'The Passion' Tops Weekend with $125,185,971 in 5 days

Box Office Mojo ^ | 3/1/04 | BOM

[mgist]

THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST

 

 

Total as of Feb. 29, 2004: $125,185,971
Distributor: Newmarket	Release Date: February 25, 2004
Running Time: 2 hrs. 6 min.	Production Budget: $30 million
MPAA Rating: R	Est. Marketing Costs: $15 million

 

GRADE THIS MOVIE
BOM Users	A- (381 users)
Your Grade	Log in

 

 

[Miss Marple]

You know what I think this means? I think people are hungry for faith, and they are wanting to see this for that reason. I myself have felt that my faith is more rote than heartfelt, and I am going to see this film in order to get a new perspective on Scripture, which because I have heard it all my life is too familiar and comfortable.

Gibson has done a great service to all of us, both believers and non-Christians, by giving us something visual and visceral to understand Christ's sacrifice. I haven't yet seen the movie, but will do so this next weekend. I both look forward to and dread it, but seeing it is necessary for me to understand the Sacrifice.

[scan58]

Beautifully said, Miss Marple. I think you are 100% correct.

[Betty Jane]

I just returned from seeing a 12:30 showing with hubby. WE saw it in the largest room of the theater. There had to be at least three hundred people there, on a Monday afternoon. Only one person got out of their seat the whole time. The theater was dead silent at the end.

It was a profound experience. The violence wasn't what had me in tears. It was the knowledge that I caused it by my own sins. The scene of the Marys cleaning up Jesus' blood was very moving for me. I would like to know if this was a custom of the time, and done out of love or shame, although for Mary, Jesus's mother, I felt it was out of love.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

"Movie brass predict that attendence will drop of over the weekend leaving Passion with receipts of approximately $35 million."

Wow, got a link to that page. That would be good for some laughs. I'd like to pass that around to people I know.

[missyme]

I would like to tell Hollywood:
BLESSED ARE THE MEEK FOR THEY SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD.

[NYer]

Me thinks that Box Office Mojo needs to find more reliable scources....I mean they were only off by $90 million....

And just wait 'til they see the receipts for April 8, 9 and 10! That is Holy Week and I would expect that regardless of how many times anyone has seen the movie, most Christians will flock to the movie theaters to relive a "living" version of the Stations of the Cross.

[NYer]

My teenage son is going with me.

I took my teenage daughter out of school on Friday so we could watch it together.

Today, she told me that she was verbally attacked by some of her "friends" in school as being a 'religious fanatic'. This attack was provoked by her reaction to two of her girlfriends who decided to emulate Madonna and Britney by making out in the back of her car over the weekend. She told them their actions were immoral.

My daughter then told me that after watching The Passion, she had done a 180 degree turn, seeing her faith in very realistic terms. That makes perfect sense, since our kids are growing up in such a visual world.

My daughter has now severed all ties with these two girlls. Her faith, she tells me, is stronger now than ever and she will stand up for it against anyone and everyone.

The Passion of the Christ is indeed a very powerful film! Thank you, Mr. Gibson for releasing it to us now. God knows we need it more than ever.

[nickcarraway]

BUMP!

[Barnacle]

That's fantastic. If you have such a story to tell, you know there must be others.

I hope the Passion will have the impact of 9-11 on our culture.

[NYer]

since the mind could transcend the shock from the scourging of Christ - and now reflect more purely on his suffering, and of Mary's suffering.

A reviewer on EWTN Thursday, said that when he first viewed the film, he found himself comparing his reactions to all that he had read. The second time he watched it, he did so for himself. It was even more powerful. Did yo notice that the entire movie is viewed through Mary's eyes?

...and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is destined for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be contradicted (and you yourself a sword will pierce) so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
Luke 2:34:35

[NYer]

And a lot of people who don't go to the movies very often are waiting for the crowds to die down, like me.

Go to the matinee! There were plenty of seats, and the ticket price is lower (not that it mattered to me ;-D)

[mdmathis6]

Oh I had no real criticism of your views. I have been coming to a conclusion that things in our country are coming to a head and that it is time for the "adults" to take charge again, or to recreate our country anew with God's help. We can't do so anonymously or ambiguously. We on Free Republic stand for freedom and values for the most part. Why should we be ashamed of that?

