Box-Office Wrap-Up: Mar. 13 – Mar. 15, 2009

Predictions on other (lesser) websites were higher. But we held the line. Brad and I had a meeting about this one (involving Red Stripe) and we agreed that it would probably make exactly $25m. But we didn’t want to show off so we decided, by a 2-0 vote, to be off by a measly half a million. But the biggest story of the weekend is…

Result: 25.0 million (My rank: #1, $0.5m off)

Ouch. Hey, at least it didn’t drop 80% like Friday the 13th. Only 67.3%. Now to respond to some of the comments that have been rolling in lately on Watchmen. It is a financial “flop” because it’s made $112m total on a budget of around $200m (marketing included). For Watchmen to start making a theatrical profit it would need to hit around $500 million in box office revenue. I’m not just making this number up, it’s based studio/theater splits.

But what about DVD you scream?? Yes, you’ve got me there. It will definitely scoop up on DVD. So let’s say all six million people who saw it opening weekend also purchase the DVD. That’s another $120 million in revenue… but not profit. They’ll have to market the DVD too (not to mention make it).

To make an extremely long story short I’ll leave you with this. Watchmen is a commercial failure, but that doesn’t mean much. Lots of great films make nada at the box office. You can still tell everyone you know to see them, you can still be a champion for the film if you truly love it. No one is knocking you there. B-Luv and I didn’t love the film (obviously) but I don’t think we hated it either. It was just kind of there. But it would be nice to keep having intelligent conversations about the topic. It takes a village and all. One love.

Result: 18.0 million (My rank: #2, $6.3m off)

Three for three. Feeling it. “He’s heating up!” This one was what we thought it was. And it will fade into Bolivia (hat tip, Mike Tyson) starting right about… now.

Result: 14.6 million (My rank: #3, $1m off)

Taken making all them monies. You want to talk about profit? This one has made $200m worldwide. That’s a celebration of green.

Result: 6.6 million (My rank: #4, $1m off)

Where is Miss March? That one has screwed me. But how much will it screw me?

Result: 5.1 million (My rank: #6, Dead On)

Ah, I see. Miss March finished 10th. That’s not even close to 5th. And now everything else will be jacked on my order. That’s upsetting.

Here’s a prop bet for ya: Will Watchmen make $250m like Slumdog did? I’d bet no right now.

Result: 5.0 million (My rank: #7, $1.2m off)

$137m and it will be out of the top ten next weekend. Then we’ll never have to mention this during The Oracle column again. EVER. (Nope, Zookeeper isn’t a sequel.)

Result: 3.1 million (My rank: #8, $.3m off)

It ended up being the second worst weekend of the year. I think I mentioned that it would be on Thursday though.

Result: 2.9 million (My rank: #9, $.7m off)

It’s at $76m worldwide. But it doesn’t hit the big foreign markets until summer. So I think it’s safe to say it will hit $100m overall.

Result: 2.6 million (My rank: #10, $.7m off)

Crushed. Not enough theaters, no marketing, and a fairly silly premise. The recipe for disaster.

Result: 2.3 million (My rank: #5, $2.9m off)