Weekend Box Office Forecast: Godzilla vs. Kong Gears Up for Pandemic Era Breakout at Domestic Theaters, Could Reach $30-35M+ Debut

For everyone following the box office over the last year-plus, there have been very few causes for what could even be deemed mild celebration. Occasional smatterings of high profile films and a handful of opening weekends that exceeded conservative expectations have ruled industry headlines during the pandemic as studios have largely withheld their big mainstream movies for better days. To some degree, that’s about to change this weekend as Warner Bros. and Legendary’s Godzilla vs. Kong tracks to become the biggest box office opener of the pandemic era so far. The studio will open in 2,409 North American theaters on Wednesday, followed by an expansion to 3,064 on Friday. That will make this film the first to play in over 3,000 cinemas since the pandemic became official and theaters were shuttered twelve months ago. Included in the footprint will be a presence at 282 IMAX...

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Brad Wechsler to Step Down as Chairman of IMAX Corporation

Imax Corporation has announced that Bradley Wechsler will be stepping down as Chairman of the Board of Imax at the annual shareholders meeting on June 9, 2021.  Wechsler, along with Imax CEO Richard L. Gelfond, acquired Imax in 1994; from 1996 to 2009, the two served as co-CEOs. Since 1994, Wechsler has served as Chairman or Co-Chairman of Imax’s board. In the decades since Imax’s acquisition by Wechsler and Gelfond, the PLF provider has grown into a global brand with a particularly strong presence in the growing market of China. Wechsler is currently CEO and Managing Partner of Elysium LLC and serves on the boards of Apollo Investment Corporation, NYU Langone Hospital and Medical Center and Math for America, as well as several private boards. He served on the board of Assay Healthcare Solutions from 2010 to 2014 and is a member of the Motion Picture Academy...

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Los Angeles Cinemas Go to 50 Percent Capacity as County Enters Orange Tier

Following guidelines laid down by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Los Angeles County has entered the orange tier for reopenings—meaning that movie theaters in that county can increase their capacity limits from 25 to 50 percent. As laid out in California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, with L.A. County’s move to the orange tier, movie theaters can operate at 50 percent capacity per auditorium or 200 people, whichever is fewer. The change to 50 percent capacity is expected to be enacted in the coming days. Los Angeles theaters were allowed to reopen weeks ago at the red tier, meaning a capacity limit of 25 percent or 100 people per auditorium. Before that point, theaters in Los Angeles County had been shuttered since last March. Shortly before the reopening of L.A. theaters, New York City allowed their cinemas to reopen under a 25 percent capacity...

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Cinematic Slugfest: Director Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong Dukes It Out On the Big Screen

If there’s a genre that deserves the full cinematic experience, it’s “giant monsters beat the crap out of each other.” Luckily, moviegoers in North America will have just that opportunity on March 31, when director Adam Wingard’s Godzilla vs. Kong debuts in theaters . (And, simultaneously, on HBO Max.) International viewers have already put their stamp of approval on the film, which surpassed Tenet to be the top opener of the pandemic period. It’s a fair bet that, for many, Godzilla vs. Kong will represent that first trip back to the movies since the onset of Covid-19—and a fun, spectacle-laden blockbuster where two titans of the silver screen...

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Spotlight Cinema Networks Signs Contract Extension with Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas

PRESS RELEASE — Cinema advertising company Spotlight Cinema Networks announced a contract extension Tuesday with Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, including 88 more Cinépolis screens. By April, Spotlight will be represented at all 218 Cinépolis domestic screens across 23 locations, including Cinépolis Chelsea in New York City. Spotlight’s national theater network currently encompasses more than 1,200 screens at nearly 300 locations. “The additional screens joining our portfolio, with key market representation, will be very attractive to our advertising community as audiences return to the cinema and enjoy films the way they were meant to be viewed: on the big screen,” Spotlight Cinema Networks President Michael Sakin said in a press release “Although many advertisers took a break from cinema advertising in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, as vaccinations become more widespread,...

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Europe’s First THX Ultimate Cinema Opens in Copenhagen

PRESS RELEASE — THX opened its first “THX Ultimate Cinema” location in Europe today, at Nordisk Film Cinemas’ Imperial Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark. Using a 1,500 square foot Cinionic Giant Screen (CGS) premium large format offering with 4K image resolution, along with Barco dual laser projection for sharper visuals, the auditorium seats just shy of 1,000 people. THX opened its first such “Ultimate Cinema” location in 2019 at the Regency Westwood Village Theatre in Los Angeles. “[We] will now reach this important cinematic milestone by bringing to the Imperial Theatre the best movie experience available anywhere in the world to thrill and immerse moviegoers in Denmark,” Nordisk Film Cinemas executive country manager Casper Bonavent said in a press release. “The introduction of THX Ultimate Cinema shows our faith in the strong future of cinema as well as Nordisk Film...

