ROTTEN TOMATOES: Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Simpsons Movie Gobbles Up $72M Opening

Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Simpsons Movie Gobbles Up $72M Opening

Third largest debut for an animated film

by Gitesh Pandya | July 29, 2007

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Moviegoers across North America embraced The Simpsons Movie which beat out all industry expectations for an explosive number one opening this weekend grossing more than the next four biggest hits combined. The Fox release collected an estimated $71.9M in its first weekend in theaters and averaged a spectacular $18,320 per site from 3,922 locations. The PG-13 comedy enjoyed the third largest debut ever for an animated film trailing only Shrek the Third and Shrek 2 which bowed to $121.6M and $108M, respectively.

The Simpsons Movie delivered the fifth biggest July opening weekend ever after the megasequels Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($135.6M in 2006), Spider-Man 2 ($88.2M in 2004), Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ($77.1M in 2007), and Austin Powers in Goldmember ($76.6M in 2002). It also ranks fifth among the biggest non-sequel opening weekends in history following Spider-Man ($114.8M in 2002), Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ($90.3M in 2001), The Passion of the Christ ($83.8M in 2004), and The Da Vinci Code ($77.1M in 2006). The magic number five is also where The Simpsons Movie stands in Fox's company history behind the debuts of the last two installments in both the Star Wars and X-Men franchises.

After building up an enormous fan base over the last 18 years, The Simpsons Movie was finally ready to capitalize on the popularity of the television series by jumping to the big screen and the audience certainly followed. Fox reported that the audience for the $75M production was solid in all four quadrants. Strong reviews from critics also helped the cause and probably encouraged many fans who have given up on watching the weekly series to return for the theatrical fun. The studio's marketing department also deserves a gold medal for its unorthodox campaign which really commanded the attention of the public. From the contest between different towns named Springfield to host the premiere to the conversion of a dozen 7-11 stores into Kwik-E-Marts, the studio was able to generate massive amounts of excitement with creative new ideas.

Dropping a notch from its top spot debut, Adam Sandler and Kevin James cuddled up in second place with the comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry which fell 44% to an estimated $19.1M. The Sony release has laughed up a solid $71.6M in its first ten days and should find its way to the neighborhood of $125M. Chuck is performing much like Sandler's 2002 summer comedy Mr. Deeds which bowed in late June to $37.2M, tallied $73.6M in ten days, and finished with $126.3M.

Another former number one followed. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix dropped 48% to an estimated $17.1M in its third weekend and boosted its 19-day cume to $241.8M. Phoenix posted the smallest third-weekend gross of any Potter film to date, however a final domestic cume close to the $290M of the last installment Goblet of Fire still seems possible.

The hot musical Hairspray posted a decent hold in its second weekend dropping 43% to an estimated $15.6M for New Line. The ensemble pic featuring John Travolta and Queen Latifah watched its total soar to $59.3M after only ten days which already makes it the studio's top grossing film in two years. The PG-rated entry looks to pass the $103.3M of last winter's Dreamgirls and may reach about $110M.

Catherine Zeta-Jones headlined the new romantic dramedy No Reservations and found moderate success with an estimated opening of $11.8M. The Warner Bros. release debuted in 2,425 locations as an alternative choice for adult women and averaged a good $4,849. Aaron Eckhart and Abigail Breslin co-star in the story of a chef whose life changes after her sister's death leaves the woman to care for her niece. Reviews were mixed.

The action smash Transformers placed sixth in its fourth weekend with an estimated $11.5M. Down 44%, the Paramount/DreamWorks co-production boosted its cume to $284.6M putting it at number 31 on the list of all-time domestic blockbusters after The Matrix Reloaded which grossed $281.5M in 2003. Transformers is now the third biggest hit ever for Paramount after Titanic ($600.8M) and Forrest Gump ($329.7M) and also the third largest in DreamWorks history trailing the last two Shrek installments.

