NARNIA: VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER has had a rocky start to it’s box-office journey. Fox’s 3D action fantasy tread uneasily into movie theaters with a disappointing $24.5 million weekend, while still managing to top the domestic box office. In a run down dominated by no other big releases, and with TRON LEGACY waiting in the wings, then it’s top spot will probably be short lived. The third installment based on C.S. Lewis‘ book series must chart a more placid theatrical course if it’s to validate the studio’s partnership with Walden Media on the release.
Disney dumped the family franchise following a disappointing first sequel, and it remains uncertain if Fox will take on a fourth . Fox debuted DAWN TREADER in 1,988 3D locations and a total 3,555 theaters, with the 3D auditoriums accounting for 54% of opening coin.
The weekend’s only other wide opener, Sony-distributed action thriller THE TOURIST starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, finished second with just $17 million.
Disney’s 3D animated adventure TANGLED, based on the Rapunzel story, was third in its third session with $14.6 million and $115.6 million in cumulative box office, while the Relativity-distributed martial arts Western THE WARRIORS WAY fell away dramatically from the top 10 with a big 69% tumble in its second frame to collect just $941,000 for a $4.9 million cumulation through all sessions since release.
Helmed by Michael Apted the second NARNIA sequel cost an estimated $145 million, including Australian tax credits. That compares to the $200 million negative cost on May 2008 sequel THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: PRINCE CASPIAN on which Disney was faulted for overspending and then slotting in the summer instead of the holiday season that worked so well the first time.
THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE opened with a franchise-best $65.6 million en route to ring up $291.7 million domestically. Caspian debuted with $55 million and collected $141.6 million in total U.S. and Canadian coin.
Any signs of worry are being kept quiet at this stage. “On the domestic side, our best days are still ahead of us with the school holidays and Christmas yet to come,” Fox senior vp distribution Chris Aronson said.
Meantime, the industry failed to best its year-earlier performance for a fourth consecutive weekend at the start of the holiday box-office season. The session’s top 10 films fetched less than $83 million, roughly matching top performers’ contributions in the same frame last year.
Hollywood has just three sessions left in its box-office year; not many tentpole releases left and is faced with a decline in movie receipts on 2009. The industry already is certain of a downtick in annual admissions, while even matching last year’s theatrical revenue remains an iffy proposition. Here’s to a better New Year for the industry then…
