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28 Weeks Later (2007)

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9 articles from 2007

5 June 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Although it faced no competition from the opening of another summer blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End saw its ticket sales plunge 68 percent in its second weekend to $44.2 million. It was the biggest second-week drop of any summer tentpole flick, and several analysts attributed the drop to an absence of repeat business. Particularly troubling -- galling even -- for studio executives who have routinely been pouring $100-200 million into such films is that Universal's Knocked Up debuted in second place with $30.7 million -- more than it cost to produce. It beat out the third week of DreamWorks Animation/Paramount's Shrek the Third, which took in $28 million and which lost 50 percent of its audience in its third week of release. Still, despite the dropoffs, an unnamed "high-ranking studio veteran" told today's (Tuesday) Daily Variety: "No one can complain with the results of any of these movies. If you're in the $300 million club, you've got something." The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, Disney, $44,206,660, 2 Wks. ($217,545,728); 2. Knocked Up, Universal, $30,690,990, (New); 3. Shrek The Third, Paramount, $28,020,991, 3 Wks. ($255,927,783); 4. Mr. Brooks, MGM, $10,017,067, (New); 5. Spider-Man 3, Sony, $7,578,055, 5 Wks. ($318,342,110); 6. Waitress, Fox Searchlight, $2,012,857, 5 Wks. ($9,441,911); 7. Gracie, Picture House, $1,355,904, (New); 8. Bug, Lions Gate, $1,286,397, 2 Wks. ($6,158,052); 9. 28 Weeks Later, Fox Atomic, $1,214,942, 4 Wks. ($26,591,704); 10. Disturbia, Paramount, $1,112,533, 8 Wks. ($76,703,481).

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4 June 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

A movie that reportedly cost only about $25-30 million to make nearly stole the thunder from one that reportedly cost more than $200 million to make. While Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End did top the box office in its second week with an estimated $43.2 million, the total represented a 62-percent plunge from its opening. On the other hand, the raunchy Universal comedy Knocked Up -- described by New York Times critic A.O. Scott on Friday as "an instant classic" -- debuted with $29.3 million -- nearly twice the amount that analysts had predicted, to place second. Shrek the Third also recorded a big drop in its third weekend as it took third place with $26.7 million, about half of what it earned last weekend. The opening of MGM's Mr. Brooks came in at the low end of forecasts with $10 million. The only other film to open wide, Gracie, tanked with just $1.4 million. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, $43.2 million; 2. Knocked Up, $29.3 million; 3. Shrek the Third, $26.7 million; 4. Mr. Brooks, $10 million; 5. Spider-Man 3, $7.5 million; 6. Waitress, $2 million; 7. Gracie, $1.4 million; 8. Bug, $1.22 million; 9. 28 Weeks Later, $1.2 million; 10. Disturbia, $1.1 million.

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29 May 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End may not have broken the three-day box-office record set by Spider-Man 3 earlier this month, but it did set a record for the Memorial Day weekend, hauling in an estimated $142.1 million. (The figure rises to $156.1 million when Thursday's preview screenings are included.) The previous Memorial Day record was set by X-Men: The Last Stand, which opened at this time last year with $122.9 million. In addition, Disney said that the $401 million that the film captured worldwide made it the biggest opening in Hollywood history. Unlike Spider-Man 3, which faced no significant competition when it premiered, Pirates faced last week's No. 1 film, Shrek the Third, which took in $69.1 million over the four days, and Spider-Man 3, which added $18 million to its total (bringing it to $307.6 million). The three top films combined to give the overall box office its biggest haul ever -- $265 million, well above the previous record of $247 million set in 2004. The only other film to open wide over the weekend, the William Friedkin horror film Bug, was virtually squished by the competition, taking in only $4.2 million.The top ten films over the four-day Memorial Day weekend, according to estimates compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total estimated gross to date): 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Disney), $142.1 million, 1 Wks. ($156.1 million); 2. Shrek the Third (DreamWorks Animation/Paramount), $69.1 million, 2 Wks. ($219.4 million); 3. Spider-Man 3 (Sony), $18 million, 4 Wks. ($307.6 million); 4. Bug (Lions Gate), $4.2 million, 2 Wks. ($4.2 million); 5. Waitress (Fox Searchlight), $4 million, 5 Wks. ($6.5 million); 6. 28 Weeks Later (Fox Atomic), $3.3 million, 4 Wks. ($24.4 million); 7. Disturbia (Paramount), $2.4 million, 8 Wks. ($74.9 million); 8. Georgia Rule (Universal), $2.4 million, 3 Wks. ($16.8 million); 9. Fracture (New Line), $1.6 million, 6 Wks. ($37.1 million); 10. Wild Hogs (Disney), $1.4 million, 13 Wks. ($163.3 million).

