Weekend Numbers - Trek #7 - $5.6 million - $232 million

[MvRojo]

International Total: $118,519,512

 

[Borgminister]

What was Paramount hoping for internationally again? 100?

 

[CommanderRaytas]

Are we pleased enough to squee? I know I am. *squee*

 

[Squiggy]

I don't know about you, but I've been squeeing for over a month.

 

[Starbreaker]

You should probably have a doctor look at that!

 

[CommanderRaytas]

No, I like him better this way.

 

[Cakes488]

Nice hold again...! Not sure of Trek can stay long enough to outlast Land of the Lost, but Imagine That is a real possibility.

Assuming 33% for next weekend, it'll be 3.8 million, after which all bets are off with Transformer 2 coming out...

I'd say 250 is just a tad out of reach, but this will be the highest earner among the Trek movies adjusted for inflation.

And the next one... hope it'll be 2011 and not 2012, frankly...

Trek should outlast land of the lost...that looks like one of the stupidest movies EVER.

 

[Jax]

What was Paramount hoping for internationally again? 100?

Several sources indicated that Paramount were hoping Trek would break the 100 million mark oversea's though when TREK started doing so well one report said they were hoping it might end at $150 million oversea's. I think 150 is too much but the oversea numbers will carry on going long after the domestic numbers so we could see Trek break past 130 in 2 weeks and maybe end in the 140's.

I think 135 million oversea is a likely total adding to the 240ish domestic total. How great would it be if the oversea's total did enough to carry TREK over $400 million WW. I can dream

 

[indranee]

well, it's just opening in some countries now (like India -- all my cousins are going... and I've a truckload of those!) so I'm inclined to wait and watch a bit more. as it is, 118mil is not bad for Trek.

 

[Borgminister]

Trek should outlast land of the lost...that looks like one of the stupidest movies EVER.

And how is that unique for a Will Ferrell movie?

Seriously, I thought it looked pretty good from the previews and am a bit surprised at how badly it is tanking.

I think 135 million oversea is a likely total adding to the 240ish domestic total.

That in itself is the dream come true...

How great would it be if the oversea's total did enough to carry TREK over $400 million WW. I can dream

...while that might be fantasy...

 

[trampledamage]

well, it's just opening in some countries now (like India -- all my cousins are going... and I've a truckload of those!) so I'm inclined to wait and watch a bit more. as it is, 118mil is not bad for Trek.

Well, let's hope they all like it as much as you do!

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Trek should outlast land of the lost...that looks like one of the stupidest movies EVER.

And how is that unique for a Will Ferrell movie?

So Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy and Rob Schneider walk into a bar...

 

[trampledamage]

Trek should outlast land of the lost...that looks like one of the stupidest movies EVER.

And how is that unique for a Will Ferrell movie?

So Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy and Rob Schneider walk into a bar...

Hopefully a crowbar

 

[Daneel]

If anyone's curious, here's a list of some recent films and their global take, plus a comparison of their domestic gross and international gross, courtesy of Box Office Guru. All grosses are as of June 14, 2009, and worldwide total is highlighted:

Title - International / Domestic / Worldwide Gross / % Foreign / % Domestic

Angels & Demons - 315.0 / 123.3 / 438.3 / 71.9% / 28.1%

Monsters vs. Aliens - 171.5 / 195.2 / 366.7 / 46.8% / 53.2%

X-Men Origins: Wolverine - 179.7 / 176.1 / 355.8 / 50.5% / 49.5%

Star Trek - 119.0 / 232.0 / 351.0 / 33.9% / 66.1%

Night at the Museum 2 - 176.2 / 143.4 / 319.6 / 55.1% / 44.9%

Terminator Salvation - 165.5 / 113.8 / 279.3 / 59.3% / 40.7%

Up - 26.6 / 187.2 / 213.8 / 12.4% / 87.6%

Hopefully this list is reasonably accurate. If it is, then that would mean that Star Trek is currently the fourth-highest grossing 2009 film worldwide. Not bad.

