The Guide to Japanese Film Industry & Co -Production - UNIJAPAN

Chapter 1
Japan’s Film Industry Major Distributors
title box office
Imported films 1 I Am Legend ¥4.30 billion
2 Sweeney Todd—The Demon Barber of Fleet Street ¥5.10 billion
3 The Dark Knight ¥3.20 billion
4 The Bucket List ¥1.35 billion
5 10,000 BC ¥1.00 billion
6 Beowulf ¥0.82 billion
7 Nights in Rodanthe ¥0.44 billion
8 Speed Racer ¥0.40 billion
Others Curse of the Golden Flower
Fool’s Gold, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Get Smart
Body of Lies less than ¥0.30 billion
Japanese film L’change the WorLd ¥0.31 billion
Accuracy of Death ¥0.50 billion
ICHI ¥0.44 billion
Sushi Prince Goes to N.Y. ¥0.36 billion
total ¥16.40 billion
Source: Kinema Junpo Film Institute
¢ Twentieth Century Fox (Far East), Inc. (FOX)
In 2008, FOX distributed a total of 16 films for annual box-office takings of
¥7.87 billion, with a sharp fall to only 70.2% of their ¥11.21 billion in 2007.
Three films released at the end of 2007 as winter holiday films all registered
revenues of over ¥1 billion: AVPR: Aliens vs Predator—Requiem (¥1.068
billion), Jumper (¥1.74 billion) and The Happening (¥1.226 billion).
However, Lions for Lambs by Director Robert Redford earned only
¥615 million, although the film featured big stars such as Redford, Tom
Cruise and Meryl Streep, and What Happens in Vegas starring Cameron
Diaz did not do well either with revenues of only ¥609 million, providing
further evidence of Japanese movie-goers’ growing estrangement from
imported films.
title box office
Imported Films 1 Jumper ¥1.74 billion
2 The Happening ¥1.22 billion
3 AVPR: Aliens vs Predator—Requiem ¥1.06 billion
4 Lions for Lambs ¥0.61 billion
5 What Happens in Vegas ¥0.60 billion
6 27 Dresses ¥0.37 billion
Others 28 Weeks Later
Daywatch
The Darjeeling Limited
Juno
Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who
Shutter
X-Files: I Want to Believe
The Day the Earth Stood Still less than ¥0.30 billion
total ¥7.90 billion
Source: Kinema Junpo Film Institute
¢ Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Japan
In 2008, Walt Disney released six films for annual box-office takings of
¥10.8446 billion, a disastrous outcome of only 56.3% of their ¥19.27 billion
for 2007. However, considering the number of films released during the
year, the results can be described as stable.
Revenues of ¥2.575 billion from National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets
was higher than ¥2.06 billion for National Treasure, the previous film in the
series. Enchanted was a mega-hit with revenues of ¥2.91 billion, strongly
attracting female viewers amid the oft-repeated estrangement from
imported films among Japanese movie fans.
Furthermore, There Will Be Blood released through mini-theater
chains, was not bad either, but The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
raked in only ¥3 billion. Given that box-office takings of the previous
film in the series, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the
Wardrobe, were as high as ¥6.88 billion, the decline in revenue from the
latest film was particularly severe.
A CG animation film WALL·E earned ¥3.9 billion. Walt Disney’s plans
to make all Disney animation films as 3D films are likely to give a significant
impact on the digitization of cinemas in Japan.
title box office
Imported Films 1 The Chronicles of Narnia—Prince Caspian ¥3.00 billion
2 Enchanted ¥2.90 billion
3 National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets ¥2.57 billion
4 Meet the Robinsons ¥0.93 billion
Others There Will Be Blood
Wild Hogs less than ¥0.30 billion
total ¥10.80 billion
Source: Kinema Junpo Film Institute
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