More than US$160m from 2012's Movies

7 Jan 2013
[Updated on 14 Apr 2013]

SINGAPORE -

More than US$160million!

That's probably how much people in Singapore spent watching movies in cinemas in 2012. And this excludes the gross from 2011 releases that played into 2012, as well films from India - which I'll love to include but figures are not available at this point of writing.

Before I continue with a look at how movies performed at the Singapore Box Office in 2012, here's a few disclaimers:

1) My observations are based on data that's publicly available - as such, the figures are not absolute, but should give an overview of the market.

2) While I've tried to include the grosses from all films, some do slip through, especially independent releases that were not reported on Box Office Mojo.

3) Films released in 2011 that continue into 2012 will be excluded.

4) The total gross from films released in 2012 but play into 2013 will be included.

THE FILM DISTRIBUTORS

United International Pictures (UIP) is the top distributor in terms of gross. Its dominance is boosted by year end releases like LES MISERABLES, RISE OF THE GUARDIANS, JACK REACHER and PITCH PERFECT that continue playing into 2013. It released 20 films for a total of US$29,849,628 or 18.06% of the market share. Its top 2 titles grossed more than US$4m each, along with four US$2m earners and four US$1m earners.

Its top performers are:

1. MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED US$4,860,625 

2. BATTLESHIP US$4,189,981

3. SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN US$2,708,423
4. THE BOURNE LEGACY US$2,334,843
5. LES MISERABLES US$2,206,502 (excludes takings from the 2013 re-rated re-release)

Golden Village Pictures (GVP) is the second top distributor in terms total gross and lost the top spot by a slim margin. It released the most number of films in 2012 - its 74 releases grossed a total of US$29,752,292 or 18.00% of the market share.

Its top performers are:
1. AH BOYS TO MEN (新兵正传) US$5,088,413
2. CZ12 (十二生肖) US$4,093,933
3. THE EXPENDABLES 2 US$2,661,665
4. WE NOT NAUGHTY (孩子不坏) US$1,716,933
5. DARK SHADOWS US$1,681,396

The next 4 distributors in terms of gross are also international distributors: Sony (16.11%), Warner Brothers (12.36%), Disney (10.77%) and Fox (10.61%).

Sony has 13 titles and its top performers are THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (US$6,975, 115), SKYFALL (US$5,259,603) and MIB3 (US$4,231,573).

Warner Bros. released 12 titles, led by THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (US$7,328,329) and THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (US$4,348,190).

Disney released only 7 films, including two 3D re-issues but commanded the top film of the year - THE AVENGERS (US$11,172,253).

Fox has 16 titles and its top performer is TAKEN 2 (US$3,208,702).

Cathay-Keris Films has 7.45% of the gross market share with 68 films, while Shaw has 6.48% with 51 releases. Cathay's top film is THE HUNGER GAMES (US$3,729,893), while Shaw's top film is THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2 (US$3,184,396).


HIGHLIGHTS OF 2012

As Hollywood gets more aggressive with their releases and these films continue to do well with the local audience, 2012 saw 3 films break into the Top 10 highest grossers of all time.

THE AVENGERS (US$11,172,253) unseated AVATAR to become the biggest film of all time in Singapore.

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (US$7,328,329) and THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (US$6,975, 115) are now the 5th and 6th highest grossing films of all time in Singapore.

Local film AH BOYS TO MEN broke a 14 year-old record to become the highest grossing domestic film of all time in Singapore, giving new hope to the local film industry. The film ended a 13-week run in 2013 with a total gross of US$5,088,413.

13 domestic titles hit theatres, up from 9 the year before.

SHAME wasn't allowed in theatres and the short films omnibus, SEX.VIOLENCE.FAMILYVALUES. got yanked days just before its theatrical run. (The good news is that the uncut version of SHAME will be screened for members of the Singapore Film Society in Jan 2013. This follows an earlier precedent in which a film's suitability for general release by the Board of Film Censors is okayed only if it's screened to a limited audience)

Cinemas start introducing new stuff to continue to entice people to watch movies in theatres (and spend more money). Stuff like Couples Cinema @ GV City Square, or technological advances like Dolby Atmos and High Frame Rate (or maybe the whole thing was just to get people to watch THE HOBBIT in 6 different formats)...


FROM THE FACTS FOLDER

Singapore started the year with 187 screens and ended the year with 194. New cinemas include Shaw's JCube cineplex and GV City Square. WE Cinemas at West mall closed during the 4th quarter of the year and will be back in 2013 under Cathay Organisation.

At least 272 films were released in 2012, grossing a total of US$165,302,019.

Of this lot, 13 were domestic releases that grossed US$9,817,833.

44 films crossed the US$1m mark this year, the same number as in 2011.

19 films crossed the US$1m mark within the first 4 days (20 films if sneak previews are included).

