‘Alexander’ not so great at box office
“Alexander” the movie managed something that Alexander the Macedonian king never did: It lost a battle.
The fight for moviegoers over the lucrative Thanksgiving holiday was too much for the Oliver Stone epic, which managed only $13.7 million over the weekend and $21.6 million since its release Wednesday, according to studio estimates.
“National Treasure” held the No. 1 spot for the second straight weekend with a strong $33.1 million. “The Incredibles” also continued to chug along, raking in $24.1 million to take second place and boost its total earnings to $214.7 million.
Despite savage reviews, “Christmas With the Kranks,” starring Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis, debuted in third place with a healthy $22.7 million. It was followed by two holdovers – “The Polar Express” ($20.1 million) and “The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie” ($17.8 million) – and “Alexander.”
“Alexander” was supposed to be distributor Warner Bros.’ showcase movie, a fall film that would compete for Academy Awards and take in at least as much as the studio’s other historical epic this year, “Troy,” which earned $133.7 million.
Instead, the $155 million film earned dismal reviews. Combined with meager ticket sales, that makes “Alexander” a long shot to crack the $100 million mark and to be a contender during the awards season.
Warner distribution chief Dan Fellman says the studio still believes the three-hour film could work as counterprogramming to this season’s family fare.
“It’s long, so it doesn’t get as many runs as shorter films,” he says. “And Thanksgiving is more geared for family movies. It will be a good option for adults in the weeks to come.”
Both “National Treasure” and “The Incredibles” have surprised analysts by performing well with families in the day, then becoming the primary choice for adults at night.
“It’s the new (type of) family film,” says Disney distribution chief Chuck Viane. “You’ve got to have dialogue that adults can pick up on that won’t confuse or offend the kids. And action that works for both.”