Box office report for May 14, 2012: “The Avengers” tops $100 million in second weekend
“The Avengers” continues to smash box office records as quickly and thoroughly as the Hulk smashes Manhattan skyscrapers.
In its second weekend, Marvel Studios’ super-blockbuster took in $103.2 million to repeat at the top of the domestic charts. Writer-director Joss Whedon’s superhero adventure also raised its domestic total to $373.2 million, according to the Associated Press.
“The Avengers” became the first movie ever to pull in more than $100 million domestically in its second weekend, far surpassing the previous best of $75.6 million that James Cameron’s record-setting “Avatar” scored in its second weekend back in December 2009.
“The Avengers” also topped $300 million domestically Saturday after just nine days in release, beating the previous record set by “The Dark Knight,” which hit that mark in 10 days, according to the AP. Revenue for “The Avengers” was off just 50 percent from the film’s domestic debut of $207.4 million the previous weekend, which is remarkable considering the massive scope of its opening and the commonality of 65 percent or more drops for many blockbusters.
Hauling in another $95.4 million more overseas in its second weekend, “The Avengers” lifted its international receipts to $628.9 million for a worldwide haul of just past $1 billion, only 19 days after it began opening in some markets.
Already the year’s biggest hit worldwide, “The Avengers” is on the verge of passing “The Hunger Games” at $386.9 million to become the top-grossing film domestically for the year, reports the AP.
Starring Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Jeremy Renner as Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Tom Hiddleston as Loki, “The Avengers” seems to have created a perfect storm of the beloved characters, popular actors and the ideal director. Plus, Marvel has been building up to “The Avengers” since Downey Jr. first donned the crimson suit and feisty attitude of Tony Stark for 2008′s “Iron Man,” and that investment obviously is yielding stupendous dividends now.
The vampire tale “Dark Shadows,” the latest Johnny Depp and Tim Burton collaboration didn’t have much luck competing with the might of “The Avengers”: “Dark Shadows” had an average opening with $28.8 million, putting at a distant No. 2 on the domestic charts, according to the AP.
“Dark Shadows” marked the eighth collaboration for the actor and director, but it opened well below such Depp-Burton projects as 2010′s “Alice in Wonderland,” which opened with $116.1 million, and 2005′s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” which debuted with $56.2 million.
Of course, those previous films benefited greatly from their appeal to family audiences. “Dark Shadows” is based on the cult favorite supernatural soap opera from the 1960′s and ’70s, so it naturally has a much narrower appeal. “Dark Shadows” added $36.7 million in 42 overseas markets for a worldwide total of $65.5 million.
“Dark Shadows” stars Depp as an 18th century vampire who is freed after two centuries of burial and returns to his ancestral homestead in the 1970s, aiming to rebuild the family fortunes. To read my review of the movie click here. To read my feature on Depp and Burton, click here.
Opening in Oklahoma City this Friday, Fox Searchlight’s crowd-pleaser “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” broke into the top 10 in its second weekend as it expanded from a handful of cinemas to 178 theaters. The film took in $2.7 million to finish at No. 8.
“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” features Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson in a tale of older Brits looking to retire to a cozy life in India.
“The Avengers” again powered Hollywood to another great box office weekend. Overall domestic revenues totaled $172 million, up 23 percent from the same weekend last year, when “Thor” led with $34.7 million, according to AP.
Domestic receipts for the year are at $3.83 billion, 17.6 percent ahead of last year’s with a huge summer lineup, including “The Dark Knight” sequel “The Dark Knight Rises” and the superheroic reboot “The Amazing Spider-Man,” still to come.
Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian told the AP he expects Hollywood to break the summer revenue record of $4.4 billion it set last year and top its all-time annual high of $10.6 billion from 2009.
“I think we will surpass that given the strength of just the first two weeks of the summer and the strength of the films on the way,” Dergarabedian told the AP. “Records are just made to be broken this summer and this year.”
Here are the top 10 movies from the weekend, according to the AP:
1. “The Avengers,” $103.2 million ($95.4 million international).
2. “Dark Shadows,” $28.8 million ($36.7 million international).
3. “Think Like a Man,” $6.3 million.
4. “The Hunger Games,” $4.4 million ($2.4 million international).
5. “The Lucky One,” $4.1 million ($2.5 million international).
6. “The Pirates! Band of Misfits,” $3.2 million ($2.2 million international).
7. “The Five-Year Engagement,” $3.1 million ($1.7 million international).
8. “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” $2.7 million ($1.9 million international).