Ticket prices were raised just before the Lunar New Year.

Films from the United States - both from the big studios and the independents, including co-productions account for 78.59% of all tickets sold. That's US$129,907,662!

Mandarin films from Hong Kong and China account for 6.26% of all ticket sold, or US$10,351,744.

Those from Taiwan account for 0.81%, or US$1,342,774.

Those from Singapore account for 5.97%, or US$9,866,674! (which while far from ideal, is still a positive sign)

The Top 5 films are:
1. THE AVENGERS US$11,172,253
2. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES US$7,328,329
3. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN US$6,975, 115
4. SKYFALL US$5,259,603
5. AH BOYS TO MEN (新兵正传) US$5,088,413
See the rest of the top grossers here.

The Top 5 Non-Prequel, Non-Sequel, Non-Reboot films are:
1. AH BOYS TO MEN (新兵正传) US$5,088,413
2. BATTLESHIP US$4,189,981
3. CZ12 (十二生肖) US$4,093,933
4. THE HUNGER GAMES US$3,729,893
5. LIFE OF PI US$3,181,787

The Top 5 Debuts are:
1. THE AVENGERS US$5,766,054 (124 screens) (3 May)

2. THE DARK KNIGHT RISES US$2,650,244 (110 screens) (19 Jul)
3. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN US$2,647,533 (128 screens) (28 Jun)
4. SKYFALL US$2,266,293 (84 screens) (1 Nov)
5. MIB3 US$2,018,876 (94 screens) (24 May)

The Top 5 Average Screen Performers are:
1. AH BOYS TO MEN (新兵正传) US$33,321 (8 Nov)

2. SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN US$28,132 (31 May)
3. TAKEN 2 US$27,865 (4 Oct)
4. THE AVENGERS US$27,756 (3 May)
5. SKYFALL US$26,711 (1 Nov)

The Top 5 Mandarin films are:
1. AH BOYS TO MEN (新兵正传) US$5,088,413

2. CZ12 (十二生肖) US$4,093,933
3. WE NOT NAUGHTY (孩子不坏) US$1,716,933
4. DANCE DANCE DRAGON (龙众舞) US$1,143,877
5. THE VIRAL FACTOR (逆战) US$778,284

The Top 5 Animated films are:
1. MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE'S MOST WANTED US$4,860,625
2. ICE AGE 4 US$2,307,275
3. BRAVE US$2,193,784
4. RISE OF THE GUARDIANS US$1,990,302
5. WRECK-IT RALPH US$1,822,315

The Top 5 Foreign Language films are:
1. SADAKO 3D (Japanese) US$338,008
2. 407 DARK FLIGHT (Thai) US$286,546
3. RUROUNI KENSHIN (Japanese) US$286,478
4. THE RAID: REDEMPTION (Bahasa Indonesia) US$216,693
5. 3 A.M. (Thai) US$186,423

The Top 5 Single-Print Releases are:
1. A SEPARATION US$64,367
2. AMOUR US$29,416
3. HEADHUNTERS US$26,429
4. DETECTIVE CONAN: THE ELEVENTH STRIKER US$22,122
5. STRICKEN US$21,238


This part below is tricky, and highly debatable. Nevertheless....

The Top 5 Dramas are:
1. AH BOYS TO MEN (新兵正传) US$5,088,413

2. LIFE OF PI US$3,181,787
3. WE NOT NAUGHTY (孩子不坏) US$1,716,933

4. THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER US$490,176
5. THE DESCENDANTS US$469,918

The Top 5 Comedies are:
1. TED US$2,061,227

2. THE DICTATOR US$1,515,796

3. THIS MEANS WAR US$1,513,769
4. DANCE DANCE DRAGON (龙众舞) US$1,143,877
5. AMERICAN REUNION US$826,745

The Top 5 Romances are:
1. TITANIC 3D US$989,950
2. THE VOW US$885,628
3. THE LUCKY ONE US$520,465
4. THE WEDDING DIARY (结婚那件事) US$360,550
5. LOVE (爱) US332,654

The Top 5 Horrors are:
1. SINISTER US$616,377
2. THE POSSESSION US$570,108
3. THE DEVIL INSIDE US$497,942
4. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 4 US$491,638
5. GREEDY GHOST (贪心鬼见鬼) US$469,823

The Top 5 Thrillers are:
1. TAKEN 2 US$3,208,702
2. ARGO US$1,085,947
3. LOOPER US$904,884
4. THE VIRAL FACTOR (逆战) US$778,284
5. COLD WAR (寒战) US$753,929

Top NC16 film: THE EXPENDABLES 2 (US$2,661,665)

Top M18 film: TED (US$2,061,227)

Top R21 film: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO (US$573,539)

The longest running film is ARGO.  It ran for 19 consecutive weeks from 2012 through 2013.

Source: Box Office Mojo

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