AMC Stubs A-List Passes 175,000 Members in 5 Weeks

PRESS RELEASE ________________________________ LEAWOOD, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– AMC Theatres® (NYSE:AMC) is excited to announce that as of today, July 31, just five weeks after the enrollment period commenced, the new AMC Stubs A-List frequent moviegoer program has enrolled more than 175,000 fully-paid members. This initial surge in membership is well ahead of expectations. At the time of launch on June 26, 2018, AMC expected to hit 500,000 members one year from launch at the end of June of 2019, and 1 million members two years from launch, at the end of June of 2020. A-List is a new premium VIP tier of the AMC Stubs loyalty program. Also as of today, July 31, the success of A-List has in turn helped push the current membership of AMC Stubs up to 15.8 million U.S. households. From Adam Aron, AMC CEO and President: “We are nothing less than ecstatic about the early consumer...

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‘The Meg’ to Release in ScreenX Panoramic Format

PRESS RELEASE ________________________________ LOS ANGELES (July 31, 2018) – Warner Bros. Pictures and ScreenX, the world’s first multi-projection system that provides a 270-degree panoramic film viewing experience within a theatre setting, are expanding their ongoing partnership to release the epic, action-packed undersea adventure The Megin the immersive premium format.  The film, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Gravity Pictures, dives into cinemas worldwide beginning August 10, 2018. With the addition of this highly anticipated title, and following the global success of the ScreenX release of Rampage earlier this year, Warner Bros. Pictures and ScreenX are building on the promise of the previously announced slate of major motion pictures coming to theatres in ScreenX, including September’s terrifying new installment in the Conjuring franchise, New Line Cinema’s...

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‘Incredibles 2’ Hits $1B Worldwide

On Monday, Incredibles 2 hit the $1 billion mark worldwide, becoming just the seventh animated film to do so after Frozen, Minions, Toy Story 3, Despicable Me 3, Finding Dory, and Zootopia. It is also just the fifth Disney animated film to cross the milestone.  Incredibles 2 has been a monumental performer since opening June 15, earning $574 million in North America and $430.9 million internationally to date. The sequel to 2006’s The Incredibles also boasts the largest domestic debut for an animated film ever with $182.7 million. Its global total stands at $1.005 billion. Additionally, Incredibles 2 is the first animated film to hit $500 million in North America and the ninth highest-grossing film of all time.  Overseas totals for the Disney-Pixar release include $53.5 million in China, $45 million in the UK, $37.1 million in Mexico, $33.8 million...

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Nobody Does it Better: Director Susanna Fogel on ‘The Spy Who Who Dumped Me’

Breaking up is hard to do. It’s even harder if, say, your (former) partner is a globe-trotting secret agent who’s kept his identity secret from you. The scenario provides the springboard for Susanna Fogel’s i, in which Audrey (Mila Kunis) has a scant moment to mend a broken heart when she finds herself embroiled in a deadly international conspiracy thanks to her ex-boyfriend. Finding herself on the run with her best friend, Morgan (Kate McKinnon), Kate has to avoid assassins in an adventure that takes her halfway around the world. Together they improvise their way through the world of international espionage, as they attempt to piece together the mystery they’ve unwittingly found themselves in. BOXOFFICE spoke with the Susanna Fogel, the film’s writer-director, on the experience of bringing this comedy-action thriller to the big screen. How did the idea for this film...

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Dark Times: Producer Shawn Levy on ‘The Darkest Minds’

A quick glance at Shawn Levy’s filmography reveals the producer-director’s lifelong passion for science fiction—he’s been involved in some of the most influential sci-fi titles of recent years, including 2016’s Academy Award–nominated Arrival and the Netflix runaway hit Stranger Things. Levy’s latest sci-fi project, the big-screen adaptation of the young-adult novel series The Darkest Minds, will be making its way to theaters later this year. The Darkest Minds tells the story of the survivors of a mysterious disease that wipes out an entire generation of young people in a not-too-distant dystopic future. Those survivors emerge from the crisis with rare superpowers, becoming dangerous targets of a government that sees them as a threat to the status quo. Boxoffice spoke with Levy about his involvement in the project—and why he believes its themes are especially timely.  How...

