Les Mis set to be highest grossing movie musical of all time.

First 2 days of showings in Los Angeles thru Arclight almost sold out ( scattered singles and handicap seating is what is mostly available). Fandango reporting record breaking advance sales.


Deadline Hollywood

Updated On: 12/24/12 at 05:05 PM

I know screenings for tomorrow are selling out in NYC.

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With Catwoman, Gladiator, and Wolverine sharing the screen, this movie is going to open big, no question.

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There's also a lack of real holiday movie fare. Although I wouldn't consider it "family fare", I would imagine families would be more willing to go to Les Mis than most other films recently released.

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Don't forget the front-loading of ticket purchases by Broadway/Les Mis fans. Didn't "Rent" have a big-ass first day gross?

The AMC Empire has "Enhanced Theatre Experience" - 20% larger screen than usual! And only $10 for the 11AM showing tomorrow morning. Might be worth getting up early for.

Seeing Imax tonight, but it's on the smaller screen. Should be loud, though.

Please report back with your IMAX and Enhanced Experiences screenings! I saw 2 screenings and wasn't impressed by the sound at all.

Despite its grand opening, it's repeated viewings and good word of mouth that will make or break Les Miz.

^^ This. It'll for sure have a big opening, but next weekend's gross will be the best indicator of whether or not it has legs at the box office. That it's selling out in LA and New York is no surprise. Here in the DC area, tickets for all of tomorrow's screenings at my local suburban Regal are still available.

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Updated On: 12/24/12 at 08:29 PM

Word of mouth from audiences (not critics) will make or break the movie at the box office. The good news is that it will open big and have a solid (and perhaps even huge) opening weekend. The real gauge will be in the following 2-3 weeks. If it sustains into mid-January, you'll have a nice big hit. If it increases (like Titanic did), you'll have a blockbuster.

But the critics mean nothing here, just as they did with Titanic, and as they do with any other film as far as box office goes.

Word of mouth is the key.

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Not that this is indicative of anything, but I was just looking at movie times for tomorrow (I don't know about you guys, but I'm going to see Django Unchained- although it's already sold out until the 6:30 screening) and saw that the first four screenings of Les Mis at Lincoln Square are sold out already, so the earliest available screening is at 10:30pm.

I just saw the 10:30PM show and LOVED IT!

The fans of the music should enjoy it but for those with a critical eye,and who are honest!-there are just too many things wrong with this film that it is like a tsunami sweeping all in its path--what you are left with is--did that really happen?and why?
Yes-it will do well at the box office but only because it is Les Mis,not for what they have now done with it.

I just came home from the 10 PM showing at Lincoln Square. I really loved the movie and thought that as a movie, it was really well done. I think that the big issue with a lot of the movie musicals that have come out recently over the years is that while they may be good adaptations of the musical that they are based on, as a film in and of itself, it's not done well. The show was sold out and at first the only showing tonight was at 10. But, due to it's popularity they added one for 10:45 this evening.

Also, Les Miserables was one of those Broadway shows that tourists and casual (I'm talking one to two shows a year) local theatre goers relished in droves for sixteen years. I think that for this movie, you're going to have a lot of people who may not be interested in seeing a movie musical like Dreamgirls or Chicago, but will gladly go see something like Les Miserables just because it's Les Miserables. I know a lot of people who are very excited to see this movie but would have zero interest in seeing something like Chicago or Dreamgirls or Rent.

And, lastly, I feel that there are two shows that causal theatergoers as well as tourists eat up with glee. Those are Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. Phantom was turned into a movie but done poorly whereas Les Miserables was turned into a movie was done amazingly well down to the last detail. I honestly think that most movie musicals don't sell beyond a niche audience of those who love that genere or love theatre. I think that because it's Les Miserables it will be a movie musical that will extend beyond that niche audience of theatre fans who love seeing their favorite musical on the big screen.

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