Apparently last week's trio of action films wasn't enough so Hollywood is rolling out another three-pack this Friday making for a crowded menu of options for thrillseekers. First up: The Grey, in which Liam Neeson must stand up to a pack of ferocious wolves. This is the second release from Open Road Films, the newly formed distributor financed by AMC Entertainment and Regal Cinemas. "The Grey" cost a reported $34 million to produce, but Open Road acquired the film for a mere $5 million. That was a smart purchase. Although the film probably won’t duplicate the success of Taken or Unknown due to its bleak story and R rating, it should find a healthy opening in the $15 million range. Sam Worthington has starred in a number of hits — Avatar, Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans — but his name wasn’t really a selling point for those movies. In the PG-13 Man on a Ledge, he’s front and center, so this will be a good test to see whether Worthington can attract a sizable crowd all on his own (and without the help of snazzy special effects). I’m thinking it will be a mixed bag. Buzz is low for this film and the trailer got groans at a recent screening. Opening in well over 2,000 theaters, "Man on a Ledge" could debut to about $10 million in second place. Underworld Awakening is the fourth entry — if you can believe it — in the supernatural action franchise led the box office last weekend with a solid $25.3 million. Now comes the hard fall. The first three Underworld flicks dropped an average of 59% their second weekend, and I see no reason not to predict the same decline for this one. If it can escape the weekend with $9.5 million in third place it should consider itself lucky. It’s tough to know how the WWII action film Red Tails, a passion project for executive producer George Lucas, will hold up its second week. It started off with an impressive $18.8 opening last weekend, and earned an “A” rating from CinemaScore audiences. It might tumble around 45% or more, so expect a fourth place finishing in the $9 million range. Katherine Heigl stars as a cash-strapped gal that takes a job as a bail bondswoman in the fish-out-of-water comedy One for the Money. Unlike most of her other recent films, this PG-13 pic has no major co-stars to lend any box office muscle so it's all on the Knocked Up star's shoulders here. Lionsgate has kept it away from the press so expect her usual bad reviews to start trickling in online once critics get the chance to pay and see it - if they dare. Opening in 2,737 theaters,it could tank in fifth place with $9 million, making it close for a fourth place finish. As always check back Sunday for the early estimates.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Box Office Preview: "The Grey" should conquer the weekend
Apparently last week's trio of action films wasn't enough so Hollywood is rolling out another three-pack this Friday making for a crowded menu of options for thrillseekers. First up: The Grey, in which Liam Neeson must stand up to a pack of ferocious wolves. This is the second release from Open Road Films, the newly formed distributor financed by AMC Entertainment and Regal Cinemas. "The Grey" cost a reported $34 million to produce, but Open Road acquired the film for a mere $5 million. That was a smart purchase. Although the film probably won’t duplicate the success of Taken or Unknown due to its bleak story and R rating, it should find a healthy opening in the $15 million range. Sam Worthington has starred in a number of hits — Avatar, Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans — but his name wasn’t really a selling point for those movies. In the PG-13 Man on a Ledge, he’s front and center, so this will be a good test to see whether Worthington can attract a sizable crowd all on his own (and without the help of snazzy special effects). I’m thinking it will be a mixed bag. Buzz is low for this film and the trailer got groans at a recent screening. Opening in well over 2,000 theaters, "Man on a Ledge" could debut to about $10 million in second place. Underworld Awakening is the fourth entry — if you can believe it — in the supernatural action franchise led the box office last weekend with a solid $25.3 million. Now comes the hard fall. The first three Underworld flicks dropped an average of 59% their second weekend, and I see no reason not to predict the same decline for this one. If it can escape the weekend with $9.5 million in third place it should consider itself lucky. It’s tough to know how the WWII action film Red Tails, a passion project for executive producer George Lucas, will hold up its second week. It started off with an impressive $18.8 opening last weekend, and earned an “A” rating from CinemaScore audiences. It might tumble around 45% or more, so expect a fourth place finishing in the $9 million range. Katherine Heigl stars as a cash-strapped gal that takes a job as a bail bondswoman in the fish-out-of-water comedy One for the Money. Unlike most of her other recent films, this PG-13 pic has no major co-stars to lend any box office muscle so it's all on the Knocked Up star's shoulders here. Lionsgate has kept it away from the press so expect her usual bad reviews to start trickling in online once critics get the chance to pay and see it - if they dare. Opening in 2,737 theaters,it could tank in fifth place with $9 million, making it close for a fourth place finish. As always check back Sunday for the early estimates.
Apparently last week's trio of action films wasn't enough so Hollywood is rolling out another three-pack this Friday making for a crowded menu of options for thrillseekers. First up: The Grey, in which Liam Neeson must stand up to a pack of ferocious wolves. This is the second release from Open Road Films, the newly formed distributor financed by AMC Entertainment and Regal Cinemas. "The Grey" cost a reported $34 million to produce, but Open Road acquired the film for a mere $5 million. That was a smart purchase. Although the film probably won’t duplicate the success of Taken or Unknown due to its bleak story and R rating, it should find a healthy opening in the $15 million range. Sam Worthington has starred in a number of hits — Avatar, Terminator Salvation, Clash of the Titans — but his name wasn’t really a selling point for those movies. In the PG-13 Man on a Ledge, he’s front and center, so this will be a good test to see whether Worthington can attract a sizable crowd all on his own (and without the help of snazzy special effects). I’m thinking it will be a mixed bag. Buzz is low for this film and the trailer got groans at a recent screening. Opening in well over 2,000 theaters, "Man on a Ledge" could debut to about $10 million in second place. Underworld Awakening is the fourth entry — if you can believe it — in the supernatural action franchise led the box office last weekend with a solid $25.3 million. Now comes the hard fall. The first three Underworld flicks dropped an average of 59% their second weekend, and I see no reason not to predict the same decline for this one. If it can escape the weekend with $9.5 million in third place it should consider itself lucky. It’s tough to know how the WWII action film Red Tails, a passion project for executive producer George Lucas, will hold up its second week. It started off with an impressive $18.8 opening last weekend, and earned an “A” rating from CinemaScore audiences. It might tumble around 45% or more, so expect a fourth place finishing in the $9 million range. Katherine Heigl stars as a cash-strapped gal that takes a job as a bail bondswoman in the fish-out-of-water comedy One for the Money. Unlike most of her other recent films, this PG-13 pic has no major co-stars to lend any box office muscle so it's all on the Knocked Up star's shoulders here. Lionsgate has kept it away from the press so expect her usual bad reviews to start trickling in online once critics get the chance to pay and see it - if they dare. Opening in 2,737 theaters,it could tank in fifth place with $9 million, making it close for a fourth place finish. As always check back Sunday for the early estimates.
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