Now it is some-what risky exposing one's name. Hackers can track one down, the governement can monitor one more closely,employers who don't like your views can fire you,ect. I am gracious enough to understand that some need the privacy for legal reasons and what not. In the end, it is still the force of the ideas and opinions discussed that are important. Even when I am wrong, those who expose my wrongness and rightfully cut me to the quick, do so knowing that I don't hide my name.
(By the way the 'md" stands for Michael David and the 6 stands for the number in my family...self, wife, 2 girls and 2 boys)
cheers to you!

[Neuromancer]

Beautifully said.

I would add the corollary that it makes me even hunger to read the PASSION threads.

There is a great void in our lives in these strife-filled days. That the death of Jesus should be the focal point of so much discussion and energy, is a blessing.

I hope that this spiritual awakening will translate into a country and culture that is less overtly evil and more centered in the goodness of God's love.

[wardaddy]

Good for you Nyer, I have teen daughters as well.

We saw it today. Most difficult film to watch I've ever seen. Gibson intended to impress upon us Christ's suffering and he did his job. It's not the violence itself that was so hard but who it was being inflicted upon that troubled me. I had to steel myself continuously and my wife sobbed throughout a great deal of the movie.

I am a protestant and I could see the emphasis on Mary as being a bit different than what I was used to but it was so welcome. It brought a different more human or maternal impact that I thought added to the film....very much so.

Anyone who thinks the film is anti-Jewish is either dim or has another agenda. Sure, the bad guys encompass some Jewish religious leaders and the mob and some awful Roman soldiers but I think all the sympathetic characters are Jewish sans perhaps Pilate's wife. These Jews are the foundation of Christendom. These charges are nonsensical at the root.

Caviezal as Jesus is so believable yet ethereal that it's scary. The Morgenstern woman as Mary is just as good too in my view....she acted that role with simply her face mostly. Incredible. They are all good, Belluci who is impossible to make ugly shows she can act. John and Pilate are well portrayed too and one should mention the androgynous Satan as well.

I think all Christians lapsed or otherwise should see it and especially teenagers. They need to realize that Jesus is not simply a story and they need to get a glimpse of what he voluntarily suffered for us.

The pivotal line for me (which I realize was out of chronological context) was when Mary rushed to Jesus as he stumbled beneath the cross and he told her "BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW". That sort of summed it all up for me and I hope this film helps to rekindle that feeling.

When Jesus squishes Satan's snake is also an early signal that this is a different sort of film....not much ambiguity.

The theater was quiet sans sobbing and everyone left very very quietly. I must confess that I am enjoying watching my cultural foes reeling....it's been a long time coming. I hope they are learning something good here from their own chicanery. The film was everything I expected and hoped for and then some. I will watch it again but I need some time.

[NewCenturions]

Coming out of the film, I was struck by how ridiculous this movie made all the other movie playing at the theater look. Felt like I'd just seen a movie that actually answers the question "what is the meaning of life?" and then across the hall "50 First Dates" was playing. No comparison. How useless the other movies all were. Never has a film stayed with me so long. I'm still trying to take it all in!

[jwh_Denver]

"The Passion" put up the second-best five-day figures for a movie opening on Wednesday,

The money figures show that a lot of people are going to see "The Passion", but I wonder what God in those people who have seen it. My prayer is that He works wonders in these people.

[Phx_RC]

WELCOME to Free Republic!

[onyx]

Thank you for your comments. Thus far, everyobe who's seen the Passion has been powerfully moved. I'm glad to hear you think it's appropriate for teenagers. That's a blessing in itself.

[Phx_RC]

On this thread someone estimated a maximum of $300 million.

I'm wondering why they decided to cut off their projections after just a mere 3 weeks from opening day??

Such pessimists. Or is that just post event wishful thinking?

[dogbyte12]

The Passion is pretty much unpredictable. On one hand, you have the devout believers going to see it. On the other hand, it is rated R. R rated movies tend to not gross as high, because the primary movie audience is teenagers. The other factor that gets movies way up to $300 mill is repeatability. Star Wars doesn't actually get 80 million people in the audience. However it does get a good 10 million of those viewers to see it 5 times or more.

Honestly, this movie could pass Titanic, or it could peter out at under $300,000,000. There really is no benchmark here. Any "professional" giving a number is just making an extremely wild guess.