemon: Everyone's Story (Day 18)
¥15 million ($135,000), -42%, ¥375.0 million ($3.3 million), Bleach (Day 11)
¥13 million ($115,000), -15%, ¥4.215 billion ($38.1 million), Shoplifters (Day 53)
¥13 million ($115,000), -20%, ¥2.010 billion ($18.2 million), Solo: A Star Wars Story (Day 32)
¥11 million ($100,000), -13%, ¥493.0 million ($4.5 million), Rainbow Days (Day 25)
¥6 million ($55,000), -10%, ¥502.0 million ($4.6 million), Anpanman: Shine! Kurun and the Star of Life (Day 31)
¥5 million ($45,000), -35%, ¥1.682 billion ($15.1 million), Recall (Day 45)
__________
¥4 million ($35,000), +37%, ¥8.678 billion ($79.2 million), Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer (Day 109)

% changes versus same day last week.

Everything from Bleach down will be out of the Top 10 in the next 11 days as six wide openers debut ahead of Obon Festival in two weeks. I'll continue to track Detective Conan, though, since Jurassic World 2 and Code Blue will be aiming to overtake it and win the yearly crown.

Cool. I love those weekday updates and numbers. Corpse you're going to post weekdays till obon festival is over right?

Yes, it should be a very exciting few weeks. I usually wait until Obon Festival to post daily estimates, but I'm doing it early this year because a lot of notable films are opening this week (Incredibles 2, Mission: Impossible 6, My Hero Academia, Kamen Rider, and Sensei Kunshu) in just the next 5 days alone. Incredibles 2 and Sensei Kunshu are opening this Wednesday, while the others are opening on Friday.

That is indeed a very exciting line-up. Pixar is still HUGE in Japan. Cruise is a BIG draw there and then you have the regulars in Kamen Rider, My Hero Academia though I don't have any idea on Sensei Kunshu.

Weekday Estimates (07/30-08/03)

Monday (07/30)
¥305 million ($2.8 million), 0, ¥1.855 billion ($16.7 million), Code Blue (Day 4)
¥130 million ($1.2 million), -15%, ¥5.050 billion ($45.0 million), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Day 18)
¥70 million ($630,000), -09%, ¥1.250 billion ($11.3 million), Mirai of the Future (Day 11)
¥55 million ($495,000), -02%, ¥1.705 billion ($15.3 million), Pokemon: Everyone's Story (Day 18)
¥15 million ($135,000), -42%, ¥375.0 million ($3.3 million), Bleach (Day 11)
¥13 million ($115,000), -15%, ¥4.215 billion ($38.1 million), Shoplifters (Day 53)
¥13 million ($115,000), -20%, ¥2.010 billion ($18.2 million), Solo: A Star Wars Story (Day 32)
¥11 million ($100,000), -13%, ¥493.0 million ($4.5 million), Rainbow Days (Day 25)
¥6 million ($55,000), -10%, ¥502.0 million ($4.6 million), Anpanman: Shine! Kurun and the Star of Life (Day 31)
¥5 million ($45,000), -35%, ¥1.682 billion ($15.1 million), Recall (Day 45)
__________
¥4 million ($35,000), +37%, ¥8.678 billion ($79.2 million), Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer (Day 109)

Tuesday (07/31)
¥235 million ($2.1 million), 0, ¥2.090 billion ($18.8 million), Code Blue (Day 5)
¥100 million ($900,000), -16%, ¥5.150 billion ($45.9 million), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Day 19)
¥55 million ($495,000), -08%, ¥1.305 billion ($11.8 million), Mirai of the Future (Day 12)
¥45 million ($405,000), -07%, ¥1.750 billion ($15.7 million), Pokemon: Everyone's Story (Day 19)
¥12 million ($110,000), -34%, ¥387.0 million ($3.4 million), Bleach (Day 12)
¥12 million ($110,000), -08%, ¥4.227 billion ($38.2 million), Shoplifters (Day 54)
¥11 million ($100,000), -17%, ¥2.021 billion ($18.3 million), Solo: A Star Wars Story (Day 33)
¥8 million ($70,000), -14%, ¥501.0 million ($4.6 million), Rainbow Days (Day 26)
¥6 million ($55,000), +86%, ¥8.684 billion ($79.3 million), Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer (Day 110)
¥5 million ($45,000), -09%, ¥507.0 million ($4.7 million), Anpanman: Shine! Kurun and the Star of Life (Day 32)
__________
¥4 million ($35,000), -25%, ¥1.686 billion ($15.1 million), Recall (Day 46)

