'Transformers' Stays on Top, 'Bosses' Fires 'Zookeeper'

by Ray Subers
July 10, 2011
Transformers: Dark of the Moon held on to first place in its second weekend, and actually showed some improvement over the last Transformers installment. Among openers, Horrible Bosses extended the winning streak for R-rated comedies this Summer, while Zookeeper wound up in third on middling results. Overall box office was off around 19 percent from the same period last year, when Despicable Me debuted to a huge $56.4 million.

Transformers fell 52 percent to $47.1 million. That was a lighter decline and a higher second weekend gross than those for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, indicating that Dark of the Moon is maintaining interest at a higher rate than its often maligned predecessor (though, to be fair, Transformers 2's second Saturday was muted by the Fourth of July). On Sunday, Dark of the Moon passed The Hangover Part II to become 2011's top-grossing movie, and its 12-day total currently sits at a healthy $261.1 million.

Horrible Bosses opened to $28.3 million, which was up from Bridesmaids but a bit off from Bad Teacher among Summer 2011's original R-rated comedies. It's also the top-grossing opening ever for a dark/black comedy, beating out The Stepford Wives remake. In a single weekend, it bested its cast members' Summer 2010 projects Going the Distance (Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day) and The Switch (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston).

Horrible Bosses had a lot going for it heading in to the weekend. Distributor Warner Bros. executed a strong, omnipresent marketing effort, clearly explaining the movie'a premise that pitted three lesser-known leads (Bateman, Sudeikis, Day) against three movie stars (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Aniston), with Farrell and Aniston notably playing against type. Plenty of laughs were mixed in with the well-articulated story, and they were presented in a character-oriented way so as to suggest there was more to come in the full-length movie. To top it all off, the trailer and many commercials were cleverly set to Cage the Elephant's "Ain't No Rest For the Wicked," which lined up well with the movie's upbeat tempo but dark themes. Horrible Bosses' audience skewed slightly male (51 percent), while 64 percent were over the age of 25 years old, according to Warner Bros.

Zookeeper launched to $20.1 million. That was an improvement over Kevin James' last movie, The Dilemma, but way down from the rest of his oeuvre, most notably Paul Blart: Mall Cop ($31.8 million). It also had a leg up on last summer's talking animal movies, Marmaduke and Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, but in general it's not an impressive start within the popular subgenre.

While Horrible Bosses felt fresh, Zookeeper reeked of formula. It was transparently conceived as a mash-up of hugely successful movies like Night at the Museum, Doctor Dolittle and Hitch, which could have worked out had the marketing been more compelling. Unfortunately, ads focused almost entirely on the flat relationship between James' titular character and a Nick Nolte-voiced gorilla, while opting to mostly avoid any sort of story. What's particularly odd about this is that, despite Adam Sandler and Kevin James's solid track record together, there was virtually no attempt to highlight the movie's Sandler-voiced monkey.

Zookeeper was greenlit immediately after the overwhelming success of Paul Blart: Mall Cop gave the impression that Mr. James could open a movie on his own. At the time, the movie sounded like a home run but unfortunately the original distributor MGM ran in to a mess of financial issues and the movie ended up being delayed a full year from its original release date in July 2010. In that time, Mr. James' star may have cooled a little, and family audiences have almost certainly grown less interested in the talking animal subgenre. Zookeeper could still pick up steam: Yogi Bear, for example, opened to just $16.4 million in December before ultimately closing north of $100 million, though that was a Christmas movie and was the exception, not the rule. Distributor Sony Pictures' research showed that 52 percent of Zookeeper's audience was parents and their children, and that 53 percent was female.

Cars 2 stabilized a bit, dipping 42 percent to $15.2 million. That was a steeper decline than the first Cars had at the same point, and, as of Friday, Cars 2 began lagging behind its predecessor in total gross. The animated sequel has so far made $148.8 million and is the least-attended Pixar movie at this point in its run.

Bad Teacher was surprisingly unfazed by Horrible Bosses debut, easing 39 percent to $8.9 million. Through its third weekend, the Cameron Diaz comedy has earned $78.7 million.

