Henrick Vartanian
The audience response to the weekend box office in North America was, well, “insane” as “Shutter Island” (directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Leonardo DiCaprio) opened at No. 1, with sales over its distributor’s expectations, in a report by Reuters. on Sunday.
Pundits had forecast an opening in the $25 million to $30 million range, for this $75 million budgeted picture. Equipped with the most favorite American arsenal on their side, moviegoers voted with their wallets, soaring the Island’s ticket sales to an estimated $40.2 million across the United States and Canada since its opening on Friday, setting personal bests for both the director and his collaborator star Leonardo DiCaprio. Not bad for a film that was to open last October in time for awards season. But Paramount Pictures sent shock waves through the industry by announcing a delay until 2010 because of…, get this, not having enough funds to promote the film properly.
The studio (a unit of The Viacom Inc.) decided to spend its Oscar marketing dollars to “The Lovely Bones,” which received only one nod for the March 7 awards show, and to six-time nominee “Up in the Air,” which is believed to pick up an Oscar in the adapted screenplay category, Hollywood insiders believe.
Scorsese’s previous opening record was $26 million for “The Departed” in 2006. the gangster flick went on to make $132 million domestically, and delivered Scorsese the first Oscar of his career. DiCaprio’s old record was $30 million for “Catch Me If You Can” in 2002.
Shutter Island – official website: http://www.shutterisland.com/#/home