I find it curious that Star Trek's domestic take has dwarfed its international take; with the other films, the split is closer to even, or reversed. The only other one with a significantly higher domestic gross is Up, but that's probably only because it hasn't opened in many international markets yet (such as the U.K., France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, etc.).

I guess I always thought that Trek had a stronger global following than this would indicate. Does the rest of the world perceive it as "too American", or something?

 

[Similitude]

How does XI compare vs Inflation adjusted I-X WW grosses?

 

[Borgminister]

Does the rest of the world perceive it as "too American", or something?

Did you notice the red, white and blue colors running rampant on the bridge?!?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Trek has never done well outside of English-speaking countries, other than Germany.

Yeah, it's a very American franchise.

 

[Borgminister]

well, it's just opening in some countries now (like India -- all my cousins are going... and I've a truckload of those!) so I'm inclined to wait and watch a bit more. as it is, 118mil is not bad for Trek.

Now there's a potentially huge market... get them to go multiple times...!

 

[Daneel]

Trek has never done well outside of English-speaking countries, other than Germany.

Yeah, it's a very American franchise.

Huh... well I have to admit, I'm a little surprised. I mean, yes, it's a TV/film franchise that is made in America, with Americans being the target audience, but I thought it had considerable popularity all around the world. I guess we can't believe everything Trekkies 2 tells us.

I'm also a little surprised that the "too American" sentiment apparently doesn't extend to the Terminator and X-Men franchises, but of course, I'm no expert on the tastes of foreign film audiences.

 

[Top41]

Why does anyone care how much Paramount is going to make off this film?

I can understand people wanting this film to be a hit at the box office, but why would anyone care how much some bean counter accountant locked away in an office at Paramount is going to profit?

Because, like it or not, the movie business is a "business", which means its reason for existence is to provide a return on investment for the owners and/or shareholders of the corporation(s) that produces it.

In most cases, if a film loses money, the company or companies that footed the bill up front to produce it, are less likely to do it again.

Star Trek is fortunate in that regard, because it is a long-standing franchise that has made a ton of money over many decades from movies, TV, print, and merchandising. So even though Nemesis and ENT were considered failures, Paramount was willing to give Trek the benefit of the doubt, a second chance, if you will. And that's how we got ST09.

Had ST09 bombed catastrophically, especially given the big-budget treatment, it is doubtful we would have gotten any more Trek for a long time (if ever).

So Paramount's "bean counters" being able to show a profit from this film, and add to Paramount's bottom line, and add to the value of the company, is certainly good for the pockets of the shareholders, but it's also good for Trekkers, because it means we will certainly get more Trek.

I am always mystified why some people are so resentful of companies making a profit, especially when said company produces something you like(whether it's a movie, or a car, or a cell phone, or a box of cereal).

If said product makes money for the company, the company makes more of it. You win, because you get more of what you like, they win because they keep making money, and keep hiring and paying people who work for the company, so they can pay their rent and buy food for their children, etc.

I have never resented companies making money, because companies don't really "exist", except as a legal entity. Companies are just groups of people, who work for the company, or who own stock in the company(and most of those ordinary shareholders are still ordinary people who have the stock through their 401k accounts).

As we are seeing in America right now, when businesses tank, it hurts all of us, not just the so-called "fat-cats" who run them. If a business fails it puts people out of work, and if it's a really crucial business, the government will come in and bail them out, and then we ordinary taxpayers end up footing the bill.

Back to the original point of the post, movies aren't crucial businesses perhaps, in the same sense the banking or airline industry is, but from a Trekker standpoint, Paramount win = fan win.

**gets off soapbox**

Sometimes I wish we had a "like this post" feature. Absolutely agree, which is why I'm so thrilled when I see how well the movie is doing and what staying power it has.

I loved STXI. The fact that it's doing so well means there will be a STXII. And that makes me very happy.