Lent on Passion's side
2004-03-02 08:53
Los Angeles - After opening with an astonishing $125.2m over five days, Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ is positioned to get even bigger as the Roman Catholic season of Lent leads up to Easter on April 11.
The box-office total announced on Monday by distributor Newmarket Films pushed The Passion past The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($124.1m) for biggest debut ever by a film opening on a Wednesday - Ash Wednesday, in this case.
The total was almost $8m more than Newmarket first estimated, because far more people turned out on Sunday to see Gibson's grisly crucifixion recreation than originally predicted.
"I think we'll see strong bookings leading up to Easter, and I would anticipate Easter would be a huge weekend," said Bruce Davey, Gibson's partner at his film company, Icon Productions.
The movie, which stars Jim Caviezel as Christ, has deeply divided religious communities. Church groups have bought out entire theatres for screenings, while some Jewish and Christian leaders say The Passion could revive the notion that Jews were collectively responsible for Christ's death.
The film played strongly among all age and ethnic groups and in every region of the country, especially in some Bible belt and heartland cities such as Dallas, Houston and Oklahoma City, said Rob Schwartz, head of distribution for Newmarket. Gibson hired the independent outfit to put The Passion in theatres after Hollywood studios shied away.
The Passion ultimately could take in between $300m and $350m in the United States and Canada alone, Schwartz said.
The movie also opened in Australia and New Zealand on Ash Wednesday and is gradually debuting worldwide. Through March and April, The Passion will open in such countries as Britain, Germany, Italy, Mexico, South Africa and most of South America.
Gibson's The Passion, embodies the most basic definition of the independent film. Though its $25m budget (paid entirely by Gibson) is far larger than most indies, The Passion is a personal vision offered up without the slightest concession to mainstream tastes or box-office commerce.
The film succeeded through Gibson's brilliant marketing strategy. He sold his vision from the ground up by selectively screening the movie for like-minded church leaders, who spread the buzz to congregations nationwide.
When some Jewish and Christian groups complained that the movie could foster anti-Semitism, Gibson largely stepped back and let the debate rage.
It probably was a blessing in disguise for Gibson that Hollywood would not touch the film. Conventional studio marketing never could have provided the free ride of publicity The Passion received from all the headlines and media commentary.
- AP