Save that for when Total Recall opens, K.
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It's pretty difficult to continue a series after a 10-year break, especially when your last film wasn't well received. MIB 3 still managed to do pretty well, despite what it had going against it. Sure, it was the lowest grossing installment of the franchise. And sure, Will Smith was past his peak. However, this film managed to hold solid footing amidst a crowded summer, including the franchise's highest overseas take, which was able to turn the film's high budget into a profit for Sony Pictures. This is probably due in part to the appeal of the 3D format. Better yet, the film was a step up, quality wise, from the second film, which gets a lot of hate online. This third installment was generally liked, mainly thanks to Josh Brolin's spot on take as a younger version of Agent K. Sony Picture's happiness will continue with the next film on our list...
9. THE AMAZING SPIDER MAN - ~$715m Worldwide / $230m Budget
No comment.
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Rebooting a franchise in which the last installment was just five years ago is kind of an odd idea. I mean, MIB 3 had twice the wait, and they just continued as it was. Still, the new representation of Spider-Man, portrayed by The Social Network's Andrew Garfield and directed by Marc Webb ((500) Days of Summer), managed to be pretty successful. Much like MIB 3, which coincidentally was also distributed by Sony Pictures, the film became greatly profitable overseas, where 3D was more popular than it was in the states. The film was also generally well received by general audiences, despite poor reactions to the villanous Lizard's depiction, even scoring the rank of Certified Fresh on RottenTomatoes.com. Sony was so confident about the film, that they set the date for a 2014 sequel without even seeing how much this would make. Granted, it made less than than each film in Raimi's trilogy, but it still brought in a solid amount, and many will be looking forward to May of 2014.
8. MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED - ~$590m Worldwide / $145m Budget
This picture was from a well reviewed movie that made nearly $600m Worldwide. Think about that.
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First, let's agree not to mention "I Like To Move It." Alex, Marty, Gloria, & Melman are four of the most popular runaway animated animals of the moment. (I'm not sure if there are any others, though...) The films consistently delivered for children, albeit not as much for adults. Given the fact that Brave was coming up, and families were watching MIB 3 and The Avengers, many pundits saw a decline for the third installment. However, the film marked two highs for the series. Thanks to the lack of a major kids film since The Lorax, 3D premiums boosting ticket prices, and children laughing at the ad-naseum Circus Afro advertising, the film mustered up an impressive 60m opening. Better yet, the film held up, even against Brave, due to great word of mouth. Several agreed that it was actually a solid film, thanks to Noah Baumbach's co-written script and brilliant new characters. (Bryan Cranston, Jessica Chastain, and Martin Short as circus animals, and Frances McDormand as a twisted and relentless animal control officer.) The film pretty much surprised every one.
7. THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL - $131m Worldwide / $10m Budget
This also works in depicting the average group that saw this in theaters.
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Before it hit US shores, the motion picture event of the summer - for your grandparents - was already a bit hit in Europe, particularly the UK, home to most of the film's stars, such as Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, & Judi Dench. They all star as senior citizens traveling to India, particularly at the titular location run by Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel, and having life changing experiences. With solid reviews and an appealing cast/concept, seniors were drawn to the movie, giving it a $27k PTA from 27 theaters. Fox Searchlight marked a quick expansion for the film, putting it in over 1,000 theaters on its fourth week. The film soon led to $45m Domestic, on top of the money it had already made in its international release. Thus, it narrowly received the rank of highest grossing indie release of the summer, but it's not quite the most impressive...
6. MOONRISE KINGDOM - $58m Worldwide / $16m Budget
Hipsters rejoice!
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Also my favorite movie of the summer, Moonrise Kingdom pulled off an impressive feat. Wes Anderson's style is pretty niche, and the idea of two children falling in love on a New England island in 1965 isn't exactly what people go to see in the summer. However, Anderson's fans were dedicated from the start. The film pulled off an incredible $130k PTA over it's 3-day weekend, the second highest for a live action film. (Red State still holds the record.) After a slow but steady expansion, the film exceeded $40m, lingering though the summer as the must see independent film. (Marigold Hotel sort of faded after June, despite its success.) Not only that, but it's also shaping up to be one of the first Oscar contenders of the year, along with Beasts Of The Southern Wild & maybe The Dark Knight Rises. It's mimicking Midnight In Paris in many ways: Late may release, impressive OW PTA, expansion to around 1,000 theaters, and a total well above $40m. That also went on to get a Best Picture nod and a Best Screenplay win. Here's to hoping that Moonrise Kingdom can continue to shine when Oscar season comes around.
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