Per Theater Chart: Machina Saves Box Office

April 15, 2015

Ex Machina's opening weekend was surprisingly potent earning an average of $59,316 in four theaters. This is the biggest per theater average for a film that opened in 2015. I was not expecting that. On the other hand, I was expecting Clouds of Sils Maria to do well, and it did, earning an average of $20,603 in three theaters. Furious 7 remained in the $10,000 club with an average of $14,815 in more than 4,000 theaters.

While we had two major new limited releases this week, most of the rest of them were unable to reach the Mendoza Line. Lost River was buoyed by its director earning an average of $6,943 in three theaters. Black Souls was well back with an average of $3,143 in two theaters. Rebels Of the Neon God was also playing in only two theaters, but only managed an average of $2,300.

Desert Dancer and Dior and I were neck-and-neck with averages of $1,772 and $1,760 respectively. Both films were playing in more than 20 theaters. Kill Me Three Times really struggled with an average of $967 in 16 theaters. Freetown was playing in more than 120 theaters, which explains why its per theater average was only $956. The Sisterhood of Night rounded out this week's list earning an average of $526 in ten theaters. Good reviews couldn't overcome Video on Demand.

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

• While We're Young crossed $1 million and $2 million over the weekend. Its per theater average is still relatively good. I don't expect it to expand significantly beyond this point, but it should still stick in theaters for a while.
• Danny Collins also reached both $1 million and $2 million over the weekend. It is closer to $3 million than the previous film, but its per theater average is low enough that it likely will see its theater count fall quickly.
• Woman in Gold topped $3 million before the weekend and its expansion helped it get well past $5 million over the weekend. It will be interesting to see how far it goes from here.
• It Follows got all the way to $10 million over the weekend making it the first true 2015 release to do so. (Still Alice technically had an Oscar-qualifying run in 2014.)

Filed under: Theater Averages, Furious 7, Desert Dancer, It Follows, Ex Machina, Lost River, Kill Me Three Times, While We're Young, Clouds of Sils Maria, Danny Collins, Still Alice, The Sisterhood of Night, Woman in Gold, Dior and I, Qing shao nian nuo zha, Freetown, Anime nere, Ryan Gosling