Dawn Treader Grosses $24.5m Opening Weekend

In its first three days, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader grossed an estimated $24.5 Million in the U.S. and Canada. 54% of that came from 3D showings. This total falls short of the $55m earned by Prince Caspian (May 2008), and the $65m by The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (December 2005). Dawn Treader‘s worldwide total is at $105m.

Estimated weekend results:
1. $24m – The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
2. $17m – The Tourist
3. $14m – Tangled
4. $8m – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One
5. $4 – Unstoppable

Box Office Mojo writes:

It was hoped that a return to December along with marketing that pushed the first movie’s lion, witch and Christian angles and the addition of the 3D illusion would rekindle interest, but the third Narnia mustered a weaker start than fantasy also-ran The Golden Compass, let alone the other Narnias.

Read the full report here

The domestic total is certainly below expectations. But it fared better internationally. Yahoo writes:

[Dawn Treader and The Tourist] were lambasted by critics, and both carried hefty price tags — $150 million and $100 million, respectively — requiring strong overseas sales to make them profitable. The two previous “Chronicles of Narnia” films did most of their business overseas, where Depp and Jolie are also more popular.
[…]
Fox said it succeeded in its aim of resurrecting the franchise, and was “excited” about its overall prospects.

Dawn Treader will face some big competition from Disney’s Tron: Legacy when it releases this Friday.

Now, it is time to wait and see if another Narnia film is green-lit…

382 Responses

  1. The Rose-Tree Dryad says:

    According to NW's box office info, Prince Caspian only got 20 million overseas in its opening weekend. VDT has four times that much. Wow. O_O

  2. narnian resident says:

    yeah i noticed that part. i kinda got all fangirly giddy. i was "Jill Pole? really?!" i was beginning to think the same thing, that it might be a little hint-hint. oh i do hope thats what it is! please FOX!

  3. Pepper Darcy says:

    in our theater everyone went to Narnia except three younger girls who went to see Tangled– Narnia has a spotlight, but like others have said– there's finals, school– over the holiday things might pick up! ๐Ÿ™‚ I've heard of lots who really really are desperate to go! and are really excited about it! ๐Ÿ˜€

  4. Pepper Darcy says:

    Rose-Tree, you are an ANGEL! I simply MUST hug you! See? May BE America will pick up momentum like THAT!! ๐Ÿ™‚ At least if it's JUST more popular in the rest of the world (like, they go nuts over it) despite what America does, Fox might end up doing it for the rest of the world, so us U.S. people would still get it! ๐Ÿ™‚ At least America doesn't set the standard!

    THANK you Rose-Tree! You're a heroine! You get a character in my book! HUGS! (okay, so I'm impulsive, please forgive me ๐Ÿ™‚ But I mean it! ๐Ÿ˜€ You really cheered me up! ๐Ÿ˜€

  5. Savber100 says:

    So there's still hope?
    RALLY ALL NARNIANS! ๐Ÿ˜›

  6. Narnian Meerkat says:

    AH, that is GREAT. ๐Ÿ™‚

  7. Pepper Darcy says:

    okay, I'm like really stupid and stinking dislecsic– I read the 20 million, put it with Dawn Treader and divided 20 million by 4 and thought that PC only got 5 million in the rest of the world– when I should have done 20 million by 4– that's even better figures!

    Is it any wonder I was awful at math? I look at every figure backwards ๐Ÿ˜›

  8. Silver the Wanderer says:

    Not so great numbers in the US, but the international numbers look really good to me! I honestly wasn't expecting such a positive statement from Fox – I really hope they're telling the truth and that they're happy with these numbers because I would really like to see SC get made.
    And the weather could have played a role…it's snowing up a storm here, and the roads are really bad. Also, the teachers are dumping homework on us prior to Christmas break, making my weekend very busy. I'm hoping once break comes more people will be able to go see it.

  9. Timo says:

    Dude.. You're awesome ;D

  10. Narnian Meerkat says:

    I can't wait to see this movie!

