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.
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…
Totally! To be honest, The Silver Chair is one of my least favorite of the Narnia books, but I still like it! Lol. Maybe that will change when I reread the series sometime soon. Hopefully Fox does greenlight it. It would make me very happy!
dont say that, they need the extra 3 dolllars they get per ticket, im wiling to contribute that if it helps resurrrect the series , plus i thought the 3d was a great addition, and i was against the idea originally, it was well worth it.
that's only the snotty predjudiced critics, 80% of the REAL people, the AUDIENCE, enjoyed it!!
i did find that jarring at first. but i guess they had to establish the fact that he's not a player, and was available to be attracted to lilliiandel. also did you notice the jealous glance lucy gave off after he said that? and also that its been years so that he is not quickly attacted to someone else after susan. it was a respectable time frame.
Well if Angelina and Johnny Depp can't do better than Narnia, I think that says something good about it. Even Potter didn't beat it, for which I am very happy. I think the American economy, with regards to the holidays, may have people buying gifts more than seeing movies. From what I hear though, the movie is great. I will be going tomorrow.
Yus! 😀
how do you "trick" someone into knowing positive truth which is beautiful and good? The really disturbing issue is the Harry Potter series, which contains actual occultism, real life witchcraft, and has been praised by the top practitioners as having increased witchcraft in america by 300%? now that is the real bait and switch right there.
I think (or I hope) it was more because lots of people were out buying gifts for the holidays- that's one of the downsides to releasing so near to Christmas. Hopefully things will pick up during the week! 😀
its only there cause gresham forced apted, and he had to fight hard. how about a christian director that understands the subtext??? duh!!
Yeah I definitely don't think Narnia tricks anyone into anything. That's not what it's about – it's about portraying these Christian truths in an entertaining, fantastical way, which is totally awesome.
he wasn't fired, he didn't even want to do PC nbut he said he couldn't resist working with the kids again. he had no plans to do VDT, and wasn't forced out, he was still a producer.
Only because it's been around for a month and everybody has already seen it, but I am glad with Dawn Treader's success. 🙂
the whole midwest had blizzard conditions this opening weekend, even a sports dome roof collapsed. and the midwest is the prime audience in amercia. never fear fellow narnians, we are still between the paws of the great lion, and perhaps this is in his plan- maybe this makes everyone see it on christmas where is crushes everything in its path?
a non-english speaker apparently. he meant don't see vendition
they probably have prepaid seasons tickets
I do not appreciate that comment. 🙁 Please remember that there are other people here who watch other films and are fans of them other than the Narnia series. Looking at your other previous comments, it also seems that you have a lot of spite for other films as well. I find that most people who bash the HP series have not read the books themselves, so who are they to judge? Narnia also has overt "magic" in their films, and most people either don't know or don't care about the subtle Christian references. And before you wonder, I am a Christian also.
83% of the audience says they liked it on rotten tomatoes website, box office mojo says 80% of audience give it an A
I don't know why people keep saying they hope for a reboot 'after' silver chair? since by saying this you are implying that you like the first 3 movies… why remake the first 4 stories? why even remake LWW? That just doesn't make sense to me, I want to see them continue. If Fox does decide to bail I hope that it might be because of a shrewd business move that would let disney buy the series back and hopefully provide the later movies with bigger budgets
sorry, but to many people, especially secularists, this is their favorite book, lots of adventure, no crucifixions. actors ben barnes and georgie hennley have also stated this is their personal favorite too.
yeah, boycott those vicious, lying creeps at disney.!!
blizzard conditions in half the country this weekend.
It would be nice if they released one a year, but unfortunately if we want to see good quality movies we have to give them at least 2 years to make. Dawn treader was made on a very very tight schedule that I would not like them to repeat. I would like to see SC in two years though I'd like them to greenlight HHB or MN in a year so that either one of them could begin production and then release them one year apart after that
You poor naive boy. Are you honestly suggesting that God, who supposedly has an entire universe to run, is actively interested in the returns of a hollywood production?? I do hope you're only 7 years old.
