“The Other Guys” is still in the top 10. Seven weeks now, which is pretty amazing since it was released in early August, when no one goes to the movies, and it continues to attract fans throughout September.
Why has it been able to last? Maybe because it was released in early August. “The Other Guys” had a decent opening weekend ($35.5), but with most people on vacations in August, a lot of movie goers didn’t see it right away. And they’ve been catching-up with it for the last 6-weeks.
The movie has made over $115M. That’s more than “Robin Hood”, “Sex in the City 2”, and it should pass “Salt” this week. Pretty good for an August comedy.
The Will Ferrell Team used this same strategy in 2006 when they released “Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby” in early August. It went-on to make nearly $150M, and was the only August film that year to finish in the top 20 at the box office. Ferrell’s 2008 summer comedy, “Step Brothers”, only made $100M, but it opened in late July.
The secret to Ferrell’s summer success appears to be the early August opening. And it helps if the film is actually funny, which “The Other Guys” is.