If it makes anyone feel better, I saw it again at 1:15 this afternoon in NJ, it was about 90% full, and everyone applauded at the end. Again.
I also found a group of kids heading into 'Harry Potter' in costume...and I laughed when I realized they also have legion of fans decked out in stripey scarves.
#5 works for me...it's a holiday weekend with a lot of family films out there, and it held up pretty well. If it was #14, I'd worry.
Like I've posted before, it's not like any of this money shows up at my house, so I don't really concern myself too much with box office results. Reading word-of-mouth on the boards (I loved reading that anecdote thread), it's going to hold up fine in the long run.
All movies are eventually profitible--box office receipts in general are down for the year for many reasons. Movies are really making their money now in DVD sales and video rentals.
And if you're going to trash people for liking the movie when you didn't...get a life.
I was a Renthead 8 years ago, I saw the show more times than I care to count, in 3 different cities. I made friends then that I'm still friends with today. I haven't seen the show in years, or listened to the CD in a long time. I never thought there would be a movie (much less one with the OBC), and when I saw it on Wednesday, it was totally surreal, and I spent most of it thinking
"PLEASE don't screw this up!!" But I liked it, so it was OK.
I was little more relaxed when I saw it today, and I have to say, I really loved the movie. It wasn't perfect, but the show was never perfect either. Being away from all of it for so long made me forget how much "Rent" meant to me the first time around, so I'm glad the movie was made to remind me.
I happen to be a Lord of the Rings fan and a Harry Potter fan...and whenever I noticed something from the books was missing in the movies, I just assumed that it did happen...it just happened offscreen.
But seriously, guys...just enjoy the movie. And if you didn't, that's fine. Go see something else. Don't go stressing over the box office totals.