  11. Lucylove says:

    I got someone to watch it so that means it went up $7

  12. Gryphon says:

    That's great news!

    Long live Aslan ๐Ÿ˜€

  13. King_Cor_the_Great says:

    I was staying completely optimistic the entire time. Ha! That was lie. I was panicing. I am on this website called wattpad and I create my stories and upload them there. Anyways, I told my fans that if they want updates they have to see VDT. I got two people with me so far!

  14. Queen Elizabeth says:

    My family is going next week so that's $32 more ๐Ÿ™‚

  15. Daniel James says:

    Hey everyone, don't forget, almost all of the marketing for the movie said that it's "Coming this Christmas." So a ton of people probably don't even know that it's already out yet; they think it's coming out on Christmas! So I wouldn't be too worried. Right now, a lot of people are busy with Finals, and a lot of the Northeast US is snowbound.

  16. Demor says:

    Ya so many people I know said they couldnt go this weekend because of exams. Maybe that means a big hit once schools get out.

  17. Pepper Darcy says:

    when we go we're going to jack up… $160 =D That's for like 16! ๐Ÿ™‚

  18. Pepper Darcy says:

    and your bit helps too! ๐Ÿ˜€

  19. NothinButNarnia says:

    Yeah, my friend didn't even know it was out, she thought it was premiering Christmas day

  20. icarus says:

    Equally though i felt Eustace's narration about the Narnian's missing them "till the end of time" felt like they were bringing everything to a close. It kind of had a certain finality to it. However, i figure they were simply covering their bases for either eventuality.

  21. Hwin says:

    Thank you, Pepper Darcy! I completely agree with your review, and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!! It made me love the film even more! When ever I would see negative comments about VDT and about the future of the series of Narnia, what I right aways thought of, for some reason, was:

    "Oh you of little faith."

    I really agree that this was true to the book in the sense that it took what the book was really made of (and more) and put it on screen. I wasn't sure at first about the green mist, but I think it is an excellent picture of how temptation in particular is.

    Anyways, your review expressed it quite perfectly! I posted a very brief review as a comment on one of the articles, but I was still quite mind-blown from the movie, and didn't say too much =P Although there is SO much I could say about it!!! I really want to see it again!!!

    And about the results from the weekend, it definitely boosts my hopes!!! ๐Ÿ˜€

  22. icarus says:

    That's mainly because Prince Caspian didn't actually open in most international markets until several weeks/months after the US release date. ๐Ÿ™

  23. Hwin says:

    That is amazing!!! ๐Ÿ˜€

  24. Hwin says:

    When I heard that line, I got so excited! I whispered to my brother:

    "It's JILL POLE!!!"

    Haha, but what icarus says is very true. I still got excited, though ๐Ÿ™‚

  25. Narnian Kitty says:

    I saw it this afternoon and was quite disappointed as it is another loose adaptation. The bare bones are there, sort of as they are mixed up and things are left out, but hardly any of the dialogue is actually from Lewis. They changed the premise of the story in some ways, and some of the Christian symbolism was lost – the lamb analogy for example and also that Aslan doesn't remove Eustace's scales with his claws. There's no crush, and in fact Caspian meets his future wife, but there's no indication he went back to see her, but if you'd read the book you'd know that. One of the indicators in the book is when Lucy reminds Caspian that he's promised Ramadu's daughter he'd come back so he doesn't go to the very end of the world. The old BBC version is still my favourite. They did some things well, but overall it gets a C from me.

  26. FriendOfNarnia2 says:

    Yeah, that was definitely a bad move on Disney's part. It looks like Dawn Treader may not be as big of a disappointment overseas.

  27. Narnian* says:

    Yes. This is good news! $105 million is really decent for its first week or two open. Let us pray for the greenlight on The Silver Chair!

