Secretariat: The Movie, Whoa!

[Merlinsky]

First, quick question: It doesn't seem like there's been an international release yet. At least I haven't heard squat about international grosses. Any idea when it comes out in other countries? I know it's an American TC winner, but he's known worldwide.

Thought everybody would like to know that "Secretariat" crossed the threshold of making back its budget of $35 mil (just leaves the promotion budget to aim for, whatever that was, but I'm sure we have a ways to go). It's projected to get $6.5 mil this weekend for $37 mil so far. We're just expected to be #6 this week, only $500,000 behind The Social Network and we're already ahead of the Katherine Heigl movie in the rankings which premiered the same week as "Secretariat" and originally ranked higher. I'm betting we end up with a higher gross since we're only $500,000 behind their total now.

One reason I heard the movie held well the last week is that Rush Limbaugh got wind of a review by Andrew O'Hehir from Salon.com that he didn't appreciate because he took it as a dig against Christianity, and the next thing you know he's playing the radio trailer for the movie over and over again just to make a point. Then he told folks to go see it. Hey I don't care if the rumor goes around that seeing this movie will cause balding men to regrow hair, whatever gets a butt in the seat works for me.