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28 May 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

It may have opened in more theaters (4,362) than any other movie in history, but Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End fell short of breaking the record for the biggest weekend box-office take of all time, set by Spider-Man 3 at the beginning of the month. Nevertheless, according to initial estimates, the movie did earn a hearty $112.5 million over the three-day period (or $126.5 million if Thursday previews are included), an average of $25,800 per theater. It is also certain to shatter the record for a Memorial Day weekend set only last year by X-Men: The Last Stand, when it took in $122.9 million over the four-day holiday. "Fifth-biggest opening of all time. There's really nothing to complain about here," Media By Numbers chief Paul Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. The film had faced tough competition from Spider-Man 3, which was still performing strongly, taking in an additional $13.7 million to put it over the $300-million mark at $303 million, and also from Shrek the Third, which took in $51 million in its second week. In a separate interview with Bloomberg News, Dergarabedian remarked, "These summer movie blockbusters are opening big and dropping off big, but they make money fast."The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, $112.5 million; 2. Shrek the Third, $51 million; 3. Spider-Man 3, $13.7 million; 4. Bug, $3.3 million; 5. Waitress, $3.1 million; 6. 28 Weeks Later, $2.5 million; 7. Georgia Rule, $1.9 million; 8. Disturbia, $1.8 million; 9. Wild Hogs, $1.1 million; 10. Fracture, $1.08 million.

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22 May 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Disney has lined up 1,064 digital movie screens for Thursday's opening of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, the Hollywood Reporter reported today (Tuesday), noting that the number has been rising steadily. Disney distribution chief Chuck Viane noted that in addition to the savings in print costs that digital distribution represents, it will also result in future audiences being able to see the movie without dirt or scratches degrading the picture. "I believe Pirates is going to be around a long time this summer, [and] this guarantees that audiences will see this in the most pristine way throughout the engagement," Viane told the trade publication. "In week 15, it will be as good-looking as this Thursday at 8 p.m." During a month when 3 appeared to have become Hollywood's magic number, after Spider-Man 3 and Shrek the Third set box-office records, the third Pirates movie is expected to make May 2007 the most lucrative month in film history. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Shrek the Third, Paramount, $121,629,270, (New); 2. Spider-Man 3, Sony, $29,022,026, 3 Wks. ($282,379,655); 3. 28 Weeks Later, Fox Atomic, $5,454,168, 2 Wks. ($18,914, ,924); 4. Georgia Rule, Universal, $3,745,880, 2 Wks. ($12,867, ,455); 5. Disturbia, Paramount, $3,731,349, 6 Wks. ($71,379, ,695); 6. Fracture, New Line, $2,278,362, 5 Wks. ($34,530, ,840); 7. Delta Farce, Lionsgate, $1,852,193, 2 Wks. ($6,138,105); 8. The Invisible, Disney, $1,300,769, 4 Wks. ($17,654, ,557); 9. Hot Fuzz, Focus Features, $1,291,898, 5 Wks. ($21,125, ,512); 10. Blades of Glory, Paramount, $1,091,982, 8 Wks. ($115,446,583).

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21 May 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Shrek the Third defied both box-office analysts and the majority of film critics as it opened with an estimated $122 million in ticket sales over the weekend -- making it the third-highest opening in box-office history. It was also the best opening ever for an animated film, exceeding the record set by Shrek 2, and the best opening in history for a film released by Paramount, Hollywood's oldest studio. "We could not have asked for a better opening," Anne Globe, head of marketing at DreamWorks Animation, told today's (Monday) Los Angeles Times.Spider-Man 3, which set the record for the highest-grossing film just two weekends earlier with $151 million in ticket sales dropped 51 percent to $28.5 million but landed in second place. It has now collected $281.9 million domestically. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Shrek the Third, $122 million; 2. Spider-Man 3, $28.5 million; 3. 28 Weeks Later, $5.15 million; 4. Disturbia, $3.7 million; 5. Georgia Rule, $3.5 million; 6. Fracture, $2.4 million. 7. Delta Farce, $1.8 million; 8. The Invisible, $1.3 million; 9. Hot Fuzz, $1.26 million; 10. Waitress, $1.14 million.

