Treasure unlocks box-office success
National Treasure: Book of Secrets proved to be box-office gold with three-day ticket sales of $US45.5 million ($A52.58 million) in the action-adventure sequel's first weekend in release, according to preliminary studio estimates.
The film stars Nicolas Cage as an amateur historian who unravels a conspiracy around the 1865 assassination of US President Abraham Lincoln.
National Treasure's gross was enough for first place in the North American box-office rankings for Friday-Sunday.

Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.)
This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative
Gross Rlse
Wks # of
Theaters
1 - National Treasure: Book of Secrets Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $45,500,000 $45,500,000 1 3832
2 1 I Am Legend Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $34,225,000 $137,490,000 2 3620
3 2 Alvin and the Chipmunks 20th Century Fox Distribution $29,000,000 $84,867,000 2 3499
4 - Charlie Wilson's War Universal Pictures Distribution $9,618,000 $9,618,000 1 2575
5 - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street DreamWorks SKG, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures International $9,350,000 $9,350,000 1 1249
6 - P.S. I Love You Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $6,505,000 $6,505,000 1 2454
7 4 Enchanted Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $4,152,000 $98,351,000 5 2752
8 - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story Sony Pictures Releasing $4,100,000 $4,100,000 1 2650
9 3 The Golden Compass New Line Cinema $3,980,000 $48,418,000 3 2953
10 11 Juno Fox Searchlight Pictures $3,400,000 $6,385,000 3 304
11 9 Atonement Focus Features, Universal Pictures International $1,974,000 $5,787,000 3 297
12 5 No Country for Old Men Paramount Vantage, Miramax Films $1,698,000 $36,715,000 7 1222

I plan on seeing Sweeney Todd tomorrow, it's getting a fantastic per-screen average

Im seeing that today, saw Walk Hard on Sunday,LOVED it

My take on the first five films . . .

"National Treasure: Book of Secrets"
Opens well. Now we'll see if it has "legs." As where I work is closed on New Year's Day, I plan on seeing it that day.

"I Am Legend"
Opens well. Has "legs." It might gross over $200-$250 million before it's done. Next week will tell.

"Alvin and the Chipmunks"
Has done surprisingly well, but, except for "Enchanted," which nearly everyone has already seen, it is about the only film showing during the holidays, which you can take your pre-teen to

After this mostly disappointing news.

"Charlie Wilson's War"
There have already been articles about why the audience disinterest in films set in Afghanistan and/or Iraq. I guess you can add "Charlies Wilson's War" to that list. Even Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts couldn't pull them in.

"Sweeney Todd"
This one has gotten some good reviews. The problem maybe that the subject matter only appeals to fans of Tim Burton, and there doesn't seem to be enough of his fans out there to make this one a hit.

"Sweeney Todd"
This one has gotten some good reviews. The problem maybe that the subject matter only appeals to fans of Tim Burton, and there doesn't seem to be enough of his fans out there to make this one a hit.

I have to disagree with you. I am nor a Burton (but I loved Beetlejuice and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure) nor Depp (he's alright but I don't get the fascination) fan yet I want to see this movie. You cannot call this movie a disappointment yet considering it came in 5th place despite playing in less than half the theaters the rest of the top eight played in. It had a very high per-theater average and when it comes to Christmas releases, longevity is the secret, not a flashy opening weekend like in the summer. I predict Sweeney Todd will be in the top 10 until Feb

I want to see Sweeney Todd so bad, I'm a big Alan Rickman fan, but it's not coming to my city. :mad: :(

I saw National Treasure. it was really good movie. i hope they make another one.

I want to see Sweeney Todd so bad, I'm a big Alan Rickman fan, but it's not coming to my city. :mad: :(
WTF?Where do you live? Its EVERYWHERE

WTF?Where do you live? Its EVERYWHERE

It's not in Florence, Alabama, lol. :p

It's not in Florence, Alabama, lol. :p
Ah

I'd like to see National Treasure and I am Legend.

