I agree with you Mr. Disgusting. So is this it for MMT? Or will it still be playing next weekend?

Forgot to say, these are estimates, so tomorrow, when the actuals are released...the numbers could be higher.

That is true, but not substantially.

Hmmm.... this movie is at our dollar theater here in waco... i might go check it out- actually never been to the dollar theater here so it would give me an excuss to actually go.

Very nice! I'm shocked it made that much! I guess we really did make a statement. Can't wait to see it on Tuesday (bought tickets for a weekend show anyways). I'll probably be alone in the theater so that will suck. I remember everyone was talking big about how they were gonna see Hatchet. I drove 8 hours to see it (in a huge city) and I sat in the smallest, shittiest screen in the theater and was ALONE on a Saturday night. That sucked.

yeah Mr.D, if you think about it, all that money is because of YOU. So be proud and congrats!

GOOOD!! serves them right! when a good horror movie comes out they do this? But when prom night comes out..u fill in the blank...(and i am aware lionsgate didnt make tht but im jus makin a point)!

Brad "THE MACHINIST" Anderson's TRANSSIBERIAN also opened this weekend, on only two screens, and averaged $15,000 per screen.

Here's the statement that was made: "Thank you, Lionsgate, for dumping a highly anticipated horror movie into a hundred, second-run, dollar theaters, thus guaranteeing that you wouldn't have to give it a proper release. Many of us gave you more money than you were asking for just to show you how much we appreciate it." You guys really didn't think that bean counters at Lionsgate hadn't already done the math and KNEW it couldn't make what it needed no matter what?? Even if there was an outright phenomenon of endless sold-out shows and media coverage (which there wasn't) at those theaters? This was an ill-advised, naive and misguided crusade that was doomed before it began. If anything, Lionsgate telling you to "get behind" the film was their way of manipulating you into giving them more $$ than they would have made otherwise. You helped the enemy. Way to go.

Interesting. When does the DVD come out?

Are we going to buy multiple copies of the DVD to force Lion's Gate to put it out on Blu Ray too? :)

Driving 30 miles today to see it in the La Mirada dollar theatre.

I don't understand their logic. It kind of adds to the mystique though. It eerily resembles the dirty politics that plagued House of 1000 Corpses. Pleatherface out......

I saw it at our local dollar theatre here in Northern Kentucky and I absolutely LOVED it!! Its suck ashame it wasn't released on big theatres ro advertised correctly. :(

Ok lets some math...so carry the 2...round up..divide by 3 and it looks like it all adds up to me not giving a shit haha. I'm sorry I had to. $1 or $12 I'm still waiting till it comes out on netflix.

do*

i'm glad i had a chance to see this. i have a discount theater 10 minutes from my house and got to see it for 3.25. thats cheaper than a movie at Blockbuster. i love seeing horror movies on the bigscreen. i hope they do more like this!

I would have gladly paid my 12 dollars to see MMT, but instead only paid 2.50 to see the film. Ill be seeing it again tonight so throw in another 5 dollars, my girlfriend and i always go to horror films together. I loved the movie, and hope that it will get rereleased or at least a premiere. IT DIDNT EVEN GET A PREMIERE, how messed up is that? the screenwriter told me he was going to BUY tickets to see it in a theater. neways, i agree on the math, i think the film would have done great if it were playing at bigger theatres. I think it would have done better, for example: The theatre i went to in Norwalk, CA had a sign out front for the films it was playing, it listed MMT as "MEAT". How the hell is anyone going to know what that is? or even be interested in seeing a film titled "Meat"? sounds like a porno. neways, i think even just the publicity of playing at bigger more popular theatres would have benefited MMT.

I think you're definitely reaching a bit. This reminds me a lot of what happened when Below (another fantastic movie) came out, and it went nowhere. You and I, and Lionsgate, know that if this film does find a decent fanbase it'll be on dvd. They've done all the math and don't give a shit about 30,000 bucks.

It's sad when Lions Gate hasn't even finished the films website yet...it show's what they really felt the film was worth...http://www.midnightmeattrainthemovie.com/

Can someone please tell me what kind of game this is? I looked at all the upcoming movies that have a release date on this site, and damn near all are going straight to video. What the hell is going on? Generally i like to actually see a movie before i buy it. The horror industry is not giving us a choice. Back in the day movies like Friday The 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street, little small movies like those made a killing at the box office. Now, fast forward to this time, more and more horror movies are being made again, like in the 80's. Horror + horror fans + all other human beings on the planet = Revenue, that means MONEY. Film studios, whoever gives the green light on what is to be released, they need to WAKE UP!! The dream is over! The unholy truth is HORROR MOVIES MAKE MONEY, PERIOD! I do not purchase movies i have not seen yet. What is even worse for me is that i live in a small midwest town. What that means is no culture, no events, and most important NO CHOICE! What ever your problem with Clive Barker is, get over it! Let go of the disputes, the grudges, whatever personnel is going on between Clive and the studio. Midnight Meat Train plus all of it's forthcoming brothers and sisters have the right to be born-distributed in large theaters. Do the right thing, open your eyes and minds, and give us what we want, the right to CHOOSE!

don't forget to keep in mind that advertising plays a big part in the film doing well! this movie was in a media blackout. nothing on the websites (no annoying pop ups), no reviews, nothing on the tv, basically nothing reaching out to people that might care if only they knew. i think there's missing dollars in the equation. most of the hardcore horror fans knew about the movie or barker/kitamura fans. one of my friends that went knew nothing about the movie and was surprised because he's a fan of everyone starring in the movie. he said if it wasn't for me, he would've had no idea about it. i think those numbers we're looking at are from the hardcore/base fans. not to mention, the venues they are playing in just might drive some viewers away...

look at 'the strangers' on the other hand (mr joe drake hate horror, eh?)... The Strangers opened in the United States and Canada on May 30, 2008 and in its opening weekend the film grossed $20,997,985 in 2,467 theaters, ranking #3 at the box office and averaging $8,514 per theater. As of June 23,2008 the film has grossed $50,067,445 in the U.S. alone exceeding industry estimates and is considered a box office success considering the production budget was a mere $9 million. hmmmm.....

Ahh, no. I wish it were a statement of strength, but it really isn't. The flaw is in the first part of your equation. The average US movie ticket is $7- not 11-12 (discount tix, matinees, date nights, child, senior, and student pricing included). So your 320K should really be 224K. Of that, the studio only nets a little over half (the rest is split between exhibitor, distro costs, and physical costs (shipping, etc). Even taking the full 224K as a base, though, it would have made about $2,175 a theater over three days- that's about $725 a day, or (given three showtimes a day)- $241 a showing. All that means that if MMT had been on 2000 screens, with the same level of attendance multimplied out, about 34 people would have attended each showing. Common theater profit ratio is 90 heads a show- meaning this film would have come considerably short.

I saw it in Cincinnati and the theatre was about 1/4 full. That was friday at 7:50. I was very surprised at that number of people being there on opening night, considering the only place I have ever seen this movie advertised is on this site. That makes me think that at least a hand full of those people were undecided movie goers who decided to give it a chance. With a title like "The Midnight Meat Train", a cool poster, and the fact that it is a rated R horror movie it is an interesting choice wether or not you have ever even heard of Clive Barker. I think just based on that it would have been at least a moderate hit, now add in some t.v. ads and create a little buzz and who knows? Lionsgate couldn't have been disapointed with the final product. If they were I wonder what they were expecting?