US/UK Box Office Results

UPDATE: The UK figures are in: ICE AGE 3D is the biggest 3D opener ever, with £7.64 million. The runner up, PUBLIC ENEMIES, took £2.23 million. Charles Gant provides some great analysis at The Guardian:

With decidedly mixed reviews in the quality papers for Michael Mann's latest, backers Universal will be moderately relieved with a £2.23m opening gross for Public Enemies, including Wednesday/Thursday previews of £635,000. The result cannot match star Johnny Depp's most commercially potent debuts, but is almost identical to the performance of recent Michael Mann films. Miami Vice opened in August 2006 with £2.23m, including £309,000 in previews. Collateral started its life in September 2004 with £2.24m, including £215,000 in previews. Public Enemies' period setting was a potential commercial obstacle for Universal, although at least the distributor could present its film as a clear alternative to the generic blockbusters currently clogging up multiplexes.

The children ruled the box office in America this weekend again, with TRANSFORMERS 2 & ICE AGE 3 takeing about $40 million each. This left the field wide open for a bit of counterprogramming, which Universal did with its adult crime summer movie PUBLIC ENEMIES. Taking $40 million over a 5 day period (which includes Wednesday and Thursday previews), it surpassed films like COLLATERAL and ROAD TO PERDITION, which bear comparison.

This is a formidable result, despite lukewarm reviews, period setting and long running time. Johnny Depp and gangster genre fans will have come out in full force to support the film. Takings at the Dukes were not bad considering the heatwave and the BBC Wimbledon coverage. (Hopefully) the rain should bring customers back to the cinema mid-week.

On that note: a great article about how Michael Mann mixes sound: Michael Mann Sound Design on Public Enemies.