Specialty Box Office: Herzog’s ‘Dreams’ Becomes Bankable Reality

Weekend Box Office: April 28th to May 1st

In a box office edition of “freaky friday,” the highest grossing studio debut was released in 2-D while the Indie market’s biggest debut was released in 3-D. Werner Herzog’s Cave of Forgotten Dreams only needed five locations to gross $127,000 in its first weekend (making this film Mr. Herzog’s most successful debut of his career). The big result was good enough for a healthy $25,400 average. 3-D bashers should not start rioting yet, however, as the film will expand to more locations in 2-D versions as well. The Herzog documentary was picked up by IFC Films at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

While not benefitting from any kind of 3-D bump, Exporting Raymond was released by Samuel Goldwyn Films to less than stellar numbers. The $2,769 average in 13 theaters won’t do much for the longevity of the documentary that took home the 2010 Austin Film Festival Audience Award for Best Feature. The comedy/documentary is certainly a tough sell, but the film starring Phil Rosenthal and his quest to adapt “Everybody Loves Raymond” for a Russian audience is about as hilarious and ambitious as they come.

U.S Indie:
In other comedy news, “Win Win” grossed $685,000 in its seventh weekend. The Fox Searchlight release has grossed over $7.5 million as it held on with a $2,268 average. Tom McCarthy directed this comedy starring Paul Giamatti picked up at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

The much less successful “Atlas Shrugged: Part 1” is being pummeled in its third weekend of release. “Shrugged” released by Rocky Mountain Pictures garnered an underwhelming $1,086 average on its way to a little under $4 million in total grosses. The film is withdrawing quickly from theaters and will unlikely make anywhere close to its estimated $20 million budget.

World Cinema:
Sony Pictures Classics’ “Incendies” maintained a decent $7,170 average as it expanded to 10 theaters in its second weekend. The Canadian film was nominated for an Oscar in this year’s Best Foreign Language Category and will likely continue on a steady expansion strategy here in the U.S. Denis Villeneuve’s film has already made $1.4 million in foreign theaters in addition to the promising start it’s seen domestically.

Documentary:
Rounding out the three documentaries of note this week, Morgan Spurlock’s “POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold” aggressively expanded to 36 locations in its second weekend. The $2,731 average is low, but Spurlock’s name recognition and previous track record could prove useful following a much wider release. Sony Pictures Classics certainly has its handful in terms of promotion with three other films also in theaters at the moment.

Specialty Box Office Top 5

Box Office Top 10

Next Weekend:
An Invisible Sign, The Beaver, Everything Must Go, Last Night, Lord Byron, Passion Play, Hobo With a Shotgun, Caterpillar, There Be Dragons, The People vs. George Lucas, Thor, Jumping the Broom, Something Borrowed