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Studio Weekend Estimates: ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ Races to $61.5M; ‘Teen Titans Go!’ Debuts with $10.5M

There was little fallout for the Mission: Impossible franchise, as the sixth installment Mission: Impossible – Fallout debuted to $61.5 million this weekend. In dollars, that’s the Paramount franchise’s highest opening, besting 2000’s Mission: Impossible II. Adjusted for ticket price inflation, though, it’s almost the opposite story. It actually becomes the franchise’s second lowest opener, ranking only ahead of 2011’s Ghost Protocol. (And that was the only installment to open in December, a month when most films besides Star Wars traditionally open lower.) Riding on a wave of sensational reviews, the sequel’s sizzling Rotten Tomatoes “Fresh” rating of 97 percent provided it an extra boost that created added excitement for moviegoers who have been promised what some critics have described as the best entry in the series yet. 55% of the...

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Long Range Tracking: ‘The House With a Clock In Its Walls’

This week’s report takes a first look at the fall season’s first offering for kids and families, slated to open on September 21. The House With a Clock In Its WallsOpening Weekend Range: $20 – 30 million Jack Black and Cate Blanchett headline this adaptation from director Eli Roth, who makes the transition from R-rated genre films to a more family-friendly project. Early social media growth isn’t quite on par with that of September 2016’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, although that could partly be chalked up to that film having benefited from director Tim Burton’s loyal fan base. Jack Black will be a particular advantage for House thanks to his strong appeal among families coming off the successful first Goosebumps film and, more recently, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. Direct competition from Smallfoot one week...

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Thursday Night Report: ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ Scores $6.0M Start; ‘Teen Titans’ Toon Up $1.025M Debut

Friday Update: Paramount reports this morning that Mission: Impossible – Fallout brought in an estimated $6.0 million from Thursday night’s opening shows at 3,300 locations, marking a strong start to the weekend. Here’s how that number stacks up against notable comparison titles: 19.8 percent ahead of War for the Planet of the Apes ($5.01 million) 39.5 percent ahead of Jason Bourne ($4.3 million) 9.1 percent ahead of Star Trek Beyond ($5.5 million) 50 percent ahead of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation ($4.0 million) Meanwhile, Teen Titans GO! to the Movies earned $1.025 million from its first shows, setting the stage for what should be a very healthy performance over the weekend. Comparisons: 13.9 percent ahead of The Emoji Movie ($900,000) 57.7 percent ahead of Captain Underpants ($650,000) Check...

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Weekend Forecast: ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ & ‘Teen Titans GO! to the Movies’

The final frame of July marks the sixth entry in Tom Cruise’s only career franchise (until next year’s Top Gun sequel, anyway) and the summer’s final all-animated release. Mission: Impossible – FalloutOpening Weekend Range: $60 – 75 million Momentum continues to build ahead of opening weekend as the sixth entry in the 22-year-old film franchise is riding a wave of incredible reviews. Social media growth has far outpaced that of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and fellow late summer action releases like Jason Bourne and Star Trek Beyond.  Traditional tracking similarly points to a franchise-best opening weekend as awareness and interest levels continue to impress. With strong word of mouth expected, and a 3D price boost in overseas markets, a run beyond $200 million domestically and $700 million+ globally looks more than feasible for...

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Trailer Impact: ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ Most Recalled Trailer of the Week, ‘Mile 22’ Sparks Most Positive Interest

Top Three Trailers with Highest Recall Score Among Moviegoing Audiences Moviegoers tell us the trailers they most recall seeing at their most recent visit to a cinema. Mission: Impossible – Fallout (Paramount) this Friday, July 27 32% of moviegoers (354 respondents) saw and recalled this trailer. That’s down slightly from its peak of 33% last week. Tom Cruise returns for his sixth installment as secret agent Ethan Hunt, in an action-adventure trailer jam packed full of stunts, including one creating buzz because Cruise broke his ankle during filming. Disney’s Christopher Robin (Disney) August 3 29% of moviegoers (325 respondents) saw and recalled this trailer, its highest score to date. That’s up from 27% last week, its previous peak. Ewan McGregor stars as a fatigued grown-up Christopher Robin, when his childhood friends Winnie the Pooh and the rest of the gang...

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Dolby and Cinescape to Bring First Dolby Cinemas to Kuwait

PRESS RELEASE SAN FRANCISCO and KUWAIT, July 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dolby Laboratories, Inc.(NYSE:DLB) and the Kuwait National Cinema Company (KNCC) have entered into a three-screen agreement for the first deployments of Dolby Cinema in Kuwait. The first site is expected to open later in 2018 at the 360 Mall in Kuwait City with KNCC operating under the Cinescape brand. The news comes hot on the heels of recent announcements of upcoming openings in the UK with Odeon and with Kinopolis in Germany. “We are really pleased to be able to continue to drive momentum in our strategy to expand the Dolby Cinema footprint in the Europe and Middle East region,” said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Cinema Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. “We’re delighted to be working with such a progressive leader in the region. Customers in Kuwait will now be able to experience the ultimate...

