By Sam Dallas
Crime thriller Animal Kingdom has raked in more than $1.8 million nationwide in less than two weeks at the box office.
Set in Melbourne’s underworld and starring Guy Pearce (Memento) and Ben Mendelsohn (Knowing), the psychological crime-drama has posted an impressive screen average of $15,161.
That’s up 27 per cent on opening weekend when it grossed more than $604,000 nationwide ($12,586 average across 48 screens).
Debutant director David Michôd said he was happy seeing it do so well Down Under.
“I've found these last few weeks quite overwhelming to be honest,” said the former INSIDEFILM editor of the MA15+ movie which took top prize at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
“I couldn't have hoped for the Animal Kingdom reception to roll out any better than it has and it's been especially gratifying – after Sundance and all the international interest – to find the movie working so well at home.”
Madman theatrical distribution manager James Hewison was proud it was Australian and said: “[It’s] a remarkable result that any release can increase its screen average into the second week”.
The movie will screen at the LA Film Festival later this month before being rolled out across the US on August 13.
Meanwhile, Kings of Mykonos: Wog Boy 2 has raked in more than $4.6 million after taking almost $322,000 over the long weekend. Screen numbers have dropped from 182 to 113 in the past week. Its screen average is now $2847.
Sex and the City 2 made $4.7 million in its second week, making the top of the box office with a screen average of $8357 (562 screens).
Fox’s The A-Team was second taking in $4.3 million in its first weekend, with a screen average of $13,377 (324 screens) while Shrek Forever After preview screenings took in $3.8 million from 358 screens.
|
Film
|
Budget
|
Distributor
|
Opening w/e
|
Box Office
|
|
Bran Nue Dae
|
$6.5m
|
Roadshow
|
$1,612,102
|
$7,565,476
|
|
The Kings of Mykonos
|
$6m est.
|
Paramount/Transmission
|
$1,828,902
|
$4,654,503
|
|
Beneath Hill 60
|
$9.5m
|
Paramount/Transmission
|
$548,694
|
$3,151,187
|
|
Daybreakers
|
$20m est.
|
Hoyts
|
$1,064,244
|
$2,448,050
|
|
I Love You Too
|
$6m
|
Roadshow
|
$113,483
|
$2,363,778
|
|
Bright Star
|
$16.7m est.
|
Roadshow/Hopscotch
|
–
|
$2,157,601
|
|
Animal Kingdom
|
$5m est.
|
Madman
|
$604,139
|
$1,845,279
|
|
Accidents Happen
|
$6.5m est.
|
Hopscotch
|
$39,721
|
$150,944
|
|
Love, Lust & Lies
|
–
|
Beyond Entertainment
|
$20,674
|
$126,019
|
|
Girl Clock!
|
$1m
|
Self-distributed
|
$8,857
|
$43,434
|
|
Separation City
|
$4.8m
|
Hoyts
|
$15,278
|
$32,159
|
|
Triangle
|
$8m est.
|
Icon
|
$6,081
|
$11,282
|
|
Going Vertical
|
–
|
The Pack/Blue Sea Films
|
$3,879
|
$9,699
|
|
Savages Crossing
|
$3.5m
|
MediaKin/GAP
|
$4,432
|
$8,651
|
|
Playing For Charlie
|
–
|
The Pack
|
$2,665
|
$5,867
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total
|
|
|
|
$24,573,929
|
Source: MPDAA, INSIDEFILM. Separation City is a NZ film. Bright Star released Dec 26, 2009; tally does not include 2009 box office.