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[xaosslug]

tomatometer:

71% Beauty and the Beast

78% Kong: Skull Island

92% Logan

99% Get Out

18% The Shack
-

47% The Belko Experiment

metacritic:

*click pic(s) for source*

‘Beauty and the Beast' Smashes Records With Towering $170 Million Debut

This is what makes Disney such a powerhouse.

”Beauty and the Beast," the studio's latest live action update of a cartoon classic, waltzed its way to a towering $170 million debut this weekend, setting a new record for a March opening and solidifying the Mouse House's status as the dominant player in the film business. No other company can match the streak that Disney is currently enjoying, thanks to a series of multi-billion acquisitions that put the likes of Pixar, Marvel, and LucasFilm in its Magic Kingdom.

”Beauty and the Beast" represents another part of Disney's branded strategy. It's the latest fairy tale adaptation to hit screens. Others in the lucrative group include ”Alice in Wonderland," which picked up $1 billion worldwide, ”Cinderella" with its $543.5 million global haul, and last year's ”The Jungle Book," which racked up a mighty $966.6 million after finishing its run. Remakes of ”Dumbo" and ”Mulan" are already in the works, as Disney commits to putting a live action spin on the bulk of its animated properties (Fans of ”Treasure Planet" may be out of luck).

The latest fairy tale follows Belle, a bookish girl in France played by Harry Potter film veteran Emma Watson, who helps a tortured Beast (Dan Stevens of ”Downton Abbey" fame) break out of his shell. In the process she lifts a curse that's left the Beast's kingdom populated by talking household items. ”Beauty and the Beast" didn't muck about with the elements that made the 1991 film so beloved. Director Bill Condon kept the basic plot intact, while fleshing out a bit more of Belle's backstory, and retaining a soundtrack that includes ”Be Our Guest" and ”Belle." All those elaborate musical numbers and chatty cutlery don't come cheap. ”Beauty and the Beast" carries a hefty $160 million budget. It should make that money back manyfold after ticket sales are tallied and new lines of princess wear are whipped up to satisfy new generations of Belle lovers.

Most major studios steered clear of ”Beauty and the Beast." The only other new release of note, ”The Belko Experiment," debuted to $4.1 million, which its backers say is success given its model. The film boasts a unique distribution strategy. ”The Belko Experiment" opened in 1,341 locations, roughly a third of the theater count for a major studio offerings. The theaters are chosen because they are more popular with horror fans. Orion, an MGM label, backed the film and is distributing it with BH Tilt. That label is overseen by ”The Purge" and ”Insidious" producer Blumhouse. It's trying to find more cost-efficient ways to bring smaller films to the masses. ”The Belko Experiment" follows a group of American corporate types, who are locked in a high-rise office in Bogotá, Colombia. They are ordered by a voice on the intercom to kill one another in a gray flannel-version of Social Darwinism.

With ”Beauty and the Beast" dominating ticket sales, last weekend's champ, ”Kong: Skull Island," fell 53% to $28.8 million. That pushes the monster movie's domestic haul to $110.1 million. Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment teamed up to produce the remake of King Kong.

Fox's ”Logan" took third place, pulling in $17.5 million and bringing the R-rated superhero tale's stateside total to $184 million. Universal and Blumhouse's ”Get Out," a thriller about a black man whose girlfriend's white family holds a sinister secret, nabbed fourth position. It made $13.2 million, bringing its gross to $133.1 million. With a budget of $4.5 million, the film is one of the year's most profitable. Lionsgate's ”The Shack" rounded out the top five generating $6.1 million and pushing the faith-based drama's earnings to over $42.6 million.

In limited release, ”T2 Trainspotting," a sequel to the 1996 cult comedy about a group of heroin addicts, opened in five locations, earning $180,000. Ewan McGregor reprises his role as a drug-addict Scot. The actor also has a supporting turn playing Lumiere, a candlestick, in ”Beauty and the Beast." Sony is releasing ”T2," which is heavily geared towards European audiences. The drama has already made $34 million overseas.

*click pic for full list/source*


*click pic for full list/source*

 

[Wafflecakes]

Very impressive for Beast. I really need to go see it.

 

[El Topo]

A tiny bit below (the original estimate for) BvS? Incredible result.

 

[Wafflecakes]

A tiny bit below BvS? Incredible result.

I thought BvS was 166m?

Isn't Beast ahead?

 

[El Topo]

I thought BvS was 166m?

The actual for BvS was $166m, the original estimate was a tiny bit higher. Either way, what an enormous OW.

 

[illmatic22]

Got the March record? Damn, Beast indeed!

 

[kswiston]

A tiny bit below (the original estimate for) BvS? Incredible result.

The original estimate for BvS was blatant save face padding.

 

[Wafflecakes]

The actual for BvS was $166m, the original estimate was a tiny bit higher. Either way, what an enormous OW.

So you are acting under the assumption that Disney overestimated their estimates as well because WB did?