9. “Chimpanzee,” $1.6 million.
10. “Girl in Progress,” $1.4 million.
-BAM
Video: Newest trailers for “Avengers,” “Amazing Spider-Man,” “Brave” and more summer movies
The busy blockbuster season kicked off at midnight today with the opening of the hotly anticipated superhero mashup movie “Marvel’s The Avengers.” Also on the agenda for the summer, which is forecast to be a record-breaker at the box office, are the Batman three-quel “The Dark Knight Rises,” the web-slinging reboot “The Amazing Spider-Man,” Ridley Scott’s “Alien” spin-off “Prometheus,” the time-traveling sequel “Men in Black 3,” the TV remake “Dark Shadows,” Jeremy Renner’s foray into the ongoing spy saga “The Bourne Legacy,” the Pixar girl-power fairytale “Brave” and many more.
To read The Oklahoman’s summer movie preview, click here, then check out the newest trailers from some of the season’s anticipated blockbusters:
-BAM
Summer movie preview: It’s a summer for superheroes
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. This story is a collaborative effort of Gene Triplett of the Projections blog, Matt Price at Nerdage, George Lang of Staticblog and yours truly.
It’s a summer for superheroes at the movies
Comic book crime-fighters are aiming to clobber summer box office records.
The booming success of “The Hunger Games” has Hollywood hoping for a record 2012. If it makes it there, it will be on the shoulders of some of the summer’s superheroes.
Superhero films are expected to take the top spots this summer, with “Marvel’s The Avengers” opening in May, followed by “Amazing Spider-Man” in June and “The Dark Knight Rises” in July. “The Avengers” has already pre-sold more tickets than four of the Marvel films that preceded it, according to MovieTickets.com, so it’s likely to get the summer off with a bang. Spider-Man and Batman are responsible for the two highest-grossing superhero films of all time (2008’s “The Dark Knight” and 2002’s “Spider-Man”), so expectations are high.
Another film based on a comic-book series returns for an anticipated sequel: “Men in Black III,” with Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin.
That’s just one of the typical swath of summer sequels, reboots and reimaginings: Tim Burton returns with “Dark Shadows,” the Rock suits up for “G.I. Joe: Retaliation” and “Total Recall” gets a Colin Ferrell-led remake.
From the “who saw that coming” department, there will be films based on everything from a board game to an instructional manual on pregnancy. But original concepts still have a chance: Pixar provides what looks to be another entertaining animated film with “Brave.”
It all kicks off today as a technological genius, a Norse god, an All-American soldier and a raging green behemoth come together to launch the 2012 summer movie season. But don’t forget that studios love to move around release dates, so check your local listings before heading to the movies.
"The Avengers"
Friday
“Marvel’s The Avengers”
Marvel’s heroes will gather en masse in this anticipated super-blockbuster directed by Joss Whedon (“Serenity”). The film will bring together actors from the casts of “Iron Man” (Robert Downey Jr.), “Iron Man 2” (Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson), “Thor” (Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner) and “Captain America: The First Avenger” (Chris Evans), adding in Mark Ruffalo as the new Hulk for good measure.
Damsels in Distress”
Three girls set out to overturn the male-dominated culture of a college campus in this latest offering from “The Last Days of Disco” writer-director Whit Stillman. Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody and Analeigh Tipton head the cast.
"Dark Shadows"
May 11
“Dark Shadows”
As Tim Burton is wont to do these days, “Dark Shadows” is the latest in the quirky director’s remaking and reimagining of the classics. Originally a Gothic soap opera that played on ABC from 1965 to 1971, Burton’s new version stars Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins, the vampire who returns to his estate after 200 years to find the place in ruins and occupied by dysfunctional descendants. In addition to Depp, “Dark Shadows” also stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloe Grace Moretz, Eva Green, Helena Bonham Carter and Jackie Earle Haley.
“Footnote”
This drama from Israel written and directed by Joseph Cedar is a dual character study involving the rivalry between a father and son (Shlomo Bar-Aba, Lior Ashkenazi) who are both professors in Talmudic studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
"The Dictator"
May 16
“The Dictator”
Sacha Baron Cohen moves from ambush comedy to narrative comedy, parodying notorious Middle Eastern despots as Admiral General Aladeen, dictator of the fictional Republic of Wadiya. This time he actually acts with a cast, including Ben Kingsley, John C. Reilly and Ana Faris, under the direction of Larry Charles, who helmed the outrageous Baron Cohen mocumentaries “Borat” and “Bruno.”