I have to disagree with you. I am nor a Burton (but I loved Beetlejuice and Pee-Wee's Big Adventure) nor Depp (he's alright but I don't get the fascination) fan yet I want to see this movie. You cannot call this movie a disappointment yet considering it came in 5th place despite playing in less than half the theaters the rest of the top eight played in. It had a very high per-theater average and when it comes to Christmas releases, longevity is the secret, not a flashy opening weekend like in the summer. I predict Sweeney Todd will be in the top 10 until Feb

You are welcome to disagree, as disagreements is what is keeps this board interesting, but let us look at some figures. In the second week of release, the amount that a film usually earns at the box office goes down not up;
therefore, I don't see "Sweeney Todd" earning more then $10,000,000 in its second week and probably considerabley less. Of course, if it goes to a more wide spread release . . . ?

"Alvin and the Chipmunks," while it is in 3x as many theaters as "Sweeney Todd, it has also earned 3x as much at the theatrical box office, so that is almost a wash there, but it is in its second week of release, while "Sweeney Todd" is in its first week of release. It cost $70,000,000 to make "Alvin and the Chipmunks," so with $89,000,000 at the box office, so far, it has already earned back the cost to make it. While I don't have a figure on how much it cost to make "Sweeney Todd," I don't see it earning back the cost to make it. At least, in its theatrical release.

And if you compare "Sweeney Todd" to "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," both of whom are in their first week of wide spread release, while "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" is playing in about 3x the number of theaters that "Sweeney Todd" is, in it's opening week it earned about 5x the box office gross that "Sweeney Todd" did, so in the important number of box office gross per theater, it is beating "Sweeney Todd," in that way.

And while there are people out there that will see "Sweeney Todd," that are not fans of Tim Burton and/or Johnny Deoo, I don't see--and I stand by my original opinion--enough of them out there to make "Sweeney Todd" the box office success of the holday movie going season. Anybody can insert their own reasons as to why.

You are welcome to disagree, as disagreements is what is keeps this board interesting, but let us look at some figures. In the second week of release, the amount that a film usually earns at the box office goes down not up;
therefore, I don't see "Sweeney Todd" earning more then $10,000,000 in its second week and probably considerabley less. Of course, if it goes to a more wide spread release . . . ?

"Alvin and the Chipmunks," while it is in 3x as many theaters as "Sweeney Todd, it has also earned 3x as much at the theatrical box office, so that is almost a wash there, but it is in its second week of release, while "Sweeney Todd" is in its first week of release. It cost $70,000,000 to make "Alvin and the Chipmunks," so with $89,000,000 at the box office, so far, it has already earned back the cost to make it. While I don't have a figure on how much it cost to make "Sweeney Todd," I don't see it earning back the cost to make it. At least, in its theatrical release.

And if you compare "Sweeney Todd" to "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," both of whom are in their first week of wide spread release, while "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" is playing in about 3x the number of theaters that "Sweeney Todd" is, in it's opening week it earned about 5x the box office gross that "Sweeney Todd" did, so in the important number of box office gross per theater, it is beating "Sweeney Todd," in that way.

And while there are people out there that will see "Sweeney Todd," that are not fans of Tim Burton and/or Johnny Deoo, I don't see--and I stand by my original opinion--enough of them out there to make "Sweeney Todd" the box office success of the holday movie going season. Anybody can insert their own reasons as to why.

well, musicals are more about longevity than flashy openings. Neither Dreamgirls nor Hairspray had the most amazing openings, and both played in less theaters than other "blockbusters", yet both films had legs that pushed both past 100 million thanks to great word of mouth and just creeping in on the radar. Neither were the biggest movies of 2006 or 2007, but they both had very respectable shelf lives considering how many movies have a blockbuster opening weekend and is down to the second-run theaters in less than two months. They both held in the top 10 for more than two months and both were incredibly successful, despite never spending a weekend at #1 and never playing anywhere near the number of screens a Harry Potter or Spiderman movie would do. I think Sweeney Todd, which is a musical also, will likely follow the same trajectory that Dreamgirls and Hairspray did, reasonable opening, but word of mouth will keep it around for some time.