Per Theater Chart: Ascent of The Descendants

November 23, 2011

There were only two films that were able to crack the $10,000 club this weekend, but they were both huge hits. The Descendants opened with more than $1 million in 29 theaters, for an average of $41,038. Add in the film's reviews and its Awards Season buzz and there's little doubt that the film will expand wide. Speaking of wide, the only other film in the $10,000 club was The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1. The overall box office leader took in $138 million in 4,061 theaters, for an average of $34,012.

The best of the rest of the new limited releases was Tomboy with $7,078 in its lone theater. Given its reviews, which are nearly perfect, it should be able to find audiences in more cities, but as a foreign language film, it could have trouble expanding wide enough to earn some measure of mainstream success. Garbo: The Spy earned $5,593 in its one theater. It also has good reviews, but mainstream success is likely out of reach. Another Happy Day earned an average of $4,560 in two theaters, but that's only a middle-of-the-road start. Eames: The Architect and the Painter was right behind with an average of $4,080 in six theaters. Rid of Me barely avoided the Mendoza Line earning $2,070 in one theater. Tyrannosaur was not as lucky, with an average of $1,527 in five theaters. The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch was even further back with an average of just $708 in four theaters.

This past week also saw milestones reached for a few Per Theater Chart alumni:

• The Descendants opened with $1 million, so it obviously crossed that milestone during the weekend.
• The Skin I Live In hit $2 million, but $3 million could be tough, as its per theater average is getting quite low.
• Martha Marcy May Marlene also reached $2 million, but its chances at $3 million are better.
• The Way opened poorly, but it has shown amazing longevity and has now made it to $3 million. Given its strange run so far, I have no idea where it will end up.
• Anonymous made it all the way to $4 million, which is good for a limited release. However, it cost $27.5 million to make and was expected to open wide, so it is a box office disappointment.

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Theater Averages, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1, Anonymous, The Descendants, The Heir Apparent: Largo Winch, The Way, La piel que habito, Martha Marcy May Marlene, Garbo: El espía, Another Happy Day, Tomboy, Tyrannosaur, Rid of Me, Eames: The Architect and the Painter