Grosses

'Star Trek Into Darkness' Takes First, But Opens Below PredecessorMay 20, 2013 11:48 AM

by Daniel Garris

Paramount's Star Trek Into Darkness opened in first place this weekend with $70.17 million. However, the second installment of the re-launched sci-fi series opened significantly below wide-spread expectations, including those of the studio. Star Trek Into Darkness also failed to match the $75.20 million opening weekend take of 2009's Star Trek (which bumps up to $79.20 million when including the $4 million that film earned from late night Thursday screenings). While a sequel opening slightly below its predecessor isn't the end of the world, it is especially underwhelming in this case given that Star Trek Into Darkness had the added advantage of higher priced 3D admissions this time around and was following in the footsteps of a very well received previous film.

With an additional $13.54 million on Thursday (which included $2 million from Wednesday night IMAX showings), Star Trek Into Darkness has grossed $83.70 million through four days of release. The last minute release date change clearly hurt the film's Thursday performance, which made the film's weekend performance even that more important. Through four days of release, Star Trek Into Darkness is running 3.5 percent behind the $86.71 million take of Star Trek, 33 percent behind the $125.18 million four-day start of 2008's Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and 50 percent stronger than the $55.93 million four-day take of 2009's Terminator Salvation.

Within the softer than expected start, there were some promising signs for Star Trek Into Darkness this weekend. On the heels of Friday's $21.62 million performance, the film did increase a healthy 25 percent on Saturday to gross $26.95 million and generated an opening weekend to Friday ratio of 3.24 to 1. The film's A rating on CinemaScore was also an encouraging early sign. With that said, holding up well going forward will be no easy task for the film given the upcoming competition it will soon be facing from Universal's Fast & Furious 6, Warner's The Hangover Part III and to a lesser extent Sony's After Earth. The upcoming competition from Fast & Furious 6 and The Hangover Part III likely had an effect on Star Trek Into Darkness already this weekend, as moviegoers anticipating either or both of those films may have simply decided to pass on Star Trek Into Darkness. The continued strength of Disney's Iron Man 3 certainly isn't helping matters for Star Trek Into Darkness either.

It should be noted that Star Trek Into Darkness is performing stronger than its predecessor overseas. After grossing $40 million this weekend, Star Trek Into Darkness has grossed $80.5 million to date overseas. That places the early global total for Star Trek Into Darkness at $164.2 million.

Iron Man 3 fell 51 percent to place in second this weekend with $35.77 million. Given the new competition Iron Man 3 faced from Star Trek Into Darkness, this weekend's hold was quite respectable. It could also be a sign of the blockbuster superhero sequel being able to display solid holding power going forward, even in the face of increased competition. In comparison, 2010's Iron Man 2 fell 49 percent in its third weekend to gross $26.36 million, while last year's Marvel's The Avengers fell 46 percent to take in $55.64 million. Iron Man 3 has grossed a terrific $337.66 million through 17 days of release. That places the film 34.5 percent ahead of the $251.03 million 17-day take of Iron Man 3 and 26 percent behind the $457.67 million 17-day gross of The Avengers.

Iron Man 3 added $40.2 million to its overseas haul this weekend. That brings the film's overseas total to $736.2 million and current global haul to a mighty $1.074 billion.

Warner's The Great Gatsby displayed respectable holding power as well this weekend. The Baz Luhrmann directed film starring Leonardo DiCaprio fell 52 percent to place in third with $23.94 million. The Great Gatsby continues to exceed expectations with a ten-day start of $90.68 million. That places The Great Gatsby 20 percent ahead of the $75.54 million ten-day take of 2010's Shutter Island (which fell 45 percent in its second weekend to gross $22.67 million). Going forward, The Great Gatsby will hope to continue to serve as an alternative to the early summer's action fare.

The Great Gatsby launched overseas this weekend; grossing $43.0 million from 49 foreign territories. That places the film's current global haul at $133.7 million.

Weekend Actuals (Domestic) Fri, Oct. 15 - Sun, Oct. 17

Wide (1000+)

#TitleweekendLocationsAvg.TotalWks.Dist.
1Jackass 3D$50,353,641--3,081--$16,343$50,353,6411Paramount
2Red (2010)$21,761,408--3,255--$6,686$21,761,4081Summit
3The Social Network$10,317,395-33%2,86897$3,597$62,436,3643Sony / Columbia
4Secretariat$9,318,886-27%3,0720$3,033$27,332,9412Disney
5Life As We Know It$8,955,409-38%3,1500$2,843$28,620,1472Warner Bros.
6Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole$4,228,236-39%2,502-723$1,690$45,994,7764Warner Bros.
7The Town$3,977,006-38%2,368-352$1,679$80,510,6295Warner Bros.
8My Soul to Take$3,170,310-54%2,529-43$1,254$11,915,5952Universal / Rogue
9Easy A$2,633,456-39%2,314-533$1,138$52,317,4815Sony / Screen Gems
10Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps$2,363,166-49%2,045-784$1,156$47,894,8964Fox
11You Again$1,215,987-52%1,588-744$766$22,982,0004Disney
12Case 39$1,206,817-55%1,406-806$858$11,924,1153Paramount Vantage
13Let Me In$830,676-66%1,211-831$686$11,046,6913Relativity / Overture