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Cineworld Reports 80 Percent Year-On-Year Admissions and Revenue Drop in 2020 as they Prepare for Regal Reopening

Following Cineworld’s announcement last week as to their reopening timeline in the U.S. and their multi-year deal with Warner Bros. for a shortened theatrical window, CEO Mooky Greidinger expanded on the multi-national circuit’s 2020 performance and plans for the chain moving forward in a Q4 2020 earnings call.  Admissions and revenue both fell 80 percent year-on-year compared to 2019, figures affected by the ongoing pandemic, a shortage of major studio releases, and Cineworld/Regal’s decision to keep their theaters closed through the bulk of 2020, aside from the pre-Covid early months and a brief stint in autumn surrounding the release of Tenet.   Said Nisan Cohen, CFO of Cineworld: “If you look on the adjusted EBITDA, the IAS 17, which includes also the rent expense, the adjusted EBITDA is negative $650 million. The free cash flow…  was almost a negative...

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Godzilla vs Kong Delivers Biggest Opening Weekend on IMAX for a Hollywood Film Since December 2019

Premium Large Format (PLF) continues to make an impact in the overseas cinema recovery with Godzilla vs. Kong delivering a $12.4 million bow on Imax across 891 screens in 40 markets outside of North America. The weekend take represents the highest-earning bow for a Hollywood title on Imax since December 2019. China brought in over 75 percent of that figure, netting $9.4 million in Imax ticket sales––14 percent of the film’s total Chinese box office despite only playing in 1 percent of screens in the market. Other top performers on Imax over the weekend include Australia ($63K), Hong Kong ($51K), Saudi Arabia ($43K), Thailand ($31K), UAE ($21K) and Singapore ($21K). Globally, Imax screenings represented 10 percent of Godzilla vs Kong’s $121.8 million debut. The title will open in North America on March 31, at which point it will increase its Imax footprint to at least...

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WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: Nobody Battles Its Way to #1 w/ $6.7M Opening, Godzilla vs. Kong Spews Fire w/ $121.8M Overseas

With the rollout of vaccines continuing at a robust pace across the U.S. and more and more theaters opening their doors to the public, this weekend was one of the most robust of the pandemic to date. But perhaps the real story of the weekend happened overseas, where <em>Godzilla vs. Kong</em> exploded onto the scene with a terrific $121.8 million debut. Coming out ahead of the pack in North America was the freshly-released action-thriller Nobody, which debuted at No. 1 with an estimated $6.7 million from 2,460 locations, good for a per-theater average of $2,724. That total is roughly in line with pre-release expectations, with Boxoffice Pro’s own forecast estimating an opening gross anywhere between $4 million and $9 million heading into the weekend. The Universal release, which stars Better Call Saul’s Bob Odenkirk as a man who runs afoul of a drug kingpin,...

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Global Box Office Report: Godzilla vs. Kong Roars to $21.5M Opening Day in China, Nobody Estimated at $2.4M Friday in North America

The two biggest box office markets in the world are generating early Friday estimates from multiple Hollywood studios for the first time in quite awhile as Warner Bros.’ Godzilla vs. Kong hits China this weekend and Universal’s Nobody rolls out domestically. The monster-on-monster extravaganza is off to a very big start in the Middle Kingdom with a $21.5 million (RMB 140 million) opening day estimated by Warner Bros. this afternoon. Marketed and distributed by Legendary, the sequel recorded the biggest opening day of any imported title in China for all of 2020 and 2021. The previous claim belonged to Christopher Nolan’s Tenet with RMB 57 million, or roughly $8.7 million on opening day last year. Godzilla vs. Kong also scored the highest pre-sales for opening day among all imported titles since the pandemic began, drawing RMB 45 million (just shy of $7 million) to top...

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Alamo Drafthouse to Screen Dazed and Confused Reunion with McConaughey, Linklater, Jack Black on Week of 4/20

PRESS RELEASE — Matthew McConaughey and Parker Posey will reunite with director Richard Linklater in a Zoom reunion for the movie Dazed and Confused, hosted by Jack Black and screening exclusively at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema locations starting Tuesday, April 20. The 1993 film has achieved cult classic status through the decades, by featuring future stars including McConaughey, Ben Affleck, and Milla Jovovich, and helmed by future star director Linklater before he achieved further renown with the likes of Boyhood and Before Sunrise. Fans can submit a question to the cast using the hashtag #Dazed on Twitter. Screenings of the conversation will continue through the end of May, and can be bought at drafthouse.com/Dazed. The conversation can also be purchased as a Your Own Private Alamo screening, the chain’s private screening option which they launched last August. It will...

