'Narnia' Takes 'King Kong' Crown At Holiday Box Office - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

comedyfreak · 01-03-2006, 06:16 AM

"The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" snatched the box office crown from "King Kong" during another fierce four-day holiday battle for the top spot.

Old acquaintances met again: Less than $2 million has separated "Kong" and "Narnia" the past two weekends.

"We edged out `Kong.' It's been neck-and-neck," Buena Vista's Dennis Rice said Monday. "These are two great movies in the marketplace that are doing great business."

"Narnia" took in an estimated $32.8 million during the Friday-through-Monday period, nudging Universal's "King Kong" out of the No. 1 spot and into second with a New Year's weekend take of $31.6 million.

"This is a great way to start the new year. We have an up weekend 5 percent over the last New Year's weekend," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. "Propelled by these two blockbusters, it's really moving the box office."

"King Kong" was No. 1 during the Christmas holiday with a four-day turnstile take of $33.3 million and "Narnia" was No. 2 with $31.7 million.

"Narnia" passed the benchmark $200 million North American box office tally on Friday and "King Kong" was expected to pass the $400 million worldwide mark sometime Monday.

"Fun With Dick and Jane" was in third place with $21 million, followed in fourth by "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" with $19.3 million, a 26 percent jump over the previous weekend. Jennifer Aniston's "Rumor Has It" was fifth with $11.6 million.

"The Family Stone" was sixth with $10.2 million, "Memoirs of a Geisha" was seventh with $10 million and "The Ringer" was eighth with $8 million. Ninth place was held by "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," with $7.5 million. It has taken in $277 million in seven weeks of release.

Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.)
This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative
Gross Rlse
Wks # of
Theaters
1 2 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $32,848,000 $224,839,000 4 3853
2 1 King Kong Universal Pictures Distribution $31,591,000 $174,324,000 3 3627
3 3 Fun With Dick and Jane Sony Pictures Releasing $21,000,000 $64,568,000 2 3056
4 4 Cheaper by the Dozen 2 20th Century Fox Distribution $19,300,000 $55,127,000 2 3211
5 10 Rumor Has It... Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $11,625,000 $26,700,000 2 2815
6 6 The Family Stone 20th Century Fox Distribution $10,200,000 $46,237,000 3 2464
7 5 Memoirs of a Geisha DreamWorks SKG, Sony Pictures Releasing $10,000,000 $30,411,000 4 1547
8 7 The Ringer 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures $8,025,000 $21,627,000 2 1853
9 9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Warner Bros. Pictures International, Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $7,460,000 $276,908,000 7 2316
10 8 Munich DreamWorks SKG, Universal Pictures $6,126,000 $15,638,000 2 532
11 14 The Producers Universal Pictures $5,262,000 $11,875,000 3 978
12 11 Syriana Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $5,260,000 $38,898,000 6 1725

Dean Winchester · 01-03-2006, 04:08 PM

I think Universal invested too much into King Kong, they really were expecting Titanic with it, but.... they forget that most of the 30-somethings already have seen the Jessica Lange version of the movie, that re-remaking it is pointless

comedyfreak · 01-04-2006, 06:06 AM

I think expectations were too high since this was Jackson's follow up movie after LOTR trilogy. I seen Kong on Friday and really enjoyed the movie. I'd like to see Fun With Dick And Jane, and Rumor Has It.

01-03-2006, 06:16 AM	#1
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,060	'Narnia' Takes 'King Kong' Crown At Holiday Box Office "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" snatched the box office crown from "King Kong" during another fierce four-day holiday battle for the top spot. Old acquaintances met again: Less than $2 million has separated "Kong" and "Narnia" the past two weekends. "We edged out `Kong.' It's been neck-and-neck," Buena Vista's Dennis Rice said Monday. "These are two great movies in the marketplace that are doing great business." "Narnia" took in an estimated $32.8 million during the Friday-through-Monday period, nudging Universal's "King Kong" out of the No. 1 spot and into second with a New Year's weekend take of $31.6 million. "This is a great way to start the new year. We have an up weekend 5 percent over the last New Year's weekend," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. "Propelled by these two blockbusters, it's really moving the box office." "King Kong" was No. 1 during the Christmas holiday with a four-day turnstile take of $33.3 million and "Narnia" was No. 2 with $31.7 million. "Narnia" passed the benchmark $200 million North American box office tally on Friday and "King Kong" was expected to pass the $400 million worldwide mark sometime Monday. "Fun With Dick and Jane" was in third place with $21 million, followed in fourth by "Cheaper by the Dozen 2" with $19.3 million, a 26 percent jump over the previous weekend. Jennifer Aniston's "Rumor Has It" was fifth with $11.6 million. "The Family Stone" was sixth with $10.2 million, "Memoirs of a Geisha" was seventh with $10 million and "The Ringer" was eighth with $8 million. Ninth place was held by "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," with $7.5 million. It has taken in $277 million in seven weeks of release. Weekend Box Office Estimates (U.S.) This Wk Last Wk Title Dist. Weekend Gross Cumulative Gross Rlse Wks # of Theaters 1 2 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe Buena Vista Pictures Distribution $32,848,000 $224,839,000 4 3853 2 1 King Kong Universal Pictures Distribution $31,591,000 $174,324,000 3 3627 3 3 Fun With Dick and Jane Sony Pictures Releasing $21,000,000 $64,568,000 2 3056 4 4 Cheaper by the Dozen 2 20th Century Fox Distribution $19,300,000 $55,127,000 2 3211 5 10 Rumor Has It... Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $11,625,000 $26,700,000 2 2815 6 6 The Family Stone 20th Century Fox Distribution $10,200,000 $46,237,000 3 2464 7 5 Memoirs of a Geisha DreamWorks SKG, Sony Pictures Releasing $10,000,000 $30,411,000 4 1547 8 7 The Ringer 20th Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures $8,025,000 $21,627,000 2 1853 9 9 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Warner Bros. Pictures International, Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $7,460,000 $276,908,000 7 2316 10 8 Munich DreamWorks SKG, Universal Pictures $6,126,000 $15,638,000 2 532 11 14 The Producers Universal Pictures $5,262,000 $11,875,000 3 978 12 11 Syriana Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution $5,260,000 $38,898,000 6 1725

01-03-2006, 04:08 PM	#2
Dean Winchester Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 28, 2003 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 14,803	I think Universal invested too much into King Kong, they really were expecting Titanic with it, but.... they forget that most of the 30-somethings already have seen the Jessica Lange version of the movie, that re-remaking it is pointless

01-04-2006, 06:06 AM	#3
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,060	I think expectations were too high since this was Jackson's follow up movie after LOTR trilogy. I seen Kong on Friday and really enjoyed the movie. I'd like to see Fun With Dick And Jane, and Rumor Has It.