"Battleship"
May 18
“Battleship”
Who knew the Hasbro game of tiny plastic boats and peg holes you used to play with your little brother or sister would one day inspire a big-budget, big-effects sci-fi thriller about an international fleet of ships that comes across an alien armada during a war games exercise? Well, the day has come, whether you were expecting it or not, and Peter Berg directs a cast including Liam Neeson, Rihanna, Alexander Skarsgard and Brooklyn Decker.
“What to Expect When You’re Expecting”
Inspired by the New York Times bestselling pregnancy guidebook of the same name, screenwriters Shauna Cross (“Whip It”) and Heather Hach (“Freaky Friday”) have created a comedy-drama about five expectant couples experiencing the trials and joys of the childbirth process. Kirk Jones (“Everybody’s Fine”) directs an ensemble cast that includes Cameron Diaz, Jennifter Lopez, Matthew Morrison, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Brooklyn Decker, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Rodrigo, Rob Huebel, Chace Crwaford, Dennis Quaid and Chris Rock.
“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”
An ensemble cast of British acting royalty — including Judy Dench, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Ronald Pickup and Celia Imrie — star as a group of British seniors seeking golden-years serenity at a retirement haven in India in this comedy from “Shakespeare in Love” director John Madden.
“Darling Companion”
In keeping with “The Big Chill” and “Grand Canyon” tradition, director Lawrence Kasdan brings us another of his boomer-centric dramas, co-written with wife Meg Kasdan, this time about a longtime married couple who’ve slipped into taking one another for granted. Kevin Kline plays the self-absorbed surgeon and Diane Keaton is the wife who seems to love her rescue dog more than she does her husband. Watch what happens when he loses her mutt. Supporting cast includes Dianne Wiest, Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ayelet Zuret and Richard Jenkins.
May 25
“Men in Black 3”
A decade after the last installment, the Men in Black are back. The movie series, based on the comic book written by Lowell Cunningham and illustrated by Sandy Carruthers, stars Will Smith as Agent J and Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K. The agents are members of a secret task force that monitors alien activity on Earth. In “MIB 3,” Agent J must travel back in time to the 1960s to prevent Agent K (played in the 1960s era of the film by Josh Brolin) from being assassinated.
“Men in Black 3” also stars Alice Eve, Emma Thompson and Johnny Knoxville.
“Moonrise Kingdom”
Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward play young lovers who run away from their small New England town, shaking up the citizenry and triggering a major search party in this romantic comedy-drama from director Wes Anderson (“Bottle Rocket,” “The Royal Tenenbaums”). Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Francis McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton and Harvey Keitel are supporting players.
“Chernobyl Diaries”
Six people take a guided tour of the abandoned city of Pripyat, former home of Chernobyl nuclear reactor workers, and soon discover they are not alone in this horror piece from visual effects specialist and first-time director Bradley Parker.
Video: “The Dark Knight Rises” third trailer
Warner Bros’ third and final theatrical trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” debuted online today, and it features more Tom Hardy as Bane, more Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, more Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake and more gadgetry. Plus, we get quick glimpses of Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Marion Cotillard.
In a weird Marvel/DC collision, the trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises” - Batman is a DC Comics property – is expected to bow in theaters this weekend with Disney-Marvel’s “The Avengers,” which opens at 12:01 a.m. Friday here in the U.S.
“The Dark Knight Rises,” the third and final film in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed Batman trilogy, opens in theaters July 20.
For a full guide to the upcoming blockbuster season, look for The Oklahoman‘s summer movie guide Friday in The Oklahoman, on NewsOK and here at BAM’s Blog.
-BAM
“The Dark Knight Rises” rated PG-13
“The Dark Knight Rise,” the eagerly awaited third film in director/co-writer Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy, has earned a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of America, meaning that the core teenage movie-going audience will be able to see the film without dragging along their parents.
The MPAA said the film will be rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of violence and action, some sensuality and language,” according to TheWrap.com.
As TheWrap.com noted, Warner Bros. basically gave Nolan carte blanche to make the three-quel he wanted after 2008′s “The Dark Knight” became one of the top-grossing films of all time and won two Oscars, most notably for the late Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker. But the studio probably would have seen an R rating as a definite threat to making a profit on Nolan’s $250 million trilogy finale, again because it would inhibit teenagers from attending.
“The Dark Knight Rises” will have Batman (Christian Bale) battling hulking criminal mastermind Bane (Tom Hardy) and slinky jewel thief Catwoman (Anne Hathaway). The film co-stars Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard and Matthew Modine.
