Box Office: No Saturday Miracle Surge For The Golden Compass

There was no Saturday miracle surge for New Line. The Golden Compass, an effects-laden family film starring Nicole Kidman with a reported budget of $200M, received a modest 16% increase from its opening day, posting an estimated $10.2M on Saturday. Assuming a Sunday drop of 33%, Compass will finish its opening weekend with a disastrous $25.84M. (For a comparison to other big budget, family-oriented films in this mold along with details about New Line’s dismal 2007 and Nicole Kidman’s box office cold streak, scroll down to my Friday Night report.)

Disney’s Enchanted blew past $80M domestic with a $4.9M Saturday, and the live action/animation hybrid with a sure-fire Oscar nomination for Amy Adams will cruise to an estimated $10.98M. This Christmas (Sony), Fred Claus (Warner Bros) and Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) have finished 3-4-5 on Saturday and for the 3-day frame.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj61Q5KPues[/youtube]
Juno (Fox Searchlight) enjoyed only a 2% increase from its meteoric Friday, grabbing a Saturday PTA of just over $18,000. The spectacularly-reviewed ensemble comedy will finish the weekend a PTA of just over $52,000, giving it one of the All-Time Top 50 opening weekend PTAs. This bodes very well for Searchlight’s upcoming expansion, and the commercial success can only help Oscar pushes for Ellen Page – Best Actress, Jennifer Garner – Best Supporting Actress, Diablo Cody – Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.

The Joe Wright-directed Atonement (Focus) starring Kiera Knightley received a 36% Saturday uptick in ticket sales at its 32 locations, and it will finish #2 on the weekend PTA scoreboard at just over $23,000. That’s solid, but slightly-disappointing given the movie’s Oscar pedigree and its 86% Fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes.

Julian Schnabel’s acclaimed The Diving Bell & the Butterfly (Miramax), already a winner at The Cannes Film Festival and recognized this week by the National Board of Review, has held well at its 3 locations. The French language movie will finish 3rd in PTA for the weekend, likely just shy of $19,000 per.

Thinkfilm’s The Walker starring Woody Harrelson and Kristin Scott Thomas is showing some life in limited release with a 3-day PTA of almost $7,000, but Iraq War-themed Grace is Gone (MGM/Weinstein), Guy Ritchie’s Revolver (IDP Films) and First Look’s The Amateurs featuring a quirky performance from Jeff Bridges, all appear to be non-starters.

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY SATURDAY ESTIMATES
1. The Golden Compass (New Line) – $10,208,000 – $2,893 PTA – $19,008,000 cume
2. Enchanted (Disney) – $4,901,000 – $1,392 PTA – $80,960,000 cume
3. This Christmas (Sony) – $2,371,650 – $1,262 PTA – $41,586,650 cume
4. Fred Claus (Warner Bros) – $2,163,150 – $679 PTA – $64,357,150 cume
5. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $1,996,600 – $671 PTA – $74,919,600 cume
6. No Country for Old Men (Miramax) – $1,751,400- $1,323 PTA – $27,639,400 cume
7. August Rush (Warner Bros) – $1,633,500 – $707 PTA – $24,466,500 cume
8. American Gangster (Universal) – $1,547,750 – $726 PTA – $125,317,750 cume
9. Hitman (Fox) – $1,372,800 – $568 PTA – $34,747,800 cume
10. Awake (MGM) – $1,331,000 – $658 PTA – $9,847,000 cume
11. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $1,213,800 – $448 PTA – $120,223,800 cume
12. The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) – $1,094,400 – $468 PTA – $22,702,400 cume
*Atonement (Focus) – $306,000 – $9,563 PTA – $531,000 cume
*Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (Thinkfilm) – $274,177 – $854 – $5,159,955 cume
*I’m Not There (MGM/Weinstein) – $136,875 – $925 PTA – $2,104,910 cume
*Juno (Fox Searchlight) – $127,500 – $18,214 – $363,500 cume
*Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) – $121,094 – $1,477 – $1,105,896 cume
*Noelle (Gener8Xion Entertainment) – $63,519 – $313 PTA – $124,013 cume
*The Savages (Fox Searchlight) – $35,338 – $3,926 PTA – $298,402 cume
*The Diving Bell & the Butterfly (Miramax) – $23,603 – $7,868 PTA – $151,956 cume
*Revolver (IDP Films) – $19,665 – $1,093 PTA – $33,417 cume
*The Walker (Thinkfilm) – $9,329 – $3,110 PTA – $14,291 cume
*Grace is Gone (MGM/Weinstein) – $6,882 – $1,721 PTA – $11,238 cume
*Dirty Laundry (Code Black Entertainment) – $4,950 – $2,475 PTA – $12,124 cume
*The Amateurs (First Look) – $3,022 – $1,007 PTA – $7,819 cume

