Top 10 for November 3-5 , 2006 Summary: Sunday estimates are in.
So it looks like our favorite Kazakhstani won't "be execute" after all. Despite going up against two ultrawide release debuts and a lack of faith from its own distributor Fox -- which conservatively launched the film in just 837 theaters -- Americans flocked to cineplexes to see the bitingly satirical mockumentary Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, which obliterated industry estimates and the competition with shocking $26.4 million, averaging a staggering $31,511 per theater.
Budgeted at a modest $18 million, the well-reviewed film is based on the fictional Kazakhstani TV journalist character "Borat" of Sacha Baron Cohen's "Da Ali G Show" fame. Many thought the film's sometimes painfully offensive comedy (which mostly pokes fun at American ignorance) would be a tough sell for mainstream audiences, but with showings selling out virtually the entire weekend it's clear that more than just Ali G fans and their friends came out in support this weekend. While the audience skewed heavily toward the under-25 crowd, a 10% increase in ticket sales from $9.2 million on Friday to $10.1 million on Saturday indicates strong word of mouth is propelling the film to bigger heights. Fox had planned on launching the film nationwide next weekend, hoping word of mouth would help build momentum during its run. Obviously the debut went well beyond their greatest expectations, so expect a more heavy marketing blitz in the weeks to come, as "Borat" rampages toward $100 million and beyond domestically.
Borat's sizzling $31,511 per theater average deserves a closer look, since it's a rarity for any film making its debut in more than 500 theaters to finish with that kind of an average. In fact, there have only been two other films that have opened in more than 500 theaters and averaged more per theater than "Borat," and they would be "Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest" and "Spider-Man," which just happen to be the two biggest openings of all time. "Dead Man's Chest" averaged $32,817 in 4,133 theaters for a record $135.6 million, while "Spider-Man" ranks second with a $31,769 average in 3,615 theaters and a $114.8 million debut. Internationally, "Borat" opened across Europe with a strong $17 million, topping the box office in both the U.K. and Germany.
Debuting in second was the film most analysts expected to top the box office as Disney's sequel The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause shrugged off extremely poor reviews to finish with an estimated $20 million. Averaging a very good $5,784 in 3,458 theaters, the timely holiday release still opened well below its predecessor The Santa Clause 2, which took in $29 million over the same weekend in 2002 ($139.2 million domestic). The original Santa Clause made its debut in 1994 with $19.3 million, on its way to $144 million domestically.
Paramount's well-reviewed computer-animated comedy Flushed Away opened close behind in third with an estimated $19.1 million, averaging a solid $5,152 in an ultrawide 3,707 theaters. Based on a story by Aardman Animation Studios (Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run), the film was originally meant to be done via the English studio's time-consuming claymation process, similar to their previous films Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Wererabbit and Chicken Run. But with Pixar's own rat-themed Ratatouille set to be released in June 2007, DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffery Katzenberg decided he needed Flushed Away to beat it to theaters, having his own DreamWorks Animation Studios create the film in CG with a look similar to claymation. The debut was stronger than both Wallace & Gromit and Chicken Run, which opened to $16 million and $17.5 million respectively.
In belated news Superman Returns quietly surpassed the $200 million mark domestically two weeks ago, a milestone that studio execs claimed the film needed to reach in order for a next Superman film to be greenlit. Though it ranks as the fifth highest grossing film of 2006, Returns has been largely considered a disappointment for the studio, given its huge production budget ($270 million) and drawn-out pre-production snafus. Internationally, the film has grossed another $191 million, making its global take a solid $391 million. Superman Returns flies onto DVD shelves November 28th.
Last week's champ Saw III stumbled 54% to an estimated $15.5 million, thanks in part to three major newcomers. In ten days, the Lionsgate horror sequel has grossed $60.1 million. Look for the $10 million budgeted horror flick to finish with $80 million domestically.
Despite Borat's surprisingly strong debut, the top ten films grossed an estimated $111.2 million, down 4% from last year's comparable frame when Chicken Little topped the charts with $40 million. It was down an even heftier 16% from 2004, when Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles debuted with a record $70.5 million.
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