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[artist]

Eh, I wasn't being precise, it was a back of the envelope number crunch; I meant next week with that post, not the exact day. Running the numbers, it will take until the end of the week at least. But whatever, my point wasn't so lay down some marker and set up a forum bet, it was to point out how fast it's gaining on TDK; it looks to match or pass it by late next week.

Which is to say, it's likely to pass $500m domestic.

Well for starters the comparison with TDK is not apples to oranges type of comparison especially for drops, I think I said this before. Its better to bench it against a major release in the 2nd/3rd week of Dec.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Well for starters the comparison with TDK is not apples to oranges type of comparison especially for drops, I think I said this before. Its better to bench it against a major release in the 2nd/3rd week of Dec.

I'm tracking it to TDK not for the week to week drops, but to gauge the trajectory; TDK is the second highest domestic earner with over $500m, and I think Avatar will do much better based on how it's holding up. Because of Titanic's weird run, comparisons to how it tracks are fairly meaningless.

If you've got another movie you'd like to see it measured against, fire away. I whip up a graph.

There is almost no perfect comparison to go by on a week to week basis, because every time of year is different. In summer, kids are out of school, and they're going back to school next week. So that makes the comparisons harder.

Again, my point isn't to lay down these markers and compare on a day by day, week by week basis. I'm looking ahead to the endgame (the forest, not the trees). Right now that looks like $500m+, possibly much higher depending on how the first week in January goes.

BTW, actuals came in higher than the early number. :lol

$18,466,123

 

[turnbuckle]

Goddamn. What is that, $56 million plus on M-W? This is insane. :lol

 

[Combine]

Wow, domestically, the movie is at #6 for the year now (topped Star Trek). Depending on today, it might be able to snatch the #5 spot from Hangover for the year (but sadly not the #4 spot from Twilight).

Still, this is only the second week for crying out loud.

 

[rhino4evr]

i have seen a few naysayers say that the holiday weekends is the only reason people are still going to see it..which is partly true..there are a lot of people off work. however the average decline of say sherlock holmes shows there really isnt a special reason avatar keeps doing great numbers except that the audience loves it and a lot of people want to see it..

 

[mckmas8808]

BTW, how long did it take the other $1 billion grossing movies to hit their mark?

Ghal do you know the answer to this question? Besides Titanic how long did it take the other $1 Billion movies to hit that mark?

 

[artist]

I'm tracking it to TDK not for the week to week drops, but to gauge the trajectory; TDK is the second highest domestic earner with over $500m, and I think Avatar will do much better based on how it's holding up. Because of Titanic's weird run, comparisons to how it tracks are fairly meaningless.

If you've got another movie you'd like to see it measured against, fire away. I whip up a graph.

There is almost no perfect comparison to go by on a week to week basis, because every time of year is different. In summer, kids are out of school, and they're going back to school next week. So that makes the comparisons harder.

Again, my point isn't to lay down these markers and compare on a day by day, week by week basis. I'm looking ahead to the endgame (the forest, not the trees). Right now that looks like $500m+, possibly much higher depending on how the first week in January goes.

BTW, actuals came in higher than the early number. :lol

$18,466,123

ROTK.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Ghal do you know the answer to this question? Besides Titanic how long did it take the other $1 Billion movies to hit that mark?

The guys in the boxofficemojo forums were wondering this too, but it's hard to tell because no one has week by week international earnings; Mojo just keeps a running tally of the totals.

It's either TDK or RotK.

One noteworthy development: Avatar already has passed TDK's total international gross (I think someone pointed that out earlier).

ROTK.

I'm on it. BRB.

 

[artist]

The guys in the boxofficemojo forums were wondering this too, but it's hard to tell because no one has week by week international earnings; Mojo just keeps a running tally of the totals.

It's either TDK or RotK.

One noteworthy development: Avatar already has passed TDK's total international gross (I think someone pointed that out earlier).

TDK is the slowest to the 1B mark.

This data isnt available widely, so GAF exclusive ;
POTC-DMC: 10 weeks
ROTK: 10 weeks
Titanic: 11 weeks

I'm on it. BRB.

