The most talked about movie of the summer finally hit the box office and the result was something so mixed that no one can decide if it’s good or bad. Ghostbusters overcame the ridiculous controversies and social chatter and opened with $46 million, making it the highest grossing opening for both director Paul Feig and his star of choice, Melissa McCarthy. It’s a great opening for a comedy film but Ghostbusters is trying to be more than that. It’s an all-ages action franchise now and a $46 million opening isn’t bad, but it’s not quite high enough considering the releases coming around the corner.
If it weren’t for The Secret Life of Pets, it’s possible Ghostbusters could have had a much larger opening. This summer is definitely going to be remembered for its animated offerings, and Pets put an unfortunate dent in Ghostbusters‘ audience. It will be interesting to see how the film holds on — reviews and audience reception has been on the positive side — and how the franchise will move forward from here.
A few tidbits from the numbers:
- Finding Dory officially became the highest grossing animated film of all time (domestically) this weekend, and it will still be adding to that total in the coming weeks.
- Disney isn’t the only studio having a good year. The Legend of Tarzan and The Conjuring 2 both crossed the $100 million mark this weekend. Though Tarzan will stillcome in under its budget, this is a win for a movie nobody (myself included) really had faith in.
The Numbers Game
Each week, I will guess how much wide-release films will be making on their opening weekend. My estimates come from my heart and my gut. You’d think I’d use my brain but that makes far too much sense. Fandom editor Nick Nunziata will also be providing his guesses because two stabs in the dark are better than one.
Last Week:
Ghostbusters
My Guess: $49,000,000
Nick’s Guess: $56,000,000
Actual: $46,000,000
Result: We both lose by The Price Is Right rules, but I win according to box office prediction rules. This is something of a bummer since $49 million was a lowball guess.
This week:
Star Trek Beyond
Has there ever been a Star Trek film with such pre-loaded expectations? Star Trek Beyond has so much on its shoulders that it’s tough to call where audiences stand on this third entry in the rebooted series. It’s following up one of the most disliked Star Trek films of all time, it has generated its own unnecessary hubbub due to the news about Hikaru Sulu, and the shadow of Leonard Nimoy and Anton Yelchin’s deaths hang over the movie. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive so far, with most critics saying this is a return to form for the series. As a lifelong Trek fan, the optimism behind Star Trek Beyond feels immensely refreshing. Here’s hoping the best for it.
My guess: $62,000,000
Nick’s guess: $70,000,000
Ice Age: Collision Course
It’s a little unbelievable that the Ice Age films have made it to a fifth installment. How are audiences not starting to feel The Land Before Time-itis with this prehistoric franchise? Although, 2016 has shown us that we should never doubt the power of animated animals. However, with The Secret Life of Pets and Finding Dory still out in theaters, Ice Age: Collision Course might suffer from the market being saturated with cartoon fare.
My guess: $39,000,000
Nick’s guess: $44,000,000
Lights Out
2016 has been a great year for horror. There have been a number of strong independent releases along with The Conjuring 2‘s substantial success. New Line Cinema has rededicated themselves to the horror genre in a big way — they are currently producing the theatrical adaptation of Stephen King’s It — and Lights Out is another part of that plan. The trailers have effectively sold the concept and look to offer something fresh to the horror landscape. It doesn’t hurt that the idea behind the film preys on one of the most basic fears of all time: the dark. This could end up doing some solid business with the date crowd.
My guess: $11,000,000
Nick’s guess: $20,000,000
See you next week, box office buddies!
Source: Box Office Mojo