Limited (100 — 999)

#TitleweekendLocationsAvg.TotalWks.Dist.
1It's Kind of a Funny Story$1,223,455-39%75715$1,616$4,005,1612Focus
2N-Secure$1,166,406--486--$2,400$1,166,4061Freestyle
3Devil$976,005-46%891-551$1,095$31,577,4705Universal
4Alpha and Omega$823,085-45%969-647$849$22,567,6215Lionsgate
5Waiting for 'Superman'$742,72516%18279$4,081$2,523,0754Paramount Vantage
6Toy Story 3$534,680-4%350-43$1,528$412,844,16818Disney
7Inception$348,326-29%297-106$1,173$289,751,94714Warner Bros.
8Resident Evil: Afterlife$347,264-72%438-574$793$59,731,7946Sony / Screen Gems
9Despicable Me$345,280-1%332-21$1,040$247,050,99515Universal
10Nowhere Boy$340,851546%215211$1,585$412,2142Weinstein Company
11Never Let Me Go$327,083-5%23265$1,410$1,660,3535Fox Searchlight
12You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger$275,9672%11844$2,339$1,266,3434Sony Pictures Classics
13I Want Your Money$249,428--537--$464$249,4281Freestyle
14Catfish$210,540-46%116-27$1,815$2,629,3565Universal / Rogue
15The Expendables$190,37653%30681$622$102,981,57110Lionsgate
16Takers$185,202-52%215-197$861$57,091,8088Sony / Screen Gems
17Eat Pray Love$178,14427%30388$588$80,267,42710Sony / Columbia
18Mao's Last Dancer$151,571-17%116-5$1,307$3,993,9619Samuel Goldwyn
19Salt$148,124-37%200-66$741$118,174,53213Sony / Columbia
20Buried$130,250-41%10311$1,265$765,0014Lionsgate
21The Other Guys$111,724-43%174-115$642$118,206,67811Sony / Columbia
22Nanny McPhee Returns$102,420-31%205-113$500$28,893,1859Universal
23Lottery Ticket$88,361-39%138-56$640$24,584,0829Warner Bros.
24Grown Ups$77,136-28%114-45$677$161,920,26517Sony / Columbia
25The American$71,959-16%144-30$500$35,491,8727Focus

Platform (1 — 99)

