Per Theater Chart: Wind Rises to the Top

March 5, 2014

There were three films in the $10,000 club this past weekend, two that were not a surprise, but one that was a huge surprise. Leading the way was The Lunchbox with an average of $14,847 in three theaters. This film earned 94% positive reviews. Likewise, Ernest & Celestine earned 100% positive reviews, so its start of $13,078 in one theater is also to be expected. In between those two films was The Bag Man, which earned an average of $14,616 in two theaters, but only managed 9% positive reviews.

There were a few other new limited releases on this week's chart, starting with Repentance with an average of $3,298 in 152 theaters. That's not a bad average given its wide limited release. Assistance mortelle earned an estimated $3,000 in one theater. Stalingrad's IMAX run didn't get off to a good start with an average of just $1,659 in 308 screens. Two Lives earned just $1,303 in one theater.

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

• The Wind Rises' expansion didn't do as well as hoped, but it did well enough to get to $1 million over the weekend and $2 million on Monday.
• It was great weekend for 12 Years a Slave. Not only did it earn three Oscars, including the Best Picture Oscar, but it also cracked $50 million at the box office. This is a milestone Pain & Gain failed to get to, while next up is The Call, which is about $1 million ahead of 12 Years a Slave.

Filed under: Weekend Estimates, Theater Averages, Ernest et Celestine, 12 Years a Slave, The Lunchbox, The Wind Rises (風立ちぬ), The Bag Man, Repentance, Stalingrad, Zwei Leben, Assistance mortelle