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ECA Appoints Grainne Peat as Managing Director

PRESS RELEASE The Event Cinema Association (ECA) has today announced the appointment of Grainne Peat to the role of Managing Director. The ECA, established in 2012, is now an internationally recognised brand and the primary trade body for the Alternative Content sector. Event cinema content in multiple genres enjoys loyal and growing audiences and, with the support of the ECA and a managing director with a specialist focus, the opportunity for the sector to flourish further is clear. Grainne has considerable industry experience, gained from her time spent at the UK Cinema Association, where she has been instrumental in driving forward a diverse range of policy issues, most notably in the areas of disability and access, security, skills and employment and sustainability. Grainne was the main lead for the Association’s networking events, including the annual conference...

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MOBILE APPeal: Interview with Matthew Bakal, CEO, Atom Tickets

You’ve added a number of high-profile exhibitors in 2018, what do these new business ties mean to the company? We came out of the gates strong with Regal and AMC, launching nationwide in the summer of 2016. Obviously, they get a good share of the market covered, and we’ve been adding exhibitors, at least one a month, since then. During CinemaCon we announced nine new exhibitors that were launched this summer, including Harkins Theatres. In the last year, we’ve rolled out everybody from ArcLight to Megaplex to National Amusements to Studio Movie Grill to Bowtie to B&B. You name it, the list is growing every day. So we’re over 20,000 screens, and they’re 20,000 of the highest volume screens in terms of box office. It’s been really exciting, a testament to the fact that the product is resonating with exhibitors and consumers alike.  The first couple of conversations...

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Studio Weekend Estimates: ‘Equalizer 2’ Surprise No. 1 with $35.8M; ‘Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!’ Settles for 2nd with $34.3M

The reign of the sequels continues. On the one hand, that’s no surprise: for the tenth weekend in a row, sequels and/or prequels dominated the top two spots at the North American box office. The surprise came with the order of the top two films. While Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again was widely expected to debut in first place, according to studio estimates it was narrowly beaten out by a stronger-than-anticipated opening for the action follow-up The Equalizer 2. Coming in a tad higher than the first Equalizer‘s $34.1 million, the Denzel Washington follow-up grossed an estimated $35.8 million on 3,388 screens. That far exceeded the studio’s expectations going into the weekend, as their conservative projections had it finishing in the ballpark of $25 million. While the follow-up had only a so-so average of 51% on Rotten Tomatoes, when it comes to male-driven...

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Trailer Impact: ‘Mission: Impossible – Fallout’ Most Remembered Trailer of the Week, ‘Equalizer 2’ Sparks Most Positive Interest

Top Three Trailers with Highest Memorization Score Among Moviegoing Audiences Moviegoers tell us the trailers they most remember seeing at their most recent visit to a cinema. Mission: Impossible – Fallout Paramount July 27 33% of moviegoers (391 respondents) saw and remembered this trailer, its highest score to date. That’s up slightly from 31% last week. Tom Cruise returns for his sixth installment as secret agent Ethan Hunt, in an action-adventure trailer jam packed full of stunts, including one creating online buzz because Cruise broke his ankle during filming. Disney’s Christopher Robin Disney August 3 26% of moviegoers (310 respondents) saw and remembered this trailer, its highest score to date. That’s up from 22% last week. Positive interest falls to 65%, its lowest level to date. That’s down from last week’s peak of 78%. Ewan McGregor stars as a fatigued...

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Long Range Tracking: ‘The Predator,’ ‘A Simple Favor,’ & ‘White Boy Rick’ Highlight Mid-September

This week’s report focuses on a handful of new releases slated to open on Friday, September 14. The PredatorOpening Weekend Range: $24 – 34 million Fans of the franchise are eager to see what writer/director Shane Black (The Nice Guys, Iron Man 3, Lethal Weapon) can do with this latest revival of the series, the first since 2010’s Predators. What remains to be seen is how much mainstream interest can be generated over the next two months, particularly given the modest (relative to pre-release expectations) and front-loaded box office runs of Blade Runner 2049 and Alien: Covenant last year. A Simple FavorOpening Weekend Range: $11 – 19 million Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively headline this adaptation under the directorial wing of Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Spy). Interest and awareness beyond established readers of the source novel aren’t...

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