Amazing 'Princess' Box Office

[Another Voice]

It’s with great pleasure that I can pass along some GOOD news about Disney – the weekend box office take for ‘The Princess Diaries’ is the biggest news in Hollywood this morning. The film took in $23.2 million dollars over the weekend at a very close third place behind ‘Planet of the Apes’ ($28.5 million for the monkeys and ‘Rush Hour 2’ took in a completely undeserved $66.8 million). For comparison, Disney’s best August opening was ‘The Sixth Sense’ which made just under twenty-seven million its first weekend.

The film’s audience was just had a better mix than Disney was anticipating with a higher percentage of teenagers than expected. Think about that – teenagers at a ‘G-rated’ Disney movie in the middle of summer. Even better, the target audience of under-17 girls gave the film a 91% favorable score which should mean good things for the word of mouth and keep the film in theaters while the bigger summer ‘blockbusters’ crash and burn around it. And even better news for the Company, a strong box office will translate into massive home video sales since “younger” and “women’s” film tend to do better in sales. I would not be surprised if the home video take from ‘The Princess Diaries’ was twice the box office total.

Lastly, what makes me optimistic (yes out there, even I can be an optimist) is that this film was a big risk for Disney and they made it work. This film broke every single rule about summer movies – no explosions, no big names, no appeal to teenage boys, no roman numeral after the title – and sin above sin, the filmmakers wanted a ‘G’ rating. I hope the powers-that-be understand the message that is being sent: people want MOVIES, they don’t want hollow blockbusters, they don’t want scripts written by focus groups, they don’t want sequels that are really remakes, they don’t want feature length ads for merchandise – they want movies that try to tell a story and that tell it well.

It’s also nice to see that so many people came out to support a movie like this.

[DisneyFanGuy]

Well I will tell you that my entire family wants to see it. That's my daughter (Age 12), and BOTH my sons (Ages 8 and 15). There is something very enticing about the trailer, and the story. Being directed by Gary Marshall doesn't hurt either.

My wife, gone for the weekend, said that we couldn't see it until she came back, and I laughed myself silly at the trailer. Since many of Disney's recent offerings have left us cold, we are eager to go. (Pearl Harbor is about the only big movie this summer that we have skipped!)

We certainly aren't "primed" for any other Disney offerings. (Bubble Boy?) Hopefully, Disney will ponder the meaning of all of this, and not assume it's a fluke.



:pinkbounc

[mmapwright]

We saw this over the weekend and my daughter loved it. We all had a good time watching this one. Believe me with the number of times I get to watch the animated films over and over and over again, I thought it was nice to see a movie with real people in it.

[HorizonsFan]

I hope the powers-that-be understand the message that is being sent: people want MOVIES, they don’t want hollow blockbusters, they don’t want scripts written by focus groups, they don’t want sequels that are really remakes, they don’t want feature length ads for merchandise – they want movies that try to tell a story and that tell it well.

AMEN! (I always suspected there was a closet optimist in there...)
I think that's why I've stopped going to the movies over the last 10 years and why I have always preferred live theatre. Movies can depend on special effects and car chases to keep an audience's attention. Theatre doesn't have that luxury (not to the extent that movies do). We must keep our audience's disbelief suspended with a good story and honest, believable acting. I hope that not only Disney, but other studios learn the same thing...

[Disnsyncey]

I'm 19, and I have been waiting to see this movie for at least a month!! (I've already seen it twice....its a thing with me that I have to see a movie 2x, sometimes 3) Me and my friend went at the first Matinee showing after she got out of school, and the theater was almost packed!! For a matinee!! The night showing sold out!! It moved into the hall of fame in my town for movies that sell out, along with the only one, Aladdin.

[Planogirl]

I would like to see this movie but I take issue that people don't want to see sequels because the box office for Jurassic Park III would seem to indicate otherwise. I like seeing this though because that seems to say that there's room for a movie like the Princess Diaries too. This is a welcome change.

[Janet2k]

Another Voice, no big names in this movie? Have you never seen "Mary Poppins" or "The Sound of Music"? Even my little daughter (lower single digits) knows who Julie Andrews is. You just don't get a bigger name (in her eyes) than Julie Andrews (and I agree with her).

