'9/11' earnings better than first reported

[G_j]

http://www.dailynews.com/Stories/0,1413,200~20950~2240690,00.html

'9/11' earnings better than first reported



By Greg Hernandez
Staff Writer


The record-setting box office performance of "Fahrenheit 9/11" was even stronger than projected, with Michael Moore's anti-Bush administration film grossing $23.9 million over the weekend -- more than $2 million higher than original studio estimates, according to final figures released Monday.
Released by Lions Gate Films and IFC Entertainment, "Fahrenheit" is the first movie since 1994's "Four Weddings and a Funeral" to open at No. 1 despite playing in fewer than 900 theaters and is the first documentary ever to debut at the top of the box office heap.

Lions Gate and IFC announced Monday a plan to nearly double the number of theaters for the film, with more than 1,500 theaters booked for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. If current momentum holds, some believe "Fahrenheit" could approach $100 million in domestic ticket sales.

Sunday night business for the controversial documentary was brisk, with the film clearly benefiting from the barrage of free publicity it has generated in recent weeks, in the same way that Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" did earlier this year. Both movies were passed on by the major studios, and both created a firestorm of pre-release controversy. In both cases, audience turnout got a boost from people wanting to see what the fuss was about.

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[Worst Username Ever]

1. Under reported

...and then revised. Seems a bit of a pattern as of late.

[Emboldened Chimp]

8. This happens all the time in Hollywood

No big deal.

[Barkley]

14. Yes, I agree!

I told a friend Sat. that they would lie about the how successful
the movie actually was in order to marginalize its impact.

The media as also tried marginalize its impact by labeling it as 'preaching to the choir'.

But that didn't figure when tons of people in Peoria, Ill and College Station, Tex showed up to stand in lines to see the movie.

They've done everything but called for an Orange Alert.

[prodigal_green]

17. That's one big choir!

The chimpministration better wake up and listen to the lyrics!

[The_Casual_Observer]

2. Better under reported than over reported giving fox a big

"nasty" talking point

[Ganja Ninja]

3. Read it and weep Disney shareholders!

To late now you had your chance.

[jobycom]

4. We all need to see it again this weekend, and take a friend

Let's keep it at the top, and get more people out to "find out what the fuss is about." THAT is exactly the audience we need-- the people who haven't heard all this, who just follow crowds looking for entertainment. THOSE are the people we want to get involved, to get pissed off. THOSE are the ones who haven't made up their minds, yet.

I'm going again in Austin Friday night, and taking my parents, who are visiting. Anyone else?

[Dr Fate]

15. Dont forget to buy a popcorn , Coke & Goobers too.

Let's make the money talk & the bullshit walk.

[jobycom]

16. Good point. And see it at one of the original 800, if you can

Reward them first.

[cliss]

20. Exactly. I'm as cheap as they come,

but in this case I'll open my wallet. Gladly. These theaters that were SO BRAVE to have the guts to show 9/11 have my applause. And my money.

I'll gladly go again.

And for those who are wondering: You Better Believe this had an impact on Washington. Notice how quickly they got their ass out of the sling and handed over Iraq 2 days early.

This is an administration which stalls on just about everything that has any importance.

They KNOW they are in trouble right now.

[G_j]

5. Among the numerous records already set

http://www.moviecitynews.com/notepad/2004/040627a_pr.html

<snip>
Among the numerous records already set by FAHRENHEIT 9/11 are the following:

*Highest opening weekend ever for a documentary of any type (including IMAX and concert films)

*Highest opening ever for a wide release under 1000 screens (beating previous record holder “Rocky III” in 1982)

*Highest opening ever for a Palm d’Or winner (topping previous record holder “Pulp Fiction” in 1994)

*Opening weekend numbers have already outgrossed the total domestic box office for Academy Award® winner “Bowling for Columbine”, Michael Moore’s previous release

*Achieved 3rd highest per screen average opening for the year to date among wide releases (behind only “Passion of the Christ” & “Shrek 2”)

<snip>
SANTA MONICA, CA, VANCOUVER, BC and NEW YORK, NY, June 27, 2004 – “Fahrenheit 9/11” continued to build momentum as a national cultural phenomenon, setting numerous box office records on its way to a $21.8 million opening weekend on just 868 screens, becoming the #1 movie in the country, it was announced by Tom Ortenberg, President of Lions Gate Films Releasing, and Jonathan Sehring, President of IFC Entertainment.


Michael Moore’s powerful film which has already established itself as the must see movie of the summer achieved a remarkable $25,115 per screen average, performing strongly in big cities and small towns in all 50 states, Democratic and Republican strongholds and every geographic region of the country. Fueled by rave reviews and all-time single-day record grosses at the Loews Village 7 and Lincoln Plaza in Manhattan on its opening Wednesday, FAHRENHEIT 9/11 literally sold out theatres from Peoria, Illinois, to Fayetteville, NC (home of Fort Bragg) and, by Sunday morning, seemed poised for a powerful celebration of America’s birthday during the upcoming four-day Fourth of July weekend.

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[DrWho]

6. going again

next week

though Spidey will be #1, with F9-11 in more theatres next week, this will be a very strong second.

[G_j]

18. good idea

this weekend would be good time to go again.

[jwcomer]

21. some revisions

Turns out that with the revised weekend box office numbers:

*F911 ($27,558) beat out Passion of Christ($27,554) and Shrek2($25,951) for highest per screen average opening for the year to date among wide releases.

[G_j]

22. wow! not bad.. n/t

[yellowcanine]

7. Bound to be under reported because it was showing at a lot of independent

"art" theaters that aren't as sophisticated at tracking revenues as the fancy big chains.

[EastofEdon]

19. very good point

we saw it at an arts theater also.

[Maeve]

9. And then there are the freeps who claim they go, but buy for another movie

Building the wave that will sweep Dubya back to Crawford...

[TahitiNut]

10. Don't forget the late teenagers who buy a PG ticket ...

... in a multiplex and then go watch the R-rated F9/11. That's the 'economics' of an R-rated film in a multiplex. The rating actually tends to attract these near-adults. ("forbidden fruit")

[DrWho]

12. the R rating

It's just not appropriate for this type of film.

It's like National Geographic getting raked over the coals by showing boobies of some far away aboriginies.

I see more violence when a woman gives birth on TV.

[wish_I_could_vote]

11. yep...saw someone on another board bragging about this...

Bought tickets for another movie because he did not want to see any of his money go to MM...then slipped into see F 9/11. Claimed it was so bad, he left in disgust very early in the movie.......yeah, right !

[DrWho]

13. not to mention

"Claimed it was so bad, he left in disgust very early in the movie"

You have your varying degree of NeoCon commies saying you should just download the movie.

Must be the new american way.