Box Office Leakage

Timing is, apparently, a large part of the game.

Frozen took in $48.24 million in China, according to film data site BoxOfficeMojo.com. “That’s good, but nowhere near what it could have been,” says Michael Curtin, director of the University of California at Santa Barbara’s Media Industries Project research center. He noted that the movie opened in China more than two months after its domestic U.S. release, where it took in more than $400 million. “Hobbit 2” opened in China more than two months after the U.S. release and pulled in 29% of the U.S. box-office takings. “Despicable Me 2” took in 14% of U.S. box-office figures after opening six months later than in the U.S.

Synched international release dates keep people from downloading pirated versions, Mr. Curtin said, noting that they also create the most of online buzz for a film in a crowded market where advertising is tightly regulated. “X-Men: Days of Future Past” opened simultaneously on May 23 in the U.S. and China. The film took in $119 million in China, according to Beijing-based film data firm EntGroup, 54% of its U.S. results. ...

We're never going to prevent streaming and pirated DVDs from chomping into the cash flow of our fine, entertainment conglomerates' movies. But by releasing pictures the same day and date around the globe, we can reduce the flow of money going elsewhere.