[diskids2]

I saw this movie this weekend and loved it. A group of us went, our kids are all in there teens. It was a great Mother-daughter event. Everyone loved it! I agree, even the teens know Julie Andrews, and didn't she really look like a queen!

[kozmo]

i took my neice,gram-crackers and saw the movie sunday ,we loved it ,it was great!!

[Another Voice]

Some quick comments –

A “big name” in Hollywood terms is someone who can guarantee a good opening weekend, a list the suits keep and update every weekend. And being a “big name” has nothing to do with being talented. I put “big name” in quotes because I personally hate the term and I thinks it’s a mental crutch for talent-free suits incapable of judging ability - witness that Ben Affleck is considered a “big name”. Ms. Andrews is not considered a “big name” because she hasn’t had a box office smash in the memories of the twenty-years olds that are running the studios, but there’s talk she’s now a dark horse candidate for a Best Supporting Actress nomination. There are still some people around here that can appreciate true talent.

The true test of the box office will be this upcoming weekend. Early indications are that the word-of-mouth is very good for ‘Princess’ and that the film will pick up a lot of repeat business from the pre-teen and teen-age girls. This is not going to be a massive box office smash along the lines of ‘Tomb Raider’ or ‘Mummy’, but with a very modest production cost this film should be huge money maker for Disney. I think the ‘Spy Kids’ analogy is very appropriate. By the way, anyone see the ads for the ‘Special Edition’ of ‘Spy Kids’ coming back to theaters? “Rumors” say that Disney is putting the cut that was originally indented for the DVD release into theaters to get a quick boost of revenues – another after effect of the ‘Pearl Harbor’ and ‘Atlantis’ problems.

Lastly, I can not emphasize how this movie’s success is so shocking. Teen age girls (the hardest audience to market to according to common wisdom) are going to a G-rated Disney movie in the middle of summer. After a summer where all of the mega-giant action flicks have opened huge and then crashed, there are a lot of studio executives around town that are dumbstruck. I hope Disney picks up the right lesson from this one.

[Sarangel]

Is it possible that the attendance for this film is so high because there's nothing else out there in the 'G' Rating?

That being said, and having once been a teenage girl, I must mention that the Ugly Duckling/Cinderella storyline is very appealing to young women. Society has set standards of beauty that no normal person can meet, but asks women and girls to kill themselves trying. It can get very discouraging (especially to a teenager) to try to look like the latest supermodel when you're built wrong, have pimples, glasses or the wrong kind of hair.

Just my $0.02.

Sarangel

[Janet2k]

Another Voice, I was just pulling your chain. I personally find it insulting who the “powers that be” think I want to see as far as actors and actresses go in a movie (I prefer to see a “no name” over a “big name” just about any day). And are these “big names” really worth the money that they are paid? Don’t even get me started on that topic (comedy, as they say, is not pretty).

I took my little daughter and my teenage son to a matinee of the Princess Diaries this afternoon and I found it refreshing. I noticed that all the gentlemen sitting down at the end of my row were laughing just as much as I was throughout the movie. And these were older gentlemen who came without children (some came with their wives, some without). I always like to look around a theater to see who the audience really is. And, yes, Diskids2, I thought Julie Andrews looked every bit a queen. She was perfect for the role, regal with a heart. The fact that the movie was shot in San Francisco (my favorite city in the whole world) was just icing on the cake. What a wonderful location for a movie about a young girl coming of age (albeit in a fairy tale way). I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and will buy it when it comes out on DVD. My husband will probably see the movie with our daughter next week since he couldn’t join us today, and I have a funny feeling that I will join them (my arm won't need to be twisted).

[April76]

This movie is wonderful -- sweet, honest, charming, are all words that come to mind...

I thought the cast was great! The story (although it's a Cinderella/Ugly Duckling type storyline) is told very well and doesn't come off as "fluffy".

I saw it first with my 21 yr old daughter and then again (happily) with my DH -- I was a little concerned that he would think it was a "girly" movie, but he really enjoyed it (and there were lots of other men in the audience that were laughing throughout the movie).

I haven't found a single person who didn't enjoy this movie!

It would be nice if the industry would take notice and try to give kids/families more of this type of "clean" entertainment. I get so tired of foul language, nudity, and bathroom humor being placed in movies (and it doesn't help the movie or the story anyway).

