‘Transformers’ to Pass $200 million, ‘Die Hard 4′ to pass $100 mil this weekend
By Jeffrey Jolson
HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 7/14/07 — There’s magic in the numbers for the 5th film based on J.K. Rowlings’ books, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” as its first weekend evening on Friday the 13th conjured up $26.2 million.
That brings the 3-day total to $88.8 million after its record-breaking Wednesday opening of $45 million. The spell will be even stronger throughout the weekend. This is the best Wednesday opening of a film ever and star Daniel Radcliffe isn’t surprised. He told Hollywood Today (See interview) that this was one he was waiting to make, his favorite in the seven-book series “It’s not just hype. It’s deserved because they do get better and better. And my favorite book is the fifth.”
With the big Wednesday and Thursday grosses, it’s a cliffhanger whether this Potter can beat the previous ones on the first weekend. “Goblets of Fire” drank in $103 million on its first Friday to Sunday, “Prisoner of Azkaban” locked up $94 million on its first weekend, “Sorcerer’s Stone” brought in $90 million and “Chamber of Secrets” scared up $88 million.
By comparison, “Transformers” did $10.9 million on Friday, and after its remarkable July 4th week opening, its 11-day gross is $197,900 million, meaning it will easily pass the $200 million mark on its 12th day, a feat as giant as the battling robots in the film.
Little rats and big guns held their own as well. “Ratatouille” continues to serve up surprises as had $5.3 million Friday two weeks after release. Let’s not count out Bruce Willis, whose “Live Free or Die Hard” is about to pass the $100 million mark, about how many bad guys he’s killed in the franchise, with a $3.1 million Friday.