Speaking of PG-13 ratings, I will be attending a special Oklahoma City preview screening of the finally PG-13-rated documentary “Bully” tonight and moderating a Q&A after with Alex Libby and Kelby Johnson, two of the youths featured in the film. Look for my story on Friday, the day the film opens in Oklahoma City.
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Video: “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer – Lego version!
Check out Paranickfilmz’ Lego version of “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer, which is fairly brilliant in every possible way!
Christopher Nolan’s third and final film in his Batman trilogy is due in theaters July 20. It stars Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Michael Caine and Tom Hardy, who all look pretty good in plastic!
-BAM
“Batman Live” arena show coming to Oklahoma City Oct. 10-14
Nick Court, who plays Batman, and Michael Pickering who plays Robin, perform on stage to launch the "Batman Live" tour in central London on Tuesday, April 12, 2011, which tours arenas across the UK and Europe beginning in Summer 2011, and arrives in North America in August 2012. Combining acrobatics, stunt work and illusions, the adventures of Batman and Robin are brought to life on stage for the first time in the characters history. (AP file)
The action-packed arena show “Batman Live” is coming to Oklahoma City for eight performances Oct. 10-14 at Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W Reno.
The OKC show is part of the production’s North American tour that follows a popular and acclaimed arena tour throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and Latin America.
Two and a half years in the making, “Batman Live” is billed as a visually stunning, state-of-the-art production, which brings Batman, a host of iconic characters, and the settings from the famed world of DC comics, live and onstage for the first time in North America.
Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Friday, March 23 through www.ChesapeakeArena.com, by calling (800) 745-3000 and at the Chesapeake Energy Arena box office.
“‘Batman Live’ is going to be a great event for people of all ages,” said Daren Libonati, president and COO of Justice Entertainment Group in the tour announcement. “It’s a fantastic arena production that epics the best of Batman. We are thrilled at JEG to work with the Chesapeake Energy Arena to bring this event to Oklahoma City.”
“Batman is more than a comic book character, he’s a cultural phenomenon. We are excited to bring him and his world to the stage, live, for the very first time with this incredible arena show,” said Brad Globe, president of Warner Bros. Consumer Products, in the release. “In fewer than four years, the show has gone from concept on paper to successfully touring through Europe and Latin America. It is now our very special privilege to bring this show to the United States and North America – home to Batman and Robin.”
“Batman Live,” produced by Nick Grace of Water Lane Productions, features impressive stunts, pyrotechnics, illusions and video screen sequences.
“’Batman Live’ is a totally unique experience – a completely new way to experience the world of Batman, and has become a must-see for fans everywhere,” said Grace in the release. “This is not a musical but a live show with a thrilling Batman story, filled with action that appeals to adults, teenagers, kids and families. We are proud to have this opportunity to bring to life the story of one of the most popular DC Super Heroes in the world today.”
With a 42-member cast, “Batman Live” has a new, original storyline that features Batman, his trusty counterpart Robin, tireless butler Alfred and a host of other favorite Batman characters. Additional favorites include villains such as The Joker, Catwoman, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and The Penguin. The action takes place in several settings from the famed stories, including Gotham City, Wayne Manor, the Batcave, and Arkham Asylum.
“What is compelling about Batman is that he’s one of the rare super heroes who actually doesn’t have super powers – he’s human just like you or me,” said Jim Lee, co-publisher of DC Entertainment in the release. “But through sheer determination, he has honed his mind and body to a level that makes him second to none and that’s an aspiration we can all relate to and be inspired by. To that end, this spectacular live show delivers an amazingly authentic experience which actually underscores how real Batman could be while entertaining both parents and kids alike.”
“There’s no place on earth that doesn’t know who Batman is – he’s not just one of the most iconic superheroes ever created – he is one of the most iconic characters in history – and has had more stories told about him than just about any other character, period,” said Geoff Johns, chief creative officer of DC Entertainment, in the release. “What’s cool to me about ‘Batman Live’ is that when you first come into the arena you see the three-dimensional cityscape and you hear the sounds of the city – you‘re really entering Gotham in a way you can’t experience anywhere else. You are an active participant in the story and a real part of Batman’s world.”
