"averaged a still-strong $11,905 per theater"
Right. Because it's playing on very few screens.
The whole piece is an example of the fact that there are, as Disreali said, "lies, damn lies, and statistics".
The picture cost $14, it has grossed $22.5 and is not weakening. It is a success - commercially and critically. I'm not happy about it, but people want to see it. Kevin Costner's last western, the excellent "Open Range," grossed somewhere north of $50 million...
It's up to nearly 500 screens now. Originally, it was on 6 screens and then 29.
In fact, I read that it is NOT showing in Utah..the headline implies that the owners stopped the showing, but further reading shows that the distributor is the one who pulled it....because they ONLY want to show it in areas it will do well..then hope that word-or-mouth will sell it..
It's a good marketing plan obviously, but still don't think it will sell in the numbers they want.