Box Office: Jumanji, Tonya, and the Oscar waiting game
Sunday, January 7, 2018 at 4:00PM by Nathaniel R
| Weekend Box Office (Jan 5th-7th) |
|
| W I D E 800+ screens |
L I M I T E D excluding prev. wide |
 |
 |
| 1. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle $36 (cum. $244.3) |
1.🔺 I Tonya $2.4 on 242 screens (cum. $5.2) REVIEW | GLOBE SURPRISE? |
| 2. 🔺 Insidious The Last Key $29.2 (cum. $212.1) | 2.🔺 The Post $1.7 on 36 screens (cum. $3.8) REVIEW | OSCAR KICK-OFF PODCAST |
| 3. The Last Jedi $23.5 (cum. $572.5) LYNN'S REVIEW | NATHANIEL'S TAKE |
3. Call Me By... $758k on 117 screens (cum. $6) REVIEWISH | SCREENPLAY | SEX |
| 4. The Greatest Showman $13.8 (cum. $75.9) REVIEW | ZAC ATTACK | ZENDAYA | 4.🔺 Hostiles $310k on 46 screens (cum. $435k) |
| 5. Pitch Perfect 3 $10.2 (cum. $85.9) REVIEW |
5.🔺 Along with the Gods $280k on 35 screens ($1.1) |
One thing that we're always forcefully reminded of each holiday season -- since we tend to forget -- is that the whole world is not, in point of fact, thinking about Oscar buzz. Each year countless films casually ring up rather large box office returns without generating any "heat" in award season and some not even being part of that game. Insidious for example had the weekend to itself in terms of new wide releases and was rewarded for it. The Greatest Showman, is another one that isn't really banking on Oscar love. The musical's global gross has already doubled its budget (though given the P&A expenditures it's probably got some ways to go before a profit still)...
Family options Ferdinand and especially Jumanji have done very well for themselves, too, with Oscars being the last thing on their mind... though Best Animated Feature is cloudy enough as to who is competing that Ferdinand could be there in the end.
 |
 |
| 6. Ferdinand $7.7 (cum. $70.4) | 6. 🔺 Phantom Thread $245k on 6 screens (cum. $951k) |
| 7. 🔺 Molly's Game $7 (cum. $14.2) | 7. Ex-File 3 $170k on 17 screens (cum. $511k) |
| 8. 🔺 Darkest Hour $6.3 (cum. $28.3) CAPSULE | SECOND VISIT |
8. Youth $75k on 30 screens ($1.8) |
| 9. Coco $5.5 (cum. $192) REVIEW | FEELING SEEN | 9. Loving Vincent $64k on 58 screens ($6.4) REVIEW |
| 10. All the Money in the The World $3.5 ($20.1) REVIEW | 10. Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool $24k on 4 screens (cum. $83k) |
🔺 = new or significant expansion numbers (in millions unless otherwise noted) from box office mojo |
|
Some Oscar players do successfully take advantage of Christmas/New Years buzz season (it's crucial since AMPAS members are voting rightnow on their nominations) but not as many as you'd expect. Molly's Game and I Tonya smartly added lots of screens just as voting began and both have been rewarded for being aggressive and showing their hands.
But The Post, Phantom Thread, and Call Me By Your Name, for example, are all playing things much more timidly like Oscar is still a clear game of 'release in tiny doses in December and wait around in until February' which it hasn't actually been in for about, oh, 12 years or so now. This seems like a major mistake in the cases of Phantom Thread and Call Me By Your Name. They could both be rescued by high nomination counts or key marketable nominations like Best Picture or Best Actor but it's risky because if those nominations don't materialize audience are likely to lose interest quick. There's a world of difference in the ease of marketing the intangible of being "a contender" versus trying to push the fact obstacle properties that fall under the "look at this prestige drama that Oscar didn't go for!" umbrella.
As for The Post we won't see if their 'hide the goods' game is smart until Oscar night itself. The freedom of press drama is only at 36 screens but packing houses. Still, they have the luxury of bankable A list stars and the world's most famous director, all of whom can open movies outside of Oscar's season or its favor (should the worst come to pass) so they can afford the risk. They'll make good movie eventually so Fox is clearly banking on trying to earn the bulk of their grosses WHILE winning statues rather than using the release to convince the world of its prize-worthiness.
WHAT DID YOU SEE THIS WEEKEND?
Having just recovered from a nasty two week Christmas flu I've finally emerged into the bitter bitter chill of this terrible winner and am cramming in last minute screenings -- hence the delays on my own top ten. While sick I screened The Wound, Disaster Artist, The Last Jedi a second time, and Princess Cyd and, now, having regained human form from the virus-filled phlegmscape I was trapped in, I just caught Novititate and Phantom Thread. (I still have about 4 films I feel I really have to screen before drawing up my awards.) The clear winner among the five I saw was Princess Cyd which made me cry buckets, the cathartic grace-filled kind of tears no less. I just loved it so please do seek it out for home viewing.
ICYMI
Biggest Box Office Hits of 2017 | Biggest Documentaries | Biggest Foreign Films
Reader Comments (23)
Curious about your response to Phantom Thread.
To continue my Oscar watching (and in prep for Golden Globes today), I saw COCO, THE GREATEST SHOWMAN and ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD (all good). I also finally filled in the one gap I had in my Balboa viewing, and watched ROCKY V.
The Post will hopefully open big this weekend with wide release- let alone world wide grosses- made for only 50 million- already made 2 million in limited- definitely turning a profit!
Travis C.: That's the only Balboa film I haven't seen too! Any good?