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National CineMedia Appoints Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi to Board of Directors

PRESS RELEASE — National CineMedia, Inc. (NCM) appointed Cinemark CEO Mark Zoradi to its Board of Directors, effective Friday, replacing Cinemark Executive Chairman Lee Roy Mitchell. Mitchell will continue to serve in his role at Cinemark, but resigned from the NCM Board effective immediately, to focus on personal ventures. NCM is the largest cinema advertising network in the U.S., owned 48 percent by the publicly traded National CineMedia, Inc. and 52 percent by a combination of Cinemark and Regal’s parent company Cineworld. Cinemark ranks #3 in Boxoffice PRO‘s Giants of Exhibition 2021 of North America’s largest domestic cinema circuits, with 4,517 screens at 331 locations. “National CineMedia is extremely grateful for Lee Roy’s long commitment and dedication to our company as a founding member exhibition partner and consummate Director,” NCM Inc. CEO and...

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Cinemark Announces Annual Oscar® Movie Week Festival, Will Play All Best Picture Nominees on the Big Screen

Cinemark is partnering with Focus Features—the specialty arm of Universal—for the chain’s annual Oscar® Movie Week, taking place from Friday, April 19 through Sunday, April 25. More than 100 Cinemark locations are participating in the series, which gives moviegoers the opportunity to check out this year’s Best Picture nominees—as well as a selection of nominated short films—on the big screen. Tickets are now on sale now at Cinemark.com or on the Cinemark app. “Cinemark is thrilled to be giving the big screen treatment to the past year’s best films and to bring back one of our most popular programs of the year with our annual Oscar® Movie Week,” said Justin McDaniel, Cinemark SVP of global content strategy. “These films and shorts deserve nothing less than the cinematic experience, and there is no place more cinematic than Cinemark with our immersive viewing...

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Russian Chain Karo Opens Private Cinema Rentals to Gamers

Karo, one of Russia’s leading cinema chains, has opened its private cinema rentals to gamers—allowing customers to book Karo auditoriums to play a video game of their choice in the company of friends. As the popularity of private cinema rentals has exploded in the pandemic era, so too have chains begun to further explore the possibility of gaming to bring in audiences. Say Paul Heth, executive chairman and CEO of Karo Group, and Karo Cinemas President Olga Zinyakova in a joint statement: “The gaming industry is showing tremendous growth rates in Russia and around the world. We see an unique opportunity for effective collaboration between the gaming community and the technology and hospitality of our cinemas. Russia has nearly 70 million ‘gamers,’ many of whom are also movie goers. Clearly this is a large market that we would like access and provide a unique out of home...

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Global Box Office Down 72%, Digital Leads Home Entertainment in 2020

The global box office fell by 72 percent in a beleaguered 2020 for the movie theater industry, finishing the year with $12 billion in ticket sales according to the Motion Picture Association’s (MPA) annual THEME report. Overseas box office was responsible for $9.8 billion in ticket sales, representing 81 percent of the overall global market. Much of that business came from the $6 billion earned by the Asia Pacific region, which hosted three of the world’s top 5 box office markets in 2020: China (#1, $3 billion), Japan (#3, $1.3 billion), and South Korea (#5, $0.4 billion). The Europe Middle East & Africa (EMEA) region suffered a 61 percent...

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Franco-Cinephilia: Bertrand Tavernier Takes Us On an Intimate Journey Through French Cinema

By Daniel Eagan The below interview was conducted for Film Journal International in the summer of 2017, tied to the release of renowned director Bertrand Tavernier’s Journey Through French Cinema. Boxoffice Pro republishes this piece now following Tavernier’s death on March 25, 2021. In his latest work, My Journey Through French Cinema, Bertrand Tavernier gives an account of the movies and artists who influenced him. Like the director himself, the documentary is warm and engaging, filled with first-hand details that offer new insights into the hallmarks of French filmmaking. The Cohen Media Group release opens today in New York City. In his narration, Tavernier gives a short version of his childhood in Lyon and his love affair with movies. He then analyzes some of his favorite cinema artists—actors, composers and screenwriters as well as directors—in segments lasting...

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