'Covenant's' $8.9 mil bow tops dark days at boxoffice
Dark days at b.o.
SepT 12, 2006
No. 1 at the North American boxoffice was a dubious title this past weekend. The $8.9 million earned by Sony Pictures' "The Covenant" marked the lowest No. 1 grosser in three years, a title most recently held by Paramount Pictures' "Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star" on this same calendar weekend in 2003.
This past weekend, often the transition between summer and fall films, is never a bonanza. But after last year's "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," which earned $30 million for Sony Pictures, industry expectations were betting on "Covenant" earning somewhere north of $10 million. That didn't happen, and the earnings of the other two new wide releases -- Focus Features' Focus Features' "Hollywoodland" and the Weinstein Co.'s "The Protector" -- did little to boost the overall boxoffice. In fact, for the weekend, the boxoffice was down a staggering 16.5% compared with the same period last year.
From Sony's genre division Screen Gems, "The Covenant," directed by Renny Harlin, played largely to younger moviegoers. Rated PG-13, the film, which tracks four young men who belong to a supernatural legacy, received a favorable review from 81% of moviegoers, who were primarily under 25. Starring Steven Strait, Sebastian Stan and Laura Ramsey, "The Covenant" opened on 2,681 screens and scored a per-theater average of $3,302.
Focus Features bowed the R-rated crime thriller "Hollywoodland" to an opening gross of $5.9 million. Centering on the mysterious death of TV's Superman, George Reeves, the film stars Adrien Brody, Diane Lane and Ben Affleck as Reeves. The opening numbers were not dismal by any means, but considering that another L.A.-based crime story bows next weekend with Universal Pictures' "The Black Dahlia," "Hollywoodland" may not get much attention from moviegoers. Affleck was just crowned best actor for his Reeves portrayal by the Venice Film Festival, a win that may or may not have much effect on boxoffice grosses.
Weinstein Co. bowed the R-rated Thai action film "The Protector" to a $5 million gross and a fourth-place finish in the boxoffice derby. The Tony Jaa starrer was beat out by holdover "Invincible" from Buena Vista, which earned $5.8 million its third week in release. The 1970s football drama has now earned $45.7 million, just in time for Sony Pictures' football fare "Gridiron Gang" to hit the boxoffice this coming week.
The majority of the remaining top 10 was dominated by indie fare, with Lionsgate's "Crank" taking the fifth spot with $4.9 million, down a severe 62% from last weekend's Labor Day opener. Yari Film Group's "The Illusionist" added 391 runs and grossed an additional $4.5 million for the three-day period. The PG-13-rated period drama has grossed just under $18 million for its four weeks in release. Fox Searchlight continues with its word-of-mouth hit "Little Miss Sunshine," earning $4.3 million for a total gross of $41.5 million.
In limited release, Paramount Vantage opened the Toby Keith starrer "Broken Bridges" in 84 theaters. A CMT/MTV production, the film grossed $133,784 with a dismal per-screen average of $1,593.
IFC bowed the Maggie Gyllenhaal starrer "Sherrybaby" on five screens. The R-rated drama from writer-director Laurie Collyer earned $34,774 for a per-screen average of $6,955. IFC also opened the documentary "Saint of 9/11" on one screen in New York. The story of Father Mychal Judge, chaplain for the New York City Fire Department and the first official casualty of the Sept. 11 attacks, bowed to $3,680 for the three-day frame. It has now grossed $4,901.
First Independent Pictures opened the documentary "I Trust You to Kill Me" on one screen to $5,888.
This past weekend, often the transition between summer and fall films, is never a bonanza. But after last year's "The Exorcism of Emily Rose," which earned $30 million for Sony Pictures, industry expectations were betting on "Covenant" earning somewhere north of $10 million. That didn't happen, and the earnings of the other two new wide releases -- Focus Features' Focus Features' "Hollywoodland" and the Weinstein Co.'s "The Protector" -- did little to boost the overall boxoffice. In fact, for the weekend, the boxoffice was down a staggering 16.5% compared with the same period last year.
From Sony's genre division Screen Gems, "The Covenant," directed by Renny Harlin, played largely to younger moviegoers. Rated PG-13, the film, which tracks four young men who belong to a supernatural legacy, received a favorable review from 81% of moviegoers, who were primarily under 25. Starring Steven Strait, Sebastian Stan and Laura Ramsey, "The Covenant" opened on 2,681 screens and scored a per-theater average of $3,302.
Focus Features bowed the R-rated crime thriller "Hollywoodland" to an opening gross of $5.9 million. Centering on the mysterious death of TV's Superman, George Reeves, the film stars Adrien Brody, Diane Lane and Ben Affleck as Reeves. The opening numbers were not dismal by any means, but considering that another L.A.-based crime story bows next weekend with Universal Pictures' "The Black Dahlia," "Hollywoodland" may not get much attention from moviegoers. Affleck was just crowned best actor for his Reeves portrayal by the Venice Film Festival, a win that may or may not have much effect on boxoffice grosses.
Weinstein Co. bowed the R-rated Thai action film "The Protector" to a $5 million gross and a fourth-place finish in the boxoffice derby. The Tony Jaa starrer was beat out by holdover "Invincible" from Buena Vista, which earned $5.8 million its third week in release. The 1970s football drama has now earned $45.7 million, just in time for Sony Pictures' football fare "Gridiron Gang" to hit the boxoffice this coming week.
The majority of the remaining top 10 was dominated by indie fare, with Lionsgate's "Crank" taking the fifth spot with $4.9 million, down a severe 62% from last weekend's Labor Day opener. Yari Film Group's "The Illusionist" added 391 runs and grossed an additional $4.5 million for the three-day period. The PG-13-rated period drama has grossed just under $18 million for its four weeks in release. Fox Searchlight continues with its word-of-mouth hit "Little Miss Sunshine," earning $4.3 million for a total gross of $41.5 million.
In limited release, Paramount Vantage opened the Toby Keith starrer "Broken Bridges" in 84 theaters. A CMT/MTV production, the film grossed $133,784 with a dismal per-screen average of $1,593.
IFC bowed the Maggie Gyllenhaal starrer "Sherrybaby" on five screens. The R-rated drama from writer-director Laurie Collyer earned $34,774 for a per-screen average of $6,955. IFC also opened the documentary "Saint of 9/11" on one screen in New York. The story of Father Mychal Judge, chaplain for the New York City Fire Department and the first official casualty of the Sept. 11 attacks, bowed to $3,680 for the three-day frame. It has now grossed $4,901.
First Independent Pictures opened the documentary "I Trust You to Kill Me" on one screen to $5,888.
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