Box Office: Bee Movie With $11.67M Saturday; Fred Claus $18.6M Opening Weekend

By Steve Mason/Nov. 11, 2007 12:17 pm EST

As I first reported Friday night, Bee Movie (Dreamworks) will win the Veterans Day weekend at the box office switching places with last weekend's winner American Gangster (Universal). Jerry Seinfeld's "pet project" swooped in for $11.67M on Saturday, and, with about half of America's school-age kids off on Monday, Sunday will stronger than usual. I've penciled in an estimated 26% drop, which will earn Bee $26.58M on its 2nd weekend.

Bee Movie's domestic cume will be $72.79M at the end of the weekend, which gives it the 7th-best gross for a Dreamworks animated film after 10 days of release. Jeff and Jerry's "honey pot" will have likely posted the all-time 21st-best 10-day gross in the history of animation.

ALL-TIME TOP 25 DOMESTIC GROSSES FOR ANIMATED FILMS AFTER 10 DAYS OF RELEASE

1. Shrek the Third – $203.3M

2. Shrek 2 – $184.9M

3. Finding Nemo – $144M

4. The Incredibles – $143.3M

5. The Simpsons Movie – $128M

6. Monsters, Inc. – $122.1M

7. Cars – $117M

8. Ice Age: The Meltdown – $115.8M

9. Ratatouille – $109.5M

10. Madagascar – $100.4M

11. Happy Feet – $99.2M

12. Shrek – $99M

13. Ice Age – $87.3M

14. Shark Tale – $87.3M

15. Toy Story 2 – $80.5M

16. Chicken Little – $80.4M

17. Tarzan – $77.5M

18. Lilo & Stitch – $77M

19. Over the Hedge – $76.1M

20. Dinosaur – $75.4M

21. Bee Movie – $72.79M (estimate)

22. Robots – $66M

23. Spongebob Squarepants: The Movie – $58.7M

24. The Rugrats Movie – $57.8M

25. Pokeman: The First Movie – $57.3M

American Gangster surged 42% Friday-to-Saturday for a strong $10.25M. That should translate to a 3-day of $24.23M, an excellent hold from its opening weekend. With $80.59M in the bank by Monday morning, Gangster moves into the all-time 10-day performers among R-rated movies.

ALL-TIME TOP 10 DOMESTIC GROSSES FOR R-RATED FILMS AFTER 10 DAYS OF RELEASE

1. The Passion of the Christ – $174.3M

2. The Matrix Reloaded – $174.1M

3. 300 – $129.1M

4. Hannibal – $103.5M

5. The Matrix Revolutions – $102.7M

6. Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines – $90.8M

7. Scary Movie – $89M

8. American Pie 2 – $87.2M

9. 8 Mile – $84.4M

10. American Gangster – $80.59M (estimate)

Gangster is also, easily, the biggest movie of Denzel Washington's career easily besting last year's Inside Man.

ALL-TIME TOP 10 DOMESTIC GROSSES FOR DENZEL WASHINGTON FILMS AFTER 10 DAYS OF RELEASE

1. American Gangster – $80.59M (estimate)

2. Inside Man – $52.5M

3. Remember the Titans – $45.9M

4. John Q – $39.8M

5. The Manchurian Candidate – $37.9M

6. Training Day – $37.7M

7. DÃ©jÃ Vu – $36.5M

8. The Pelican Brief – $34.8M

9. Man On Fire – $33.5M

10. Crimson Tide – $23.6M

Of the weekend's new releases, The Coen brothers have made the strongest impression as Joel and Ethan have blown away the specialty marketplace with No Country For Old Men (Miramax). With just 28 locations, the Javier Bardem-Tommy Lee Jones-Josh Brolin thriller has scored a $1.2M weekend for a 3-day PTA of $43,000+. That easily becomes the all-time best opening weekend PTA for a Coen brothers movie.

