Vampire Academy
- Rate Movie[Total: 8 Average: 2.8]
- Directed By: Mark Waters
- Written By: Daniel Waters
- Release Date: February 7, 2014
- Domestic Distributor: Universal
- Cast: Zoey Deutch, Lucy Fry, Danila Kozlovsky
Box Office Info:
Budget: $30 million | Financed by: Reliance Entertainment; IM Global |
---|---|
Domestic Gross: $7,791,979 | Overseas Gross: $7,600,000 |
Following the success of the Twilight series, worldwide distributors were hoping another beloved YA franchise would strike gold and for a moment Vampire Academy was primed to be that property. The budget for Vampire Academy was $30 million and the first of what was to be a lucrative franchise. Financiers Reliance Entertainment and IM Global quickly sold off worldwide rights before the cameras were even rolling, limited their exposure to the budget, most of which was financed by the pre-sales. At the European Film Market in Berlin, The Weinstein Co. won US bidding rights on the hot title and committed upwards of $30 million for marketing, hoping to cash in on the YA vampire craze.
Vampire Academy was originally scheduled to open over the Valentine’s Day frame, but less than a month before its release The Weinstein Co. pushed it forward one week — where it would bow against The LEGO Movie and The Monuments Men. The pic was booked in 2,676 theaters, was not screened for critics and was tracking for a $10 million opening, but was dead on arrival with $3,921,742. It placed #7 for the weekend led by The LEGO Movie. Vampire Academy fell 51.3% in its second frame to $1,911,651 and promptly lost most of its theater count. The domestic run closed with just $7,791,979. The Weinstein Co. would see returned about $4.2 million after theaters take their percentage of the gross, barely denting their P&A spend and unreported acquisition amount.
Vampire Academy was a total dud overseas and managed to pull in only $7.6 million, across many distributors who overpaid for this would-be franchise starter. After the poor numbers were rolling in from the worldwide release, the theatrical release was canceled in the UK and it was dumped straight to video.