Not to mention that there is quite an obvious flaw in your reasoning: VOTD is making more money internationally, in predominantly non-Christian countries than it is in America, home of Christian fundamentalism. So if God is interested in Narnia, does this suggest that God favours non Christian Narnia fans? lol.
I think what this first weekend opening proves is that, contrary to the belief of most people on this site, Narnia is not the sole reserve of hard core christians, its christian elements are secondary elements to what remain cracking good children's stories, which can be enjoyed just as much, if not more so, by the rest of the world, be they Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Zoroastrian, Taoist, Shinto, Animist, Jainist, Rastafarian, Agnostic or Atheist.
yeah, the silver chair is my least favorite book, so maybe a good film treatment would help me to enjoy it more. I actually think they should pump up the comedy factor when they can, with Puddleglum. maybe show caspian falling in love and marrying Lil, then aging them . Add some characterization , so we care about these people BEFORE they are in danger. and a new person for the green witch.
anyone know why it ended up at only an hour and a half after they announced it at 2 hours a couple weeks ago? it really needed that extra half hour for pacing. how bout an article on that?
High Queene Shelly Belly: Have you actually read Harry Potter?? Its author is an avowed Christian and it's full of obvious Christian elements and messages!! Its got nothing to do with increasing or promoting witchcraft, because believe it or not: WITHCRAFT, WIZARDS, AND OTHER FANTASY IDEAS ARE NOT REAL. Its called imagination. Something a lot of people here seem to lack, as well as common sense and education.
These "top practitioners" may make that claim, but I haven't seen one person around me who has turned to witchcraft after reading the HP books or viewing the movies, because in this day and age, we don't have time for such foolishness like that… people say that the books and the films contain content of the occult, but the stuff that they portray is laughable compared to the real thing; is almost like a joke. Most people who watch don't care about the details and inter-workings and are there to just see the spectacle, just like the Narnia series: big ocean ship, dragons, snowfall in an enclosed room? Looks like a spectacle to me.
For me, I appreciate any piece of literature that promotes literacy and the joy of reading to today's children, and draws them away from their cell phones, computers, and video games; something that instills creativity, confidence in themselves, true beauty, and respect for the people, places, and things around you.
High Queene Shelly Belly: The vast majority of the movie going public have NO IDEA what a 'Dawn Treader' is. Conversely, ask the average person about "The Lion, The Witch, and Wardrobe", and you will see, at least, a hint of recognition. A spark that says: "Yes, I've heard of that. I might be interested in learning more." The first movie was far more than a single adaptation of "one of" the Narnia books. In terms of star literary power, it was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the Narnia universe, and to expect the other films to reach that same level of success is kind of ridiculous.
Do you see the salient difference? People who've actually read the books are a TINY portion of the cinema-going masses. What "we" like and know is statistically insignificant. The first book was a pop culture phenomenon that reached far and wide past its literary origins. The other books… are not.
That's what you get for trying to pander to Christians and being heavy handed with propoganda. This is the worst result by far. Very disappointed. This franchise needed to expand its appeal, not narrow it down to some bible belt in the United States.
