Odeon survives rumble with 'Rambo'
Film's box office suffers
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The testosterone fuelled Sylvester Stallone sequel banked $2.5 million at 354 locations. Although the screen average of $6,924 was not embarrassing, the opening result was not enough to topple ``Jumper'' from top spot. The sci-fi actioner landed $3 million this weekend in its soph sesh for an $11.6 million running cume.
Had Odeon played ``Rambo,'' rival bookers predict the pic could have banked a further $600,000 and taken first place in the charts.
Sony were bloodied but unbowed following the encounter. ``We are very pleased with the opening weekend figure,'' said Peter Taylor, m.d., Sony Pictures Releasing U.K.
Odeon's decision to do without ``Rambo'' - due to undisclosed ``commercial reasons'' - saw the chain's three-day total B.O. grosses for all films dip 13% on the previous weekend. But there were also dropoffs of 8% for Vue and 9% for Cineworld, suggesting not that many auds migrated from Odeon to other chains to see ``Rambo.''
``Our attendance for the weekend was only marginally lower than our original forecast due to the decision not to play `Rambo,' '' an Odeon spokesperson said. ``We estimate that over 60% of the attendance shortfall was mitigated by the growth in Odeon market share on other films.''
Exhibition sources confirm that Odeon and Sony fell out last week over a rentals dispute. ``Basically Sony saw `Rambo' as more of a blockbuster than Odeon did, and tried to impose blockbuster terms, whereas Odeon saw it as more commercially challenging - a violent 18 with bad reviews - and wouldn't accept those terms,'' an exhibber said.
The U.K. ``Rambo'' bow compared unfavorably with the launch of ``Rocky Balboa,'' which took $7.2 million at 405 on its opening weekend last year. That result was the best ever result for a Stallone film in the territory.
Pathe's ``Be Kind, Rewind'' made the most of the ``Rambo'' spat, racing to an opening of $2.7 million at just 366 (including previews of $413,244). Punchy bow by Michel Gondry's quirky pic was significantly above industry expectations.
Yank indie ``Juno'' - out via Fox - continues to show good legs in Blighty. The Ellen Page starrer dipped just 20% in its third frame for a $13.4 million total.
Other awards contenders held well on Oscars weekend. Daniel Day Lewis starrer ``There Will Be Blood'' dropped off just 6% from 16% more locations in its third frame for a $3.4 million total for Disney. And the Coen Brothers' ``No Country for Old Men'' also benefited from the Academy Award exposure, dipping just 17% in its sixth frame for an $11.3 million cume via Par.
