AP - 'INDIANA JONES' MORE THAN RECOUPS BUDGET WITH $311M WORLDWIDE

[MichaelDoran]

by RYAN NAKASHIMA, AP Business Writer

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The most recent Indiana Jones film more than recouped its big budget with an estimated $311 million in global box office sales through the long weekend, according to studio estimates Monday.

Families went in droves to catch ``Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,'' a PG-13 adventure starring Harrison Ford as the whip-cracking archaeologist who took 19 years to return to the big screen.

Paramount Pictures estimated the action sequel made $151.1 million in the U.S. and Canada from Thursday to the holiday Monday and $160 million overseas.

It marked the second biggest Memorial Day weekend opening ever, behind only ``Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End,'' which made $153 million domestically from Thursday to Monday last year.

Nearly a third of the domestic audience was made up of parents with their children, said Rob Moore, president of Paramount Worldwide Distribution.

``Adults really drove this opening. This is one of their favorite franchises and they couldn't wait to take their kids with them,'' Moore said.

The film cost a reported $185 million to make, even with the principal talent _ Ford, director Steven Spielberg and writer George Lucas _ deferring their usual fees for a greater share of the profits.

The first three Indy movies raked in $1.2 billion worldwide.

Marketing costs were undisclosed, although the latest ``Indiana Jones'' received a major push from Paramount. DVDs of the first three movies were re-released, they aired on TV days before the opening and huge billboards sprung up.

The final trailer for the movie rolled before the opening of Marvel Studios' ``Iron Man,'' which was also distributed by Paramount, three weeks earlier.

``It's been a pretty good month,'' Moore said. ``We started the month with 'Iron Man' and finished with 'Indiana Jones.'''

Other movies' receipts over the long weekend paled by comparison.

Disney's ``The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian'' slashed its way to $28.6 million, for a total $96.7 million over two weeks. ``Iron Man'' locked up third with $25.7 million in its third week for a total of $257.8 million.

The Wachowski brothers flick ``Speed Racer,'' distributed by Warner Bros., crawled closer to the finish line with $5.2 million for fifth, bringing its domestic total to $37.4 million. It brought in $30 million overseas, and had yet to be released in major markets France, Russia, Japan and Australia.

The studio said it was not ready to wave the checkered flag on the film, which cost $120 million to make.

``If I had my druthers I'd have it in theaters for weeks and months to come,'' said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros.' executive vice president of distribution.

For the year so far, domestic movie revenues are down more than 4 percent at $3.4 billion, with attendance off nearly 7 percent.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Monday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Media By Numbers LLC. Final figures will be released Tuesday.

1. ``Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,'' $126 million (plus $25.1 million on Thursday).

2. ``The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,'' $28.6 million.

3. ``Iron Man,'' $25.7 million.

4. ``What Happens in Vegas,'' $11.2 million.

5. ``Speed Racer,'' $5.2 million.

6. ``Made of Honor,'' $4.2 million.

7. ``Baby Mama,'' $4.2 million.

8. ``Forgetting Sarah Marshall,'' $2.2 million.

9. ``Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay,'' $1.2 million.

10. ``The Visitor,'' $917,000.

___

Universal Pictures and Focus Features are owned by NBC Universal, a joint venture of General Electric Co. and Vivendi Universal; Sony Pictures, Sony Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Classics are units of Sony Corp.; DreamWorks, Paramount and Paramount Vantage are divisions of Viacom Inc.; Disney's parent is The Walt Disney Co.; Miramax is a division of The Walt Disney Co.; 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures are owned by News Corp.; Warner Bros., New Line, Warner Independent and Picturehouse are units of Time Warner Inc.; MGM is owned by a consortium of Providence Equity Partners, Texas Pacific Group, Sony Corp., Comcast Corp., DLJ Merchant Banking Partners and Quadrangle Group; Lionsgate is owned by Lionsgate Entertainment Corp.; IFC Films is owned by Rainbow Media Holdings, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.; Marvel Studios is a division of Marvel Entertainment Inc.

[Ed (again)]

Richly deserved. I was entertained even if it was the most "far out" Indy adventure yet.

[Colonsus]

Originally Posted by Ed (again)

Richly deserved. I was entertained even if it was the most "far out" Indy adventure yet.

Yes, if by "far out" you mean crappy and unwatchable!

Who in their right mind enjoyed this movie? Everyone in the theater I went to loudly booed at the end! I was tempted, AND I'M AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND LOVE INDIANA JONES!!!

[Derek Ruiz]

Originally Posted by Colonsus

Yes, if by "far out" you mean crappy and unwatchable!