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(1-20 of 41 posts) | Reply

sickofitall writes:
on Jul 29 2007 08:03 PM

woohoo take that gay adam sandler movie

(Reply to this)

sambow87 writes:
on Jul 29 2007 08:15 PM

Correct me if i'm wrong, but I think Potter 5 has the largest 19 day cume out of the other films right now. I can see this making the 290 mil that Goblet made. Hopefully more but I think it'll be around 280-290ish at the end.

I'll probably see Simpsons next week sometime, but I can't wait for Bourne!

(Reply to this)

Product_of_You writes:
on Jul 29 2007 08:53 PM

Me and my friends seem to be the only ones that thought The Simpsoms' movie was just so-so. It is on par with the television series the last few years. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great.

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caryrocks2000 writes:
on Jul 29 2007 09:31 PM

yea...no it was great

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starscream69 writes:
on Jul 29 2007 10:13 PM

WOW, are there THAT many people who have bad taste in movies. The Simpsons movie was HORRIBLE!!!!!! It had numerious plot holes, it wasnt even that funny, and you would expect that after all these years that SOMETHING major would happen in this film, IT DOESNT. Its like a hour and a half episode of the show, personally, i want my money back from this piece of crap excuse for a movie,....ITS NOT A MOVIE, ITS A EXTENDED EPISODE OF THE SHOW!!!!

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jimmers_205 writes:
on Jul 29 2007 10:44 PM

More people should be going to see Hairspray! It is better than I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Transformers and The Simpsons Movie combined. People are missing out on a great movie, and a tremdenously entertaining film.

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Bloody Mathias writes:
on Jul 29 2007 10:44 PM

Wow, Simpson's have the most loyal fan base other than the Red Sox. $70 is mazaing for such a mediocre film. It guaranteed to hit the $200 mill mark which is something Ratatouille is struggleing to do.

And here I thought Bourne Ultimatum would be more successful. There's no way in hell Jason can top that. I guess i can take comfort in that Ultimatum won't let me down like the Springfielders, 100% tomato meter with an 8.3/10! Woo-hoo!

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aj1127 writes:
on Jul 29 2007 11:12 PM

"More people should be going to see Hairspray! It is better than I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Transformers and The Simpsons Movie combined. People are missing out on a great movie, and a tremdenously entertaining film."

Thanks but no thanks......I'd rather watch robots kick the holy hell outta each other for 2 hours any day as opposed to watching John Travolta in drag in some lame musical. Sorry I just find Hairspray stupid.

To think I read where many Simpsons fans thought that Simpsons may actually beat Titanic in all-time biggest grossing movie.

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lavatory love machine writes:
on Jul 29 2007 11:18 PM

I really liked the movie and I've every simpsons episodes, most of them 30 or 40 times

it was pretty funny, specially the first act, the alaska part was a little rush but what I liked most about it it's what people seem to like the less: it's not bloated, there's only one celebrity cameo (tom hanks), it's not that diffrent from an episode in the same way that die hard 4 is not that different from 24

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dystopiandweller writes:
on Jul 29 2007 11:39 PM

Ugh, the Sandler garbage shouldn't have even made that much. The shiit the public will see....

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aknddon3 writes:
on Jul 30 2007 12:00 AM

Yes Hairspray is garbage and the Simpsons and Sandler movie was great

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sickofitall writes:
on Jul 30 2007 01:32 AM

In reply to this comment (#988777)
go stick it in an *** a mans ***

(Reply to this)

kendrith1975 writes:
on Jul 30 2007 02:39 AM

SIMPSONS may drop by more than 60% next weekend, and don't be surprised if the drop is 70% plus! There is no guarantee it will cross the 200 million mark if there is bad word of mouth from diehard Simpson's fans, but seriously, who would think there will be a lot of new ideas in limited-time movie??!! New ideas may alienate those who are familiar with the show anyway. It is much like the X-FILES movie or any other movies based on television shows.

