The Avengers

SUMMER SLUMP? Will Smith’s ‘MIB3′ Slows To $70M Memorial Weekend; Fifth Major Movie To Disappoint; Global Cume $203.2M; ‘Avengers’ Still Setting Box Office Records

MONDAY, 6TH UPDATE: So Men In Black 3 officially opened with a $55M three-day weekend and a $70M four-day Memorial Holiday. (Although rival studios say the numbers are slightly less: $54.5M/$68M.) That’s still not anywhere close to the $90M where Hollywood thought this popular franchise would debut its threequel, or the $80M which Sony Pictures expected. Even not adjusted for the 3D premium or higher ticket prices or inflation, MIB3 couldn’t beat Will Smith’s I Am Legend ($77M in 2007) or Hancock ($62M in 2008). MIB3‘s international number is $133.2M for a worldwide cume of $203.2M. IMAX sales contributed worldwide approximately $12.5M, which is 20% higher than their previous record for a worldwide memorial day release. Problem is that MIB3 was very expensive to make at a cost of between $225M to $300M. Plus, demonstrating more trouble for Hollywood, overall moviegoing of $190M for this holiday weekend was down a huge -31% from last year’s record. For more analysis, see below:

Here’s the Top Ten (based on 4-day holiday estimates):

1. Men in Black 3 3D (Columbia/Sony) NEW [4,248 Theaters] PG13
Friday $17.8M, Saturday $19.2M, Sunday $17.9M, Estimated Monday $15.0M
3-Day Weekend $55M, 4-Day Holiday $70M,
International Cume $133.2M, Global Cume $203.2M

2. Marvel’s The Avengers 3D (Disney) Week 4 [3,918 Theaters] PG13
Friday $9.6M, Saturday $14.1M, Sunday $13.2M, Monday
3-Day Weekend $36.7M, 4-Day Holiday $46.8M, Cume $523.6M
International Cume $281.9M, Global Cume $1.305B

3. Battleship (Universal) Week 2 [3,702 Theaters] PG13
Friday $3.0M (-65%), Saturday $4.1M, Sunday $3.8M, Monday
3-Day Weekend $10.9M, 4-Day Holiday $13.8M, Cume $47.3M
International Cume $232.4M, Global Cume $279.7M