Meantime-Video game based action flick Street Fighter®: The Lengend of Chun-Li (reviews) is almost an afterthought thanks to the Jobros and Oscar.
Dave McNary and Pamela McClintock of Variety:
More people are going to the movies despite the bad economy -- or because of it.
Domestic theater admissions were up an unheard of 9.3% in January and February, usually one of the slowest times of the year.
In North America, revenues are up 13% for the first two months of 2009, clocking in at $1.62 billion through Tuesday, according to Rentrak.
Admissions also are on the rise overseas. However, the vagaries of currency exchange, including a stronger dollar, are hurting Hollywood.
The six major studios have seen a decline of more than 10% in revenues from foreign markets for the first two months of the year.
The value of the euro is off 20% compared with a year ago and the British pound has declined more than 35%. But, overall, international moviegoing remains decent in terms of local admissions and currency compared with a year ago.
Back home, admissions are often down even when revenues are up, thanks to increased ticket prices. This year's spike in actual foot traffic bucks that trend.
This weekend, observers will be watching to see if Disney's new entry "Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience" continues the box office boom.
That boom has seen several notable films beating expectations and racking up sizeable grosses. Last weekend, Lionsgate's "Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail" opened to $41 million, the best bow of any Perry pic, as well as any Lionsgate release.
Three films -- Warners' "Gran Torino," Sony's "Paul Blart: Mall Cop" and Fox Searchlight's Oscar winner "Slumdog Millionaire" -- have all crossed the $100 million mark this year.
"Torino's" cume through Tuesday was $135.5 million; "Mall Cop's," $122.2 million; and "Slumdog's," $101.9 million.
On Friday, Searchlight expands "Slumdog" to 2,943 theaters in the wake of the film's Oscar wins. It's the widest release in Searchlight's history.
It's been a good winter for the Fox family. The big studio's sleeper hit "Taken," with a gross of $96.5 million, should jump the $100 million mark by Sunday.
Nicole Sperling of EW asks:
If a 3-D concert film geared toward screaming tween fans doesn't have an expensive sold-out concert tour preceding it, does it make as loud a sound...at the box office?
3 weeks ago Disney and IMAX added dozens of screens to the Jonas opening. ahead of the "demand"
Next Week: One Film One Word...Watchmen!!!!!!! Finally!!!
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