Three new wide releases enter multiplexes this weekend but none will be a match for Aquaman which is set for a fourth run at the number one spot at the box office.
The king of the sea has grossed over $943 million worldwide and has proven to be a true hit for Warner Bros. It could be benefitting from the fact that it dominated the holidays and there isn’t any real competition but it also seems like most moviegoers have liked what they have seen. Glass is going to dethrone it next weekend but four weeks is an impressive run and something that shouldn’t be taken for granted in today’s box office climate. Aquaman has grossed $266.4 million to date at the domestic box office and should add about $16-18 million this weekend.
Vying for second place is The Upside, starring Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston. The film is based on the true story of a quadriplegic billionaire who befriends a recently paroled convict hired to help him. Neil Burger, the director of 2011’s Limitless with Bradley Cooper, helmed The Upside, based on the 2011 French hit Les Intouchables. The American remake has had a rocky road to the big screen since premiering at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. The Weinstein Company was originally on board to distribute The Upside, but STX and Lantern bought the rights after the project was shelved following Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault allegations. Hart has been in the headlines over the past few weeks as the comedian was tapped to host the Oscars, but stepped down when controversy erupted over homophobic jokes he made years ago. Adding to this are the so-so reviews which currently has it rotten with 43% on Rotten Tomatoes as of this writing. Despite this, I think Cranston and Hart have solid fanbases and even if Hart may have his naysayers due to the Oscars debacle, he has plenty of support as well. I’m calling about $11-12 million for the weekend but it won’t be much of a memory for long.
Up next is A Dog’s Way Home, a family film about a dog who travels hundreds of miles to reconnect with her owner after getting separated. The film stars Ashley Judd, Edward James Olmos, Alexandra Shipp, Wes Studi, and Bryce Dallas Howard voices the adorable title character and the film is hoping to tug on the heartstrings of dog lovers everywhere. When looking at recent Hollywood canine creations, there’s a wide range of possibilities in comparisons. Two years ago, A Dog’s Purpose took in just over $18 million out of the gate. In the summer of 2017, Megan Leavey disappointed with just under $4 million. This past summer, Dog Days managed just $2.5 million. I think A Dog’s Way Home is more in line with A Dog’s Purpose but it won’t soar as high. A Dog’s Purpose wasn’t perfect but the core of its story was much more accessible to its target audience since it focused on the human element a bit more than that of the dog. A Dog’s Way Home doesn’t have reviews up as of this writing but I doubt critics will find much to bark about when they finally see it. That being said, I think the film could pull in $8-10 million for the weekend and if families truly embrace it, there’s a possibility it surges higher than The Upside.
The last of our new releases is Replicas, starring Keanu Reeves. The film is a sci-fi thriller about a neuroscientist who tampers with law and science to bring back his family members after they die in a car crash. Keanu Reeves has certainly had success in the sci-fi genre (The Matrix) but it hasn’t always been that way (Johnny Mnemonic anyone?). Reeves should have a hit at the box office this year, but that will come in May with John Wick: Parabellum. This effort appears to be getting the unceremonious January dump and will likely be the first true casualty of 2019. I’m predicting an opening of about $4 million.
