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Monday, September 26, 2011

‘Lion King’ Holds Box-Office Lead, Topping ‘Moneyball’

Right on the tail of “Lion King” were baseball drama “Moneyball” from Sony Corp.‘s Sony Pictures and the family film “Dolphin Tale” from Time Warner Inc.‘s Warner Bros. Pictures. According to early studio estimates, the former grossed $20.6 million from 2,993 theaters while the latter grossed $20.3 million from 3,507 theaters.

An adaptation of the non-fiction book by Michael Lewis, “Moneyball” stars Brad Pitt as Oakland As general manager Billy Beane and appealed primarily to older audiences. According to exit polling provided by the studio, 64% of the audience was over the age of 35 and almost evenly split by gender, with females making up the 49% of the audience. Getting women to see the film was a priority for the studio’s marketing department, which advertised on shows popular with females, incluing “Dancing With the Stars” and “Glee.

Banta Posted: September 26, 2011 at 02:32 AM | 29 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: books, business, media, sabermetrics

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1. Chicago Joe

Posted: September 26, 2011 at 03:36 AM (#3936949)

See, I knew they should have animated Bill James.

2. NTNgod Posted: September 26, 2011 at 03:49 AM (#3937007)

Snippet from the Boxoffice Mojo weekend report:

After winning on Friday, Moneyball had to settle for second place for the weekend with an estimated $20.6 million from 2,993 locations. It topped The Benchwarmers ($19.7 million) for best start ever for a baseball movie, and it also ranked fifth all-time among sports dramas. While the opening is on the low end for a Brad Pitt movie, it was slightly above September 2008's Burn After Reading ($19.1 million). Finally, the movie was up a tad from Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps ($19 million) but down from The Social Network ($22.45 million). Sony/Columbia is reporting that 51 percent of the audience was male and 64 percent were over the age of 35, and it received an "A" CinemaScore.

While Moneyball's primary draw was probably Brad Pitt, it had a lot of other things going for it as well. Beginning with its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival a few weeks ago, the movie has received nearly unanimous rave reviews, which surely helped a bit with the older audience that showed up for the movie. Its ubiquitous and straightforward marketing positioned the movie as a character-focused underdog story that happened to be set in the world of baseball, and that probably went a long way towards the movie setting the new baseball opening weekend record. With strong word-of-mouth, Moneyball should hang on well in the coming weeks, though it would take a miracle to reach The Social Network's $97 million.

3. Xander Posted: September 26, 2011 at 03:50 AM (#3937009)

A little better than projections if I remember Darren Rovell's twitter feed correctly.

4. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: September 26, 2011 at 03:59 AM (#3937027)

I hope it has great legs and makes a bajillion dollars, if for no other reason than that studios are sure to then green light several stats driven baseball movies and this site explode in sarcastic delight.

5. mr. man Posted: September 26, 2011 at 04:11 AM (#3937032)

I hope it has great legs and makes a bajillion dollars, if for no other reason than that studios are sure to then green light several stats driven baseball movies and this site explode in sarcastic delight.

I think "Sheehan vs the sycophant-laden fora" has blockbuster potential.

6. Joyful Calculus Instructor Posted: September 26, 2011 at 04:30 AM (#3937045)

*throws chair*

7. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: September 26, 2011 at 05:09 AM (#3937055)

studios are sure to then green light several stats driven baseball movies

"Tommy Lasorda, The Ballad of Ten Dogs"

8. Pat Rapper's Delight (as quoted on MLB Network) Posted: September 26, 2011 at 06:34 AM (#3937066)

I think "Sheehan vs the sycophant-laden fora" has blockbuster potential.

I think it would prove the movie studio suits are nothing more than economically illiterate #######.

9. Voros McCracken of Pinkus Posted: September 26, 2011 at 07:04 AM (#3937072)

This week on the Lifetime Movie Network:

"A legal thriller of love and identity theft that's so strange, it has to be true.

Craig's Wife.

Starring Rena Sofer and Antonio Sabato Jr. as Craig Calcaterra."

10. CFiJ Posted: September 26, 2011 at 07:12 AM (#3937074)

Remember when virtually everyone on this site thought that they couldn't make a decent film out of "Moneyball"?

11. Fancy Pants Handle struck out swinging Posted: September 26, 2011 at 07:15 AM (#3937076)

The Antisocial Network

A true story about people who should have their children taken away.

12. Dan Evensen Posted: September 26, 2011 at 11:51 AM (#3937095)

The Antisocial Network

A true story about people who should have their children taken away.

"The story of Baseball Think Factory."

Who stars as Kevin, Admiral Ackbar, Rear Admiral Piazza, Cookie Monster and all the other people I need to use Wiki Gonzales to find?

13. Edmundo got dem ol' Kozma blues again mama

Posted: September 26, 2011 at 12:39 PM (#3937112)

Remember when virtually everyone on this site thought that they couldn't make a decent film out of "Moneyball"?

I never said they couldn't, just that I didn't know how they would. I think most here were along those lines. Kudos, they did it.