I actually did it here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19077165&postcount=9911



But wouldnt mind an updated one right now.

 

[mckmas8808]

TDK is the slowest to the 1B mark.

This data isnt available widely, so GAF exclusive ;
POTC-DMC: 10 weeks
ROTK: 10 weeks
Titanic: 11 weeks

So how long did it take TDK? And wow Avatar might do something in 2 weeks that took all those other movies 10-11 weeks to do? That's amazing.

 

[GhaleonEB]

I actually did it here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=19077165&postcount=9911



But wouldnt mind an updated one right now.

Heh. You make prettier graphs. :lol

RotK was released on a Wednesday, so that skewed the daily comparisons a bit. But it started out with an opening day $7.7m higher and is $36.5m behind now.

You can really see Avatar's legs kick in after that 7th day in comparisons to various movies, when the normal drop-off occurs. The margins between them hold steady for a week, and then drops fast.

 

[artist]

So how long did it take TDK? And wow Avatar might do something in 2 weeks that took all those other movies 10-11 weeks to do? That's amazing.

Avatar crossing 1B mark will be counted as 3rd week. For TDK, it crossed the 1B mark with the re-release. So there was a period where it was out of theatres and then brought back in. Safe to say that figure is not even worth mentioning here. :lol

Spoiler

23

TDK was weak worldwide because of the franchise. For example in India, Batman is associated with a gloomy or even horror kind of movies. :lol FYI, Avatar is already is the highest Hollywood grosser in India.

Heh. You make prettier graphs. :lol

Thanks.

RotK was released on a Wednesday, so that skewed the daily comparisons a bit. But it started out with an opening day $7.7m higher and is $36.5m behind now.

You can really see Avatar's legs kick in after that 7th day in comparisons to various movies, when the normal drop-off occurs. The margins between them hold steady for a week, and then drops fast.

Yeah, I'll look at some other movies we can compare this beast when I get back home. Thanks for the graph.

 

[Solo]

POTC-DMC: 10 weeks
ROTK: 10 weeks
Titanic: 11 weeks

Avatar: 3 weeks :lol

 

[gdt]

THU BO - Avatar $14.9M/$283.8M, Chipmunks 2 $8.75M/$120.7M, Sherlock Holmes $8.72M/$102.3M.

Thats an insanely small NYE drop.

Expect another huge weekend.

 

[Sharp]

Thats an insanely small NYE drop.

Expect another huge weekend.

Like I said in the other thread... it's a pretty standard NYE drop, compared to the drops other number one movies had on New Year's Eve. Not bad, but not great either. Should have a huge increase today, though, and end up without about a $60 million weekend, but I'm starting to feel like I have to be more down on this movie than I actually am to counteract the insane hyperbole that's going on about Avatar's box office gross.

 

[Solo]

but I'm starting to feel like I have to be more down on this movie than I actually am to counteract the insane hyperbole that's going on about Avatar's box office gross.

Its going to EASILY be the #2 grossing movie ever, and do so in less than half the timne it took all the other $1B movies to get there. No hyperbole, just truth.

 

[Sharp]

Its going to EASILY be the #2 grossing movie ever, and do so in less than half the timne it took all the other $1B movies to get there. No hyperbole, just truth.

Yes, absolutely. It's an incredibly impressive box office run. Impressive enough that I think people gushing about average drops like the one it experienced today is doing it a disservice, and really completely unnecessary.

 

[GoutPatrol]

Well, I'm off to see Avatar.

GAF has beat me into the ground.

 

[harSon]

Like I said in the other thread... it's a pretty standard NYE drop, compared to the drops other number one movies had on New Year's Eve. Not bad, but not great either. Should have a huge increase today, though, and end up without about a $60 million weekend, but I'm starting to feel like I have to be more down on this movie than I actually am to counteract the insane hyperbole that's going on about Avatar's box office gross.

I'd usually laugh at such logic but some people are getting a bit annoying with their Avatar fandom, both online and in real life.

