Harry Stays In Box Seat

Newcastle Herald

Monday December 31, 2007

JAMES JOYCE

TEEN wizard Harry Potter worked his money-making magic at the box office in 2007, with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix earning $35.5 million in Australian cinemas.

Final figures to be released in mid-January will show the fifth film based on the J.K. Rowling books was this year's No. 1 cinema drawcard, beating much-hyped "threequels" Shrek the Third (with ticket sales of $33.7 million), Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End ($33 million) and Spider-Man 3 ($23.9 million).

Two Hollywood spin-offs also proved hits: the long-awaited The Simpsons Movie ($31.4 million) and special effects-filled toy spin-off Transformers ($27.9 million).

The year's highest-grossing Australian film, Eric Bana's Romulus, My Father, took only $2.5 million, well short of 2006 crowd pleaser Kenny (with $7.6 million).

In a poor year for Australian film, the top 10 home-grown movies took less than $13 million between them.

Australian-made Oscar-winning animation Happy Feet, which was released on Boxing Day 2006, earned $20.7 million of its $31.7 million takings in 2007.

Another family hit of last summer, Ben Stiller's Night at the Museum, also made the bulk of its earnings in 2007.

The year's surprise hit, British farce Death at a Funeral, has earned $13 million, more than star-spangled offerings like Ocean's Thirteen, and is still playing.

Scott Seddon, owner of Scotty's Cinema Centre at Raymond Terrace and the Heddon Greta Drive-In, said Transformers had been "the stand-out" at his box offices this year.

"We even gave it a second season at Raymond Terrace and it did quite well," Mr Seddon said.

Death at a Funeral had been a crowd pleaser "almost by mistake".

"Older folk certainly liked it but it drew a pretty broad audience with that Fish Called Wanda-style of black humour," Mr Seddon said.

The official 2007 box office figures will be released next month by the Motion Picture Distributors' Association.

AUSSIE BOX OFFICE TOP 10 IN 2007

1 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix $35.5m

2 Shrek the Third $33.7m

3 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World`s End $33m

4 The Simpsons Movie $31.4m

5 Transformers $27.9m

6 Spider-Man 3 $23.9m

7 The Bourne Ultimatum $21.9m

8 Happy Feet $20.7m

9 Night at the Museum $17.5m

10 Wild Hogs $17.2m

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home