#TitleweekendLocationsAvg.TotalWks.Dist.
1Stone$229,959204%4135$5,609$343,1002Relativity / Overture
2Hereafter$220,322--6--$36,720$220,3221Warner Bros.
3Hubble 3D$175,1954%611$2,872$16,778,28231Warner Bros. / IMAX
4Conviction$102,351--11--$9,305$102,3511Fox Searchlight
5Inside Job$85,595116%108$8,560$148,4312Sony Pictures Classics
6Get Low$54,995-36%96-47$573$8,905,33712Sony Pictures Classics
7The Sorcerer's Apprentice$49,800-27%77-32$647$63,099,28314Disney
8Anjaana Anjaani$46,618-60%910$512$827,3033Eros
9Machete$46,241-54%96-71$482$26,477,7667Fox
10Under the Sea 3D$46,121-9%16-2$2,883$24,479,52388Warner Bros. / IMAX
11Vampires Suck$42,599-59%87-103$490$36,588,5539Fox
12Howl$38,955-19%202$1,948$273,2114Oscilloscope
13Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore$36,424-33%77-42$473$43,575,71612Warner Bros.
14Like Dandelion Dust$31,681--31--$1,022$312,3884Blue Collar Releasing
15The Twilight Saga: Eclipse$28,360-25%49-34$579$300,523,11316Summit
16Ramona and Beezus$27,374-44%54-52$507$26,091,42613Fox
17Jack Goes Boating$26,427-53%49-41$539$428,1345Relativity / Overture
18The Girl Who Played With Fire$25,384-35%44-12$577$7,524,96215Music Box
19The Switch (2010)$21,071-42%58-45$363$27,544,1329Miramax
20Carlos$20,006--2--$10,003$20,0061IFC
21Tamara Drewe$19,6346%109$1,963$49,8002Sony Pictures Classics
22What If...$19,398-6%20-12$970$650,1699Five & Two Pictures
23Heartbreaker$17,517-25%30-3$584$400,0256IFC
24I Spit on Your Grave (2010)$17,211-46%11-1$1,565$66,0192Anchor Bay
25The Salvation Poem$17,151--5--$3,430$223,9751CanZion Films
26Enter the Void$17,072-20%2-7$8,536$173,8044IFC Films
27Avatar$15,782-9%10-4$1,578$760,339,00444Fox
28The Kids Are All Right$15,608-22%28-3$557$20,803,23715Focus
29Going the Distance (2010)$14,177-78%58-138$244$17,797,3167Warner Bros. / New Line
30The Tillman Story$12,386-29%17-7$729$690,6829Weinstein Company
31Piranha 3D$12,076-59%28-26$431$24,973,4789Weinstein Company
32Vision: From the Life of Hildegard von Bingen$11,406--1--$11,406$14,2141Zeitgeist Films
332012: Time for Change$11,382--2--$5,691$54,0711Mangusta Productions
34Winter's Bone$11,077-50%34-18$326$6,190,68619Roadside Attractions
35Freakonomics$10,64773%124$887$68,6603Magnolia
36The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest$10,522-13%9-1$1,169$563,81811National Geographic
37Animal Kingdom$10,3166%19-7$543$934,84310Sony Pictures Classics
38Cairo Time$9,437-59%24-25$393$1,557,50911IFC
39I Am Love$9,088-28%10-4$909$4,958,83818Magnolia
40Step Up 3D$8,997-41%10-7$900$42,257,78711Disney
41Lovely, Still$8,924195%82$1,116$106,5596Monterey Media
42Last Train Home$8,642-57%6-6$1,440$173,2687Zeitgeist Films
43Kings of Pastry$7,793-38%82$974$115,0265First Run
44Genius Within: The Inner Life of Glenn Gould$7,34479%81$918$112,7816Lorber
45Mademoiselle Chambon$7,088-9%70$1,013$480,97421Lorber
46My Dog Tulip$7,083329%54$1,417$78,3047New Yorker Films
47Leaving$7,079-57%7-1$1,011$54,1063IFC
48Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure$6,71333%20$3,357$23,332,747159National Geographic
49The Concert$5,674-32%9-1$630$641,42413Weinstein Company
50A Film Unfinished$5,090-18%40$1,273$243,4839Oscilloscope
51Fool for Love (2010)$5,078-51%5-1$1,016$158,2386Variance Films
52Budrus$4,928--2--$2,464$16,8352Balcony Releasing
53Jim$4,545-42%10$4,545$13,0152Area23a
54Breathless (2010 re-issue)$4,498--5--$900$332,02821Rialto
55Exit Through the Gift Shop$4,199185%20$2,100$3,283,63327Producers Distribution Agency
56Cherry$3,939--3--$1,313$7,9112Abramorama
57Mesrine: Public Enemy #1$3,73637%60$623$241,5897Music Box
58A Woman, a Gun, and a Noodle Shop$3,5822%176$211$164,6957Sony Pictures Classics
59Soul Kitchen$3,404-43%16-4$213$256,4549IFC
60The Extra Man$3,227104%71$461$450,27312Magnolia
61Restrepo$3,225--5--$645$1,312,44017National Geographic
62Down Terrace$3,088--2--$1,544$3,0881Magnolia
63Lebanon$2,996-42%14-9$214$345,57553Sony Pictures Classics
64Mesrine: Killer Instinct$2,501-65%6-4$417$506,0138Music Box
65Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us?$2,203-57%20$1,102$38,9415Collective Eye
66GasLand$2,187701%21$1,094$30,8465International WOW
67I'm Still Here$2,001-58%4-7$500$403,2156Magnolia
68Hideaway (2009)$1,87178%54$374$28,2736Strand
69Please Give$1,514170%2524$61$4,033,26825Sony Pictures Classics
70Winnebago Man$1,502-22%2-3$751$178,17415Kino International
71The Girl on the Train$1,402--1--$1,402$207,32339Strand Releasing
72Micmacs$1,224-57%5-2$245$1,260,91721Sony Classics
73Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky$1,007-60%6-2$168$1,724,88219Sony Pictures Classics
74Wild Grass (Les Herbes Folles)$930-64%50$186$394,84117Sony Pictures Classics
75Carmo, Hit the Road$835--1--$835$8351First Run
76Agora$781-38%10$781$617,84021Newmarket
77The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)$779-25%62$130$10,073,84631Music Box
78The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de Sus Ojos)$701-3%1-1$701$6,390,01427Sony Pictures Classics
79Le Amiche (2010 re-issue)$678--1--$678$50,86218The Film Desk
80The Disappearance of Alice Creed$639-52%1-1$639$165,89311Anchor Bay
81Army of Crime$620--1--$620$29,6479Lorber
82The Sicilian Girl$532--1--$532$65,56711Music Box
83Enemies of the People$457--1--$457$21,71012International Film Circuit
84Everyone Else$340-13%10$340$100,51370Cinema Guild
85Henri-Georges Clouzot's Inferno$277--1--$277$20,05414Flicker Alley
86Metropolis (1927) (2010 re-issue)$268-86%20$134$452,51524Kino International
87Neshoba: The Price of Freedom$26517%10$265$19,21910First Run Features
88Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Undead$250--1--$250$69,42020Indican Pictures
89Mother and Child$237-52%20$119$1,110,28624Sony Pictures Classics
90Around a Small Mountain$87-89%10$87$28,64015Cinema Guild
91Behind the Burly Q$36-97%10$36$23,85926First Run Features