  28. rutger says:

    Iยดm from the Netherlands and Iยดm going with my sister and parents next weekend and I'm maybe going with my older sister for a second time. Narnia 3 costs 9.60 euro's here so that 6x 9,60 = 57,60 euro's. That's $77,18! ๐Ÿ™‚

  29. iota says:

    I got 30 people there today…took the church youth group and they all loved it. It wasn't my favorite Narnia movie, but I really hope they keep the franchise going. It has its own charm as series. Long live the Great Lion!

  30. columba says:

    They don't hit on eachother. lol They do a brilliant job of showing Lucy interested in beauty and having a greater interest in what others think (foreshadowing the incantation of beauty). She asks if Caspian has found someone (while she adjusts her hair) and he says "no one as beautiful as your sister Susan". Setting up Lucy's temptation for the beauty of another. They properly imply his interest in Ramandu's daughter… since in the book he goes on to marry her.

  31. faunforaslan says:

    Good going, Iota!!! 30 people at once! Great job! Hopefully we can get a bunch of people to do that!

  32. Jonathan says:

    I'll admit that if it wasn't for this site and my following the development of the movie I wouldn't have realized that it was coming out this past Friday, in fact I could never remember the release date until this week, so my friends would ask me "when's it coming out?" and I'd be like sometime in the next couple of weeks. I think word of mouth will be really important for this film. Once people see it and get word out that its a better film than Caspian then it'll do better. Also again, its just a rough weekend I think in general, I think the movie will do much better once everyone is off for Christmas break in a week or so. I know a lot of college people have finals this week.

  33. Hannah says:

    Yeeah, Mojo has always been pretty against Narnia anyway, I'm not sure I care about their thoughts. It may not have done as well, but that doesn't mean it did poorly yet. Hope things pick up. ๐Ÿ™‚

  34. Carwashboy says:

    Even though I like Adamson's style of moviemaking alot better and liked the first two so much more than Voyage, I am still totally supporting this movie and I am hoping it does incredibly well so that we get to see Silver Chair! I do kind of hope that they will bring back Gregson Williams, the One Day music theme and the traditional Narnia main title sequences. And I'm sure they'll get a new director. I think in Silver Chair, we will feel more 'transported' to Narnia than some of us did in Voyage. Spread the word about VDT!

  35. Tribunal says:

    What do you expect them to say? They are spinning the numbers, it's not like they were going to blatantly come out and say the film failed.

    A $40 million gross was expected and the film barely managed to get half of that and will probably end up with under $70 million total. Its only hope now is overseas, but don't expect any more films to be made.

  36. columba says:

    It actually is doing extremely well internationally. The US has only 300 mil but we have more theatres per capita. Most Movies make half or more of money in US alone. For Mexico to pull in almost one third of our number is flat out astounding… for some countries seeing a movie is a full days wages.we just need the press to pick thiis up more.

  37. Skandar-the Great says:

    I went and saw it on the first day, so I helped out some. I also took my brother and sister.That's $21.

  38. Skandar-the Great says:

    I really like that picture of Edmund up at the top.

  39. graycsc says:

    yep, finals and snow…and crazy windchill…

  40. Kevin C says:

    Not only Jill Pole, but Aslan's final words to Eustace. This is to be expected and sequels have not always been made in film history. However, the key is the Fox Co. executives feeling good about potential profits for sequels.

  41. narnian21 says:

    A lot of it is the screenwriters' fault. They wrote the script for what's happening in the movie

  42. Tribunal says:

    The first film opened on the same weekend five years ago and earned $65 million. Which adjusted for inflation is about $75 million.

    How this was a bad weekend to open a movie makes no sense.

  43. Cynthia says:

    Well, it's no thanks to the people who commented before that they are waiting for it to come out on DVD or one that commented that they will wait until the movie is at the dollar cinema…..AND THEY CALL THEMSELVES NARNIA FANS!!! It's because of YOU that this movie didn't do good!!! I on the other hand watched it 3 times!!!

