At the end of the day, “The Help” could potentially be the #1 film at the box office for three straight weeks, a feat no film — not even “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2” — could manage in 2011. That’s plenty of fuel for the upcoming Best Picture push. And though it may be the dog days of summer, with no real competition out there, that kind of nuance will just fade away when publicity starts banging the drum on the film’s box office.
(Courtesy: Exhibitor Relations)
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33 responses to “BOX OFFICE: ‘The Help’ stays on top”
Dang, ‘The Help’ could go $130 mill domestic or more, huh? That’s pretty crazy.
And ya gotta love the public …
‘Colombiana’ gets atrocious reviews, but gets an ‘A-‘ CinemaScore, while ‘DBAOTD’ and ‘Our Idiot Brother’ get considerably better reviews, but ‘C’ CinemaScores.
Where will ‘Crazy Stupid Love’ top out at, do we think? 75?
Happy to see ‘Sarah’s Key’ finding small audiences. Though, I can’t see any grand Oscar push for anything.
Let’s talk about “The Help” in November and then we can have a real “Oscar Talk”. I still think this film will die down, and Davis will be the lone actor to come out from it.
@JJ1
I’m guessing the marketing for Colombiana matched up with the final product and what people were expecting, whereas Our Idiot Brother did not and led to post-screening disappointment. The WC tends to have pretty duplicitous ad campaigns.
And I don’t know about CSL’s final numbers, but there’s a strong chance, depending on how much its theater count drops, it could remain in the top ten next weekend as well.
The Help has really become quite big.
cool. Thanks, redcup :)
“Midnight in Paris” expanded this week, but didn’t do much better than last week. By the way, folks have been calling it his biggest box office success, but that is only demestically. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” took in more if you combine North America and overseas.
The Help has been #1 for two weeks. It lost its first weekend to Rise of the Apes.
Also, Exhibitor’s numbers don’t look right. Box Office Mojo has different results.
I think he’s also referring to possibly next week. I don’t see The Debt and Shark Night 3D taking in much and whatever hype was for Apollo 18 seems to have faded. Labour Day Weekend is typically the worst one for Hollywood, so it wouldn’t surprise me if The Help held on to the top spot.
I, for one, can’t wait to see ‘The Debt’. ‘Shark Night 3D’ … I have no desire, but I know a lot of people who do. ‘Apollo 18’, whatever. I also think that ‘The Help’ has an outside shot of winning next week, as well.
I am surprised that MiP didn’t do as well as expected given the expansion. But Hurricane Irene may have had a bit to do with that. Still, it’s gonna do close to $55 mill or more, right? That’s a wow.
Yoru logic is flawed on both counts, there Frank Lee. I’ll start with your second point since it’s easiest to disprove.
The international gross of Midnight in Paris hasn’t been updated in weeks (at least on BOM) as some other sites (which also didn’t have updated) have it hight enough to top VIB. So expect that number to be significantly higher at some point later on – and so fat MIP performed better than VIB in most foreign territories. Also, keep in mind that it hasn’t made it’s way to all the territories yet. So it’s too earlyto start counting chickens.
As for expansion, it seems that you are looking at the issue from the wrong angles. For one thing, what Sony Classics is doing is expanding the time the movie is playing in the theaters. In that regards, it’s smart and successful (don’t be too jaded that it only got a few extra thousandKs – they probably didn’t have to strike any new prints AND these money are actually quite meanigful to indie labels – let’s not forget what we are dealing with here – indies frequently have movies that don’t gross that uch in their entire run.
And then there is the issue of weather witch, probably affected a Woody Allen film more then most.
I just looked on Box office mojo and there’s absolutely nothing coming worth watching in the theaters until Drive on the 16th. (I guess Contagion if you’re desperate.)
O’Brien: How is that different than what I said? This is The Help’s second week at the top, and if it beats the dubious competition next week, that’ll make it three straight weeks? I assume you read that wrong or something.
Nevermind, Stefan is speaking to that point.
I’m sure Emma Stone has the potential to get some Oscar support. Is Jim Carrey a member of the academy?
By the way, folks have been calling it his biggest box office success, but that is only domestically. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” took in more if you combine North America and overseas.
Given that “Midnight in Paris” has yet to open in a number of international markets, including the UK, let’s take a rain check on that statement. (If you do want to counter the “highest-grossing Allen film” statement, you can still go down the adjusted-for-inflation route.)