Larry Crowne and Monte Carlo did little to save face in their second weekends. Larry Crowne fell 55 percent to $5.9 million for a weak $26.2 million total, and it will be the lowest-grossing Tom Hanks movie since at least The Ladykillers in 2004. It did manage to eclipse Hanks' last directorial effort from 1996, That Thing You Do!, though it's unlikely to match that movie's attendance figures. Monte Carlo held a bit better than Larry Crowne: the Selena Gomez vehicle dipped 44 percent to $3.8 million for a total of $16.1 million.

Rounding out the Top 12, Midnight in Paris declined 26 percent to $2.6 million. With a total of $38.6 million, it's now a lock to pass Hannah and Her Sisters ($40.1 million) to become director Woody Allen's highest-grossing movie ever. Still, it will never reach Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and a few other older Allen movies in attendance.

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Related Stories:
? Forecast: Comedy Counter-Programming Can't Cancel Out 'Transformers'
? Around-the-World Roundup: 'Transformers' Dominates Again

Last Weekend:
? 'Transformers' Claims Independence Gross Record

This Timeframe in Past Years:
? 2010 - 'Despicable Me' Dominates, 'Predators' Solid But Unspectacular
? 2009 - 'Bruno' Not as Brawny as 'Borat'
? 2008 - 'Hellboy II' Sizzles
? 2007 - 'Harry Potter' Flies with the 'Phoenix'
? 2006 - 'Pirates' Raids Record Books
? 2005 - 'Fantastic Four' Heats Up the Summer Box Office

Related Charts:
? Weekend Box Office Results
? Showdown: 'Horrible Bosses' Vs. 'Bad Teacher' Vs. 'Bridesmaids'
? Showdown: 'Transformers' Vs. 'Transformers'
? Showdown: 'Cars 2' Vs. 'Cars' Vs. 'Toy Story 3'
? Showdown: 'Green Lantern' Vs. 'Thor' Vs. 'X-Men'

Around-the-World Roundup: 'Transformers' Dominates Again

by Brandon Gray
July 12, 2011
Transformers: Dark of the Moon ruled the foreign box office again, drawing $94.7 million in 58 holdover markets over the weekend. The robo-threequel's total climbed to $395.7 million (through Monday), which was the third highest of 2011 so far, and it will shoot past Kung Fu Panda 2 by Wednesday to claim second for the year. Add in its domestic tally, and Dark of the Moon's worldwide sum stood at $662.6 million, slotting 47th on the all-time chart.

South Korea again was Transformers: Dark of the Moon's stand-out market. Dropping by just a third, the movie drew $16.3 million there over the weekend, and its nearly $53 million tally was the biggest ever for any movie at the 12-day point and was close to two-thirds ahead of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen by day 12.

The United Kingdom, Australia and Russia followed Korea, each contributing around $7.5 million. In the U.K., Dark of the Moon was off around 27 percent for a $31.8 million sum (nine percent ahead of Revenge of the Fallen). In Australia, it slipped 44 percent for a $29.2 million total (34 percent ahead of Revenge). In Russia, it fell 56 percent for a $36 million tally (184 percent ahead of Revenge). In each country, it also held better than Revenge of the Fallen.

Dark of the Moon also delivered big second weekend grosses and No. 1 rankings in Germany, France, Mexico and Brazil and boasted the all-time highest 12-day grosses in Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. While it's playing nearly everywhere, the movie has two more major markets on the horizon: China on July 21 and Japan on July 29.

Cars 2 came in second for the weekend with an estimated $26.9 million from 27 territories (up eight from last weekend). With $121.8 million in the till, the animated sequel's running 124 percent ahead of its predecessor Cars in the comparable timeframe and same set of territories, according to Walt Disney Pictures. It was also 45 percent ahead of Up and 17 percent behind Toy Story 3. Spain was Cars 2's top debut at $5.1 million (including previews), but the movie broke Disney's animated opening gross record in Argentina with $3.3 million, topping Toy Story 3. Mexico remained the top overall gross contributor with $21.1 million, followed by Russia at $18.4 million. Cars 2 adds only Vietnam for the coming weekend.