  44. QueenLucytheValient says:

    Noone is probably going to read this, but I think that it did very well, considering the economy. It beat Harry Potter. And that is great, there is still a chance for it to pick up, word still needs to get out, some of my friends haven't seen it yet,people are sometimes unwilling to see the movie the first few days, because they are worried about it being crowded. We still have hope.

  45. Tribunal says:

    This is true, but Prince Caspian was in only 12 overseas countries on its opening weekend, hence the lower gross. Dawn Treader released in 56 countries, hence the higher gross.

  46. Tribunal says:

    Harry Potter is in its forth weekend, of course it is going to lose to Narnia.

  47. Sandy says:

    I totally agree with Cynthia!! Some Narnia "fans" are not true Narnia fans at all ๐Ÿ™

    I saw it and I completely loved it!! Spread the word!! Tell your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors!! COME ON NARNIANS!!!!

  48. Tribunal says:

    You are blaming a handful of people for Dawn Treader performing poorly?

    …Right.

  49. greenbird37 says:

    I went to see it with my 3 kids…spent $50 all together, but well worth it! We must stay positive, it will get us everywhere. I'm not giving up on it, it was a great movie and if my finances were better, I would take them to see it again! On a strict budget right now, but saved for this!!

  50. Estefania says:

    this movie is amazing!!!!!!!!!!! long live narnia!!!

  51. Non-Negotiable Comment says:

    The share for international gross is a fraction of what the studios get for domestic. That's why the Canada/U.S. sales are always emphasized more. For example, of that $80.5 million, FOX receives a cut of approximately $34.8 million, out of which they have to subtract about $23.6 million in expenses over and above the production budget of the film (foreign advertising, prints, taxes, dubbing, shipping, currency conversion, trade dues, etc.), leaving a total of approximately $22.1 million that they can claim as net earnings. What this means is, the franchise has just been hit by a very large bus, and is on life support. It's not dead yet, but nothing here is "good" news.

    Start praying. Or buying a LOT of tickets. Or both.

  52. yeswelovenarnia says:

    Saw it in 3D yesterday and it was well worth it!!! Went with a bunch of my friends!! It is a really good movie!! Maybe not as close to the book in some parts (i.e. The Lone Islands) as I would have liked but still one of the best if not the best narnia movie yet!! I am so glad it at least made top in the box office and I hope it does even better!!!!

  53. Non-Negotiable Comment says:

    Sorry, I meant $34.8 million- $23.6 million, for a total of $11.2 million. It's even worse.

  54. High Queene Shelly Belly says:

    yes, lucy shot him a quick look like she was crushing on him. if you looked away quick, you might have missed it. it wasn't a big deal, just another hint about her building jealousy of susan.

  55. Noogah says:

    YAY!!!

    LONG LIVE THIS FRANCHISE!

    May they have learned much by next time so we can see an even better film.

    In reply to this article:

    "[Dawn Treader and The Tourist] were lambasted by critics…"

    Wait wait…what? Lambasted? That seems a bit harsh. I mean, The Tourist was lambasted, yeah, but not The Dawn Treader

  56. High Queene Shelly Belly says:

    watch lucy's face when they first get there and lucy asks if he's replaced susan yet.

  57. Thyservant says:

    If they are going to make SC, when will they probably greenlit it after VDT? By Jan?

  58. Bethany Weathers says:

    There have been a lot weaker openings to good movies out there. If you look at all the movies out there, 24 million is actually a very respectable opening. Would I have wished for a bigger opening? Sure. But as far as opening weekends go, I'm not going to cry about it.

  59. High Queene Shelly Belly says:

    it was beautiful and deserves to be supported. i heard they aslan didnt directly claw eustace, it would have made it a pg-13 because of violence. i actually preferred the way they portrayed it, it was very classy. it was only and hour and a half, i wish it was longer , i think it could have used it. i thought PC would never end, VDT was too short!

  60. narnian says:

    omg!!!! the movie is aerning good money look at this link how much the voyage has earned in this weekend!!!!
    http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=narnia3.htm