I'm 19 years old Chris, thanks man. I'm a film student at UT. You're reasoning is kind-of off, and please don't take ANY of this to be cruel or rude. I just want to show you my reasoning and tell you what I think about yours. Yeah, God is the Creator of the Universe, but in the way that Aslan has a relationship with Lucy and Edmund, God also has a relationship with those whom He has saved – those who are born again Christians. God may be the Creator of the Universe but He is first and foremost a personal God – don't make the mistake of thinking that, despite the fact that we are specks of sand in God's eye, He's not personal, becuase HE IS. He cares for EVERY SINGLE LITTLE detail of our lives. So, in this regard, I do believe that God cares about Narnia! The example of the boy who was saved after seeing Prince Capsian totally exemplifies that, as I said. God can work through the material presented in the Narnia movies to change and affect people's lives, and to ultimately advance His kingdom. I totally agree that Narnia can be for ANYONE! That's exactly right, and Jack even said that he didn't mind other people just reading the books (now watching the movies) for entertainment and not reading into the Christian themes (i.e. if they weren't believers.) But the Narnia Chronicles ARE Christian allegorical stories, and the movies, even if some members of the production team don't necessarily mean them to, exemplify that idea. Even the media says so – check Box Office Mojo. However, it IS for Christians AND non-Chrisitans alike, as Jack said; the difference is that Christians will more likely take something away spiritually from seeing the movies or reading the books, and even non-Christians, as with the aforementioned story regarding Prince Caspian, might come to know Christ through the movies, which is even MORE awesome! In regard to your reasoning, do you think that God doesn't care about non-Christian Narnia fans? Because you're absolutely wrong – HE DOES! You think that God doesn't care about the success of a story that was originally meant to glorify Him? Because HE IS GOD! He knows the number of hairs on your head and calls each of the stars BY NAME. If it is God's will that these movies should bring glory to Him, then they will, and let me tell you what – THEY HAVE! If a boy suddenly committed his life to Christ after seeing Prince Caspian, that is SO AWESOME! Obviously, God had a plan to use Prince Caspian to change that boy's life and save him. So, in conclusion, you totally DON'T have to be a Christian to like, love or enjoy the Narnia movies, but that doesn't mean that God doesn't care about the success of a film whose original story was meant to glorify Him, whose original story came directly from Him. Read the Douglas Gresham interview, and you'll see what I mean. I'm one hundred percent serious, it might totally change your outlook on Narnia.
Since when was going from 56 million (Prince Caspian) to 24 million (VDT) a resurection of the franchise?
Fox is looking at the whole picture aka both domestic and international #s.
I kinda got to agree with you, Shelly, on the music and pacing. The LWW and PC soundtracks were awe inspiring, but VDT was, well, not so much. And most of the scenes were cut short. I kinda miss Andrew!
No it does not ring a bell, I have always been WhiteRider, sorry
The single most important number for studios in determining profitability is the opening weekend DOMESTIC take. Depending on the deal that they cut with the domestic exhibitors, their take can be anywhere from 60-100% for the first 1-3 weeks. After that, it drops severely. Conversely, their cut from international gross is, roughly, 30-40%, at the very most. And, out of that, they have to pay foreign marketing costs. If FOX is left with $15 million of that $80.5 million that the film earned outside the U.S. and Canada, they'd be very lucky. International numbers are gravy. The real meat is all domestic. What FOX is doing is crisis management. They are a very prominent division of a publicly traded company, and that is standard operating procedure. These numbers are beyond terrible for a production of this size, and they represent a HUGE fall from the previous films. Not a little dip, a supersonic nosedive.
I'm going tomorrow!!!!!!! YES!! Happy day.
I am a christian, but I am not from the United States.
This characature of the ignorant, uncultured american red neck who only calls himself a christian because he would not be able to get a job in his town, does NOT apply to all christians, and I am sure is actually a pretty small ( but loud ) percentage of U.S christians.
AND the producers have already censored ALOT of the allegory in the movies. What happened to the 'Emoror-over-sea' ? To deviate from the allegory in the story would be to CHANGE the story, and it is the main appeal of it.
It would be a slap in the face to Lewis, and would, as M. Apted wrote,
'Be silly'.
I am willing to bet that 80 % ( which is almost the percentage of moviegoers in Rotten Tomatoes who liked it ) of the people in this forum would prefer not to see the chronicles made into movies if they are to be censored further of their allegory. I sure would'nt
N.-N. C. , what a wet blanket you are! lol
If they made so made sequels to the Halloween movies…
Carwashboy,
Thanks for the comment. I totally agree in that I think it is God' will for these movies to be made. That is so awesome about the boy who accepted Christ after PC. I have been hoping that any who do not know God personally because they think they are not "good" enough to go be loved by God. May they see through Eustace that salvation is a free gift; we do not deserve it, yet God offers it to us anyway.
You might be 19 but you reason like a 7 year old. You seem to think that stating something with assurance and certainty makes it true. Who are you to know what God thinks or does?
If God is interested in children's stories and movies to "glorify" him and wants kids to dedicate their lives to him, then your God is much more vain, petty, weak, arrogant, self obsessed, totalitarian, than I am. Hes a god of the meek, uneducated and unimaginative.
