North Country
| Budget: $35 million | Financed by: Participant Media; Warner Bros |
|---|---|
| Domestic Gross: $18,337,722 | Domestic Distributor: Warner Bros |
| Overseas Gross: $6,873,453 | Directed by: Niki Caro |
Starring: Charlize Theron Frances McDormand |
Produced by: Jeff Skoll |
North Country was financed by Participant Media and Warner Bros for $35 million and distributed in most territories by Warner Bros. Participant, which is run by Ebay founder Jeff Skoll, formed his production and financing shingle in 2004 to focus on activism through film and would only back social message films. The film’s October 21 release date was positioned to help stir talks about the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (it was renewed in Dec 2005). Warner Bros opened North Country wide in 2,555 theaters, trying to court femme auds, while male auds would see new opener Doom. It pulled in a disappointing $6,422,455 — placing #5 for the slow weekend led by Doom. Despite an A- cinemascore from audiences, the movie didn’t hold well and declined 44.6% in its second frame to $3,560,238. The film was already dead at the box office when North Country landed two Oscar noms for Charlize Theron and Frances McDormand and its final gross was $18,337,722. Warner Bros gave the film a small release overseas where it pulled in $6,873,453. The worldwide total was $25.2 million, leaving Warner Bros with about $13.8 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, far less than their worldwide P&A costs. Domestic home video sales were $14.6 million. Charlize Theron had the flop Æon Flux open seven weeks after North Country opened.