ALL-TIME TOP OPENING WEEKEND PER THEATRE AVERAGES FOR A COEN BROTHERS MOVIE

1. No Country for Old Men – $43,056 PTA (estimate)

2. O Brother, Where Art Thou – $39,000 PTA

3. Fargo – $20,285 PTA

4. The Man Who Wasn't There – $17,036 PTA

5. The Ladykillers – $7,981 PTA

6. Intolerable Cruelty – $4,884 PTA

7. The Big Lebowski – $4,584 PTA

The 3 new wide releases are all major disappointments. Fred Claus (Warner Bros) will finish the weekend with only $18.66M, a huge miss for analysts forecasting a possible $30M. Summit Entertainment's first movie P2, is unlikely to even break $2M. But, the worst news is reserved for Tom Cruise.

The new head of United Artists, Cruise, is having a tough weekend. He and producing partner Paula Wagner chose to make Lions For Lambs the first movie from the new UA, and it has found a way to under-perform already low expectations. Lambs received only a 22% bump on Saturday for a sorrowful $2.62M, and it will likely finish the weekend with only $6.47M equating to a $2,925 PTA. Amazingly, that is the 2nd-worst Per Theatre Average of Tom Cruise's career, ahead of only 1983's teen comedy Losin' It, which co-starred Shelly Long.

ALL-TIME OPENING WEEKEND PER THEATRE AVERAGES FOR TOM CRUISE MOVIES

1. Born on the Fourth of July â€" 5 locations – $34,404 PTA

2. Taps â€" 3 locations – $31,001 PTA

3. Magnolia â€" 7 locations – $27,657 PTA

4. War of the Worlds â€" 3,908 locations – $16,601 PTA

5. Mission Impossible II â€" 3,653 locations – $15,835 PTA

6. Mission Impossible â€" 3,012 locations – $15,085 PTA

7. Interview with the Vampire â€" 2,604 locations – $13,974 PTA

8. Minority Report â€" 3,001 locations – $11,888 PTA

9. Mission Impossible III â€" 4,054 locations – $11,776 PTA

10. The Firm â€" 2,393 locations – $10,614 PTA

11. The Color of Money â€" 635 locations – $10,012 PTA

12. Vanilla Sky â€" 2,742 locations – $9,123 PTA

13. Eyes Wide Shut â€" 2,411 locations – $9,002 PTA

14. Cocktail – 1,404 locations – $8,397 PTA

15. The Last Samarai â€" 2,908 locations – $8,346 PTA

16. A Few Good Men â€" 1,925 locations – $8,061 PTA

17. Top Gun â€" 1,028 locations – $7.969 PTA

18. Collateral â€" 3,188 locations – $7,748 PTA

19. Jerry Maguire â€" 2,531 locations – $6,750 PTA

20. Days of Thunder â€" 2,307 locations – $6,714 PTA

21. Far & Away â€" 1,583 locations – $6,440 PTA

22. Risky Business â€" 670 locations – $6,381 PTA

23. The Outsiders â€" 829 locations – $6,113 PTA

24. Rain Man â€" 1,248 locations – $5,613 PTA

25. All the Right Moves â€" 442 locations – $3,677 PTA

26. Legend â€" 1,187 locations – $3,589 PTA

27. Lions For Lambs â€" 2,215 locations – $2,925 PTA (estimate)

28. Losin' It â€" 180 locations – $2,429 PTA

Finally, in the battle of Bollywood blockbusters, Eros Entertainment's Om Shanti Om has scored an easy win over Sony's Saawariya...at least in the US. Om Shanti Om grabbed $1.6M domestic for a $14,000+ 3-day PTA compared to $210,000 and $5,620 per for the first Bollywood film fully-funded by a major US studio.

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY SATURDAY ESTIMATES

1. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $11.67M – $2,959 PTA – $64.1M cume

2. American Gangster (Universal) – $10.25M – $3,352 PTA – $73.8M cume

3. NEW -Fred Claus (Warner Bros) – $7.68M – $2,132 PTA – $12.9M cume

4. Dan in Real Life (Disney) – $2.66M – $1,372 PTA – $29.3M cume

5. NEW â€" Lions for Lambs (MGM/UA) – $2.62M – $1,184 PTA – $4.77M cume

6. Saw IV (Lionsgate) – $2.08M – $719 PTA – $56.6M cume

7. The Game Plan (Disney) – $1.19M – $553 PTA – $84.8M cume

8. 30 Days of Night (Sony) – $895,000 – $528 PTA – $36.7M cume

9. NEW – P2 (Summit Pictures) – $815,000 – $382 PTA – $1.47 cume

10. Martian Child (New Line) – $803,000 – $398 PTA – $5.6M cume

11. Michael Clayton (Warner Bros) – $801,000 – $697 PTA – $35.1M cume

12. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (Lionsgate) – $752,000 – $828 PTA – $52.8M cume