 

[StoOgE]

Going to the movies with a girl with a
big purse is always a plus for that very reason. I remember the old days where you could just walk in with a 99 cent Big Gulp from 7-11 and the employees didn't give a shit.

Not to get on a soap box, but the theater doesn't actually make much (if any) money on your tickets. They have to pay all of their staff and make all of their money on concession sales. Sneaking food into a theater is tantamount to theft in my book.

 

[Veidt]

Man. Cameron must be popping bottles of wine by the hour.

 

[twinturbo2]

So, with Avatar doing well, will James Cameron finally get to doing the Battle Angel Alita film he was talking about five years ago?

 

[harSon]

So, with Avatar doing well, will James Cameron finally get to doing the Battle Angel Alita film he was talking about five years ago?

Not if he wants to make another box office hit

 

[twinturbo2]

Not if he wants to make another box office hit

Don't care, if he has a blank check from Fox, he can do it and find a way to make it successful.

 

[jett]

Not to get on a soap box, but the theater doesn't actually make much (if any) money on your tickets. They have to pay all of their staff and make all of their money on concession sales. Sneaking food into a theater is tantamount to theft in my book.

Fuck that. I'm paying to watch a movie, not to drink watered-down soda and severely overpriced what can barely be considered food. I will sneak in shit forever. FOREVER.

I once snuck in a couple of frappucinos in a friend's purse. Good times.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Not to get on a soap box, but the theater doesn't actually make much (if any) money on your tickets. They have to pay all of their staff and make all of their money on concession sales. Sneaking food into a theater is tantamount to theft in my book.

I wouldn't have a problem if the prices were even remotely reasonable. Cmon $5 for a soda? Is there rum in it?

 

[jett]

I wouldn't have a problem if the prices were even remotely reasonable. Cmon $5 for a soda? Is there rum in it?

No, but there's lots of fucking water!

 

[chubigans]

Yeah, I will never buy any food from concession stands. I don't care if it's stealing or not to sneak in food. That's just freaking ridiculous. :lol

My friend is the opposite...he regularly goes hungry to the movies and buys hot dogs, nachos, etc. I will never understand why he does that.

 

[WrikaWrek]

Popcorn is all i buy. I buy the drinks at the supermarket.

Coca Cola at the movies is 3x more expensive than gas.

 

[harSon]

Their pricing for Popcorn makes me want to punch them in the face, there's like 50-75 cents difference between the smallest bag and a ridiculously large one.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Their pricing for Popcorn makes me want to punch them in the face, there's like 50-75 cents difference between the smallest bag and a ridiculously large one.

The best part is that if you pay the little extra for the largest size you get a free refill, at least around here. Who the fuck needs that much though?

 

[GhaleonEB]

Not to get on a soap box, but the theater doesn't actually make much (if any) money on your tickets. They have to pay all of their staff and make all of their money on concession sales. Sneaking food into a theater is tantamount to theft in my book.

Typically the studios make a much higher percentage of the opening week than subsequent weeks. I think it depends on the movie, but I've read that some blockbusters send up to 90% to the studio opening week, then drop the week after. So by virtue of Avatar's legs, theaters are probably really happy now since most of the take will come when they get a higher percentage of the gross.

That said, I usually buy some popcorn, but do water for drinks and smuggle my own candy in.

The best part is that if you pay the little extra for the largest size you get a free refill, at least around here. Who the fuck needs that much though?

Only if you're going in a large group. When my family of four goes we'll get one bag and ask for some extra cups, then share it out. The biggest bags could probably be split six ways. :lol

 

[duckroll]

I don't really like popcorn, so I never get any. I don't like the drink choices usually though, not a huge cola fan, so I'll rather sneak drinks from the supermarket in. More choices, like fruit juices, etc. Sometimes I buy nachos or a hot dog, but it depends on the cinema chain, because I'm not going to buy shit food at high prices just because they're "not making much money from the ticket". Fuck that, I'm watching a movie first and foremost. :lol

 

[jett]

Fuck popcorn, always gets stuck between my teeth and ends up being nothing but an annoyance.