% changes versus same day last week.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, August 1st, has potential to be the biggest single day of 2018. We could see the day double Monday's estimates. A lot of urban theaters are close to achieving half-capacity for the whole day and it's only 4AM. Every Wednesday is Ladies' Day (women get discount tickets), but it's also the first of the month (national discount day, so everyone gets discounts), and we're in the middle of Summer.

To take advantage of this day, Incredibles 2 and Sensei Kunshun are opening tomorrow ahead of the weekend. Then on Friday, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, My Hero Academia: Two Heroes, and the latest Kamen Rider open.

However... I don't believe any of the new films are going to take the #1 spot away from Code Blue. Incredibles 2 has very good pre-sales ahead of its first day, but Code Blue is beating it handily; and Mission Impossible 6 is very unlikely to beat it over the weekend.

Double Post.

Weekday Estimates (07/30-08/03)

Monday & Tuesday


Wednesday (08/01)
¥400 million ($3.6 million), 0, ¥2.490 billion ($22.4 million), Code Blue (Day 6)
¥255 million ($2.3 million), 0, ¥255.0 million ($2.3 million), Incredibles 2 (NEW)
¥155 million ($1.4 million), +02%, ¥5.305 billion ($47.3 million), Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (Day 20)
¥85 million ($760,000), -01%, ¥1.390 billion ($12.6 million), Mirai of the Future (Day 13)
¥80 million ($715,000), 0, ¥80.00 million ($715,000), Sensei Kunshun (NEW)
¥65 million ($580,000), -10%, ¥1.815 billion ($16.3 million), Pokemon: Everyone's Story (Day 20)
¥18 million ($160,000), 0, ¥18.00 million ($160,000), Blue Summer (NEW)
¥17 million ($150,000), -31%, ¥404.0 million ($3.6 million), Bleach (Day 13)
¥15 million ($135,000), -22%, ¥2.036 billion ($18.4 million), Solo: A Star Wars Story (Day 34)
¥12 million ($110,000), -34%, ¥4.239 billion ($38.3 million), Shoplifters (Day 55)
__________
¥2 million ($20,000), -65%, ¥8.686 billion ($79.3 million), Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer (Day 111)

% changes versus same day last week.

Wednesday wasn't quite as strong as I was anticipating, but it was still strong as we get closer to Obon Festival in less than two weeks.

Code Blue is showing no signs of frontloading that TV drama adaptations sometimes experience, and is definitely going to be a contender for the 2018 yearly crown now. I still believe Fuji TV's "expected" ¥10 billion total is too high, but ¥8/9 billion ($70-80 million+) is currently realistic.

Incredibles 2 had a good first day, but I was expecting a bit more. There's really no good comparisons to other Disney/Pixar films because of the Wednesday release, so we'll have to watch how it performs on a day-to-day basis before making any good comparisons. If anything, its first day likely suggests it's not going to breakout, really, and will probably finish around the norm of a Pixar film -- ¥4/5 billion ($40/50 million).

The first film grossed ¥5.26 billion, so if it can match/exceed that, it'd be a success... but it's very clear that Japanese audiences just aren't accepting of Pixar sequels. Aside from Toy Story 3, which benefited from Pixar establishing itself after the release of the first two Toy Story films, every Pixar sequel has dropped from its predecessor in the market.

Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer lost its biggest amount of theaters yet on Wednesday, and it definitely felt the blow. I'll continue to track it for as long as I can, though, since it's the film Jurassic World 2 and Code Blue need to beat first, before possibly one another, to win the 2018 yearly crown.

Pixar films usually get higher critical acclaim than other Hollywood animated films, so it's surprising they aren't doing as well as rival studios in Japan. Very disappointing that Illumination, whose films clearly rely on low quality gags, are doing better than Pixar and continue to enjoy growth.

I wonder if there is anything Pixar can do to turn their slump around. I'm guessing Toy Story 4 will see a large decline from its predecessor as well next year?

Disappointing to see for I2.