'The Passion' gets wider release

Seattle Times ^ | April 9th, 2004

[missyme]

A group from Antioch Bible Church in Redmond plans to celebrate Good Friday at a movie theater tonight, watching Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ."

The e-mail invitation reads that the outing is "to help us stay in focus and to keep it all in perspective."

Joe Meek, a church member who will not attend tonight's screening but plans to watch the movie for the third time this weekend, said it's an appropriate way to celebrate what Easter is about for Christians.

"It truly comes as close to depicting what actually happened to our Lord as any film that has addressed that," said Meek, director of the church's dance and drama ministries and administrator for its worship arts ministry. "So 'The Passion' is a marvelous way of commemorating that outside of church worship."

Films that start out big in the marketplace usually see their circulation shrink within a few weeks, but that's not the case with "The Passion of the Christ."

In anticipation of the Easter season, Gibson's film about the last 12 hours in Jesus Christ's life expanded again last week by 194 venues to 3,408 theaters nationwide. That theater count will make "Passion" the most widely circulated film in the marketplace.

As of yesterday, according to the online movie-ticketing site Fandango, "The Passion" accounted for 31 percent of advance ticket sales for the week — up from 13 percent last week. Up until a couple of weeks ago, it had been the No. 1 movie every week since advance tickets were made available, and "The Passion" is back at the top spot this week.

While many films start out in a smaller number of theaters — 1,000 to 2,000 — and work their way up, "The Passion" made its debut on a high venue count of 3,043. When a film starts at that level, there's usually nowhere to go but down.

"I think it's a smart move," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office watcher Exhibitor Relations. "They're anticipating increased demand, so they're making it more available."

"The Passion" has proved to be an atypical film. With $330 million in gross receipts thus far, it has moved into the top 10 in all-time domestic box-office receipts, just moving ahead of "Forrest Gump." It was the top film its first three weeks in theaters, second in its fourth week and a close third last weekend. On Wednesday, when it opened in Rome, it broke all records for a first-night showing in Italy, according to its distributor.

The $30 million-budgeted "Passion" was produced and financed by Gibson's Icon Productions and distributed by independent Newmarket Films. It is by far the most successful independently released film and the best-performing "R"-rated film ever in the U.S.

"I'm not prepared to say it'll be No. 1 on Easter weekend, but you never know," Dergarabedian said.

It will be competing with Disney's $95 million film, "The Alamo," being released today, along with Warner's "The Whole Ten Yards," a sequel to 2000's "The Whole Nine Yards."

Material from Knight Ridder Newspapers, Reuters, and Times staff reporter Young Chang is included in this report.

[xJones]

There is, after all, a consequence to terms, right?!

Of course, and there was only one Jesus, right? Read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for further details, all of which books are revered in every Christian church.

[Sloth]

It's now #63

#63 of what?

[ALOHA RONNIE]

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MEL's -PASSION- sparked by -WE WERE SOLDIERS-

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=39081


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[xJones]

So where do you stand, what do you believe? It's time to state your beliefs, thank you.

[Elliott]

Thus, the crucial reason for Apolstalic Succession!
However, the "rub" is that those who are witness to the truth...who know better...and more responsible for living the truth....Holy Good Friday!

[Elliott]

BTW...I viewed the Fox presentation of "WHO IS JESUS?" last week and found it to be both enjoyable and non-offensive.
And, I would love to know the name of some of the artists that had been utilized for the special....It is on tonight at 7:00 pm pst. A nice contrast from the pukey Peter Jennings Apostasy Special.

[xJones]

I would have thought the question was rather obvious.

[xJones]

It looks like the newby moirai has gone bye-bye. One thing I know is that I didn't hit abuse.

[opinion8r]

I believe that the Holy Spirit, has performed something very special through God's faithful servant, Mel Gibson.

[missyme]

Who was moriai? was he banned, I don't even know what he wrote about...Sometimes I feel clueless about the New Freepers...

[mdmathis6]

" Mel Gibson did with James Garner "


It was a remake of Mavrick with Garner playing the original but elder Mavrick and Mel playing his son...it was very well done and very funny...even if Jodie Foster was also in it!

[missyme]

I will! I know there will be parts when I see the movie this time that I missed the first time because I was so nervous, excited, and mezmorized what I was watching and I looked around alot at the audience hoping I was not disturbing anyone...

[missyme]

Oh that's right! yes it was a funny movie....even with Jodi Foster....

[SauronOfMordor]

I expect TPOTC to easily move from #10 overall to #8 overall and maybe even #7 overall.

#8 easily. It only needs another $2M to overtake "Finding Nemo", and it did more than that on Thursday. Another $2M has it overtaking "The Two Towers". It should be at #8 by Saturday, easily.

To get to #7, it has to earn an additional $15M past that (or $20M from where it stood on Thursday), and that might be a stretch, even considering it's Easter Weekend. But probably by the end of next weekend

[Forgiven_Sinner]

I think it will make a minimum of $15 million on the weekend, and probably $20 million, which will take it to #7. But I'm praying for $50 million--not for the money, but the people to hear the gospel and be converted. Or for apathetic Christians to see it and be charged with the Holy Spirit. That is, I want 10 million people to see it domestically this weekend.

And I pray for twice that worldwide.

On the money side, if it hits $50 million this weekend, that will take it to $387 million this weekend and then it will probably hit $400 million next weekend--the fastest ever.

Pretty good for a movie with a limited market. </sarcasm>

[missyme]

I just got home from seeing the movie for a second time and the theatre was packed! we had to sit in the front rows, it was heart wrenching and my eyes are swollen and I have a headache..big deal Our Lord suffered so much for us, we are not worthy of the lamb that was slain but just say the words and we are healed...

God Bless everyone that they might love like the lord has loved us. Happy Easter to All! and let PEACE enter the hearts of men....

[supercat]

To get to #7, it has to earn an additional $15M past that (or $20M from where it stood on Thursday), and that might be a stretch, even considering it's Easter Weekend.

Considering the levels of attendance levels of Friday matinée showings, I think it has a strong likelihood of a very good weekend. And probably the best "seventh Friday" to date.