With a four-day estimated total of $86 million, the Jim Carrey comedy Bruce Almighty soared well past expectations and delivered a convincing blow to The Matrix Reloaded, which slipped some 59% from its opening three-day total and took in an estimated $45.6 million over the entire Memorial Day weekend.  Demographically the audience for Bruce Almighty was younger (one third under 18) and more female (53%) than The Matrix Reloaded's opening weekend throng.  In spite of all the fanfare created by 2003's two top grossing films so far, The Matrix Reloaded and X2, this has been a very good year for comedies -- Bruce Almighty will soon become the fifth laughfest this year to pass the $100 million mark.  In addition to benefiting from a resurgence of interest in comedies, Bruce Almighty was aided by a very clever TV commercial that made it clear that the zany, over the top Jim Carrey of Ace Ventura and The Mask was back and armed with the powers of an omnipotent God.   Bruce Almighty's opening three-day total of an estimated $70 million set all sorts of records, including the largest opening ever for a non-sequel comedy (only Austin Powers: Goldmember's $73 million tops it).  Bruce Almighty is the only one of the top 10 opening films of all time that is not a sequel or based on major property from another medium (Spider-Man, Harry Potter). 

 

The Matrix Reloaded did soar pass the $200 million mark on its eleventh day of release (Spider-Man did it in nine), but it fell off some 59% from its opening 3-day totals.  X2, with $40 million on its second weekend, actually out-performed The Matrix Reloaded's estimated three-day total of $37.2 million.  The Matrix Reloaded is now well off Spider-Man's pace and is unlikely to overtake the web slinger, though a $300 performance is possible.  And IMAX shows, which start next week, will help. 

 

X2: X-Men United slipped to fourth place in its fourth weekend of release and took in some $13.1 million over a weekend that saw it run its cumulative total to over $192 million, but lose its spot as the year's top-grossing film so far.  The big openings and rapid fall-offs of science fiction and superhero films indicate that this trend of 'sizzle then fizzle', which we have noted for the past two years, continues unabated.  Since the studios receive the highest percentage of box office receipts during a film's first weeks of release, it is obviously in their interest to drive audiences to see the film during its opening week.  Hollywood's marketing effectiveness is evident in the accelerating pattern of huge openings and rapid declines.  The accepted wisdom in Hollywood is that comedies, which can benefit from good word of mouth, if successful, tend to have more 'legs' than space operas.  Bruce Almighty's future performance should prove instructive in this regard.

 

For pop culture retailers, who deal in tie-in merchandise, the message is clear--the already small window of opportunity associated with a film's theatrical debut is shrinking even further.  On the positive side, the studios' attempts to establish franchises, with numerous sequels, does provide some long term continuity, and the increasing economic importance of DVD sales to Hollywood is reflected in a second outburst of marketing that can keep the property in public view with a semi-annual rhythm of film opening and DVD release followed by more of the same as long as the franchise lasts.  Matrix, of course, is trying to create its own unique multi-platform release structure this year, with two theatrical releases, associated DVD releases, the Animatrix DVD release, and the videogame all advancing the storyline, creating a greater awareness of the property, and stimulating sales of other Matrix products.