In third, Kung Fu Panda 2 whipped up $14 million from 53 territories and swung past the $400 million mark in the process. New Zealand was the animated sequel's main new territory, where it brought in $584,450, which was 14 percent behind its predecessor and 22 percent behind Cars 2. Panda 2's biggest haul for the weekend, though, was in Australia, taking in $3 million and competing neck-and-neck with Cars 2 for winter school vacation dollars.

Bad Teacher scored $13.1 million from 31 territories in fourth place, bringing its total to $45.9 million. The highlight for the comedy was Russia, where it grabbed $5.7 million, edging out The Hangover Part II as the top-grossing start ever for an American comedy and more than doubling the entire run of Bridesmaids.

Mr. Popper's Penguins rounded out the Top Five with $10.3 million from 39 territories (up 18 from last weekend) for a $25.6 million total.

Opening day and date with domestic in 17 territories, Zookeeper mustered modest interest, grossing $6.9 million, most of which coming from Germany and Mexico. The talking-animal comedy ranked second in Germany with $2.8 million (31 percent behind Paul Blart: Mall Cop) and third in Mexico with $2.3 million (more than triple Paul Blart).

2011's top grosser, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, added an estimated $6.5 million, down 19 percent, increasing its total to $785.4 million.

Meanwhile, X-Men: First Class inched past the $200 million mark.

Discuss the Around-the-World Roundup on Facebook, Twitter, and in Box Office Mojo's forums.

Domestic Report:
? 'Transformers' Stays on Top, 'Bosses' Fires 'Zookeeper'

Last Weekend:
? 'Transformers' Lays Waste to World

Related Charts:
? Latest Foreign Charts
? 2011 Worldwide Grosses
? All-Time Worldwide

Movie Plot Thoughts: Transformers 3 Dark of the Moon

In the weeks leading up to quite possibly the most anticipated movie of the summer (although the Boy Magician - Harry Potter - will surely give it a run for its money), Transformers Dark of the Moon has characteristically released tidbit-after-tidbit of its plot. The much-maligned franchise hasn't successfully done this in four years, since the blockbuster Transformers 2007 live-action film, as Revenge of the Fallen was a cinematic desert - huge yet insubstantial. Fans nationwide are primed with anticipation, if only out of the accurate reasoning that the third movie couldn't possibly be any worse than film 2.

With all that said, since the Writer's Strike excuse that was used for the paucity and lack-of-focus of Revenge of the Fallen (surely they could have gotten a fan to write the plot, right? It would have been better than what they ended up with) is no more, what can we expect Dark of the Moon to be about? It is clear they've picked a good element around which to revolve it; the space-race between the US and USSR gets max points just for its significance alone. The revelation in the most recent batch of post-Superbowl Transformers commercials that human beings might have sided with the Decepticons does one of the best things an action film can do for the audience: post them strongly on one side over another side. Don't be surprised if the audience is rooting only for the Autobots, and the only humans that get any love whatsoever are Sam and girl! Especially when the trailers seem to suggest that the human government, or some elements of it, knew of the Decepticons long before the general public, and sought to use them for personal reasons - which pretty much sums up human history.

The introduction of a new villain, Shockwave, also leaves us wondering what role - if any - Megatron will play in Dark of the Moon. The Decepticon leader, as evidenced by his admonition to Starscream in Revenge of the Fallen: "Even in death, there is no rule but mine!" clearly doesn't do well as second-fiddle. In the comics, Shockwave was his general on Cybertron, left there to continue the bad fight as Megatron chased the AllSpark and Prime across the universe. Will Transformers 3 involve some kind of showdown between the brutal-looking Shockwave and the Decepticon-leader? Are humans using the Decepticons to try and control the populace in some way, only to have it (Surprise!!) backfire? We'll see in less than a week.

