Opening weekend stats for TF4

[griffin]

The opening weekend is still yet to end in America, but the stats have been coming in from around the world (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-transformers-4-hits-715596), and it seems that all those millions of dollars promoting the movie non-stop have succeeded in getting people into theatres.
So far globally, AOE has been estimated to have made US$300 million, which would mean it has made back its budget already.
A third of that came from America, while another third came from the market that Paramount was targeting this time - China. After tapping out as much of the Western market as possible with the previous ones, Paramount had to focus on new markets if they wanted to improve their bottom line this time.
And it worked.

But much of the increase came from the more expensive 3D screenings, which was heavily promoted as the "only" way to see this film. (in other words, it doesn't take as many people to earn more at the box office)

In North America, the totals for the first weekend...
F 27th June (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/?view=1day&sortdate=2014-06-27&p=.htm) - 41.6 million
S 28th June (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/?view=1day&sortdate=2014-06-28&order=DESC&p=.htm) - 32.2 million
S 29th June (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/?view=1day&sortdate=2014-06-29&order=DESC&p=.htm) - 26.2 million

Those figures kind of suggest that the overly heavy marketing did its job of getting people in once, but word-of-mouth and repeat viewings are not materialising once people actually see it.
I'll have to see how the previous ones did over their first weekends, to see if the takings increased or decreased over the first weekend.

Other significant markets noted were Russia and Korea... and apparently Australia did fairly well too, at about US$4 million.


The article notes that TF4 cost US$210 million to make, which is above the US$165 million original budget. Considering how much Bay gets for free, and the amount of money earned from product placements, the movie is certainly one of the most costly ever made.


On a side note, at least this movie will put Frank Welker back on the top of "greatest earning movies" listing again, as Samuel L Jackson had just snuck above him after the recent Avengers Movies.

[griffin]

Is TF4 really that successful? I don't think so, based on the current stats.

Comparing the opening week stats in North America to the previous movies...

TF4 (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=transformers4.htm) (these are noted as estimates, but shouldn't be too far off the actuals)
F 27th June - 41.6 million (a lot less than TF2's opening day)
S 28th June - 32.2 million
S 29th June - 26.2 million (almost half of the first day)
(total for first week - 100 million... a lot less than the previous three)
The takings for the next five days will drop off (being weekdays), and second weekend takings are always a half to a quarter of first weekend takings. I don't see this movie making as much as the others in America... but will make up the difference in non-American markets.

TF3 (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=transformers3.htm) (opened on Wednesday - the numbers held right through to the Sunday, which isn't happening with the Fourth movie)
W 29th June - 37.7 million
T 30th June - 21.5 million
F 1st July - 33.0 million
S 2nd July - 34.5 million
S 3rd July - 30.4 million (total for first week - 162.6 million)

TF2 (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=transformers2.htm)(also opened Wednesday - after a huge first day, the numbers settled and stayed mostly steady until the Sunday)
W 24th June - 62.0 million
T 25th June - 29.1 million
F 26th June - 36.7 million
S 27th June - 40.2 million
S 28th June - 32.0 million (total for first week - 200.1 million)

TF1 (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=transformers06.htm) (opened Tuesday)
T 3rd July - 27.9 million
W 4th July - 29.1 million
T 5th July - 19.2 million
F 6th July - 22.7 million
S 7th July - 25.7 million
S 8th July - 22.1 million (total for first week - 155.4 million)
(again, numbers held through to the end of the first weekend, something TF4 looks to have failed to achieve)

Based on audience comments and atmosphere in the sessions I was at, I think word of mouth discouraging others and a lack of repeat screenings by those who did see it, could be the reason for the much more rapid drop-off of interest in TF4 than the other three.

[Mythirax]

Based on audience comments and atmosphere in the sessions I was at, I think word of mouth discouraging others and a lack of repeat screenings by those who did see it, could be the reason for the much more rapid drop-off of interest in TF4 than the other three.

This is what I have been fearing the past few days. After seeing a lot of reviews etc. I thought this might happen. Be interesting what it's made in total in another week or two.