[Another Voice]

Thank you, Ms. Janet2k. The whole “big name” game in Hollywood is really tragic because so few in Hollywood really know anything about making films these days (too many lawyers, too many business suits). One of the jokes around town is that ‘Princess Diaries’ had half of the executive’s staffs racing to the Internet Movie Database to see if this Julie Andrews person had done any other films.

The box office receipts during the week were very strong; most days ‘Princess’ was the number two movie. It should easily retain at least the number three spot this weekend. I’ll post the results.

And not to spoil the movie magic, but except for a few establishing shots, ‘The Princess Diaries’ was filmed in suburbs of Los Angeles. Given the right art direction, you can find places around here that will double for any location on Earth.

[Janet2k]

Another Voice, as with most movies, I figured a majority of the film was shot on a studio backlot and in a studio soundstage, but I was happy to see some of the scenes that were actually filmed in San Francisco (I especially liked the scenes where Mia and Lilly were zipping around the hills on their scooters, the scenes from the school, and also the scenes from inside the Musée Mécanique). For those of you who have seen the movie and are familiar with Northern California and my favorite city, here is a list of some of the locations that were used during the filming of the “Princess Diaries” (taken from one of the film commission’s website: http://www.norcalmovies.com/ThePrincessDiaries/):

- - - - - - -

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Filming Locations —
 City and County of San Francisco: Phoenix Terrace at Pacific Avenue. Lyon & Grove Streets. Musée Mécanique, 1090 Point Lobos Avenue. Brazil & Athens Streets. Hamlin School, 2120 Broadway. Taylor & Broadway.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Non-Filming Locations:
 Presidio of San Francisco, GGNRA / Presidio Trust: Building 924 was used for catering, extras holding, and wardrobe. Various lots at the parade grounds and on Halleck Street were used for crew and extras parking and basecamp.
 City and County of San Francisco: The crew and production office were at the Holiday Inn Fisherman's Wharf, 1300 Columbus Avenue at North Point.

- - - - - - -

AnotherVoice, I found a lot of humor in your statement: "One of the jokes around town is that ‘Princess Diaries’ had half of the executive’s staffs racing to the Internet Movie Database to see if this Julie Andrews person had done any other films." I can actually visualize that; thanks for the giggle.

[Janet2k]

I have a question: Will there be a sequel to this movie? I assume so since the movie ended on a jet plane that was heading to the princess-ipality of Genovia.

[Another Voice]

Forty million dollars from the box office in a week, less than twenty million to make (I guess).

Asking about a sequel is a bit redundant.

[DisneyFanGuy]

My family got to see it yesterday. My 8 year was bored silly (No action or aliens!) but the rest of us loved it. What a nice little film!

I think what I liked most was the easy going pace. Many films lately have moved at such a fast pace that I left the theater almost out of breath. While that is fine and dandy sometimes, it's nice to be able to relax and enjoy a family friendly movie.

Unfortunately, last night I saw a preview on TV for "Bubble Boy", so my positive, Pro Disney high only lasted for a few hours. LOL!

[Dancind]

I think this movie took many people by surprise, especially the managers/owners of the movie theatres! My daughter and I headed out for the first show the Friday it opened, it sold out. They had planned to have it in two theatres (24 theatre multiplex), and had changed it to one, cancelling the next published show! You should have seen the line when we got back 45 minutes early, tickets in hand, to see the next one! We enjoyed it, and my DH was pouting that night because we didn't wait to go with him. I think the young lady in it gets lots of credit too, she was charming and had that Julia Roberts quality - makes you root for her. I saw her one page article in People today, she's a college student. I'm sure we'll see plenty of her in the future, and right now I can't remember her name!

[Another Voice]

The box office continues strong, with a weekend take of over $14 million and a drop-off of only 38% from it’s opening weekend. That is considered excellent for this summer’s season when even the biggest movies saw their box office cut by more than half every weekend. The film also was put in more theaters last weekend and should be in more this week.

Given the trends, ‘Princess’ should take in between $95 - $100 million dollars at the box office. That’s substantially more than two of Disney’s “big hit” films for the summer: ‘Atlantis’ and ‘Scary Movie 2’. And with a production budget that wouldn’t have covered the lunches on the set of ‘Pearl Harbor’, this will be one of the most profitable Disney films since ‘The Lion King’.