 

[3N16MA]

Beast DOM total based on the multiplier from previous Disney animated to live action films:

Alice - 490M
Alice 2 - 488M
Cinderella - 503M
Maleficent - 593M
Jungle Book - 600M

 

[Kusagari]

BvS had an absolutely terrible Sunday, which was probably bad WoM already setting in.

 

[Poor GRIMES]

If anything, $170M is probably lowballing for BatB.

 

[El Topo]

So you are acting under the assumption that Disney overestimated their estimates as well because WB did?

No. I'm just pointing out that technically we should wait until Monday before we celebrate a new March record. I'm not actually expecting this to have the same performance issues that BvS had, for obvious reasons.

 

[kswiston]

Worldwide Updates

Beauty and the Beast - $350M
King Kong - $259M
Moana - $606M
La La Land - $426M

 

[gamz]

If anything, $170M is probably lowballing for BatB.

Yeah, Disney is low balling it. No way is Sunday not going to be higher.

 

[LordOfLore]

Twas beauty that killed the beast.

 

[Wafflecakes]

Even though Kong is unlikely to make much money... I hope it at least breaks even overall as to not discourage monster movies, which we need more of.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

Not that bad of a drop for Kong. It's not going to make much money in the US obviously but hopefully the international numbers will compensate. But WB and Legendary shouldn't go with budgets this high for their future Kaiju films. There's an audience for these movies but they will probably never come close to the billion dollar club.

And happy to see that Logan is already the highest grossing Wolverine movie.

 

[Penguin]

Heck of a Q1 for films, 5 films over 100 million. 2 will hit 200 million

 

[ezekial45]

Twas beauty that killed the beast.

That would've been a way better title for this thread.

 

[gamz]

Not that bad of a drop for Kong. It's not going to make much money in the US obviously but hopefully the international numbers will compensate. But WB and Legendary shouldn't go with budgets this high for their future Kaiju films. There's an audience for these movies but they will probably never come close to the billion dollar club.

And happy to see that Logan is already the highest grossing Wolverine movie.

Should hit 175M, which isn't far off from Godzilla's 200M.

 

[Son Of D]

That would've been a way better title for this thread.

Agreed. At least it wasn't a stupid beast mode pun.

 

[Calm waterfall]

What a beast opening. I did not expect it to be this huge.

 

[BronsonLee]

goddamnit xaos you don't pay any attention to our thread title discussions do you

And ya Disney likes being conservative with estimates because tbh they don't really care about records and shit anymore

 

[kswiston]

Kingsman 2 moved to September 29th, so we have a candidate for a new September opening record providing that the film is good.

September still hasn't had a film open over $50M.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Disney tired of winning.

And at least BvS can hold its Thursday record.

 

[FZZ]

So how big is Blumhouse gonna be now thanks to Get Out and Split

 

[LordOfLore]

Kingsman 2 moved to September 29th, so we have a candidate for a new September opening record providing the film is good.

September still hasn't had a film open over $50M.

Aww, was it recently?

 

[vinnygambini]

Pure insanity for Beauty and the Beast, wow

Kong is doing great, pleasantly surprised.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

I could see the 170 opening.

I bet it doesn't get that 3x multiplier though.

Maybe a domestic total between 420-450.

So far, so good.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

So how big is Blumhouse gonna be now thanks to Get Out and Split

Looking at their upcoming movies this year there doesn't look like anything that can make as much money as Get Out. Despite all the money and success they're getting from Get Out and Split, Blumhouse is just gonna keep doing what they've always done and release movies with a low but reasonable budget.

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Beasting..

 

[kswiston]

Day by Day breakdown for Beauty and the Beast

Friday - 19th biggest of all time
Saturday - 4th biggest of all time
Sunday - 6th biggest of all time (only 120k behind TDK's first Sunday based on estimates, so it could bump up to 5th biggest)

Top 3 for Sat and Sun are some ordering of The Force Awakens, Jurassic World, and Avengers. Age of Ultron was #4 for Sundays.

 

[Prompto]

So how big is Blumhouse gonna be now thanks to Get Out and Split

I don't suspect they'll change all that much. They've been making successful low budget horror movies for a while. The Paranormal Activity series has made almost 900 million dollars on a total combined budget of 30 million.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Unlike BvS last year, that estimate is probably coming up tomorrow with actuals. 30% Sunday drop feels a bit conservative.

Lots of good holds there in the top six given the circumstances. Logan seems to be dropping fast, but I'm not sure that's outside the norm for its genre. Get Out is making utterly comic bank, now at nearly 30x its production budget.

So far, so good.

I took the under with 160, and the L, in the process.

 

[xaosslug]

goddamnit xaos you don't pay any attention to our thread title discussions do you

And ya Disney likes being conservative with estimates because tbh they don't really care about records and shit anymore

 

[kswiston]

Aww, was it recently?