Nathaniel: Re: Call Me By Your Name's release strategy, do you think they've been timid with it not so much because of Oscar hopes but more because of the gay angle? Like they underestimated it somewhat with audiences? It's so odd how in the UK it opened a month earlier than in the US and opened wide immediately. And got everyone talking about it, HAVING SEEN IT. (Don't mean to shout - just don't know how to do italics here.) Seems as though that would have worked in the US too, but SPC have adopted a different approach...
All the Money in the World - terrific turns by Michelle Williams and Christopher Plummer. Mark Wahlberg remains as wooden as ever. The movie is good but too long.
Lady Dynamite - very funny show
I saw Molly's Game (fine if a thin plot once you get past the Chastain/Sorkin skill), and CMBYN for the second time (holds up marvelously-I started crying during the opening credits knowing what would come soon, and some of the intimate touches brought by Hammer/Chalamet are more noticeable on second go).
Did you watched or plan to watch Beatriz at Dinner?
Saw THE POST (very good, great cast) and ALL THE MONEY IN THE WORLD (fine, Williams is excellent) this weekend.
As for CMBYN... I've been SO ANNOYED at its release rollout. EVERYONE was talking about the film out of Sundance almost a year ago and so the general audience had to wait nearly a year to see it. And when the film finally came out in November to CRITICAL RAVES and AWARDS... they hold it back to most people? I want it to be showered with all the Oscar nominations and wins, but I almost wish it doesn't to teach them a lesson on withholding a great film.
Speaking of sucky distribution campaigns, Annette Bening needs to talk to her agent.
I saw Downsizing (great first half, but falls apart like many have said) and Jumanji (better than it had any right to be).
I'm annoyed with SPC for their limited release of Call Me By Your Name. People have been talking about it since last January and it won't come to my area until the end of this January. I get it that they're waiting and playing it safe, but it just feels like coastal snobbery.
I hate that it leaked and I won't seek it out, but it also seems like some sort of cosmic retribution.
The more I hear Williams is excellent the more convinced I am she'll get her 5th nom for it.
I saw Molly's Game. It sure is an Aaron Sorkin movie, all right. No one ever shuts up and no one ever slows down. Not nearly as clever as it thinks it is, but lots of fun anyway, if you don't expect profundity. Acting ok across the board. All the actors seem to relish the opportunity to showboat while rattling off their baroque dialogue. Jessica Chastain doesn't really deserve an Oscar nomination but is very likeable. Also saw Downsizing. The first two-thirds had me really impressed, but then the air slowly leaks out as Alexander Payne does absolutely NOTHING with the gimmick. There is no interaction between the small people and the large world. Basically, it could have all taken place in the normal world. But Hong Chau is a real talent, and I hope to see her in the future.
My favorite movie, however, was Tom of Finland. It's a pretty standard, straightfoward biopic, but with a subject this fascinating, that's enough! I saw it under optimal conditions - a sold out show, with about a third of the audience in their leather regalia, and the air reeking of perfume. Everyone was really into it. The best time I've had at the movies in quite some time.
Also saw "Molly's Game" and it's very Aaron Sorkin in screenplay, and very Martin Scorcese in direction style. Glitzy and glamour in the poker scenes. Let's his actors act in the present day scenes.
Chastain, Elba, and My Kevin are all very good.
It must be nice (and unexpected) for Allison Janney to start the year with a Tony misfire and end the year with an Oscar nomination.
Edward L.: not bad, but it does seem to get a little silly in the last ten minutes (losing the message that I thought it was gunning for, in favour of an ending consistent with every other Balboa movie).
(No, not a spoiler really.)
I saw I Tonya. Had problems with it but thought Robbie was great. Interested to see what televised award season does with Metcalfe and Janney. Prefer Metcalfe. Oscar likes showy so might be Janney but Metcalfe is showy in her role too in ways.
I'm thankful to have seen CMBYN during festival circuit cause I'd by annoyed too. It doesn't come to my city for another two weeks. The year became competitive and a lot of other movies have been stealing the spotlight. If this were a five year it might not even make it. Could have used the adrenaline earlier but who would have known.
Call Me By Your Name's release strategy is weird, yes, but understandable to an extent. It's very much a Luca Guadagnino film if you know what I mean. It's very art-house, moves at a languid pace, and does not have a hackneyed, happy ending that leaves the audience with a false sense of security, like many American dramas. I understand SPC's gamble on releasing it wide after securing major Oscar nominations, because it will ultimately receive the "ugh that was so boring" or "I didn't get it" feedback from more casual filmgoers, unlike the more populist fare of other Oscar hopefuls like Darkest Hour or Three Billboards.
I kinda love that THE GREATEST SHOWMAN has turned into a hit (it's also no. 1 on the album charts) and is actually breaking box office records in the process. Original musicals!!
My friend saw I, TONYA today and she said the line was out the door and her group of five had to be separated! I think it's only on one screen in my city right now.
I saw Molly's Game which was better than expected. However it wore out its welcome. Scenes went on too long and some were unnecessary. A scene towards the end with Kevin Costner was awful and should have been omitted.
All in all, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle can be termed to be a fine holiday motion picture for families who are not demanding — the action can be said to be ably done, there happens to be an emotional plot for those searching for one, and The Rock is in top shape. It could be more regrettable, yet it couldn’t generally have been better.
Yes, maybe they're timid about CMBYN because of its gay content and it's art-house sensibility, but that doesn't explain why Chalamet and Hammer have been everywhere promoting this for months. Every mainstream talk show, magazine, etc. If they want mainstream attention, they should give it mainstream distribution, too.
I also saw "I, Tonya," which I hated.
I loved " I' Tonya" it's a great American film and everyone involved deserves an Oscar nomination. The producers of " Call Me By Your Name" must be hoping for a lot Oscar nominations. I've heard from some straight people that they are disturbed by the age difference between the lovers- like they had never heard of "Lolita" but in Kubircks movie she was obviously a teenager.