 

[PhoenixRising]

When I was in Spain, they let you take your own drinks/food into the theatre. Plus, the movie tickets themselves were also pretty reasonable, 5-6 euros. Needless to say, it was pretty awesome.

 

[shintoki]

I only buy popcorn and a coke at the cheap one buy me. It's normally like 7$ for the two with all the free refills I want. I also like to support them.

 

[red shoe paul]

3D will be taking off in 2010 and beyond. Sherlock played on 200 more screens and Avatar still pulled in 10 million more dollars

Because of the hype, and only the hype.

 

[gdt]

Because of the hype, and only the hype.

I think you mean word of mouth.

 

[Great Rumbler]

Not to get on a soap box, but the theater doesn't actually make much (if any) money on your tickets. They have to pay all of their staff and make all of their money on concession sales. Sneaking food into a theater is tantamount to theft in my book.

So does not buying any food/drink at all because it's so expensive amount to theft as well?

 

[GhaleonEB]

Because of the hype, and only the hype.

The hype gets you an opening weekend. It does not get you this:

Week 1 | 137,094,051
Week 2 | 146,692,023

Difference | 9,597,972
Increase | 7%

(Friday-Thursday weeks.)

 

[HolyCheck]

I usually just get a beer, $10 AU for a beer and a movie ticket, best way to watch Avatar!

 

[Timbuktu]

Because of the hype, and only the hype.

I think you mean higher ticket prices.

And I don't know if I would necessarily call it word of mouth, because what I hear was decidedly mixed. But it's got to the stage where even if you don't think you would like it, you would see it anyway so that you can have a proper opinion. That's might be the definition of an 'event' film.

 

[BattleMonkey]

If they would perhaps lower their prices on snacks to reasonable levels people would actually buy shit tons more of the stuff. Wife purse and friends with baggy pants always sneak in the theater snacks. I would rather buy at the theater for convenience of course.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Because of the hype, and only the hype.

It has become an event film, everyone is going to see it. Sad to say I've even told people that it was worth it to see it once in 3-D, and I think the movie is a piece of shit.

Also yeah, higher ticket prices for 3-D.

 

[Sapiens]

Anyone who thinks that theatre snack prices aren't a rippoff are fucking insane.

 

[Meier]

I usually just get a beer, $10 AU for a beer and a movie ticket, best way to watch Avatar!

Wtf! It costs $10+ US to get a ticket here alone.

 

[turnbuckle]

Not to get on a soap box, but the theater doesn't actually make much (if any) money on your tickets. They have to pay all of their staff and make all of their money on concession sales. Sneaking food into a theater is tantamount to theft in my book.

tantamount to theft? You gotta be kidding. Fast food restaurants make their biggest margins on soft drink sales, but I'm not ripping them off when I order a water or already have my own beverage and choose not to buy a Coke. I'm pretty sure theatres make a small percentage of the cut for most movies during the first week then gradually get a larger percentage. Outside of a film that is going to be a guarantee sell out, they make more money by allowing ppl who will bring in their own snacks than by refusing the sale.

Luckily the Imax I go to has an agreement with a few of the local confectionery shops so I can bring in my own food or drinks from them without any hassle. 99.9% of the time I buy concessions from the theatre anyways, but it's more out of convenience than from trying to not be a "thief".

 

[Count Dookkake]

Not to get on a soap box, but the theater doesn't actually make much (if any) money on your tickets. They have to pay all of their staff and make all of their money on concession sales. Sneaking food into a theater is tantamount to theft in my book.

As long as I have to act as usher/manager in order to get theater goers to behave... oh well.

Also, they get revenue from pre-show ads. Ticket prices did not go down. Fuck them.

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

If bringing in food is theft, what crime is extorting ridiculous amount of money from me for overpriced food?

 

[GhaleonEB]

If bringing in food is theft, what crime is extorting ridiculous amount of money from me for overpriced food?

You choose to buy that stuff.

Bringing your own food into the theater is not theft. It's planning ahead.