And for a wild, completely unsubstantiated, off-the-wall, without confirmation rumor – instead of a sequel, how about a stage/musical version of the ‘The Princess Diaries’ written specifically for Miss Andrews’ return to Broadway?

[Dancind]

I don't think a musical would work out. Julie Andrews underwent surgery on her vocal chords a few years ago, and that ended her singing career. Very sad.

[JohnMouse]

Her name is Anne Hathaway. I agree with you, she was a real charmer. I think she will be a big star someday. She is as pretty as Belle.:)

[mmouse37]

Everytime I was in the Disney Store and the trailer for Princess Diaries came on I noticed that people stopped what they were doing and would all watch the screen. I was amazed. Something in either the music or dialog really caught people's attention. Everyone one from kids to teens to adults would stop and watch the trailer. Very refreshing movie. MY DD13 loved it as well as the whole theatre. People even clapped when it was over!!! Most of the shows that night were sold out -- good sign for G movies!!!!!

MJ

[disneycub]

FYI, The Lion King starts its first national tour in Denver, spring 2002.

And scoop, you are absolutely right. The show is amazing. The Circle of Life opening blew me right out of my seat.

[Another Voice]

I must agree with my friends here that ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway is incredible and an experience everyone should try to see (and it is an experience more than a stage play). But credit for this shouldn’t go to “Disney” – it needs to go to Julie Taymor. She is the designer, creator and director of the show; the creator responsible for the human/animal mask concept that put the true “magic” in the production. She is an amazing artist and had a very successful career before Disney came along – and she agreed to do the show under the condition that Disney management not interfere with her work.

We often speak of Disney-this and Disney-that, but in reality Disney The Company doesn’t create anything. It’s the hard work of a lot of talented individuals that create everything that you see and enjoy. All the Company can do is provide an environment for them to work in and to support their projects. Without that environment and that support, there is no “magic”. Look at the difference between DisneySea and California Adventure – it’s the difference between how two companies treated the very same group of creative people and the results are clear for the whole world to see.

And yes, ‘Aida’ is pretty much of a flop. So the concept for a Julie Andrews show is rumored to be gaining traction. The thought of thousands of people clamoring for Miss Andrews’ return can be heard even in Burbank and there’s a certain former studio head that just formed his own Broadway production company. Guess which string he just found attached to his golden parachute? Hollywood works in mysterious ways.

P.S. French Stewart (the “weird” on from ‘Third Rock From The Sun’) just signed on to play the title role in ‘Inspector Gadget 2’. I know it will shock everyone to hear that this is a direct-to-video sequel from Disney. Mathew Broderick was offered the job, but is rumored to have mumbled something about a gig on Broadway that sells balcony seats for $1,000 a pop.

[airlarry!]

AV:

Don't mean to disagree, but the difference between DCA and TDS was *not* because of OLC's involvement, if we are to believe some of the rumors from sources like MotleyFool.com and others. Some 'insiders' claim that OLC is very much in the vein of the present Disney mgt, i.e. Six Flags is good enough to make money.

The difference was the *support* given to the talented people in Imagineering by Disney, not necessarily by OLC. When Uncle Mikey is spending other people's money, like in TDS or in what he believed was other people's money in the MK at Disneyland Paris, then it seems he wants nothing but the best, my friend. When Uncle Mikey is spending Disney's money for American tastes, then the parks get short-shifted. Let us not worship OLC's involvement just yet. I think the jury is out on OLC...although to the media and the general lay person, they look like the geniuses because DCA can't draw a paying crowd and TDS is by some rumor mills sold out for the first month or two.

In other words, I'm nitpicking with you on what may turn out to be an incorrect assumption on the part of many of us (including me in the past) about the relationship between OLC and Disney. If they had their way, they would have gotten something like Disney's Japanese Adventure *tm* .

[DisDuck]

AV, where is it posted that Aida is a flop? Tickets while not impossible to get are hard if wanting 'good' seats. I saw it in April and the house was full. There are no advertisements indicated that run is about to end or anything.

