Box office from Media By Numbers.
Earlier:
Do not be alarmed by the screaming in the adjacent theater at the multiplex this weekend. That’s just a small sampling of the Jonas Brothers’ fanbase relishing their 3D concert experience.
Indeed, “Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience” is poised to conquer the number one spot this weekend. Fandango reports that dozens of screenings are already sold out throughout the country, and the concert documentary represents 53% of the site’s ticket sales. The site is offering special promotions with the film, including a free iTunes download with ticket purchase.
“Advance tickets for ‘Jonas 3D’ are selling well. It’s been our number one best-selling title for several days in a row,” said Fandango COO Rick Butler.
The tween-throb Brothers will certainly do well this weekend, but even Disney executives do not expect their concert documentary to do as well as its predecessor, last year’s “Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour.” “Hannah” took in $31.1 million it’s opening weekend – currently the biggest box-office take on a Super Bowl weekend in history.
However, “Hannah” was a special case. The film was slated to run on only 680 screens for only one week. The limited availability prompted millions of Hannah/Miley fans -- many of whom couldn’t score tickets to see the show in person -- to flood the theaters. Disney later extended the film’s run.
“Jonas” will have a more traditional opening this weekend in 1,271 theaters and without an expiration date.
“’Hannah Montana’ was the first of a genre so we were all pretty sure like any concert it would have a very short shelf life,” said Chuck Viane, president of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. “’Jonas Brothers’ is totally different. We really have a more open window of opportunity and knowing how the first one played we thought, ‘Let’s not box ourselves in like the first time.’”
The timing is also right to capitalize on the popularity of the Jonas Brothers, who recently concluded the sold-out tour chronicled in the documentary. Sales for their current album, “A Little Bit Longer,” have reached 1.5 million and they are the first act to have six consecutive number one tracks on iTunes.
Their concert film won’t face much competition this weekend. This weekend’s other opener, Fox’s “Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li” in 1,136 theaters, won’t attract “Jonas”’ audience. Oscar winners “Milk,” “The Reader” and “Slumdog Millionaire,” which expand into more theaters this weekend, also won’t share “Jonas”’ audience.
Still, Viane said that making box-office predictions for “Jonas” is difficult because concert documentaries are still a new genre. “We don’t even have a formula to figure out this weekend. Typically, films have certain bumps: Friday accounts for a certain percentage of the weekend, Saturday for another, etc…. I guarantee you, you won’t hear an estimate from [Disney] after Friday night because it’s a genre that’s so new to the business.”
“Jonas” might not make “Hannah” or “Twilight” money, but if it lands in the number one spot as expected, can we expect more concert documentaries about burgeoning Disney stars like The Cheetah Girls or Demi Lovato? “It’s really about having the right talent at the right time. We would never turn down an opportunity if it existed,” Viane said.