I don't need anyone to glorify me, why would God? The only people in history who've ever wanted others to glorify them have been dictators and bullies with self confidence issues. If you'd created the universe, I severely doubt you'd have such issues.
If God exists he's anything but a personal God. You just want him to be because you can't deal with the absurdity of your own existence. You are arrogant enough to believe that you are more important than any other living thing on this planet and self centred enough to think that the universe revolves around you and your interest in children's stories. Its not your fault though, thats the human condition. All gods are called "father" or "mother" because they represent surrogate parents for us to cling on to because we find it difficult to accept growing up into a world where we are doomed to die and where we mean no more or less than the next man and must take responsibility for our own actions.
Its harsh but true. C.S Lewis was not divinely inspired. Anyone can write children's stories, you just need more imagination than you seem to display (which does not bode well if you're a film student!). If he were divinely inspired, you'd have thought the books would be even better than they are, because lets face it, as much as I enjoyed them as a kid, they're hardly the greatest works of the English language are they?
To me, Lucy's question made sense. It was at a time where they were catching up, and it's a natural moment to inquire about anything significant going on in a friend's life. As a friend, she would wonder if he'd ever married since he was of age. It also established the fact that he hadn't yet, which is a nod toward him later getting together with Ramandu's daughter. Also, the mention of Susan I simply attributed as a nice nod toward continuity within the series. They did that in several places, one of which leads into the Silver Chair being next. I was glad to see that!
I Really Loved the movie and have been praying alot that they would be able to make the other 4! So People go see it again. Cause I wont be able to see it again till its in the dollar theater 🙁
Of course, prophetic significance! First you get a conflation of the Narnian religion (Aslan) with the Calormene religion (Tash), and then an actual demon comes to take a prey. Aslan saves the day…by making it the last day. That is directly relevant to present world events.
Just one thing: they'll simply *have* to make HHB before they make LB. Or else the movie-going public will never be prepared. It's also the one chance they have to bring Anna Popplewell back for at least a cameo. They can also have Skandar and Georgie appear as an older Edmund and Lucy.
you high queen, I mean i wouldnt have been so blunt about it, but agree, sure there an entertaining watch, but thats the scary part, something soo dark is so engaging to so many people, its a worry alright, and I myself dont believe its omething christians should be involved with, and I say this having read the books!
I actually thaught the 3D was teriffic, possibly the best quality i have seen yet, there were few moments when things "popped out" at you, but they put more effort into making it crystal clear 3d, and it made the scenes so beautiful with the depth in the images, I think this is how 3D should be done for a movie like this, simply to enhance the beauty on the screen, not to try and make you jump with a cheap gag… 🙂 just my thoughts
I have a friend who came to see LWW with me, and after i explained th Christian themes in the story he expressed interest in our church, he came with me and is now a member of the church, and has been a devoted christian for 5yrs now… so please dont try to tell me that these films are not in God's will, there is no denying it from what i have wittnessed!
Explain how thats relevant to reality?
Hey Princess Lucy,
Actually where I live the winter is shockingly mild! 🙂
WOW Queen Su….that must shocking and freezing…I can imagine how hard it would be to get outside…I do hope it gets better in your area so yous can enjoy the time and also watch the film 🙂
sorri i misread the word "mild"….hahha….but yh that is surprising I guess there are places without this bad weather in america..now i REALLY wonder whats happening to the american audiences…hope it gets better!!! 😉
Chris, if you have ever watched a young child with it's parent(s), you can see that the child trusts them unconditionally. The child trusts that the parents have it's best in mind, even when it hurts or doesn't make sense. God wants us to "have faith like a child".
I speak from experience when I say that I know this to be true; there have many times over the past 3 years when things have not made sense to me. I can only trust that everything will work out for my good, no matter the outcome-good or (in my mind) bad. I have been a Christian for many years, but it has only recently become really my own faith, not just my parents, in the last 7 years.
As for whether or not God is interested in a movie; He most definitely is! He is interested in anything that affects His children. He is a personal God and invites us to come to Him at anytime, anywhere, and about anything. How much more personal can you get?
Chris-
Look, first of all, I don't really need to keep arguing with you. As one of my best friends told me, people didn't believe Jesus either when He was on earth, so I shouldn't be disheartened that you don't believe me.
