WA film Red Dog has now overtaken $30 million 3D flick Sanctum to become the highest grossing Australian film of 2011.
Following a strong opening last week, the feel-good film about Koko the kelpie continues to receive positive word of mouth, and as a result, has raked in a further $1.89 million across 245 screens. Posting a 5 per cent increase on opening weekend, the film had a strong screen average of $7614.
Including preview screenings, the Roadshow folktale about a hitchhiking dog that unites an isolated mining town has now raked in an impressive $4,522,374.
Opening in February, Sanctum – directed by Alister Grierson under the watchful eye of Hollywood big-player James Cameron – grossed $3,869,388 in total after seven weeks at the local box office. According to Box Office Mojo, the Universal film has made almost $US80 million worldwide.
Directed by Kriv Stenders (Boxing Day), Red Dog was filmed in the Pilbara region of Western Australia and in parts of South Australia. To view the trailer, click here.
Australian/UK co-production Oranges and Sunshine, starring Emily Watson, Hugo Weaving and David Wenham, continued its long run in Australia, taking in $32,729 from 46 screens for Icon in its 10th week.
Madman flicks Big Mamma’s Boy – the latest rom-com set in Melbourne – grossed $25,453 from 18 screens, while thriller Snowtown made $3067 from just four screens.
Australian animated flick Oakie's Outback Adventures, distributed by Pinnacle Films, took in $3122 from 12 screens in its second week. The film, written and directed by Troy Dann (Outback Adventures), features the voices of Dann, Kathryn Beckett, Jack Thompson, Ian Calder, Kate Ceberano, among many others.
In other box office news, superhero film Green Lantern finally screened in Australia and powered up to take $3.04 million from 400 screens in its opening weekend.
The Warner Bros film was controversially delayed in Australia. As a result, fans flooded and outlined their negative thoughts on the distributor’s Facebook page. The film was released seven weeks earlier in the US.
Fox’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes made a healthy $3 million from 362 screens, while Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 raked in a further $1.3 million in its fifth week on 387 screens – 166 screens less than last weekend. Part 2 took the Lord of the Rings: Return of the King's fourth-placed crown on the weekend to become the fourth biggest film ever at the Australian box office.
Glee: The 3D Concert Movie rounded off fifth spot at the local box office, taking in $970,388 for Fox, across 238 screens.
Australian films at the local box office in 2011:
|
Film
|
Budget
|
Distributor
|
Opening w/e
|
Box Office
|
|
Red Dog
|
|
Roadshow
|
$1,780,296
|
$4,522,374
|
|
Sanctum
|
$30m
|
Universal
|
$1,595,021
|
$3,838,154
|
|
Oranges and Sunshine
|
£3.6m
|
Icon
|
$681,018
|
$3,726,643
|
|
Mrs. Carey's Concert
|
|
Music Films
|
$62,854
|
$1,137,475
|
|
Snowtown
|
|
Madman Entertainment
|
$169,072
|
$1,114,928
|
|
Mad Bastards
|
$3.2m
|
Paramount/Transmission
|
$81,597
|
$380,428
|
|
Sleeping Beauty
|
|
Paramount/Transmission
|
$70,204
|
$302,226
|
|
Big Mamma's Boy
|
|
Madman Entertainment
|
$106,597
|
$241,709
|
|
Griff The Invisible
|
$2m
|
Paramount/Transmission
|
$66,344
|
$199,615
|
|
Wasted On The Young
|
|
Paramount
|
$52,118
|
$151,198
|
|
The Reef
|
$3.8m
|
Pinnacle Films
|
$58,196
|
$128,094
|
|
A Heartbeat Away
|
$7m
|
Hoyts
|
$44,204
|
$123,546
|
|
Blame
|
$1.8m
|
Pack Screen
|
$12,330
|
$41,909
|
|
Cane Toads: The Conquest
|
|
Pinnacle Films
|
$10,178
|
$26,305
|
|
Here I Am
|
|
Paramount/Transmission
|
$11,659
|
$25,990
|
|
Needle
|
|
Filmscope
|
$10,335
|
$18,518
|
|
Oakie's Outback Adventures
|
Pinnacle Films
|
$2,854
|
$7,640
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
|
|
|
|
$15,986,752
|
Source: MPDAA, IF