NORTH AMERICA: Platform Watch: Best Picture Nominees 'The Big Short' ($3.00M), 'Brooklyn' ($1.72M), 'Room' ($1.22M) & 'Spotlight' ($1.12M) All Hold Well

on January 31, 2016

By Daniel Garris

Academy Award nominees for Best Picture, currently in limited release held up very nicely this weekend.

Paramount's The Big Short took in an estimated $3.00 million from 983 locations, for a per-location average of $3,052. The Adam McKay directed Best Picture nominee was down just 6 percent upon playing in 368 fewer locations this weekend than last weekend. In addition to continuing to benefit from awards season buzz and strong word of mouth, The Big Short (and holdovers in general) also benefited this weekend from last weekend's grosses being deflated by both Winter Storm Jonas and last Sunday's NFL Conference Championship Games. The Big Short passed the $60 million mark this weekend and has grossed $60.90 million in 52 days.

Fox Searchlight's Brooklyn took in an estimated $1.72 million from 748 locations, for a per-location average of $2,293. The John Crowley directed Best Picture nominee starring Saoirse Ronan was essentially unchanged from last weekend's performance, when it was playing in 214 more locations. Brooklyn passed the $30 million mark this weekend and has grossed $30.39 million through 87 days of release.

A24's Room grossed an estimated $1.22 million from 795 locations, for a per-location average of $1,532. The Lenny Abrahamson directed Best Picture nominee starring Brie Larson was down a slim 9 percent from last weekend, when it was playing in 67 more locations. Room is now on the verge of surpassing the $10 million mark with an 108-day take of $9.88 million.

Open Road's Spotlight performed similarly with an estimated $1.12 million from 715 locations, for a per-location average of $1,567. The Tom McCarthy directed Best Picture nominee starring Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo was down 12 percent from last weekend, when it was playing in 315 more locations. The 87-day total for Spotlight stands at $34.69 million.

In other Academy Award related box office news, ShortsHD's The 2016 Oscar Nominated Short Films opened with an estimated $505,000 from 112 locations, for a per-location average of $4,509. That was 21 percent stronger than the $416,850 debut of last year's The 2015 Oscar Nominated Short Films from 118 locations. Last year's collection of Academy Award nominated short films went on to gross $2.41 million during its entire domestic run.

Well Go USA's Ip Man 3 remained strong this weekend with an estimated $503,200 from 115 locations, for a per-location average of $4,376. The third installment of the Donnie Yen led martial arts series was down a solid 36 percent from last weekend's debut. Ip Man 3 has grossed $1.62 million in ten days of release. The film has already easily out-grossed the $205,675 total North America gross of 2011's Ip Man 2: Legend of the Grandmaster.

45 Years took in an estimated $472,000 from 94 locations, for a per-location average of $5,021. The critically acclaimed drama from IFC Films' Sundance Selects division, starring Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay was up a terrific 195 percent over last weekend, when the film was playing in 55 fewer locations. 45 Years has grossed $1.25 million in 40 days.

Sony Pictures Classics' The Lady in the Van grossed an estimated $321,972 from 50 locations, for a per-location average of $6,439. The critically acclaimed Nicholas Hytner directed film starring Maggie Smith was up a healthy 84 percent upon expanding into an additional 20 locations this weekend. The Lady in the Van has grossed $743,265 through 17 days (and an additional one-week Oscar qualifying run back in early December).

Also of note this weekend was Rooster Teeth's Lazer Team. The sci-fi action-comedy took in an estimated $114,950 from 35 locations over the weekend, for a per-location average of $3,284. This weekend's performance came on the heels of the film's $1.01 million performance over the Tugg on-demand distribution platform on Wednesday and Thursday. Lazer Team has grossed $1.12 million to date and will receive an expansion next weekend.

Tags: The Big Short, Brooklyn, Room, Spotlight, The Oscar Nominated Short Films 2016, Ip Man 3, 45 Years, The Lady in the Van, Lazer Team, north-america