Don't call Grindhouse a flop just yet

Grindhouse debuted at Number 4 this weekend at the box office, pulling in a mere $11.5 million. For most movies with this much hype behind them, like 2006’s ill-fated Snakes on a Plane, a box-office total like that would spell disaster.This time, that’s probably not going to be the case. Why?Let’s compare Grindhouse to the Number 1 movie Blades of Glory (which pulled in $23 million this weekend). Grindhouse opened in 2624 theaters, while Blades of Glory was screened in a whopping 3410. More screens translated to more opportunities for viewers, adding to Blades’ total. Also adding to Blades’ total was the number of showings.Because of Grindhouse’s 3-hour and 12-minute viewing time (plus previews and commercials) theaters could only show the film half as often. So, lets break down the boring math.Take Blades’ box office total, divide it by the number of screens and multiply the number of screens Grindhouse opened in, making Blades’ comparable total for the weekend around $17.7 million. Then, cut the showings in half, leaving you with around $8.8 million for a comparable box office total. Grindhouse could have never been the number one movie (especially on Easter weekend when family movies reign supreme). But next weekend, look for a similar box office haul. My prediction is that this film isn’t going anywhere for a while. It may be bumped down to the smaller theaters in the coming weeks, but it will still be there. And when it comes time for it to hit DVD, look for an impressive total for first-week sales.