Mel Gibson Film '5th Largest Opening in History'

Newsmax ^ | 2-26-04 | Carl Limbacher

[truthandlife]

In the face of a vicious and sustained campaign attacking both Mel Gibson and his film "The Passion of the Christ" the opening day box office receipts Wednesday soared to $23.5 million with an additional $3 million take in advance screenings held Monday and Tuesday.

The film opened on 4,600 screens in 3,006 theaters on Wednesday.

According to the New York Times which has been in an attack mode against Gibson and his film since he first began filming the Passion, it was the fifth largest opening in Hollywood history with "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King," hanging on to first place with opening day receipts of $34.4 million.

Industry experts told the Times that the box-office figure was astonishing for an extremely violent, R-rated, religious film in Aramaic and Latin with English subtitles.

"This number would be impressive for a mainstream blockbuster, let alone a subtitled historical-religious epic," Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations, which tracks ticket sales told the Times. "This shows the power of public discourse with regard to religious topics and the effect a full-blown media blitz can have on the public."

Bob Berney, president of Newmarket Films, which is distributing the picture, told the Times he expected the number of theaters to increase slightly next week because of the intense interest. The film is already moving to more screens on Friday, for a total of 4,793 in 3,043 theaters.

"The success of the film so far is incredible, and it's across the board," Berney told the Times adding that theaters were packed not just in Bible Belt cities like Houston and Oklahoma City, but also at the AMC theater on 42nd Street in Manhattan and the soaring ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. The Times reported that some producers and studio executives said the film would probably take in $75 million by the close of the weekend and, if attendance continued to hold up, could take in as much as $100 million in the first five days.

"My feeling is these people will go back more than once," Mr. Berney said. "And with this kind of number, people who are not part of churches will go just out of feeling that they've got to see it, a curiosity. I don't know how long it will go," he added "but there will be enough repeat business to sustain it for quite a while."

[commish]

ROTK opened on A Wednesday also. Dec 18, I think. It was inside the Holiday Movie window.

THat is what is so amazing. Passion has had a bigger opening than any movie EVER that was not released between May-Aug or Thanksgiving-New Years.

NOt the Biggest Wednesday, the Biggest ANYDAY.

[Future Snake Eater]

I know I'm going against the grain here, but I have no intention of seeing this movie in the theater - it sounds to me like the taking of the most beautiful story ever told, and turning it into a "slasher/bloody/gore" horror flick movie - and the more comments it generates, the bigger the profit.

Because he accurately portrays crucifixion and scourging, that makes it a slasher pic? Go see a "Friday the 13th" movie and get back to us on that one.

And Mel Gibson is almost giddy each time I see him on tv, promoting this. What is wrong with him?

What is wrong with that guy? I mean, it's almost like he's very passionate about his beliefs and the sharing of his faith with the world! What is it with that moneygrubbing weirdo?

I haven't seen the movie - perhaps it's fantastic.

Given the amazing reviews and the tremendous word-of-mouth it has generated, it most likely is fantastic. Damn shame you're just gonna sit there and "sumbitch" the whole thing due to some unfounded suspicions on your part.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Berney told the Times adding that theaters were packed not just in Bible Belt cities like Houston and Oklahoma City, but also at the AMC theater on 42nd Street in Manhattan and the soaring ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. The Times reported that some producers and studio executives said the film would probably take in $75 million by the close of the weekend and, if attendance continued to hold up, could take in as much as $100 million in the first five days.

LOL, I'm laughing so hard my puppy is getting nervous. Oh, this is beautiful…. this is divine intervention. Hollywood and the critics must be pulling their hair out.

[elli1]

The local theatre doesn't regularly show matinees mid-week--only on weekends but they were running Passion this afternoon & the parking lot was packed.

[ezo4]

Im reading the book first before I see it

[Overtaxed]

think it would be nice if the movie makes a lot of money, but really, that shouldn't be something to hang on for satisfaction.

Hehehe....I hang on it for satisfaction. The more money it makes, the more the liberals whine, the more satisfaction. :)

[copwife]

I love God's sense of humor! First He used one of Hollywood's own to make easily the most awesome movie about Jesus ever.Then...He uses the negative critiques and controversy to bring masses to the film.How awesome is ourGod!!!!

[Arkinsaw]

Personally, I see this movie/promotion as a

Bah! Humbug! I shall eat a loaf of bitterness before ever allowing myself to see this movie. But not having seen it, I shall still trash it and make whining noises as if I had seen it and actually knew something about it.

[krb]

He put up $25 million for the movie, but he also put up another $25 million for the marketing.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Thank you. I was hoping you would reply to my post after reading through your other comments.

[wimpycat]

LOL! Perhaps a better way of putting it is if the movie didn't make a lot of money, we shouldn't think of it as a failure.

[AlbionGirl]

Damn shame you're just gonna sit there and "sumbitch" the whole thing due to some unfounded suspicions on your part.

Best line I've read in a while. For some reason I'm hearing Jackie Gleason say: 'my name is Buford T. Justice of Portague County.'

[Nick Danger]

Wait until Good Friday. It's going to happen all over again.

Good catch.

[Overtaxed]

Well that's true.

Actually, I'm rather enjoying the trash articles from the left. They must reaaaalllly be scared! Hee hee!

[Witherspoon]

I noticed in your signature line that you are a vet of LZXRAY in Ia Drang. You probably don't hear it enough, but THANK YOU, SIR! Sadly, most of America isn't aware of the great debt we owe to you and your brothers. My dad was a Marine surgeon in Da Nang but never talks much about it. I recently read WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE AND YOUNG and was affected deeply. Regardless of what you may feel sometimes, there are some of us out there who appreciate what you did. Oh yeah, I also recently read Bill Gertz' book about the 9/11 intelligence failures and was saddened but moved to read about our loss of one of your comrades, Rick Rescorla, who displayed heroism on the battlefields of Vietnam and died on 9/11 attempting to save a few more lives. Again, to you and all you served with -- THANK YOU.

IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF COL. RICK RESCORLA AND THE MEN WHO FELL AT IA DRANG

[rwfromkansas]

Icon has paid some theaters to keep this in theaters through Easter. The theater in a mall where I went to see this yesterday at a special college private screening has a sign on all the doors that says it will be in the theater for a minimum of 4 weeks. Never seen a theater put so much effort into letting people know a movie will be in a theater for so long.

I do not know if I can take seeing it again, but I may anyway. It is extremely powerful.

Here is the review thread (my review is post 137): http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1086228/posts

[The Mayor]

take that hollywood

[marajade]

GL does it with his SW movies. GL makes theaters keep it playing for a certain amount of time otherwise they can't get it. I believe the practice is common.

[Lancey Howard]

BUMP!!

[Plutarch]

In the face of a vicious and sustained campaign attacking both Mel Gibson and his film "The Passion of the Christ"….

"The success of the film so far is incredible, and it's across the board,"

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860)

Mel and The Passion are moving from the second to third phase as we speak.