Monday, April 27, 2009

Tween’s creating movie box office records

from Wikipedia and Myspace

While the national media whines about the economy’s ill health, tweens are sending movie box office receipts into the stratosphere.


Associated Press’ David Germain (any relation to my journalism professor Leonard Germain?) reports “Studios head into summer on a box-office tear, with receipts running at a record pace.”


Who led that? Hannah Montana Movie with $42-million two weeks ago. Last week Zac Efron’s 17 Again with $12 million and this weekend another tween idol, Beyonce (even though she’s out of the tween demographic, she still gets Radio Disney play) took the crown with $29 million.


It will continue through the summer as Hollywood realizes the power of Tweens – they’re taking advantage of it; why isn’t your company tapping into this $3-billion per year spending power?


Other summer blockbusters will be another Hayden Panettierre venture, I love you Beth Cooper, opening July 10. Doesn’t matter what the plot is. That $3 billion tween market is half boys reaching puberty. Then you have the college boys in love with Panetttierre, also every guy from TMZ who will hype the heck out of this movie and don’t forget the dirty old men. This one could beat Woverine.


Bandslam, opening August 14, is Vanessa Hudgens, sans Zac Efron, in her first movie outside High School Musical. It also introduces a mature Alyson Michalka. You know her as half of Aly and AJ. It will be interesting to see how she sheds that Super Sweet 16 and Cow Belles image. Bet it will be Hudgens pulling the weight in the movie, though. Look for Bandslam to put Efron’s $24 million opening weekend to shame. More tween dollars rolling in for Hollywood.


The biggest movie of the summer will probably be Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. The original series fans are near 20, they’ll go see this and the 8 to 14 will need to go to see the “buzz.”


Unfortunately Hannah Montana Movie is rapidly headed to the $1 movie places. Its first week #1, last week #4, this week #8. As bad as Jonas Brothers 3D. Is that out on DVD yet?


17 Again is holding strong at #2 with $12 more million on top of last weekend’s $24 million. Hannah Montana movie has grossed $61 million in three weekends, so Efron is doing half that.


Expect 17 Again to drop fantastically this coming weekend as the biggest blockbuster this year (probably topping Hannah Montana $42 million easily) features a real hunk, Woverine, dropping his shirt in X Men Origins. That has been Efron’s main draw.


Personally, I can’t wait for X Men Origins Storm when Haley Berry drops her shirt.


Look for The Boat That Rocked about British pirate radio to draw baby boomers. Wonder if that generation can challenge tweens for box office dollars.

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