..Gary Dretzka
..Noah Forrest
..Leonard Klady
..R.J. Matson
..David Poland
..Douglas Pratt
..Ray Pride
..Michael Wilmington

September16, 2007 Weekend Estimates Summer Market Share Death Wish XXX ... The distaff vigilante yarn The Brave One led all comers with a debut weekend estimated at $13.8 million. There was no lack of competition with two other films making their national bows and more than a minion opening in limited release. The comedy Mr. Woodcock ranked third overall with $8.6 million and the Korean monster movie Dragon Wars - that country’s top 2007 release - entered the fray with $4.9 million. A clutch of films that premiered at the recently completed Toronto festival segued into theaters with the first leg of their platform strategies. Toronto’s people’s choice winner Eastern Promises had the most potent per theater average with $37,500 in 15 situations while the Beatle’s homage Across the Universe was tuneful with a $29,200 average from 23 venues. Also good was the $141,000 gross for the Iraq war rumination In the Valley of Elah in nine theaters. However it wasn’t smooth for Silk with a $1,000 average in 122 venues and Moving McAllister was listless with $29,400 at 86 locations. Also disappointing was the Utah opening of Return with Honor that garnered $37,100 from an initial wave of 23 engagements. Weekend ticket biz provided an autumnal $75 million in revenues that dipped slightly from last weekend by 3% and improved microscopically from 2006 by 2%. A year ago debuts of Gridiron Gang and The Black Dahlia led the field with respective openers of $14.4 million and $10 million. While more thoughtful than a Charles Bronson vendetta, The Brave One wasn’t packing the $20 million heat pundits had identified going into the weekend. The Jodie Foster starrer was drawing a 70% plus 30 crowd according to exit polls and skewing slightly more female. The big question is whether it can tap into a younger crowd with fierce competition for that sector arriving in the coming weeks. Similar concerns also dogged Mr. Woodcock while Dragon Wars looked brawny with the aggressive push demonstrating a niche that eluded The Host, another Asian monster tale that couldn’t quite decide whether to go genre or upscale. The narrow/wide conundrum was in evidence with the initial toe test for both Eastern Promises and Across the Universe. Both opted for limited bows despite the former’s appeal to young males and the latter’s wide musical potential. Neither film received across the board critical endorsement but initial commercial potency at least provides the solid bedrock for upcoming expansion. The first of a clutch of Iraq war dramas, In the Valley of Elah racked up numbers that suggest the film will be pushing uphill to secure more than respectable returns. However, the first blush for both King of California and December Boys bodes little hope of building on critical buzz or word-of-mouth to provide commercial momentum. And Silk, a big canvas adventure-romance, shapes up as the season’s first prestige casualty. - Leonard Klady Weekend Estimates - September 14-16, 2007 Title Distributor Gross (average) %Chng Theas Cume The Brave One WB 13.8 (5,010) - 2755 13.8 3:10 to Yuma Lions Gate 8.8 (3,290) -38% 2667 28.2 Mr. Woodcock New Line 8.6 (3,860) - 2231 8.6 Superbad Sony 5.1 (1,760) -32% 2910 111.3 Halloween MGM 5.0 (1,630) -48% 3051 51.2 Dragon Wars FreeStyle 4.9 (2,150) - 2269 4.9 The Bourne Ultimatum Uni 4.2 (1,600) -26% 2611 216.2 Balls of Fury Focus 3.3 (1,180) -42% 2758 28.8 Rush Hour 3 New Line 3.3 (1,490) -33% 2208 133.3 Mr. Bean's Holiday Uni 2.6 (1,470) -24% 1770 28.4 Shoot 'Em Up New Line 2.6 (1,250) -54% 2108 10.4 The Nanny Diaries MGM 2.2 (1,100) -32% 1971 24 Hairspray New Line 1.2 (1,060) -30% 1155 116.4 Stardust Par 1.2 (1,090) -34% 1078 36.4 Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix WB .86 (1,460) -17% 589 289.4 The Simpson Movie Fox .69 (860) -48% 799 181.3 Across the Universe Sony .67 (29,220) - 23 0.7 Death at a Funeral MGM .64 (1,980) -11% 324 6.6 War Lions Gate .63 (790) -58% 802 22.9 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry Uni .81 (980) -41% 613 117.94 Eastern Promises Focus/Alliance .56 (37,530) - 15 0.6 Underdog BV .55 (670) -38% 815 41.8 Becoming Jane Miramax .53 (750) -38% 702 17.8 Weekend Total ($500,000+ Films) $72.50 - - - % Change (Last Year) 2% - - - % Change (Last Week) -3% - - - Also debuting/expanding In the Valley of Elah WIP .14  (15,780) - 9 0.14 Silk Picture/Alliance .13 (1,040) - 122 0.13 In the Shadow of the Moon Thinkfilm 72,300 (3,440) 90% 21 0.8 Ira & Abby Magnolia 40,300 (5,750) - 7 0.04 Return with Honor Excel 37,100 (1,613) - 23 0.04 King of California First Look 34,200 (6,840) - 5 0.03 Moving McCallister First Independent 29,400 (340) - 86 0.03 December Boys WIP 15,500 (3,870) - 4 0.02 The Great World of Sound Magnolia 6,500 (3,250) - 2 0.01 Domestic Summer Market Share (May 3 - Sept 3, 2007) Rank 2007 Distributor Gross Mkt Share % Change From 2006 Rank 2006 1 Paramount 724.6 17.40% 45% 4 2 Universal 609.5 14.60% 61% 6 3 Buena Vista 580.7 13.90% -26% 1 4 Warner Bros. 544.7 13.10% 31% 5 5 Sony 521.3 12.50% -26% 2 6 Fox 470.1 11.30% -14% 3 7 New Line 251.2 6.00% 386% 14 8 MGM 169.3 4.10% 373% 11 9 Lions Gate 92.3 2.20% 36% 7 10 Focus 43.2 1.00% 33% 8 11 Fox Searchlight 34.2 0.80% 203% 15 - Other 127.5 3.10% - - - -  4168.6 100.00% 11% - % Change 2006 (Other Distributors) - Paramount Vantage - - -58% - - Picturehouse - - -47% - - Sony Classics - - -11% - - Weinstein Co. - - -81% -