Lack of New Releases Maintain Failure's Winning Streak
July 22, 2006
For the third weekend in a row, Failure to Launch topped the rental charts as it added $5.77 million over the week for a total of $25.18 million after three.
There was only one new release to make the top five and that was Basic Instinct 2 with $3.89 million. This is a good result compared to its anemic $5.9 million total theatrical run, but a terrible, terrible start compared to its $70 million production budget. The Matador was close behind with $3.53 million and with a two-week total of $8.85 million, it should have no problem topping its theatrical run. Annapolis and Eight Below saw week-to-week declines in the low 30s earning $2.98 million and $2.86 million respectively.
There was just one more new release to chart this week at it was the direct-to-DVD dud, Grilled. The film earned just $1.02 million during its first week of release, but on the bright side, this is a good result for a DtD release.
For the first time in a long time, the overall rental were not able to keep pace with last year. Two weeks of weak releases sent the total rentals down a stunning 11.8%, which was 4.8% lower than the same weekend last year. Year-to-date 2006's lead narrowed to 1.0% with a running tally of $4.3 billion, but this is still a better figure than it has been for nearly all of the year.
Basic Instinct 2 and its Unrated label were able to lead the sales charts this week, but even this good news is not enough to make the film financially successful. Failure to Launch slipped one spot to second while Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl remained strong in third place. Also down one spot was Madea's Family Reunion while The Matador remained in the top five.
There were no other theatrical releases to chart this week, but Pink Floyd - Pulse managed a 15th place debut; this is very high for a concert film. The only other two new releases to chart were both TV on DVD with Reno 911 - The Complete Third Season in 15th place and Weeds - Season 1.
Its was a much busier week on the TV on DVD charts with four new releases in the top five and, but it was a holdover leading the way. High School Musical topped the TV on DVD charts for the sixth time in seven weeks while finishing in 14th place on the overall charts. Second and third went to Reno 911 - The Complete Third Season and Weeds - Season 1, both of which charted on the overall sales chart. E.R. - The Complete Fifth Season opened in fourth place, just ahead of Perry Mason - Season 1 - Volume 1.
There was one other new release to chart as I Dream Of Jeannie - The Complete Second Season debuted in ninth place.
Filed under: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Failure to Launch, Eight Below, Madea's Family Reunion, Annapolis, The Matador, Basic Instinct 2, Grilled