Don`t be Affraid of the Dark was effin terrible. Not scary at all. I don`t understand why GDT is so proudly promoting this turkey but it`s just a bad Gremlins without the humor and charm of that movie. C- rating is well-deserved. Good to see that audience isn`t all idiots. The movie didn`t deliver on the promise that you`ll be affraid of the dark. At least Columbiana was right on the money. No bait and switch here. Check you brains at the doorstep actioner with a ultra hit chick is exactly what they promised and delivered.
@Rashad: So wanting to see a movie with Soderbergh, Damon, Winslet, Cotillard, Law, etc.,= Desperate? Huh.
Great news for ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ too. Emma Stone is killin’ it at the box-office this year.
@JJ1: 130 domestically? It will get a lot more than that. It will pass 130 within the next two weeks.
Just noticed that movies that were heavily pimped by AICN, Chud.com and the likes (C&A, Fright Night and DBAOTD) flopped miserably while stuff they couldn`t bother with (The Help, Columbiana) either are kicking ass or opened higher than flicks headgeeks were obliged to hype so they wouldn`t lose freebies. Studios take notes. The age of the geek is over. SDCC and these sites are out of touch with the audience so stop pandering to them.
Great Dane, I was definitely low-balling. But you’re right, it’ll prob go on to make quite a bit more.
Man, ninja no offense but you are out of touch. Everything from your use of plural “headgeeks” to misunderstanding AICN’s core audience, to thinking Columbina is doing better than Fright, to judging the success of movies by just their domestic gross, to using words like “age of geek” and than proclaiming it to be over based on a hadful of flick who’s success or failure had nothing to do with AICN, to it all utter nonsense.
I think it’s defintiely a story that two films are in the Top 2, which prominently feature black actresses. A nice win for Zoe Saldana.
Regarding The Help, wonder if it took a hit because of hurricane cinema closings and will be up a little due to those planning on seeing it putting off it off til next weekend. Also, wonder if the target audience would be more inclined to see it next week than your typical Labor Day movie goer. Curious what it’s tally will be by after Labor Day.
Not sure I’m that surprised by its success. The book has been a lengthy best seller in all forms (hard, soft cover, e-books), the film is an engrossing crowd pleaser reminiscent of big issue-themed pictures of the past and the audience is likely hungry for a decent pic that doesn’t involve car racing and things blowing up.
“(I guess Contagion if you’re desperate.)”
Yeah, because a Soderbergh film starring Damon, Winslet, Paltrow, Cotillard, Law, Fishburne, Cranston, Ehle, Hawks, Colantoni and Gould is the sort of thing you go see if you’re “desperate” for something to see.
I enjoyed The Help, mainly for the performances, without being blown away. But I’m reading the book now and it’s bringing back all the fun characterisations and crowd-pleasing moments – so much so I could imagine seeing it again. I wonder if The Help will end up being a film that generates notable repeat business?
@Rashad- September 9th = ‘Warrior’
I wonder if Hollywood is takin’ notice that the top TWO movies have women of color as TOP BILLING actresses? (Viola Davis ‘n Zoe Saldana) They might just “shrug shoulders” ‘n keep it movin’. ..as they always do. …i’m just sayin’…
Contagion just doesn’t look that good. The cast is the cast.
Maxim, I get it, you are from AICN. GDT is AICN buddy. AICN hyped DBAOTD. DBAOTD sucked and bombed. It doesn`t matter whether in relation to budget,etc Columbinana did worse, perception is that it did better because overhyped DBAOTD was expected to be #2 with $13 mio and it is #3 with $8. 6 mio (I go by BOM numbers since they are more accurate). Also, lets drop Irene talk because The Help went down a trifle 29% so obviously Irene didn`t hurt it at all (great WOM) so why would openers be underperforming due to the hurricane/tropical stom only? Nope. It`s lack of interest in these movies, and in DBAOTD case,despite overhype since it scored a miserable C- at Cinemascore. Sorry, dude, but AICN is a joke when it tries to prove they can make or break the boxoffice by overhyping buddy movies and pooh-poohing others. Stick to news and reviews.
Steve G, it’s interesting you mention The Help as one that might get repeat business. I sorta want to see it again to revel in the strong performances.
AICN… GDT… DBAOTD… BOM… WOM…
I feel old.
Ditto, Guy, but your comment made me smile. Thanks.