Welcome to the Box Office Awards 2010 which takes a look back at some of the most profitable films of the last year. Box office revenues in North America were narrowly down in 2010 from the record breaking 2009 ($10.6 Billion) in spite of an almost half dollar increase in the average price of ticket sales. In particular the Christmas period suffered badly in comparison to the previous year although the deciding factor in this 35% drop could be James Camerons Avatar which set fire to the charts during the festive period in 2009. There were no Avatar-like box office sensations in 2010 however two more films did join the billion dollar club and there were still a number of hit movies which were mostly targeted at children under the age of twelve. In 2010 the charts were infiltrated by talking toys, wizards and witches, vampires, dragons, ogres, rabbit holes and dreams within dreams within well you get the idea. But which film ruled above all others in regards to box office gross - lets proceed with the results.
BOX OFFICE AWARD FOR WORLDWIDE GROSS IN 2010:
TOY STORY 3- Worldwide Gross: $ 1,063,143,492 Weeks Inside the US Top Ten: 9 Production Budget: $200 Million During the films stateside opening weekend between June 18th-20th, Toy Story 3 was rewarded with an impressive 4,028 theatres and it more than made the most of this opportunity with a $110 Million+ opening weekend. Just over two months later and the critically adored animation became only the seventh film in history to reach the billion dollar mark worldwide joining the elite company of the billionaire club with other hit sensations Alice in Wonderland (2010) (which had arrived a few months earlier,) The Dark Knight (2008), Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest (2006), Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), Titanic (1997) and Avatar (2009). 3-D ticket prices obviously boosted the financial success of Walt Disneys two billion dollar success stories but in regards to ticket sales Toy Story 3 still received a significant boost over its predecessors proving that the quality of the three films and indeed the extended break between the second and third films helped the franchise to expand its fan base. The film was also the best reviewed film of 2010 (beating out tough competition from the likes of Social Network and Inception) with a 99% critics approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes making Toy Story 3 an astounding commercial and critical success. And I doubt many would argue that the creative minded, character driven adventure deserved any less. Here are the other films which made up the top five worldwide hits of 2010: 2.) ALICE IN WONDERLAND Worldwide Gross: $1,024,029,722 Weeks Inside the US Top Ten: 8 Production Budget: $ 200 Million 3.) HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART ONE Worldwide Gross: $901,333,215 Weeks Inside the US Top Ten: 5 Production Budget: N/A 4.) INCEPTION Worldwide Gross: $825,491,877 Weeks Inside the US Top Ten: 12 Production Budget: $160 Million 5.) SHREK FOREVER AFTER Worldwide Gross: $739,813,967 Weeks Inside the US Top Ten: 9 Production Budget: $165 Million
BOX OFFICE AWARD FOR HIGHEST GROSSING OPENING WEEKEND (US BOX OFFICE):
IRON MAN 2 - $128,122,480 Benefiting from playing on a record number of theatres (4,380) Iron Man 2 soared to a mightily impressive opening weekend sum. It was a sum so great in fact that it ended up contributing over 40% of the films entire domestic run and proving Iron Man 2 to be a significant hype movie when its takings fell to $52 million and $26.3 million in the weekends that followed. Iron Man 2 narrowly beat out competition from Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows ($125,017,372) and Alice in Wonderland ($116,101,023).
BOX OFFICE AWARD FOR BIGGEST SLEEPER HIT:
HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON - $217, 581, 231 When How to Train Your Dragon opened with a rather mediocre sum of $43.7 million dollars it seemed like it would have a hard time domestically matching its budget. The film received small drop percentages in the weeks that followed however and then incredibly returned to the top of the charts after five weeks on release in an almost unprecedented fashion. Overall the film made over $200 million in the United States and almost $500 million dollars worldwide going on to be a surprising box office success story.
BOX OFFICE AWARD FOR BIGGEST UK HIT:
TOY STORY 3 - £50 million+ Toy Story 3 became the second most financially successful film of all time within the United Kingdom out grossing huge UK hits such as the original installments of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings as well as heavily rewatched hits like Mamma Mia and Titanic. The animation couldnt quite scale the scary heights of Avatar which made a staggering £ 93.4 million but its still a very impressive feat which shows this nations fondness for the pixar sensation.
BOX OFFICE AWARD FOR MOST PROFITABLE FILM STUDIO (US):
WARNER BROS. Warner Bros were assisted by the obvious money-making hit that was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and the more uncertain success of the experimental and potentially alienating Inception. The latter film proved to be a huge financial success story however and helped Warner Bros lead the way forward in domestic revenues for the third year running - taking $1.9 billion dollars and 18% of all US Box Office Business in 2010. So there we have it - all the important box office numbers and stats from 2010. Will this year maintain positive worldwide business? Heres hoping for a record breaking year in terms of both box office business and all round film quality. Fingers crossed for 2011.