As audiences enter the arena, they are greeted by a 3D Gotham City landscape complete with buildings, soundscape, and video animation, setting the scene for the story to come. The production also includes a full symphonic score, a 105-foot bat-shaped LED video wall and a custom-built stage. Another exciting element is the eye-catching, all-new Batmobile, designed especially for the show by legendary racing car designer Professor Gordon Murray, who’s known for designing racing cars for some of the most successful teams in the world for Formula One racing as well as the famous McLaren F1 road car.
Adapted from the DC Comics characters and stories, “Batman Live” focuses on Robin’s quest for justice, which leads him to follow in the footsteps of his hero – the mysterious vigilante known as Batman – much to the dismay of his protective guardian, billionaire Bruce Wayne, whom the audience knows is secretly Batman. “Batman Live” is, at its heart, a poignant coming-of-age story. Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson must learn to overcome their own fears and forge their own family – with the help of Police Commissioner James Gordon and Bruce’s trusted butler, Alfred Pennyworth – if they’re going to survive the combined forces of Batman’s larger-than-life rogues’ gallery, some of the most famous and beloved villains of the 20th century.
“Batman Live” is written by Allan Heinberg, who found the emotional heart of the show that tells the story and celebrates Batman and Robin — The Dynamic Duo.
Heinberg said in the release, “The creative team met every expectation of how to tell this story, and surpassed it. We brought Gotham City to life in a way that I have never experienced before in any movie, or any television show, or any comic book. It is very faithful to the comic books – and it is all heightened – you are there in person – and you are sharing this experience with an enormous arena audience. It’s live and it’s happening all around you. And it’s something that people have never seen and will never forget!”
The action of the show becomes a nonstop thrill ride across Gotham City that transforms Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson into the legendary crime-fighters, Batman and Robin. The adventure transports the audience from the Big Top of Haly’s Circus to the depths of Arkham Asylum, and from the glittering peaks of the Penguin’s Iceberg Lounge to the subterranean wonders that await inside the Batcave. Acrobats suspending in the air, The Joker’s henchmen in choreographed fight sequences, and stunning scenic elements are all part of the “Batman Live” experience.
“Batman Live” Creative Director Anthony Van Laast said in the release, “It has been a thrilling journey for myself, the creative team and the company to develop the production from the early creative seeds, to the first day of rehearsals and now to a fully touring production. It is everything I hoped the show would be – exhilarating, impressive, exciting, dynamic and yet accessible – and I truly hope that the arena-going public have as much fun watching it as we have had making it.”
The acclaimed arena tour began July 19, 2011, in Manchester, England, and toured throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, and Latin America – and the critics have been ecstatic. The Times (UK) said, “It’s a wildly ambitious show that more than fills an arena space.” The Guardian said “Batman Live” has “plenty to thrill and chill the audience — a two-hour extravaganza carefully crafted to delight small boys and raise frequent smiles and cheers from the grown-ups. The bat-fans roar their approval!” The Daily Telegraph said, “Kerr-pow! Batman’s a hi-tech hit. A live action drama, stuffed with dazzling special effects, retina-popping visuals and improbable feats of high-wire derring-do, all choreographed within a Catwoman’s whisper of perfection. And my two boys, aged 8 and 10, adored this show as much as I did.” And the Manchester Evening News said the show is “Mesmerizing. Entertainment doesn’t come any better than this.”
For more information, go to www.batmanlive.com.
-BAM
Video: New “Dark Knight Rises” trailer
The new trailer for the hotly anticipated sequel “The Dark Knight Rises” has made its online debut, offering a tantalizing look at Tom Hardy as baddie Bane, Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle AKA Catwoman and a truly explosive football game.
The trailer also gives us brief glimpses of returning favorites Michael Caine and Gary Oldman, along with franchise newcomers Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Matthew Modine.
Both director/co-writer Christopher Nolan and star Christian Bale have said the third film in their Batman series will be their last.
“The Dark Knight Rises” is due in theaters July 20.
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Photo: First look at Anne Hathaway as Catwoman in “The Dark Knight Rises”
Check out the first image of Oscar-nominated actress Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman, in “The Dark Knight Rises,” the upcoming third film in Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy. The photo comes courtesy the official “The Dark Knight Rises” site and our pal Matt Price of Nerdage.
“The Dark Knight” rises is set to again feature Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon, Michael Caine as Alfred, and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, plus franchise newcomers Tom Hardy as Bane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake, and Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate. The three-quel also will mark Hathaway’s debut in the saga.
The movie is due in theaters July 20, 2012.
-BAM
Video: “The Dark Knight Rises” trailer
As if you needed another reason to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2,” you also get to see this on the big screen. Just wow.
-BAM
