Warner Bros. Leads RP box-office race, no. 1 in gross sales

CEBU, Philippines - Warner Bros. Philippines announced yesterday its blockbuster gross sales of a whopping P629.67-million from January 8 to Aug. 2, 2009, making it the current box-office leader among distributors (local or foreign). This according to Francis Soliven, general manager of Warner Bros.

“Warner is on track for another record-breaking year, and we’d like to thank the Filipino moviegoers for this remarkable feat,” said Soliven. The studio has been the No. 1 distributor in the country for three consecutive years, from 2005 to 2007, with an annual average gross receipts of P1.2-billion. 

The jewel in Warner’s crown remains to be the latest “Harry Potter” installment, “Half-Blood Prince” which has so far grossed an astounding P178.45-million. “Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” released by Twentieth Century Fox through Warner, comes in second with a smash P112-million.

 Outstanding grosses were also performed by franchise films “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (P96.45-million) and “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” (P86-million).

The distributor’s other recent notable hits were “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” “Yes Man,” “Bride Wars,” “Australia,” “Marley & Me,” “Valkyrie” and “Dragonball: Evolution.”

Still to come from Warner for the rest of the year are potential winners “The Hangover” (already the biggest-grossing R-Rated comedy ever in the U.S.), “Ninja Assassin” (an action-thriller from the Wachowski Brothers), “Whiteout” (an Antarctica-set thriller starring Kate Beckinsale) and children-friendly fares “Shorts” and “Where the Wild Things Are.”

For its part, Fox will release “Jennifer’s Body” (starring current screen sensation Megan Fox), “All About Steve” (a Sandra Bullock romantic comedy), comedies “Aliens in the Attic” and “I Love You, Beth Cooper” and perhaps the most anticipated film in years, the groundbreaking “Avatar” – director James Cameron’s first movie since “Titanic.”