Warner Bros. leads RP box-office race

MANILA, Philippines - Warner Bros. Philippines announces today its blockbuster gross sales of P629.67-M from Jan. 8 to Aug. 2, making it the current box-office leader among distributors (local or foreign). This according to Francis Soliven, GM of Warner Bros.

“Warner is on track for another record-breaking year, and we’d like to thank the Filipino moviegoers for this remarkable feat,” said Soliven. The studio has been the No. 1 distributor in the country for three consecutive years, from 2005 to 2007, with an annual average gross receipts of P1.2-B. 

The jewel in Warner’s crown remains to be the latest Harry Potter installment, Half-Blood Prince which has so far grossed P178.45-M. Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, released by Twentieth Century Fox through Warner, comes in second with P112-M.

Outstanding grosses were also performed by franchise films X-Men Origins: Wolverine (P96.45-M) and Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (P86-M).

The distributor’s other recent hits were The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Yes Man, Bride Wars, Australia, Marley & Me, Valkyrie and Dragonball: Evolution.

Still to come from Warner are potential winners The Hangover (already the biggest-grossing R-Rated comedy ever in the US), Ninja Assassin (an action-thriller from the Wachowski Brothers), Whiteout (an Antarctica-set thriller starring Kate Beckinsale) and children-friendly fares Shorts and Where the Wild Things Are.

For its part, Fox will release Jennifer’s Body (starring Megan Fox), All About Steve (a Sandra Bullock romantic comedy), comedies Aliens in the Attic and I Love You, Beth Cooper and perhaps the most anticipated film in years, the groundbreaking Avatar from director James Cameron.