BOX OFFICE REPORT November 6-8, 2015(estimates from BoxOfficeMojo.com)
TOP 51. Specture ($73.0 million)2. The Peanuts Movie ($45.0 million)3. Bride of Spies ($9.3 million)4. The Martian ($6.9 million)5. Goosebumps ($6.0 million)
For the first time since Jurassic World, a live-action movie opened north of $70 million. Spectre, the latest 007 entry, opened with $73 million. That's not as big as Skyfall, which hit $90 million back in 2012. But it's not anything to be concerned about, as the film has already shattered records in its native UK. It's already nearing $300 million. It won't make $1 billion like Skyfall, but it will be a major hit and a fine note for Daniel Craig to go out on (if that's what he chooses).
The Peanuts Movie was the big question mark for the week. It did just fine, opening with an estimated $45 million. That's about in line with other animated movies going against Bond (e.g. Wreck-it Ralph and Happy Feet). Still, Peanuts isn't likely to be a major international hit, so it's still going to need some help if Fox hopes to have it finish with more than $150 million.
The Martian continued to perform strongly, dropping another modest 20 percent. It's nearly at $200 million and currently sits as the year's No. 7 movie. It will pass Cinderella next week, but it won't break the top 5, all of which include movies that made more than $300 million. Goosebumps and Bridge of Spies rounded out the rest of the top five.
Outside the top 5: - This Weekend's Indie Champ: Spotlight, about the Boston Globe's investigation into child abuse in the Catholic Church. It averaged a whopping $60,455 on each of its five screens. That's the third best average of the year, behind Steve Jobs and Sicario.
- Brooklyn, another film getting significant Oscar buzz, also had a great debut. The romantic drama averaged $36,200 on its five screens.
- File this under Things I Never Thought Would Happen: Danny Boyle's well-received, brilliantly acted and scripted Steve Jobs just barely passed Joshua Michael Stern's poorly received, mediocrely written and dreadfully acted Jobs. The former was poised for a slew of Oscars, but it's failed big time. It's less the iPod and more of the Newton.
Next week: Spectre is going to make it two weekends in a row, because there's no way the mining drama The 33 or the Christmas family comedy Love the Coopers are going to stop Bond. 007 will stay on top with $40 million.