Who am I to know what God thinks or does? I am a Christian and have been saved by the grace of Jesus Christ, and redeemed by His blood, which He shed on the cross for me. Because of this, I know God personally and have a relationship with Him. From your comments I am guessing that you aren't a Christian, although you may be. But this is only something that someone who has the Holy Spirit of God in their lives can understand, such as my friends and brothers/sisters in Christ who posted below. There is SUCH LIFE found in Christ, He is my beginning and my end, He has saved me with His grace which I NEVER deserved and even though I was totally worthless He LOVED me and gave Himself for me.
On your comments regarding God bringing glory to Himself – if He ceases to bring glory to Himself, He ceases to be God. Yes, its all about God and NOT about us. That may sound harsh but its such an AMAZING truth! I guess once you're a Christian, you realize what a wonderful thing that is! Because, by glorifying God, WE find the ultimate satisfaction!! "Only God can satisfy the longings of an immortal soul; that as the heart was made for Him, so only He can fill it." God loves us, each and every one of us, SO MUCH!! And He calls us to Himself – by glorifying Him (because He is God) we find true, lasting satisfaction. This means forsaking selfishness, but the truth is that I was never as satisfied in life when I was seeking things for myself. When I began to seek God's glory and to glorify Him by enjoying Him forever, I found the ultimate pleasure and satisfaction. Nothing else in this world can satisfy! God is NOT weak or vain or any of the things you listed. And He is God of ALL people, including you and me. He is STRONGER – I am living proof of His strength displayed. He has kept me from falling to a life of sin and despair. He has raised me up with Christ to live a NEW, beautiful life in Him. Trust me, God does not NEED us, but He WANTS us. If He does not glorify Himself, He is not God. And He IS God, so He WILL glorify himself no matter what you say or attempt to argue.
God DOES exist and he IS a personal God – I DO need Jesus, and there's no way that I could live without Him! You want to know WHY God is a personal God? He sent his ONLY Son Jesus to die on the cross for you and me and every person who ever did and ever will exist in this world. Jesus had to die for the sins of the world, and he carried the weight of mine, yours and everyone else's. He died the death that WE deserved and took God's wrath for sin (because God CANNOT leave sin unpunished) so that WE who are saved didn't have to! That is the most beautiful, perfect display of love in the history of the world, and it is the greatest event that mankind has ever known. It is a look into the heart of our great God – that He would send His own Son to die the death that you and I deserved for our sins. What AMAZING love!
I am not self-centered to think that I can have a personal relationship with God – He offers it freely to ANYONE who will accept Him. I realize that the ONLY way I can please Him and live a life that is PURE and HOLY is by having this relationship with Him, and it is CHRIST that strengthens me.
Yes, CS Lewis WAS divinely inspired. It is not the beauty of language but the message that matters. All those other pieces of literature to which you refer as being the best of the English langage will pass away one day – their position as the great works of our language will fade and they will be gone without a trace. But the effects that books like The Chronicles of Narnia have on people's lives will last for all eternity.
1st Corinthians 2:13-16
13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[a] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”[b]
But we have the mind of Christ.
yeah but in 2005 they had mentioned they wuold like to release one every year, till they got bogged down by PC. you can have more than one team at a time working on things.
sorry guys, but i gotta call a spade a spade. that series has produced a 300% increase in actual real life covens- ACCORDING TO THE HIGH RANKING WITCHES IN OCCULTISM. they are the ones who reported the increase among kids in occultism directly influenced by HP. and the bible directly forbids witchcraft because it originates from the dark side and it is dangerous. HP is deeply steeped in actual occultism and JK researched and based her writings on actual practices. it is a doorway into real anti-christian practices. you'll find it if you research online.
to PHvolt220, the magic in narnia is make believe- , the witchcraft in HP is well researched and based on actual wicca/pagan practices. that is the difference. I'm sorry i offended you, so I will send you a Happy Face : ) LOL
I agree with High Queen Shelly Belly. HP is witchcraft.
I'm sure it did.
Finally saw it myself last night. Was a little dissapointed. But will go again if I can get past other tasks.