13. Om Shanti Om (Eros Entertainment) – $725,000 – $6,360 PTA – $1.11M cume

14. Gone Baby Gone (Miramax) – $653,000 – $682 PTA – $16.6M cume

15. Into the Wild (Paramount Vantage) – $471,000- $798 PTA – $12.2M cume

*NEW â€" No Country for Old Men (Miramax) – $469,000 – $16,750 PTA – $819,000

*Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney) – $390,000 – $825 PTA – $72.9M cume

*Across the Universe (Sony) – $370,000 – $636 PTA – $22.1M cume

*Darjeeling Limited (Fox Searchlight) – $363,000 – $940 PTA – $9M cume

*Bella (Roadside Attractions) – $339,000 – $1,228 PTA – $3.4M cume

*Lars & the Real Girl (MGM) – $288,000 – $1,007 PTA – $3.1M cume

*Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm) – $282,000 – $2,311 PTA – $1M cume

*NEW â€" Saawariya (Sony) – $201,000 – $2,365 PTA – $341,000 cume

*NEW â€" After Dark's Horrorfest (After Dark) – $169,000 – $523 PTA – $299,000 cume

*Lust Caution (Focus) – $94,000 – $847 PTA – $3.6M cume

*The Assassination of Jesse Jamesâ€¦ (Warner Bros) – $58,000 – $446 PTA – $3.5M cume

*Transformers (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $57,000 – $375 PTA – $319.1M cume

*Control (MGM/Weinstein) – $37,000 – $1,370 PTA – $516,554 cume

*Darfur Now (Warner Independent) – $12,000 – $500 PTA – $55,337 cume

*Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (IFC Films) – $9,651 – $603 PTA – $52,642 cume

*NEW â€" War/Dance (Thinkfilm) – $3,524 – $1,175 PTA – $10,300 cume

*NEW – Mr. Blue Sky (Rocky Mountain Pictures) – $1,574 – $1,574 PTA – $2,564 cume

*NEW – The Life of Reilly (Reel Diva Consultants) â€" $1,104 â€" $1,104 PTA – $1,940 cume

*NEW â€" Cocalero (Cinema Tropical) – $1,015 – $1,015 PTA – $1,756 cume

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 3-DAY ESTIMATES

1. Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $26.58M – $6,740 PTA – $72.7M cume

2. American Gangster (Universal) – $24.23M – $7,924 PTA – $80.5M cume

3. NEW -Fred Claus (Warner Bros) – $18.66M – $5,181 PTA – $18.66M cume

4. NEW â€" Lions for Lambs (MGM/UA) – $6.47M – $2,925 PTA – $6.47M cume

5. Dan in Real Life (Disney) – $6.05M – $3,122 PTA – $30.8M cume

6. Saw IV (Lionsgate) – $4.86M – $1,676 PTA – $57.9M cume

7. The Game Plan (Disney) – $2.71M – $1,258PTA – $82.7M cume

8. 30 Days of Night (Sony) – $2.02M – $1,192 PTA – $37.2M cume

9. NEW – P2 (Summit Pictures) – $1.94M – $914 PTA – $1.94M cume

10. Martian Child (New Line) – $1.81M – $900 PTA – $6M cume

11. Michael Clayton (Warner Bros) – $1.64M – $1,432 PTA – $35.5M cume

12. Om Shanti Om (Eros Entertainment) – $1.6M – $14,061 PTA – $1.6M cume

13. Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? (Lionsgate) – $1.52M – $1,683 PTA – $53.2M cume