Christina Thomas is an Astrophysics grad student who has recently become very interested in web development and internet marketing in her (very) limited free time. she enjoys, first and foremost, taking her nephews to all things Transformers! Come and check us out at:

http://cybertron-transformers.blogspot.com/2011/06/last-post-superbowl-transformers.html

http://cybertron-transformers.blogspot.com/p/autobots.html

Around-the-World Roundup: 'Transformers' Lays Waste to World

by Ray Subers
July 5, 2011
Paramount Pictures International had plenty of reason to celebrate this holiday weekend: on top of its strong domestic start, the third installment of the Transformers franchise debuted to a massive $219.8 million overseas. That's one of the biggest-grossing foreign starts ever and ranked second this year behind Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, which finally passed the coveted $1 billion worldwide mark on Saturday.

Check out results for Transformers 3, Cars 2, Pirates 4 and more on our overseas weekend chart here.

According to Paramount, Transformers: Dark of the Moon topped Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen's opening by 57 percent. Its biggest territory was South Korea, where it set a new opening weekend record with over $30 million. It also set opening weekend records in Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, Peru and Panama. Dark of the Moon's next biggest market was Russia, where it debuted to $22.1 million. Its splashy premiere in Moscow, which included a Linkin Park concert in Red Square, probably goosed initial results a little but there's no way to measure the impact of such events.

Transformers: Dark of the Moon was strong across all of its regions, including the United Kingdom ($17.2 million), Australia ($16.2 million), Germany ($15.3 million), France ($11.1 million), Mexico ($10.5 million) and Taiwan ($10.5 million). Paramount reported that 70 percent of its grosses came from 3D presentations, which was a higher 3D share than Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides's 66 percent. Included in that share is IMAX revenues, which totaled $9.1 million through Monday.

Transformers's foreign debut ranks fourth all-time behind On Stranger Tides, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Spider-Man 3. Add in its Wednesday to Sunday domestic start, though, and Transformers's worldwide opening of $382.4 million only ranks behind Half-Blood Prince. Including Monday's domestic and foreign grosses, Dark of the Moon has already made $418 million worldwide.

With debuts in China and Japan scheduled for later this month, it's a foregone conclusion that Dark of the Moon will ultimately finish significantly higher than its predecessor's $434.2 million foreign total. Based on these initial results, an overseas total north of $600 million appears within reach, and the movie could even make a run at $1 billion worldwide.

With no significant openings, Cars 2 fell 49 percent to an estimated $22.1 million. Its top territory was Mexico with $4.7 million, followed by Russia with $3.2 million. It played in 35 percent of the international market and has tracked 123 percent ahead of the original Cars in the same territories. Cars 2 has made $82.2 million overseas and is set to open in nine additional markets, including Spain, next weekend. The summer's other major animated offering, Kung Fu Panda 2, added $20.1 million from 56 territories for an overseas total of $377.6 million.

The Hangover Part II earned $9.6 million to push its foreign total to $301.4 million. Sometime last week, it passed Pretty Woman's $285 million to become the top-grossing R-rated comedy ever overseas, though it obviously came nowhere close to that movie in terms of attendance.

Bridesmaids and Bad Teacher remained neck-and-neck in fairly limited release. Bridesmaids added $7.2 million from 11 territories for a total of $34.8 million, while Bad Teacher grossed $7.2 million from 25 markets for a $29.2 million tally.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides earned an estimated $7.7 million, which pushed its enormous foreign total to $773.5 million. Add in its domestic take, and the movie has made $1.009 billion, which places it seventh on the all-time list ahead of The Dark Knight ($1.002 billion) and behind Alice in Wonderland ($1.024 billion). Out of the top seven movies ever, four are from Disney (two Pirates, Toy Story 3 and Alice), and three have Johnny Depp in a lead role.

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Other Notables - Weekend Gross - Gross-to-Date (in millions)
Delhi Belly - $7.1 - $7.1
Mr. Popper's Penguins - $5.8 - $11.1
X-Men: First Class - $4.6 - $195.5
Super 8 - $3.9 - $45.7
Larry Crowne - $3 - $3
Thor - $1.6 - $261.5
Green Lantern - $1.3 - $33.2
Monte Carlo - $1.3 - $1.3

Last Weekend:
? 'Cars 2's Foreign Model Yields Strong Sales

Domestic Report:
? 'Transformers' Claim Independence Gross Record

Related Charts:
? Latest Foreign Charts
? 2011 Worldwide Grosses
? All-Time Worldwide