What specific weekends do you think are strategically the best to release a movie on in order to milk it as much as possible?

Personally, I think the best weekends to release the movie on are:

- First weekend of May (Spider-Man, X2: X-Men United, The Mummy Returns, Van Helsing) - this weekend guarantees a BIG opening

- The weekend before Memorial's Day (The Matrix Reloaded, Shrek 2, Star Wars EP I & II)

- On a Wednesday before the July 4th weekend (Spider-Man 2, upcoming War of the Worlds)

- For horror movies: The weekend before the Halloween week (The Grudge)

- The weekend before Thanksgiving (National Treasure, How Grinch stole Christmas)

- The weekend before the last in December (LOTR films, Meet the Fockers)


Now if I had to pick one of these I'd go with the weekend before the last in December looking at how much it pays off to Meet the Fockers. Also I think that December is getting the best time of the year to release movies on, considering that the dailies are really amazing in the second half of it.

For the second-best, I'd pick the first weekend of May, since the big blockbusters come out then with virtually no competition and therefore open huge, even if they are panned by critics.

I agree. Not just in the US, even international. Actually, the awesome weekday grosses b/w 12/17 to first weekend in January more than makes up for lower weekdays later on.

Memorial Day, July 4th and Thanksgiving weekend are the best!

I say like one week before Chirstmas is the best.

I say Great WOM is the best :wink: lol december is the best for films that can generate great WOM, and its between the wednesday opening before july 4th, and any wknd in may more the mindless bad WOM or moderate WOM massive Blockbusters :wink: oh and everyone knows that the wknd before halloween is great for horror films, as for kids films anytime of year they can benifit from anything.

Weekend before Christmas for any type of film probably. Although obviously each genre of film has its own best time or opening., ala Halloween would be best to open for Horror movies, but if one did open at Christmas time, because sales are higher then anyway, it would probably do nice business.

1. The weekend before Christmas Weekend (LOTR and Fockers and Titanic - need I say more!! Great daily numbers, playability through Jan)
2. The weekend before Memorial Day (Brilliant second weekend followed by great daily numbers in June)
3. First Weekend of May (first big weekend of summer season, Memorial Weekend coming up and lack of competition)
4. First Weekend of November (kicks off the Holiday season - less competition like 1st of May)
5. July 4th Weekend (Wed before allows great daily numbers)
6. Week before July 4th weekend (two great weekends and great daily numbers)
7. Week before Thanksgiving weekend (two great weekends)
8. Last weekend in July (early summer films have played out and you still have great daly numbers and less competition through August)

Most overrated weekend: Thanksgiving - usually already too much competition and the second weekend drop pretty much finishes off most films)

Those mentioned above, plus these.

The beginning of October, A time when high profile movies get released with no real competition, and often become sleepers and they play through the whole month before the beginning of November. Movies like Meet the Parents, Training Day, Red Dragon, School of Rock, and Shark Tale have all found big sucesses on this weekend, and mostly good legs too.

Also, the first or second weekend of August, a time when usually the last sure thing summer blockbuster opens, and with better legs too because it doesn't have any other high profiles movies left to compete with, plus the labor day session are also strong as well. Rush Hour 2, Signs are good examples.

The middle of March, like the October weekend, no real competition arrives, and being the weekend before Spring Break in the Eastern States, the dailies will be stronger, and not to mention good legs through the whole spring season. Movies like Erin Brokovich, Ice Age, Bringing Down the House, Dawn of the Dead have found big sucesses on this weekend.

Second week of September

1) Weekend before Christmas
2) Weekend before Memorial Day
3) First weekend of May

:???:

I think a May release is the best for two reason.

1. The obvious box office advntage of the summer weekdays and legs.

2. The fact that the DVD will almost undboutedly come out in the holiday season, allowing for a respectably long run (in this day and age) with a good chance to make the money it deserves, as well as capitalize on the benefits of having a top-selling DVD in the holiday season.