As expected J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek Into Darkness took the weekend box office crown, though the movie debuted with a 4-day total of $84.1 million, which was at the low end of expectations that ranged from $80 million to $100 million.  Meanwhile last week’s top two films Iron Man 3 and The Great Gatsby both posted strong holds with Iron Man 3 earning a solid $35.1 million in its third frame as Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic brought in an estimated $23.4 million in its second.  The top three films accounted for 86% of all tickets sold, making the trio largely responsible for the 7.1% gain over the same weekend last year when The Avengers continued its spectacular May run.
 
Paramount’s last minute decision to open Star Trek Into Darkness on Thursday certainly did not help the film as it diffused the excitement of film’s debut.  Abrams’ first Star Trek movie actually posted a stronger 3-day debut ($75.2 million versus $70.6 million for STID over the 3-day weekend) in 2009, and Abram’s original Trek movie stayed in theaters for 21 weeks, a feat that appears beyond the reach of its sequel, which is debuting in the much more competitive summer of 2013.  Abram’s 2009 Trek film also did not have the advantage of 3-D’s higher ticket prices and opened in just 138 pricy IMAX venues versus 336 for STID.

Does this relatively soft opening and the Star Trek franchise’s inability to attract females (opening weekend audiences were 64% male) and younger viewers (73% of the crowd was over 25) mean that the movie is doomed to financial failure?  The answer is anything but clear at this point though it appears likely that any domestic shortfall will be made up on the international side of the ledger where STID is currently running at a pace that is 82% ahead of its predecessor.  The problem with this equation is the fact that Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek only made $127 overseas, so even if STID can double that take, it will likely not be enough to insure profitability--and to put the lack of international appeal of the Star Trek franchise in perspective, Iron Man 3 has already earned $736.2 million overseas, a total that STID has no chance of reaching.  With Star Trek Into Darkness’ production cost of $190 million and taking into account promotional expenses that could easily equal two-thirds or more of that total, it will take at least a worldwide gross of $620 million just to break even theatrically (studios receive only about half the box office totals with theater owners keeping the rest). 
 
So it is easy to understand why it is important for Star Trek Into Darkness to at least match the $257.7 million that Abrams’ 2009 Trek film earned domestically.  In addition to higher ticket prices STID has some other factors working in its favor, the most important of which should be good word-of-mouth from opening weekend audiences that gave the film an excellent "A" CinemaScore, a grade that for once echoes the verdict of the critics who gave the film a strong 87% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.  The major obstacle to STID making its way into the black will continue to be 2013’s highly competitive environment.  Next weekend Fast and Furious 6, which had an impressive bow in the U.K. and Ireland this weekend, opens along with yet another “franchise” sequel, The Hangover: Part III.
 
Meanwhile Iron Man 3, which passed the $1 billion mark this weekend, continues to demonstrate better-than-expected “legs” as it earned an estimated $35.1 million in its third weekend and in the face of direct competition for the action movie audience from STID.  IM3 is now the 9th highest-grossing film of all time--though to put that total in some perspective it should be noted that none of the "Top Ten Highest Grossing Films" would keep their spots in the top ten if their totals were adjusted for inflation.  On the domestic front IM3 has now earned $337 million, giving it a $100 million lead on Oz: The Great and Powerful ($231.2 million).  Clearly IM3 is now the film to beat for the 2013 box office crown, though it faces increasing competition in the weeks ahead as well.
 
Studios understand that summer action tentpoles do not appeal to all moviegoers and over the years they have endeavored to counter-program with summer releases aimed at the female viewers who avoid action movies, a strategy that doesn’t always work.  But Warner Bros. has definitely managed to get it right with Baz Luhrmann’s flashy adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, which earned a solid $23.4 million in its second frame here in the U.S., and which actually topped the international charts this weekend with $42 million as STID and IM3 split the action movie audience with $40 million each.
 
Mention should be made of Dreamworks’ animated feature The Croods, which spent its 9th weekend in the top ten in fifth spot.  The $135 million production has now earned $176.8 million domestically, and still has an outside chance at $200 million though it will finally face direct competition for the family audience next week with the debut of the animated film EPIC from Fox and Blue Sky Studios (the Ice Age movies).
 
With the top three movies literally sucking all the oxygen out of the box office there isn’t much more to report this week, though its should be said again that the indie film Mud, which added 108 theaters but is still in just 960 total, continues to perform well in fairly limited release. 
 
Opening in just 4 theaters Noah Baumbach’s Woody Allen-esque Frances Ha, which stars Greta Gerwig, is another film that could turn out to be the indie hit of 2013, though it is still way too early to tell.
 
Check back here next weekend as the crowded summer season of 2013 gets into full swing with the Memorial Day weekend debuts of Fast and Furious 6, The Hangover: Part III and EPIC.