'Apocalypto' falling into obscurity
Mayans take fall
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"Apocalypto" isn't a family-friendly pic that plays well with Christmas auds: Going up against holiday fare with subtitles and ultraviolent content may not have been a savvy programming move.
Extended four-day weekend gave Disney's "Apocalypto" another $3.9 million, from 2,144 engagements, for a weak per-playdate average of $1,860. Its cume stands at $35.7 million.
Given the budget (an estimated $70 million) and potential overseas and in ancillaries, it could wind up OK. While the results are a far cry from the boffo "The Passion of the Christ," the Mayan pic has at least survived; after Gibson's arrest, many forecast the film would be dead on arrival.
Disney's PR and marketing staff successfully distanced the pic from its helmer's off-screen controversies, helping the pic to land the top spot on its Dec. 8 opening weekend.
But it seems now that only Gibson's core audience came out en masse for the subtitled Mayan epic. It's had a much tougher time drawing general auds in subsequent frames.
"Apocalypto" bowed to more than $15 million, topping the Leonardo DiCaprio vehicle "Blood Diamond" and Nancy Meyers' "The Holiday" (which also have had a tough time keeping their B.O. up.)
In its second frame, "Apocalypto" slipped into sixth position as its B.O. slipped 46.6%. Receipts dipped another 50% over the four-day Christmas frame as the pic dropped out of the top 10 altogether.
It remains to be seen whether "Apocalypto" can get any traction from awards buzz, which buoyed a few limited releases over the Christmas frame.
Clint Eastwood's "Letters From Iwo Jima" posted a six-day take of $162,350 off five screens for Warners, making for a healthy per-playdate average of $32,470. Pic has consistently been making critics' best-of lists, and Warners is taking a slow approach after precursor "Flags of Our Fathers" failed to catch on in wide release.
Paramount Vantage's "Babel" also continues to enjoy a boost from Golden Globes noms and critical attention. Pic added another $118,434 on Christmas Day to bring its cume to just under $19 million. Pic is still playing in 207 engagements.
Miramax's Peter O'Toole starrer "Venus," meanwhile, played to $54,000 over the four-day frame for a solid per-screen average of more than $18,000 off three. Cume now stands at $59,800 after it opened mid-week.
Miramax's "The Queen" raised its cume to $26.6 million by adding $577,000 from 302 engagements.
Sony Classics also got off to a good start with its "Curse of the Golden Flower." Pic opened Thursday and has so far cumed $724,369 off 60.
Specialty division's "Volver" has so far taken in $3.8 million after eight weeks in release.