14. villageidiom Posted: September 26, 2011 at 01:43 PM (#3937160)

Remember when virtually everyone on this site thought that they couldn't make a decent film out of "Moneyball"?

No, they were sure it would be a train wreck of a film. And as we all know, "train wreck of a film" and "potential Oscar nominee" overlap significantly. Therefore, they were sure it would be a potential Oscar nominee.

I love the transitive property.

15. The Essex Snead Posted: September 26, 2011 at 01:54 PM (#3937175)

Also worth noting (not that it's not already known): given that a 3D flick costs more than a regular old 2D flick, Moneyball probably put more fannies in the seats than Lion King.

Dunno how much of a "thing" this is, but I went Friday night, and there was an actual smattering of applause after the film finished. I was clapping in my head, but I was too busy keeping myself from weeping; color me surprised that the ending actually got to me. Also: kudos to the filmmakers for the way they snuck in the Jeremy Brown epilogue. Also: Arliss Howard (as John Henry) = five-tool greatness (tho I have a soft spot for him ever since Rubicon went off the air).

16. Bob Tufts Posted: September 26, 2011 at 01:54 PM (#3937176)

It's doing well at the box office now, but once the season ends its #### won't work during the playoffs.

17. Greg K Posted: September 26, 2011 at 02:27 PM (#3937215)

Remember when virtually everyone on this site thought that they couldn't make a decent film out of "Moneyball"?

Hey I didn't say they couldn't. I just said it was a "lock" that they couldn't.

18. Shredder Posted: September 26, 2011 at 02:51 PM (#3937263)

I was clapping in my head, but I was too busy keeping myself from weeping; color me surprised that the ending actually got to me.

I cried at the ending of the real life version. That's the version where the Angels win the 2002 World Series, right?

19. Cooper Teenoh Posted: September 26, 2011 at 05:33 PM (#3937477)

Also worth noting (not that it's not already known): given that a 3D flick costs more than a regular old 2D flick, Moneyball probably put more fannies in the seats than Lion King.

Moneyball in 3D was a totally missed opportunity, wasn't it? Those trade talks would have been beautiful.

20. Javy Joan Baez (chris h.) Posted: September 26, 2011 at 06:41 PM (#3937559)

This week on the Lifetime Movie Network:

"A legal thriller of love and identity theft that's so strange, it has to be true.

Craig's Wife.

Starring Rena Sofer and Antonio Sabato Jr. as Craig Calcaterra."

If Craig's wife looks like Rena Sofer, then I am all the more impressed by his accomplishments in life.

21. Walt Davis Posted: September 26, 2011 at 06:52 PM (#3937574)

I had never heard of The Benchwarmers:

A trio of guys try and make up for missed opportunities in childhood by forming a three-player baseball team to compete against standard little league squads.

with David Spade AND Rob Schneider.

I think I just threw up a bit in my mouth.

22. esseff Posted: September 26, 2011 at 07:27 PM (#3937627)

. . . The Benchwarmers ($19.7 million) for best start ever for a baseball movie . . .

And thus is clearly drawn the line between box-office business and cinematic achievement.

23. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: September 27, 2011 at 04:07 AM (#3938628)

The Benchwarmers made more than Bull Durham? America, I am ashamed.

24. Tom Nawrocki Posted: September 27, 2011 at 04:19 AM (#3938641)

Moneyball in 3D was a totally missed opportunity, wasn't it?

It sure would have helped the chair-throwing scene.

25. SSHOCK Posted: September 27, 2011 at 04:39 AM (#3938651)

with David Spade AND Rob Schneider.

When I saw Moneyball there was a preview for some movie that had Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson.

That ... I will not be seeing.

26. Greg K Posted: September 27, 2011 at 08:59 AM (#3938690)

That ... I will not be seeing.

Oh come on. Even if you don't love the cast how could you walk away from the premise? It's been years since Hollywood tackled the thrilling world of bird watching.

27. Avoid Running At All Times- S. Paige Posted: September 27, 2011 at 10:43 AM (#3938700)

Strange, I like Steve Martin and Owen Wilson a lot. Am I a weirdo?

28. Shooty would run in but these bone spurs hurt!

Posted: September 27, 2011 at 11:28 AM (#3938706)

Oh come on. Even if you don't love the cast how could you walk away from the premise? It's been years since Hollywood tackled the thrilling world of bird watching.

I've actually read the book it's based on and, weirdly enough, I just took a tour with a company owned by a woman who will be portrayed by Angelica Huston in the movie. I might check it out. I'm not a bird watcher, really, but I do a lot of wildlife photography so I tend to run in the same circles. It's kind of weird for me to have Moneyball and The Big Year come out at the same time. I can only assume a movie based on Zaxxon or the poetry of Richard Hugo is next.

29. Shooty would run in but these bone spurs hurt!

Posted: September 27, 2011 at 11:29 AM (#3938707)

Strange, I like Steve Martin and Owen Wilson a lot. Am I a weirdo?

I like them both, though the crap to good stuff ratio for both is not as good as it used to be.

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Monday, September 26, 2011

‘Lion King’ Holds Box-Office Lead, Topping ‘Moneyball’

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