Broadway is very quick to eliminate flops. They do not hang on for months and months. If you are going to quote that it cost X dollars to produce/market and it has only made Y dollars to date as a criteria for a flop, well again Broadway would not tolerate this and the show would have closed already. Example, Jesus Christ Superstar opened same month as Aida, where is it now? GONE GONE GONE.

What I think is going on with Aida is that its not for everyone's taste so those who don't like the Rock bent given it versus the original Verdi Opera are turned off and only spout negative.

[Another Voice]

‘Aida’ just never lived up either artistically or at the ticket window to the expectations that Disney had demanded. The show is really being sold as a tourist attraction on Broadway (according to “rumors”, most tickets are sold through travel packages and travel agencies). Disney spent a lot of money on the show and in refurbishing the theater, so cut-rate tickets are better than letting the place stay dark. If Disney had another “attraction” to put in the theater, ‘Aida’ would have been long gone.

In fairness, all of Broadway survives off the tourist trade anyway and very, very few shows (‘The Lion King’ and ‘The Producers’) make it in their own. For the travel industry, shows work just like ‘Fantasmic!’ does for WDW – they’re the closing spectacular for New York World showing nightly in Broadwayland. The shows that close are the ones that don’t draw a real audience and lack the marketing muscle to bring in the out-of-towners. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, it’s just the realities of theater at the moment.

[DisDuck]

What is wrong with tourist trade anyway? So when I was in London in the mid-80's and saw Cats, Chess, Starlight Express, 42nd Street, these shows were just living off of the tourist trade and were really not 'shows'. Interesting concept; however, one I don't agree with. Also, I have yet to see Aida 2-fer tickets nor was Aida listed at the Times Square Tkts Booth when I was there in February and in April.

Please define making it on your own. If the house is full (or nearly so) and this occurs just about every performance then how is this not making it. What is a 'real audience' and since I am from NJ does that make me an 'out-of-towner' just part of the tourist trade.

So who is seeing Les Miz, Kiss Me Kate, Annie Get Your Gun, Phantom, etc. Just tourists who come to NY on vacation.

[HorizonsFan]

I think AV has Broadway and most other for-profit American theatre figured out.
Most production companies who are making money are doing so by attracting out-of-towners.
New York is a major tourist destination and Broadway is a major attraction. As a theatre teacher, I can go for free if I take 11 students. Usually you get two "second tier" shows (the really good shows are sold) and an off-Broadway show. I prefer the off-off-off Broadway kind of stuff...
I worked as a resident company member at an AEA SPT and what they did is being repeated around the country. They took an old opera house on a town square not far from the DFW metroplex and renovated it. They convinced a few local buisness to join forces and begin a complete renovation of the square. They now do musicals and farces (11 shows per year; 5 performances per week; 7 during summer months) to mostly sold houses of retirees that they bus in from all over (mostly DFW). Saturday nights are mostly younger people that drive in from Ft. Worth but the theatre wouldn't survive on that. The same groups come year after year and everybody's happy. The theatre even offers company members housing and insurance benefits. In fact, I didn't even use the AEA insurance because what the theatre offered was better!
There's nothing wrong with tourism, live entertainment wouldn't survive without it. I consider DFW to be a fairly large market, yet there are only two large theatre companies (one in Dallas and one in Ft. Worth) who are truly profitable. They make it by bringing in touring shows that people go to see because their friends saw it on Broadway and recommend it and by doing children's theatre and bussing in area school children (can you say cha-ching?). The next level of theatre is the tiny company in a strip mall who is barely making ends meet and employs a company of two or three.
For some reason, a live performance has to be a special event for a large portion of Americans. They'll go to a movie twice a month but the theatre only twice a year (if that...) Maybe that's because a large percentage of Americans would rather see something blow up than to be moved or educated. I had to go to educational theatre to find some true financial and job security. Some of us would rather do that than get a "real job". ;)

[Another Voice]

"So who is seeing Les Miz, Kiss Me Kate, Annie Get Your Gun, Phantom, etc. Just tourists who come to NY on vacation?"

Welcome to show business.

[adrien32]

I just hope the other movie studios take the hint and start making more G-rated movies. Primarily for religious reasons, my husband and I have decided not to go to R-rated movies any more, and we'd much prefer to be able to take the whole family to a G-rated movie together.