Golden Circle was originally set for a June release (where it would have been sent to die), but was moved to Oct 6th a few months ago. The move to September just happened.

Considering that Oct 6th already has the Blade Runner sequel (and My Little Pony), it's a good move. Those two films had serious demographic overlap.

 

[gamz]

I don't suspect they'll change all that much. They've been making successful low budget horror movies for a while. The Paranormal Activity series has made almost 900 million dollars on a total combined budget of 30 million.

Purge series 318M on a combined 22M budget.

 

[Sgt. Kabukiman]

Should hit 175M, which isn't far off from Godzilla's 200M.

Yeah, that's certainly a respectable number for this genre. But they still need to be smarter with their budgets.

Now, whoever is writing Godzilla vs Kong better present to the WB and Legendary execs these box-office results as proof that Godzilla is more popular and should therefore win that fight. I will not accept any other outcome.

Spoiler

Unless Mothra wins.

 

[LordOfLore]

Golden Circle was originally set for a June release (where it would have been sent to die), but was moved to Oct 6th a few months ago. The move to September just happened.

Considering that Oct 6th already has the Blade Runner sequel (and My Little Pony), it's a good move. Those two films had serious demographic overlap.

Yeah, that'll probably work out okay. Wonder when we'll get a trailer for it.

 

[border]

I am surprised that The Belko Experiment did not do better. I imagined they would rake in that Purge money.

The film boasts a unique distribution strategy. “The Belko Experiment” opened in 1,341 locations, roughly a third of the theater count for a major studio offerings. The theaters are chosen because they are more popular with horror fans

How does this really help the film? Now that we are in a digital era, do you really save that much money by lowering your screen count that much?

 

[vinnygambini]

Unlike BvS last year, that estimate is probably coming up tomorrow with actuals. 30% Sunday drop feels a bit conservative.

Lots of good holds there in the top six given the circumstances. Logan seems to be dropping fast, but I'm not sure that's outside the norm for its genre. Get Out is making utterly comic bank, now at nearly 30x its production budget.

Logan should finish it's domestic theatrical run near X2 ($215M) with similar opening weekends, so it's a good result given the genre and the franchise.

 

[shintoki]

So how big is Blumhouse gonna be now thanks to Get Out and Split

Not any bigger.

Same company behind Purge, Paranormal Activity, and more low budget by high profit margin horror films.

I am surprised that The Belko Experiment did not do better. I imagined they would rake in that Purge money.

The film boasts a unique distribution strategy. ”The Belko Experiment" opened in 1,341 locations, roughly a third of the theater count for a major studio offerings. The theaters are chosen because they are more popular with horror fans

How does this really help the film? Now that we are in a digital era, do you really save that much money by lowering your screen count that much?

One theater in 40 miles had it for me.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

I am surprised that The Belko Experiment did not do better. I imagined they would rake in that Purge money.

The film boasts a unique distribution strategy. “The Belko Experiment” opened in 1,341 locations, roughly a third of the theater count for a major studio offerings. The theaters are chosen because they are more popular with horror fans

How does this really help the film? Now that we are in a digital era, do you really save that much money by lowering your screen count that much?

Even if this strategy were sound, it would help if they'd marketed the thing. Which they didn't, really.

Portland didn't know it had opened until after the day's first screening.

 

[Plinko]

Wow--way bigger opening than I expected.

 

[kswiston]

Yeah, that's certainly a respectable number for this genre. But they still need to be smarter with their budgets.

Now, whoever is writing Godzilla vs Kong better present to the WB and Legendary execs these box-office results as proof that Godzilla is more popular and should therefore win that fight. I will not accept any other outcome.

Spoiler

Unless Mothra wins.

They will team up at the end to defeat Ghidorah tag-team style.

 

[Messofanego]

Get Out doesn't want to! Great to hear.

 

[kswiston]

Films released in the past 10 years that have managed more than 10 consecutive weeks in the top 10:

Frozen - 16
Avatar - 14
Zootopia - 13
La La Land - 13
Inception - 11
The King's Speech - 11
Hidden Figures - 11

 

[casiopao]

Man. And Beauty and the Beast is not even that good.T_T

It sure is damn pretty and Emma Watson kinda push me too.^^

 

[3N16MA]

I am surprised that The Belko Experiment did not do better. I imagined they would rake in that Purge money.

The film boasts a unique distribution strategy. “The Belko Experiment” opened in 1,341 locations, roughly a third of the theater count for a major studio offerings. The theaters are chosen because they are more popular with horror fans

How does this really help the film? Now that we are in a digital era, do you really save that much money by lowering your screen count that much?

I can't find a showtime for it anywhere around here and I live in the Greater Toronto Area with 6.5 million people.

 

[CaviarMeths]

Jesus. Can't stop this train. New March opening weekend record. Probably a new record for bestiality musicals too.

Get Out, Split, Hidden Figures, and La La Land continue to astonish me this year. They just refuse to quit.