Last weekend Disney won the box office crown with Pixar’s latestOnward. Though, it was one of the worst openings in the beloved animation studio’s history, so it was kind of a win/lose situation. In any case,Onwardwill be defending the top spot against a trio of newcomers that moviegoers will have the option to choose from. Sony’sBloodshot, Lionsgate’sI Still Believeand Universal’sThe Huntare all looking to capitalize on what is shaping up to be a crowded weekend.
Onwardis likely to keep the top spot. Following its $39.1 million take on its opening frame, expect to see a drop in the 50 percent range, if not just a touch below, which should give director Dan Scanlon’s fantasy-driven, brotherly adventure a second-weekendbox officehaul in the $17 to $20 million range. Word of mouth has been pretty good on this one, with an A- CinemaScore and an 87 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Regardless, this is likely going to end up on the lower end of things commercially for Pixar when all is said and done.
Of the week’s newcomers,I Still Believeis probably going to come out as the surprise favorite. The faith-based drama starsRiverdale’s KJ Apa as a musician who falls in love with the woman who goes on to become his wife as she is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The movie, directed by Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin, is based on a true story. Analysts have the drama taking in as much as $15 million, which would represent a stellar start.
On the other end of the fence isBloodshot. The Valiant Comics adaptation is looking to start a potential franchise with Vin Diesel starring in the lead role. Critics have been mixed-to-negative so far (42 percent on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing). Made for a relatively modest $45 million, the movie is expected to earn just $10 million. That’s not exactly franchise-starter money. Meanwhile, the much-discussed offering from Blumhouse Productions,The Hunt, is finally making its way to theaters following a delay last year. The controversial flick should take in a relatively modest $8 or $9 million, which isn’t bad considering the $14 million budget. It will end up being yet another win for Blumhouse.
Speaking of Blumhouse,The Invisible Manshould be hot onThe Hunt’s heels, as it’s also looking to rake in $8 million or so in its third frame. The remake of the classic monster tale has already passed $100 million worldwide, which represents a huge win for Universal, considering it was produced for just $7 million. Coming in at number six, expect to seeSonic the Hedgehogspeed right along with another $5 million, give or take. The video game adaptation has performed well and will cross the $300 million mark worldwide in the coming days. If this keeps up, expect Paramount to greenlight a sequel soon.
20th Century Studios’The Call of the Wildshould add another $4 million or so to its total, which can’t save it from becoming a flop, but the hold will help mitigate the losses a bit. Rounding out the top ten this week should beThe Way Back, the sports drama starring Ben Affleck, andEmma, the latest Jane Austen adaptation, both taking in between $3 and $4 million, withBad Boys for Lifestill chugging along with around $2 million. Be sure to check out our full list of weekend box office predictions below and check back with us on Sunday for the weekend estimates. Numbers used in this report were provided byBox Office Mojo.