Who in their right mind enjoyed this movie? Everyone in the theater I went to loudly booed at the end! I was tempted, AND I'M AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND LOVE INDIANA JONES!!!

Everyone seemed to like it fine in the theaters where I went. I don't expect everyone to like it but it was a lot of fun.

[El Argentino]

Any idea about Speed Racer budget?

[Mega Gear X]

Speed Racer mega flopped...almost $40 million so far domestically???

Indy 4 was pretty good!

[nightwingoracle]

Originally Posted by Colonsus

Yes, if by "far out" you mean crappy and unwatchable!

Who in their right mind enjoyed this movie? Everyone in the theater I went to loudly booed at the end! I was tempted, AND I'M AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND LOVE INDIANA JONES!!!

I highly doubt that.


The theater I was in was packed - not a seat open - and at the end, over half of them applauded...something I rarely see in movie theaters.

The movie was fun and well done. Was it perfect? No, but the Indy movies rarely have been perfect. Only those folks with unrealistic expectations or those who just are negative about everything would call it "crappy and unwatchable."

[Jimmy Palmiotti]

Originally Posted by Colonsus

Yes, if by "far out" you mean crappy and unwatchable!

Who in their right mind enjoyed this movie? Everyone in the theater I went to loudly booed at the end! I was tempted, AND I'M AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND LOVE INDIANA JONES!!!

i saw it at the zigfield with over 1000 people sat night and they cheered and laughed and at the end applauded. it had problems, but calling it crappy...lol. It was silly fun.

[nightwingoracle]

Originally Posted by Ed (again)

Richly deserved. I was entertained even if it was the most "far out" Indy adventure yet.

Agreed. Of the four event movies thus far (Iron Man, Speed Racer, Prince Caspien, and Indy), in my opinion this was the most enjoyable and entertaining of all of them...and I enjoyed all of them immensely.

[Ed (again)]

Originally Posted by Colonsus

Yes, if by "far out" you mean crappy and unwatchable!

Who in their right mind enjoyed this movie? Everyone in the theater I went to loudly booed at the end! I was tempted, AND I'M AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND LOVE INDIANA JONES!!!

Nope.

you're funny.

[Rich L]

Originally Posted by Jimmy Palmiotti

i saw it at the zigfield with over 1000 people sat night and they cheered and laughed and at the end applauded. it had problems, but calling it crappy...lol. It was silly fun.

Love the Ziegfeld. Best theatre in the city by miles.

I saw it Friday morning and there were people clapping at the end (and at a couple of lines in the middle, especially Indy's to Marion as he climbs out of the truck). Its not flawless by any means, but its a fun film.

As for the McGuffin, I kind of like the idea of Indy changing with the times that he lives in - the 30s was all pulp adventures while the 50s had a lot of sci-fi. Works for me.

[nemler]

I love it when people take the opportunity to work into their post what their job is. Or that they have kids.

Anyway, I liked Crystal Skull quite a bit. I may have really loved it if Indy would have debunked Area 51 and all of its mystery...but as it was, I liked it.

[Wade Wilson]

Standard rule of thumb Studios get about a 55% return on box office sales...either way I understand Indy "keeping with the times" first I love sci-fi movies but I do not want that sort of crap with my Indiana Jones, still I found it enjoyable and hope they can have Mr. Ford (who I ran into once while he had flight problems in my crappy town several years back) do the remaining 2 films on his contract.

[MrToady12]

Originally Posted by Colonsus

Yes, if by "far out" you mean crappy and unwatchable!

Who in their right mind enjoyed this movie? Everyone in the theater I went to loudly booed at the end! I was tempted, AND I'M AN ARCHAEOLOGIST AND LOVE INDIANA JONES!!!

I was sitting right behind you Colonsus, and you were the only one booing at the end. Then you cried a little, said you were a better Archaeologist than Indiana Jones would ever be, and that he was a poo-poo head. It was a pretty bizarre thing to watch and ALMOST ruined my evening. Don't do it again.

Cheers

[juz]

Originally Posted by MichaelDoran

The Wachowski brothers flick ``Speed Racer,'' distributed by Warner Bros., crawled closer to the finish line with $5.2 million for fifth, bringing its domestic total to $37.4 million. It brought in $30 million overseas, and had yet to be released in major markets France, Russia, Japan and Australia.

Ha! Finally somewhere in the world Australia is considered a 'major' market. About time we got the recognition we deserve.

[elgato]

You convinced me to go see it. Sigh.

[ThatGuamGuy]

Originally Posted by Wade Wilson

Standard rule of thumb Studios get about a 55% return on box office sales...

I bet they get less than that in this case, with all the fingers in this pie.