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15 May 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

"A little short but still socko" -- that's the way Daily Variety described the final weekend box-office figures for Spider-Man 3, which fell $1.9 million short of the studio's estimate Sunday of $60 million. The $58.1 million represents a slide of more than 60 percent from Spider-Man 3's record-breaking opening weekend. It will continue to play in 4,252 theaters -- the widest domestic release in history. Analysts predict that the Sony film will take a similar dive next weekend when it is forced to compete with the debut of DreamWorks Animation's Shrek the Third. The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Spider-Man 3, Sony, $58,166,256, 2 Wks. ($240,236,828); 2. 28 Weeks Later, Fox Atomic, $9,807,292, (New); 3. Georgia Rule, Universal, $6,773,870, (New); 4. Disturbia, Paramount, $4,732,839, 5 Wks. ($66,220,865); 5. Delta Farce, Lionsgate, $3,420,645, (New); 6. Fracture, New Line, $2,953,145, 4 Wks. ($31,032,946); 7. The Invisible, Disney, $2,315,286, 3 Wks. ($15,569,122); 8. Meet The Robinsons, Disney, $1,802,543, 7 Wks. ($94,296,510); 9. Next, Paramount, $1,738,056, 3 Wks. ($14,738,075); 10. Hot Fuzz, Focus Features, $1,716,670, 4 Wks. ($18,991,668).

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14 May 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

Ticket sales for Spider-Man 3 plummeted 60 percent from last weekend, but the estimated $60 million it took in was still nearly twice what all the other movies in the top 12 earned altogether. However, it broke no new records. Its domestic gross stands at $242.1 million after 10 days; its worldwide total, at $622 million. Speaking to the Associated Press, Media by Numbers chief Paul Dergarabedian remarked, "Any studio would be happy to have a movie opening with $60 million, let alone a second weekend with $60 million." No. 2 on the list was the zombie movie 28 Weeks Later, which opened with about $10 million. Georgia Rule, starring Jane Fonda and Lindsay Lohan, debuted in third place with $5.9 million. Another new film, Delta Farce, which had not been screened for critics, flopped with just $3.5 million. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Spider-Man 3, $60 million; 2. 28 Weeks Later, $10 million; 3. Georgia Rule, $5.9 million; 4. Disturbia, $4.8 million; 5. Delta Farce, $3.5 million; 6. Fracture, $2.9 million; 7. The Invisible, $2.2 million; 8. Hot Fuzz, $1.7 million; 9. Next, $1.604 million.

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11 May 2007 | From Studio Briefing | See recent Studio Briefing news

The chilling zombie movie 28 Days Later from director Danny Boyle turned out to be an instant cult classic in 2002. The sequel, 28 Weeks Later, warns A.O. Scott in the New York Times, is "not for the faint of heart or the weak of stomach." Nevertheless, he argues, it is "bracingly smart, both in its ideas and in its techniques." Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News deems Later "an even happier surprise than the original" with "a stronger story line, equally fine performances, greater tension, enough gore to satisfy the most hard-core zombie fan, and a narrative pace that flings us from the opening scenes to the very last image." Michael Phillips in the Chicago Tribune agrees that the movie "exceeds its predecessor ... in every way." Several critics point to analogies to the war in Iraq, as British authorities are depicted trying to prevent their country from being overtaken by zombies. Lou Lumenick in the New York Post concludes his review by remarking, "Whether you agree with its politics or not, 28 Weeks Later is proof that summer movies don't have to be like an army of mindless zombies." And Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times comments, "The director's message is less overtly political than it is allegorical -- that chaos breeds chaos and that force only serves to amplify it." Which may be a political statement in its own right.

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9 articles from 2007