Adam Sandler posted a not too shabby sophomore weekend drop of 44%, making him the most consistent comedian in this business now, and he managed this feat with each of his films receiving horrible reviews. Way to go Sandler, but I miss your work in PUNCH DRUNK LOVE.

Catherine Zeta Jones rarely headlined a box office dud off the gate, and NO RESERVATIONS prove that she still has a certain drawing power despite her low output.

HARRY POTTER 5 continue to dropoff at a high rate, and it becomes clear that this one will not cross the 300 million, meaning a record 5 300-million grossing summer pictures may not happen.

(Reply to this)

aknddon3 writes:
on Jul 30 2007 03:10 AM

Wait who actually thinks that Simpsons will have a bad word of mouth? All us real Simpsons fans loved the movie, no real fan hated it. It will drop because of Bourne but 70% are you ****ing retarded?

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kendrith1975 writes:
on Jul 30 2007 03:25 AM

In reply to this comment (#990462)
Dropping 70% is not unheard of, especially when your movie has huge frontload business coming off a huge weekend. Think X-MEN 3! By bad word of mouth, I am only commenting on some of the posters who claimed to be SIMPSON's fans and think the movie was mediocre at best, although I already counter argue that movies based on televsision series cannot have too much departure from the original material source anyway.

Still, you are taking this way too personally when you call me a retard just because I am forecasting a 70% dropoff. I am not here to offend anybody who love the Simpsons, as I am going to see it soon too.

I think your offensive bad tempered behaviour ought to stop now.

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Simsgil writes:
on Jul 30 2007 04:35 AM

Hey, I'm a Simpsons fan, but that movie was no big deal. I'm telling friends not to waste their money; wait for cable.

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Boss Fan writes:
on Jul 30 2007 04:45 AM

It won't drop 70% That is a huge drop in any respext and hardly ever happens. Plus word of mouth has been excellent (no matter what some haters will say) overall. I know older people who have never watched the show other than in bits and pieces over the years, but are avid movie-goers who have seen the good reviews and heard the word of mouth and went based off that despite not being a diehard fan. Yes, I'm sure the grosses were front loaded to some extent and the big fans and crowds came out right away, but the movie will have legs and repeat viewers in the form of younger children who have no other options on the horizon. It'll do fine...

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bigbrother writes:
on Jul 30 2007 05:03 AM

In reply to this comment (#990535)
Also, I heard that if every fan watched the movie who watched the show last year it would have only grossed a little more than 58 mil. That tells me old time fans and new people turned out for the movie. I thought the movie rocked. Loved every minute of it in fact. Definately not the failure all the haters were predicting, frankly I think there are worse things than being just like the longest running animated show in television history.

P.S. there were actually two celebrity cameo's Hanks and Green Day.

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Gimy writes:
on Jul 30 2007 05:38 AM

not a real shocker, haven't seen the simpsons yet but i will. quite frankly this is just wait-time until a really great movie comes out, Bourne. hopefully it makes a RIDICULOUS amount of money(it will) and Damon is convinced to make one more in the series. doubtful since he's been straight forward for a few years now, its a trilogy...nothing more, but it could happen...

the simpsons COULD drop 70%(ANYTHING's possible!), but it probably won't because a "die hard" simpson fan is a person who STILL thinks the show is funny. basically...delirious. kinda like the Comic Book Guy, doesn't really care if its crap...but he'll watch it because he's OCD. the dude who's seen "every" episode, "most of them 30-40 times"...is exactly the kind of guy i'm talking about. jesus christ...i hope you're exaggeratin' bra...

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smartmoviekid writes:
on Jul 30 2007 06:28 AM

imma see Simpsons this week to ill help out with its 2'nd week gross. by the way i thought "Chuck and Larry" was suprisingly hilarious even thoguh i understand y ppl won't like it ( it does have humor ppl expect, but its still funny nonetheless)

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