Alice in Wonderland has smashed Avatar’s record as the most successful opening weekend for a 3D film.
Tim Burton’s spectacular 3D reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s story took $116.1m (£77.5m) on its first weekend in the US - beating James Cameron's $350m sci-fi epic by almost $30m, which took $77m when it opened in December.
Alice in Wonderland and Avatar have both defied the lower-than-average attendances expected during the first quarter of the year - the previous first quarter record was Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ in 2004 - but Alice's arrival has significantly slowed up Avatar's progress. Alice in Wonderland's release, 12 weeks into Avatar's run, saw ticket sales for Cameron's epic plummet by 60% in the UK, with the number of screens showing it dropping dramatically to accommodate demand for Burton's fairytale.
The spectacular success of Alice in Wonderland - whose UK release was almost derailed by disgreements between British cinema chains and Disney over the film's early DVD release - is likely due in part to the film's wide ranging appeal, with both nostalgic adults and 3D-hungry kids vying to see it. Avatar's hopes for a Best Picture gong were meanwhile dashed at Sunday night's Oscars, fuelling word of mouth that it has been over-hyped.
Along with Avatar's, its figure will surely boost studios’ confidence in the money-making potential of 3D, alaying fears that audiences would be deterred by paying extra for 3D glasses. Other 3D films due out this year include Clash of the Titans, Shrek Forever After, Toy Story 3, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.
Alice in Wonderland also had the best IMAX opening weekend, with $11.9m (£7.9m) from 188 sites (Avatar took $9.5m, or £6.3m), and the top opening for a non-sequel, over 2002’s Spider Man ($114.8m, or £76.7m).
Alice in Wonderland also marks a return to the mainstream by the Tim Burton-Johnny Depp partnership, after their last two shared film projects - Sweeney Todd and the Corpse Bride - proved middling at the box office. Alice in Wonderland more than doubled the $56.2m (£37.5m) opening of their previous biggest hit, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Overall, Alice in Wonderland had the sixth biggest opening weekend in US box office history, after Shrek the Third ($121.6m or £108m), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($135.6m or £90.6m), The Twilight Saga: New Moon ($142.8m or £95.4m), Spider-Man 3 ($151.1m or £101m) and in first place, The Dark Knight ($158.4m or £105.8m).
Source : WNews
Go Alice ! :T
Tim Burton’s spectacular 3D reimagining of Lewis Carroll’s story took $116.1m (£77.5m) on its first weekend in the US - beating James Cameron's $350m sci-fi epic by almost $30m, which took $77m when it opened in December.
Alice in Wonderland and Avatar have both defied the lower-than-average attendances expected during the first quarter of the year - the previous first quarter record was Mel Gibson's Passion of the Christ in 2004 - but Alice's arrival has significantly slowed up Avatar's progress. Alice in Wonderland's release, 12 weeks into Avatar's run, saw ticket sales for Cameron's epic plummet by 60% in the UK, with the number of screens showing it dropping dramatically to accommodate demand for Burton's fairytale.
The spectacular success of Alice in Wonderland - whose UK release was almost derailed by disgreements between British cinema chains and Disney over the film's early DVD release - is likely due in part to the film's wide ranging appeal, with both nostalgic adults and 3D-hungry kids vying to see it. Avatar's hopes for a Best Picture gong were meanwhile dashed at Sunday night's Oscars, fuelling word of mouth that it has been over-hyped.
Along with Avatar's, its figure will surely boost studios’ confidence in the money-making potential of 3D, alaying fears that audiences would be deterred by paying extra for 3D glasses. Other 3D films due out this year include Clash of the Titans, Shrek Forever After, Toy Story 3, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I.
Alice in Wonderland also had the best IMAX opening weekend, with $11.9m (£7.9m) from 188 sites (Avatar took $9.5m, or £6.3m), and the top opening for a non-sequel, over 2002’s Spider Man ($114.8m, or £76.7m).
Alice in Wonderland also marks a return to the mainstream by the Tim Burton-Johnny Depp partnership, after their last two shared film projects - Sweeney Todd and the Corpse Bride - proved middling at the box office. Alice in Wonderland more than doubled the $56.2m (£37.5m) opening of their previous biggest hit, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
Overall, Alice in Wonderland had the sixth biggest opening weekend in US box office history, after Shrek the Third ($121.6m or £108m), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($135.6m or £90.6m), The Twilight Saga: New Moon ($142.8m or £95.4m), Spider-Man 3 ($151.1m or £101m) and in first place, The Dark Knight ($158.4m or £105.8m).
Source : WNews
Go Alice ! :T