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY 3-DAY ESTIMATES
1. The Golden Compass (New Line) – $25,847,360 – $7,326 PTA – $25,847,360 cume
2. Enchanted (Disney) – $10,986,650 – $3,121 PTA – $84,145,650 cume
3. This Christmas (Sony) – $5,297,073 – $2,819 PTA – $43,057,073 cume
4. Fred Claus (Warner Bros) – $4,769,303 – $1,497 PTA – $65,698,303 cume
5. Beowulf (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $4,634,390 – $1,557 PTA – $76,217,390 cume
6. No Country for Old Men (Miramax) – $4,167,324 – $3,148 PTA – $28,795,324 cume
7. August Rush (Warner Bros) – $3,839,935 – $1,662 PTA – $25,462,935 cume
8. Hitman (Fox) – $3,305,120 – $1,367 PTA – $35,640,120 cume
9. Awake (MGM) – $3,296,150 – $1,629 PTA – $10,712,150 cume
10. American Gangster (Universal) – $3,184,968 – $1,494 PTA – $126,199,968 cume
11. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $2,561,356 – $946 PTA – $120,976,356 cume
12. The Mist (MGM/Weinstein) – $2,456,320 – $1,052 PTA – $23,304,320 cume
*Atonement (Focus) – $745,200 – $23,288 PTA – $745,200 cume
*Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (Thinkfilm) – $617,697 – $1,924 PTA – $5,329,945 cume
*Juno (Fox Searchlight) – $364,700 – $52,100 PTA – $475,700 cume
*I’m Not There (MGM/Weinstein) – $309,191 – $2,089 PTA – $2,191,141 cume
*Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) – $276,827 – $3,376 PTA – $1,188,239 cume
*Noelle (Gener8Xion Entertainment) – $165,300 – $814 PTA – $165,300 cume
*The Savages (Fox Searchlight) – $83,501 – $9,278 PTA – $324,199 cume
*The Diving Bell & the Butterfly (Miramax) – $56,936 – $18,979 – $169,658 cume
*Revolver (IDP Films) – $46,790 – $2,599 – $46,790 cume
*The Walker (Thinkfilm) – $20,821 – $6,940 PTA – $20,821 cume
*Grace is Gone (MGM/Weinstein) – $16,056 – $4,014 PTA – $16,056 cume
*Dirty Laundry (Code Black Entertainment) – $15,342 – $7,671 PTA – $15,342 cume
*The Amateurs (First Look) – $9,844 – $3,281 PTA – $9,844 cume

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY SATURDAY PTA ESTIMATES
1. Juno (Fox Searchlight) – 7 locations – $18,214 PTA
2. Atonement (Focus) – 32 locations – $9,563 PTA
3. The Diving Bell & the Butterfly (Miramax) – 3 locations – $7,868 PTA
4. The Savages (Fox Searchlight) – 9 locations – $3,926 PTA
5. The Walker (Thinkfilm) – 3 locations – $2,475 PTA
6. The Golden Compass (New Line) – 3,528 locations – $2,893 PTA
7. Dirty Laundry (Code Black Entertainment) – 2 locations – $2,475 PTA
8. Grace is Gone (MGM/Weinstein) – 4 locations – $1,721 PTA
9. Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) – 82 locations – $1,477 PTA
10. Enchanted (Disney) – 3,520 locations – $1,392

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY 3-DAY PTA ESTIMATES
1. Juno (Fox Searchlight) – 7 locations – $52,100 PTA
2. Atonement (Focus) – 32 locations – $23,288 PTA
3. The Diving Bell & the Butterfly (Miramax) – 3 locations – $18,979 PTA
4. The Savages (Fox Searchlight) – 9 locations – $9,278 PTA
5. Dirty Laundry (Code Black Entertainment) – 2 locations – $7,671 PTA
6. The Golden Compass (New Line) – 3,528 locations – $7,326 PTA
7. The Walker (Thinkfilm) – 3 locations – $6,940 PTA
8. Grace is Gone (MGM/Weinstein) – 4 locations – $4,014 PTA
9. Margot at the Wedding (Paramount Vantage) – 82 locations – $3,376 PTA
10. The Amateurs (First Look) – 3 locations – $3,281