Look, I’m just the messenger here.
After weeks of promotion and buzz, One Direction’s 3-D concert film One Direction: This is Us pulled in an estimated $17 million over the first three days of the four-day Labor Day weekend. Measured against the non-holiday opening three-day grosses for the recent micro-genre of theatrical concert movies (most of which have been released in 3-D), that puts Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry, and Louis smack in the middle of the pack, behind the concert films for Miley Cyrus (a.k.a. Hannah Montana), Justin Bieber, and Michael Jackson, but ahead of the films for the Jonas Brothers, Katy Perry, and the cast of Glee. (The figures are a bit worse for 1D if you factor in the per theater average, which reflects roughly how full each theater actually was.)
There are couple caveats here: It is impossible to know how many folks holding out to see One Direction: This is Us until Labor Day itself would have seen it earlier had Monday not been a holiday. (Don’t worry, 1D fans: I will update this post tomorrow with the full four-day figures.) And both the Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus film and the Michael Jackson film were billed as limited runs, giving fans more of an imperative to race out to see the film on its opening weekend before it left theaters. (Of course, both films ended up extending their runs beyond their short engagements after their initial box office proved so lucrative.)
Still, given the rabid fervor of 1D fans online, this result is perhaps a bit surprising. Here is how the numbers break down:
1. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour
Opening weekend: $31.1 million (in 683 theaters)
Per theater average: $45,600
2. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never
Opening weekend: $29.5 million (in 3,105 theaters)
Per theater average: $9,500
3. Michael Jackson’s This Is It
Opening weekend: $23.2 million (in 3,481 theaters)
Per theater average: $6,700
4. One Direction: This is Us
Opening weekend: An estimated $17 million (in 2,735 theaters)
Per theater average: $6,200
5. Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience
Opening weekend: $12.5 million (in 1,271 theaters)
Per theater average: $9,800
6. Katy Perry: Part of Me
Opening weekend: $7.1 million (in 2,730 theaters)
Per theater average: $2,600
7. Glee The 3D Concert Movie
Opening weekend: $6 million (in 2,040 theaters)
Per theater average: $2,900
Here are the estimated top 10 box office figures for Friday to Sunday, courtesy of Box Office Mojo. (This post will be updated with Monday’s figures tomorrow):
1. One Direction: This is Us* — $17 million
2. Lee Daniels’ The Butler — $14.7 mhillion
3. We’re the Millers — $12.6 million
4. Planes — $7.8 million
5. Instructions Not Included* — $7.5 million
6. Elysium — $6.3 million
7. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones — $5.2 million
8. The World’s End — $4.8 million
9. Getaway* — $4.5 million
10. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters — $4.4 million
*Opening weekend
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