Jonas 3D Falls Flat

They may be the kings of preteen pop, but Jonas Brothers can’t claim a title in the world of film just yet.

“Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience” grossed an estimated $12.5 million its opening weekend, failing to dethrone the current box office queen, Tyler Perry’s “Madea Goes To Jail,” which pulled in $16.2 million.

The news came as quite a shock to nearly everyone – especially Disney – which figured the brothers Jonas would rock the box office along the same lines as last year’s 3D offering, “Hannah Montana / Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour,” which did more than $31 million its opening weekend.

It’s common knowledge that when the economy takes a dive, people flock to the movies, and a recent report by Media by Numbers sees this year following that trend, with ticket sales up 17.3 percent overall to nearly $1.8 billion.

So what happened with the Jo Bros?

Disney president for domestic distribution, Chuck Viane, told the New York Times that while Cyrus’ 3D movie was out for one week only, the studio’s decision to open the Jonas flick in extended release “probably took some of the urgency away.”

But analysts had other ideas.

Exhibitor Relations’ Jeff Bock chalked it up to over-inflated hype. “Hopefully, Disney has another trick up their 3D sleeve, as concert films may have already hit the fourth wall in terms of economic impact,” he wrote.

Box Office Mojo’s Brandon Gray also questioned the media frenzy leading up to the release, noting that simply making the movie 3D couldn’t save the film at the box office.

“The movie lived or died on the Jonas Brothers, and there was no other compelling reason to see it, not even the 3D format,” he wrote. “3D is an enhancement in terms of greater spectacle and higher ticket prices, but it’s never the main attraction: first and foremost, that’s the movie itself.”