HAMMER FILM PRODUCTIONS: UPDATE! "THE WOMAN IN BLACK" EXCEEDS EXPECTED BOX OFFICE

“THE WOMAN IN BLACK” EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS AT THE US BOXOFFICE

FILM GROSSED OVER $21M IN ITS OPENING WEEKEND

BIGGEST HAMMER OPENER IN THE US

February 6, 2012: Hammer’s chilling ghost story The Woman in Black shattered box office expectations during its three day opening weekend (Fri-Sun) in the US, grossing just over $21m to come in a very close second place.

Hammer, an Exclusive Media company’s, adaptation of Susan Hill’s classic novel, starring Daniel Radcliffe, opened on almost 3000 screens through CBS Films with a per screen average of approximately $7,400, and also took the number one position in the Canadian box office.

This weekend’s three day gross makes The Woman in Black the highest opening ever for a Hammer film in the US and one of the very few British films that has broken the $20m opening weekend threshold.

The exceptionally strong US box office weekend was up over 35% on 2011 figures and is particularly striking because it was Super Bowl Sunday, a traditionally weaker box office weekend.

The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe, is the iconic production company’s first ever feature ghost story. It is directed by James Watkins and adapted by Jane Goldman from the book by Susan Hill.

The film is a Hammer, Alliance Films, The UK Film Council presentation, in association with Cross Creek Pictures. A Talisman production in association with Exclusive Media. Producers are Richard Jackson, Simon Oakes and Brian Oliver. Executive Producers are Guy East, Nigel Sinclair, Tobin Armbrust, Marc Schipper, Neil Dunn, Xavier Marchand, Roy Lee and Tyler Thompson.

Commenting on the success of The Woman in Black, Simon Oakes, President & CEO of Hammer and Vice Chairman of Exclusive Media said: “We are delighted that The Woman in Black has performed so well. The fact that a gothic horror has attracted such a large audience on opening weekend shows the demand for elevated and intelligent genre films which Hammer aims to produce.”

Nigel Sinclair, CEO of Exclusive Media added: “This follows on a strong performance for Ides of March and reflects our commitment to great artists and great movies; I congratulate our partners CBS Alliance and of course Cross Creek pictures.”

Tobin Armbrust, President of Worldwide Production & Acquisitions of Exclusive Media, which is Hammer’s parent company, added: “We are thrilled to share in the success of THE WOMAN IN BLACK with our close family, Daniel Radcliffe, Jane Goldman, James Watkins and the entire cast and crew who all worked incredibly hard on this great project. Hammer is one of our key production brands and to see it embraced in the US is a great show of support for its production philosophy.”

The Woman in Black director James Watkins said: “I’m thrilled that a British ghost story, made with a British cast, crew and investment, is playing so well with American audiences.”

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