BOX OFFICE: ‘Noah’ Rises, ‘God’s Not Dead’ Surprises As Schwarzenegger Brought To Knees

Deadline Hollywood ^ | 03/29/2014 | By ANITA BUSCH

[SeekAndFind]

Estimates for Darren Aronofsky‘s Noah are now anywhere from $41M to $44.6M based on a strong $15M Friday box office.

I wondered while writing the box office last night if Southern CA audiences watching the film when the earthquake hit got a little seasick thinking how realistic the special effects were.

Noah (PAR) was playing like a mainstream movie when it opened, but that bump indicates that it had some cross-over from the faith-based audiences which continue to keep God’s Not Dead in business. noahmovieAlthough based on the Biblical story, Noah doesn’t mention the name God once – how funny that God’s Not Dead made such a surprise second weekend showing, as if to say, ‘Oh yeah?’ The faith-based film that stars Shane Harper and Kevin Sorbo is continuing to play strong in its second weekend and this morning is expected to take $7.8M to $8M for the three-day or a per screen of $6,800. That would only be a 15% drop — a phenom hold as usually the pattern for faith-based films is to open big and then drop around 60% the following weekend.

Noah has already bowed overseas and most recent numbers from Paramount show that it has made $28.3M through Friday (for more on its international performance, see Nancy Tartaglione’s International report here).

Divergent (LGF) in its second weekend had an $8.2M Friday and is estimated to take in $26M+ for a 52% FSS drop (not too bad) as it moves its way to the $100M mark. It should end the weekend with around $95M. The studio has been quite adept at launching franchises (The Hunger Games) and Divergent – based on the Veronica Roth YA series – chalks up another from them.

However, the Arnold Schwarzenegger-led Sabotage from QED and Open Road Films is the aging action star’s lowest gross yet since leaving politics. The bloody R-rated picture from David Ayer (Training Day) has been upgraded slightly to a possible $5.4M weekend, but that can’t help this flagging film as U.S. audiences have spoken three times already on their lack of interest in Arnold. How ironic that Sam Worthington (Terminator Salvation) also stars.

As previously mentioned, it’s another great weekend for The Grand Budapest Hotel which added 673 runs as it expands across the nation. Audiences just love this quirky Wes Anderson ensemble which is likely to take in $8M to $8.3M racking up another strong per screen — this time over 8K over the 3-day. Every indication is that Warner Bros.’ 300: Rise of an Empire will cross the $100M mark and then some as estimates this morning have it ending the weekend with $101M. And Disney’s Muppets Most Wanted is in a tie with Fox/DreamWorks Animation’s Mr. Peabody and Sherman for the No. 3 spot in its second weekend out but its weekend-to-weekend drop is not bad at 43%. It truly does play to adults as well, which I literally had to see to believe. Here are numbers as they look this morning:

1). Noah (PAR), 3,567 theaters / $14.9M to $15.1M Fri./ 3-day cume: $41M to $44.6M / Wk 1

2). Divergent (LGF), 3,936 theaters (0) / $8.3M Fri. / 3-day cume: $26.1M to $26.5M / Total cume: $95M / Wk 2

3/4). Mr. Peabody And Sherman (FOX), 3,299 theaters (-308) / $2.18M Fri. / 3-day cume: $9.1M to $9.8M / Total cume: $94.9M to $95.3M / Wk 4

Muppets Most Wanted (DIS), 3,194 theaters (0) / $2.6M Fri. / 3-day cume: $9.6M to $9.9M / Total Cume: $31.6M to $31.8M / Wk 2

5). The Grand Budapest Hotel (FSL), 977 theaters (+673) / $2.3M Fri. / 3-day cume: $8M to $8.3M / Per screen: $8,400 / Total cume: $24M / Wk 4

6). God’s Not Dead (FREE), 1,178 theaters (+362) / $2.2M Fri. / 3-day cume: $7.7M to $8M / Per screen: $6,780 / Total cume: $20.7M to $21M / Wk 2

7). Sabotage (OPRD), 2,486 theaters / $1.78M Fri. / 3-day cume: $5.38M / Wk 1

8/9). Need For Speed (DIS), 2,705 theaters (-410) / $1.1 Fri. / 3-day cume: $4.1M / Total cume: $37.5M / Wk 3

300: Rise Of An Empire (WB), 2,601 theaters (-484) / $1.17M Fri. / 3-day cume: $4M to $4.1M / Total cume: $100.9M / Wk 4

10). Non-Stop (UNI), 2,515 theaters (-430) / $1.15M Fri./ 3-day cume: $3.8M to $4M / Total cume: $84.9M to $85.1M / Wk 5

NOTEWORTHY: Cesar Chavez (LGF), 664 theaters / $1M Fri. / 3-day cume: $3.1M to $3.5M / Per screen: $3,550 / Wk 1; Bad Words (FOCUS) 842 theaters (+755) / $780K Fri. / 3-day cume: $2.7M / Per screen: $3,190 / Total cume: $3.58M

[GreyFriar]

Friends from church saw “God Is NOt Dead” last night and recommend it highly.

[zot]

Friends from church saw “God Is NOT Dead” last night and recommend it highly.

Ditto.

[Texas Songwriter]

Just came from the movie and watched "God's Not Dead". It was well made. It had a good storyline. The acting was excellent.

I highly recommend this move. There are about 12 theaters where the movie was playing. I went to the 4:30 showing. Every seat was taken. At the end the crowd cheered. None of the other movies showing had more than a few people in their theaters.