14. Gone Baby Gone (Miramax) – $1.36M – $1,431 PTA – $16.9M cume

15. NEW â€" No Country for Old Men (Miramax) – $1.2M – $43,056 PTA – $1.2M cume

*Into the Wild (Paramount Vantage) – $1.05M – $1,794 PTA – $12.5M cume

*Bella (Roadside Attractions) – $938,510 – $3,400 PTA – $3.8M cume

*Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (Disney) – $881,500 – $1,864PTA – $73.2M cume

*Across the Universe (Sony) – $838,300 – $1,440 PTA – $22.3M cume

*Darjeeling Limited (Fox Searchlight) – $806,280 – $2,089 PTA – $9.2M cume

*Lars & the Real Girl (MGM) – $654,800 – $2,290 PTA – $3.3M cume

*Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm) – $625,480 – $5,127 PTA – $1.2M cume

*NEW â€" Saawariya (Sony) – $477,680 – $5,620 PTA – $477,680 cume

*NEW â€" After Dark's Horrorfest (After Dark) – $395,330 – $1,224 PTA – $395,330 cume

*Lust Caution (Focus) – $210.040 – $1,892 PTA – $3.7M cume

*The Assassination of Jesse Jamesâ€¦ (Warner Bros) – $134,540 – $1,035 PTA – $3.5M cume

*Transformers (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $117,920 – $776 PTA – $319.1M cume

*Control (MGM/Weinstein) – $89,380 – $3,310 PTA – $543,934 cume

*Darfur Now (Warner Independent) – $32,400 – $1,350 PTA – $63,737 cume

*Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (IFC Films) – $24,103 – $1,506 PTA – $58,915 cume

*NEW â€" War/Dance (Thinkfilm) – $12,590 – $4,197 PTA – $12,590 cume

*NEW – Mr. Blue Sky (Rocky Mountain Pictures) – $3,713 – $3,713 PTA – $3,713 cume

*NEW – The Life of Reilly (Reel Diva Consultants) â€" $2,690 â€" $2,690 PTA – $2,690 cume

*NEW â€" Cocalero (Cinema Tropical) – $2,416 – $2,416 PTA – $2,416 cume

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS EARLY SATURDAY PTA ESTIMATES

1. NEW â€" No Country for Old Men (Miramax) â€" 28 locations – $16,750 PTA

2. NEW – Om Shanti Om (Eros Entertainment) â€" 114 locations – $6,360 PTA

3. American Gangster (Universal) â€" 3,059 locations – $3,352 PTA

4. NEW â€" Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) â€" 3,944 locations – $2,959 PTA

5. NEW â€" Saawariya (Sony) – 85 locations – $2,365 PTA

6. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm) â€" 122 locations – $2,311 PTA

7. NEW – Fred Claus (Warner Bros) â€" 3,603 locations – $2,132 PTA

8. NEW – Mr. Blue Sky (Rocky Mountain Pictures) â€" 1 location – $1,574 PTA

9. Dan in Real Life (Disney) â€" 1,941 locations – $1,372 PTA

10. Control (MGM/Weinstein) â€" 27 locations – $1,370 PTA

EXCLUSIVE FANTASY MOGULS REVISED 3-DAY PTA ESTIMATES

1. NEW â€" No Country for Old Men (Miramax) â€" 28 locations – $43,056 PTA

2. NEW – Om Shanti Om (Eros Entertainment) â€" 114 locations – $14,061 PTA

3. American Gangster (Universal) â€" 3,059 locations – $7,924 PTA

4. NEW â€" Bee Movie (Dreamworks/Paramount) â€" 3,944 locations – $6,740 PTA

5. NEW â€" Saawariya (Sony) – 85 locations – $5,620 PTA

6. NEW – Fred Claus (Warner Bros) â€" 3,603 locations – $5,181 PTA

7. Before the Devil Knows You're Dead (Thinkfilm) â€" 122 locations – $5,127 PTA

8. NEW â€" War/Dance (Thinkfilm) â€" 3 locations – $4,197 PTA

9. NEW – Mr. Blue Sky (Rocky Mountain Pictures) â€" 1 location – $3,713 PTA

10. Bella (Roadside Attractions) â€" 276 locations – $3,400 PTA