The Agency's Posts

On the Set: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law talk 'Sherlock Holmes': Reporting from Didcot,— This much is clear: It's 1891, a year after their first....
Read More>

James Bond (and Daniel Craig) back on the job: James Bond will be back in U.S. theaters in November 2012 with “Skyfall,” the 23rd....
Read More>

Movie review: 'Anonymous': The film, with Rhys Ifans as Edward de Vere, the film's purported bard behind Shakespeare, is no....
Read More>

Should 'In Time' star Justin Timberlake cry himself a river?: Many things could be said of Justin Timberlake's nascent acting career, but one thing he....
Read More>

You want some ice cream: Eddie Murphy's comeback bid: Eddie Murphy began what could be an epic return to glory--or maybe just an ephemeral return....
Read More>

Davis Guggenheim talks U2's 'Achtung Baby' documentary: More than two decades ago, the Irish rockers U2 were at one of their early peaks with their....
Read More>

Rowan Atkinson finds U.S. a tough bean to crack: Although the Brit comic's Mr. Bean and Johnny English films and TV shows have found global....
Read More>

Zooey Deschanel sings the national anthem, is 'not a jerk': Zooey Deschanel sang the national anthem Sunday night at Game 4 of the World Series,....
Read More>

Zachary Quinto on the 'STAR TREK sequel: It’s been a busy week for a certain young Vulcan. Zachary Quinto’s first effort as....
Read More>

Time is money in the Justin Timberlake sci-fi film: The new science fiction film “In Time” is predicated on a single high-concept: In....
Read More>

Critic's Notebook: The lowdown with Tom Waits: Similes, metaphors, memorable characters and lyrics — it's all there in the....
Read More>
'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows' box office
Posted on: 07/18/11
Share/Save/Bookmark
 

"Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2" broke the opening-weekend box-office record with nearly $169 million. But where will it end up on the all-time totals chart?  How does it stack it up with non 3-D openings?  And what movies have the best chance to beat it? A wizardly -- and occasionally stat-minded -- edition of our Monday-morning-quarterback post.

Next stop Nolanville? The movie that "Deathly Hallows" beat for the opening-weekend record was "The Dark Knight." So it shouldn't have much trouble topping the comic-book movie's total on the all-time domestic chart ($533 million, the third-highest ever, and best ever for a film not directed by James Cameron). But as it turns out, that could be a tall order. "The Dark Knight" played solidly throughout the summer, as people not previously inclined to see a superhero movie began hearing the buzz. "Deathly Hallows" won't easily replicate that feat -- it might get repeat viewings from the J.K. Rowling faithful, but at this advanced stage of its story development, it probably won't attract a lot of new fans.

Splitting the atom. It seems like ancient history now, but there was originally carping about Warner Bros.' decision to make two movies out of Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," with skeptics seeing it as a money-grabbing move and wondering if the source material could sustain two films. In retrospect, of course, it proved a financially and creatively satisfying decision -- which may provide encouragement to those worried about Summit's "Breaking Dawn" mitosis.

The 3-D effect. Amid all the hype about the weekend record, it's worth remembering that "Deathly Hallows" did have the benefit of 3-D ticket prices. Adjust for that advantage and it's still a robust performer, but not anywhere near a record breaker. (Instead it's on par with "Star Wars Episode III" -- or, for that matter, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," which tallied just north of $100 million selling 2-D tickets.) What "Deathly Hallows" has done, though, is set a new high-water mark for 3-D releases. That $53 million for "Green Lantern" looks even more paltry by comparison.

Holding history. How long will it hold the weekend record? There's no movie this summer that will come close. (Sorry, "Conan the Barbarian") But several will vie for the crown in the not-too-distant future. Next summer brings "The Dark Knight Rises," which has as an excellent shot of opening to even bigger numbers. And not long after that come two "Hobbit" movies as well as the final two "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" films.

Inflationary tendencies. If you're comparing "Deathly Hallows" with recent openings, inflation doesn't matter much. But some of the older films would give it a serious run if they came out today. Although the Daniel Radcliffe-Emma Watson blockbuster already is off on a breakneck pace that could see it reach a half-billion dollars domestically, that pales in contrast to the all-time inflation-adjusted record holder, "Gone with the Wind." Scarlett and Rhett raked in what would be about $1.6 billion dollars in 2011.

World domination. The $168 million for "Hallows" in the U.S. is impressive  But even more persuasive is how the boy wizard got the entire globe to move in lockstep. Overseas, the film tallied more than $300 million, giving it a great chance to be the worldwide top-grossing non-Cameron movie of all time. The number to beat? The $1.12 billion of "The Lords of the Rings: The Return of the King." The new Potter is already almost halfway there.


COMMENTS
Be the first to post a comment!


Post A Comment:




  • It's 2020! Start booking roles in commercials, fashion, films, theater and more with The Agency Online!

  • NEW WORKSHOP with Barbara Barna & Sean De Simone!

    Hi Everyone and Happy Summer! Sean at Sean De Simone casting and Barbara Barna are teaming up for a super informative and fun Hosting for Home Shopping workshop. A great opportunity for established or experienced TV Hosts and Experts interested in learning how to get noticed and how to get in....
  • MASTERCLASS W. Robin Carus & David John Madore

    A Special Offer for the Agency Community, from one of our favorite NYC Casting Directors! EMAIL FacetheMusicWithUs@gmail.com Or Eventbrite To Sign Up! Class Size is Limited.
  • Don't Fall Into The Comparison Trap

    Hi Everyone! As the second installment in an ongoing series of features by the Agency's amazing community, here's some sage advice from our own Regina Rockensies; a humble (& awesome)veteran we've had the pleasure of working with for a long time. Have an excellent week! : ) - The Agency....
  • One Model's Agreement

    Hi Everyone! As the first piece in an ongoing series of original articles by the Agency community, here's a short reflection on some of the values of professional acting & modeling that we can all keep in mind for our next casting. Good luck on your castings &shoots this week! : ) -....




 
home       castings&news       privacy policy       terms and conditions      contact us      browser tips
Official PayPal Seal