[UltraMarginal]

oddly, this will be the first since the 2007 film that i'm going to see more than once in the cinema. My first viewing was while still jetlagged, this last Friday night.
I need to see it again to see what I missed.

[DELTAprime]

The article notes that TF4 cost US$210 million to make, which is above the US$165 million original budget. Considering how much Bay gets for free, and the amount of money earned from product placements, the movie is certainly one of the most costly ever made.

Anyone know if the marketing budget of movies is a separate number or included in the overall budget ($210m in AOE's case)? I know when video game budgets are announced marketing is part of the figure ($500m for the upcoming game Destiny includes marketing for example).

[griffin]

Marketing budget is separate to the movie production budget... and it is often hard to find figures on how much Movie Distributors spend on promoting their movies, as it could make it look bad if they spend too much.

[Alpha Supreme]

Well I cross my fingers it does well because it means another film (I know the next one has been confirmed).

[griffin]

A week in on the US takings, and as I noted above in the second posting, the fourth movie is indeed on track to do the worst of the four so far...

First seven days takings -
TF1 - 156.532 million US$
TF2 - 228.441 million US$
TF3 - 188.588 million US$
TF4 - 138.345 million US$

They'll still get global takings to warrant another movie, but any boastings by Paramount of this one being as good or better than any previous Transformers movie, is being proven to not be true.

[UltraMarginal]

I don't know the numbers but it's also yet to be released in a lot of Europe so it's not competing with the football and it's got the greatest takings of any Hollywood movie released in china ever. which may not be a big challenge.

I also read somewhere that it's the most profitable movie of the year already, so even if it's not as successful locally(US) as the first 3 movies, it'll certainly make enough to justify more sequels.

[DELTAprime]

I'm guessing if there is a TF5 it will have a greatly reduced budget. I hope Bay finally gets fired because of the terrible reviews and lower box office take.

[GoktimusPrime]

AoE holds #1 box office spot (http://bwtf.com/node/3402)
Transformers 5 scheduled for 2016 release (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cineeurope-paramount-screens-transformers-age-712745)

[DELTAprime]

AoE holds #1 box office spot (http://bwtf.com/node/3402)
Transformers 5 scheduled for 2016 release (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cineeurope-paramount-screens-transformers-age-712745)

Just because a movie is in number one spot at the box office doesn't mean it's making the type of cash thats required for a sequel. Also Paramount have said TF5 and 6 depend on how well AOE does. Also the guy that said it was coming in 2016 got the tentative date wrong, it's actually 2017. They want to do a 3 year production schedule , not the 2 years between each of the first 3.

[MayzaPrime]

Just because a movie is in number one spot at the box office doesn't mean it's making the type of cash thats required for a sequel. Also Paramount have said TF5 and 6 depend on how well AOE does. Also the guy that said it was coming in 2016 got the tentative date wrong, it's actually 2017. They want to do a 3 year production schedule , not the 2 years between each of the first 3.

T5 has already been confirmed, and TF4 is on track to join the billion dollar club. Pretty good for a sequel if you ask me.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=transformers4.htm

[DELTAprime]

T5 has already been confirmed, and TF4 is on track to join the billion dollar club. Pretty good for a sequel if you ask me.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=transformers4.htm

The movie is a steaming pile of shit thats made ~$175 mil. Time to kill this franchise.

[Omega Metro]

T5 has already been confirmed, and TF4 is on track to join the billion dollar club. Pretty good for a sequel if you ask me.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=main&id=transformers4.htm

Yep, awesome. Can't wait til 2017!:)

[MayzaPrime]

The movie is a steaming pile of shit thats made ~$175 mil. Time to kill this franchise.

Really? I am not disagreeing but it is making a tonne of money why would you want to kill it.

Paramount, Hasbro & Michael Bay are laughing all the way to the bank. :p

[Sinnertwin]

I think it was a good way to spend two & a bit hours.
Bring on 5 & 6 :)

[Starscream77]

I think it was a good way to spend two & a bit hours.
Bring on 5 & 6 :)

^ this