THIS GUY USUALLY KNOWS WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT...
by Gitesh Pandya
[SIZE=+1]THIS WEEKEND [/SIZE]Universal looks to score its first number one hit in nearly a year with the new Steve Carell comedy Evan Almighty which hits the multiplexes on Friday targeting a broad family audience. Reaching out to adult moviegoers are MGM with the John Cusack chiller 1408 and Paramount Vantage with the Angelina Jolie starrer A Mighty Heart. Overall, the marketplace could slow down a bit this weekend before another wave of high-profile summer blockbusters arrives towards the end of June.
The sixth consecutive sequel to open at number one has a different formula up its sleeve. Evan Almighty loses Jim Carrey from Bruce Almighty, drops the rating from PG-13 to PG, and shifts the plot over to a Biblical story while courting family audiences. Michael Bay isn't the only one with a transformer at the box office this summer. Universal's big-budget comedy offering should easily top the charts, however the financial picture will be very different. Steve Carell, whose starpower has blossomed since the 2003's Bruce, takes over as the lead playing a TV anchorman-turned-congressman who is told by God to build an ark because a mighty flood is coming. Morgan Freeman reprises his supporting role as the big G.
On a budget rumored to have ballooned to $175M thanks to extensive special effects and overages, Evan Almighty stands as one of the priciest comedies ever. The loss of Jim Carrey means it has almost no chance of reaching the $68M three-day opening weekend gross of Bruce from four years ago when it shocked the film industry by kicking The Matrix Reloaded out of the top spot in only its second frame. It reached a domestic haul of $242.8M. Evan Almighty could conceivably gross half the amount of Bruce, while costing twice as much to produce. Does that mean it will lose money? Not necessarily. Evan would love nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of Night at the Museum, another effects-driven comedy led by a popular comedian aimed at families, which has grossed over $570M worldwide. If it can tap into that crowd, then it will be a divine road ahead.
Evan's trim running time of about 90 minutes will help since multiplexes can schedule numerous showtimes per day. Competition will come from current chart-topper Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, another action-comedy sequel tamed down to a PG to cater to eight-year-old boys on summer vacation. Teens and young adults who have to wait until the fall to see new episodes of Carell's The Office may line up for Evan and give it a try, despite the negative reviews. There's not much else exciting that demo right now. And given its themes, moviegoers in the Bible Belt may contribute some solid sales on opening weekend as the studio is wisely targeting churches in its marketing outreach. Opening in 3,602 theaters, Evan Almighty could premiere to about $40M this weekend.
John Cusack hopes to avoid the current horror curse at the box office with his new psychological thriller 1408. The MGM release finds the actor playing a writer who checks into a haunted hotel room that many have died in. Samuel L. Jackson co-stars in the PG-13 pic. Scary movies have been slaughtered at the cash registers lately. Even star-driven adult thrillers have struggled as witnessed by openings of $11.2M for Perfect Stranger starring Halle Berry and Bruce Willis, $10M for Hilary Swank's The Reaping, $10M for Kevin Costner's Mr. Brooks, and $7.6M for Luke Wilson's hotel-themed Vacancy. Managing to surge a bit higher were Sandra Bullock's Premonition with $17.6M and Jim Carrey's The Number 23 with $14.6M. 1408 may not scare up that much business given consumer apathy towards fright flicks right now. Plus Cusack and Jackson are not really known for packing them in on opening weekend unless there are bigger stars present. Checking into 2,678 theaters, 1408 might take in about $12M this weekend.
LOOKS LIKE INTERTOPS HAS LINES UP.
:money8:
by Gitesh Pandya
[SIZE=+1]THIS WEEKEND [/SIZE]Universal looks to score its first number one hit in nearly a year with the new Steve Carell comedy Evan Almighty which hits the multiplexes on Friday targeting a broad family audience. Reaching out to adult moviegoers are MGM with the John Cusack chiller 1408 and Paramount Vantage with the Angelina Jolie starrer A Mighty Heart. Overall, the marketplace could slow down a bit this weekend before another wave of high-profile summer blockbusters arrives towards the end of June.
The sixth consecutive sequel to open at number one has a different formula up its sleeve. Evan Almighty loses Jim Carrey from Bruce Almighty, drops the rating from PG-13 to PG, and shifts the plot over to a Biblical story while courting family audiences. Michael Bay isn't the only one with a transformer at the box office this summer. Universal's big-budget comedy offering should easily top the charts, however the financial picture will be very different. Steve Carell, whose starpower has blossomed since the 2003's Bruce, takes over as the lead playing a TV anchorman-turned-congressman who is told by God to build an ark because a mighty flood is coming. Morgan Freeman reprises his supporting role as the big G.
On a budget rumored to have ballooned to $175M thanks to extensive special effects and overages, Evan Almighty stands as one of the priciest comedies ever. The loss of Jim Carrey means it has almost no chance of reaching the $68M three-day opening weekend gross of Bruce from four years ago when it shocked the film industry by kicking The Matrix Reloaded out of the top spot in only its second frame. It reached a domestic haul of $242.8M. Evan Almighty could conceivably gross half the amount of Bruce, while costing twice as much to produce. Does that mean it will lose money? Not necessarily. Evan would love nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of Night at the Museum, another effects-driven comedy led by a popular comedian aimed at families, which has grossed over $570M worldwide. If it can tap into that crowd, then it will be a divine road ahead.
Evan's trim running time of about 90 minutes will help since multiplexes can schedule numerous showtimes per day. Competition will come from current chart-topper Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, another action-comedy sequel tamed down to a PG to cater to eight-year-old boys on summer vacation. Teens and young adults who have to wait until the fall to see new episodes of Carell's The Office may line up for Evan and give it a try, despite the negative reviews. There's not much else exciting that demo right now. And given its themes, moviegoers in the Bible Belt may contribute some solid sales on opening weekend as the studio is wisely targeting churches in its marketing outreach. Opening in 3,602 theaters, Evan Almighty could premiere to about $40M this weekend.
John Cusack hopes to avoid the current horror curse at the box office with his new psychological thriller 1408. The MGM release finds the actor playing a writer who checks into a haunted hotel room that many have died in. Samuel L. Jackson co-stars in the PG-13 pic. Scary movies have been slaughtered at the cash registers lately. Even star-driven adult thrillers have struggled as witnessed by openings of $11.2M for Perfect Stranger starring Halle Berry and Bruce Willis, $10M for Hilary Swank's The Reaping, $10M for Kevin Costner's Mr. Brooks, and $7.6M for Luke Wilson's hotel-themed Vacancy. Managing to surge a bit higher were Sandra Bullock's Premonition with $17.6M and Jim Carrey's The Number 23 with $14.6M. 1408 may not scare up that much business given consumer apathy towards fright flicks right now. Plus Cusack and Jackson are not really known for packing them in on opening weekend unless there are bigger stars present. Checking into 2,678 theaters, 1408 might take in about $12M this weekend.
LOOKS LIKE INTERTOPS HAS LINES UP.
:money8:
