If not for the second weekend of The Lion King, Quentin Tarantino’s 9th film would easily top this weekend’s box office. The Disney behemoth will most definitely dominate in its second frame but expect Once Upon a Time In Hollywood to entice older audiences for a strong finish in second.
Quentin Tarantino is one of those directors that produce high-quality content and can actually put butts in the seats. At this point, a Tarantino movie is an event Once Upon a Time In Hollywood is no different. Not only will his pedigree bring in moviegoers but the presence of Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt & Margot Robbie will also drive ticket sales. DiCaprio is essentially the actor version of Tarantino. He chooses projects wisely and he makes you want to see his films because you know he usually goes for the best content.
Tarantino’s biggest opening to date at the domestic box office is Inglourious Basterds, which opened to $38 million on August 21, 2009, and ended at $120.5 million. After that, it’s Django Unchained, which made $30.1 million over three days in a six-day $63.4 million opening. While tracking has Hollywood in the $30 million range, there is a feeling in the air that it could become his biggest opening to date. The film is targeting a more mature audience so good reviews definitely matter and his latest effort has that on its side. As of this writing, the film sits with a 92% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and some critics are calling the film his very best. Another encouraging sign is presales. The film is outpacing all of Tarantino’s previous films on Fandango and the 70MM showtimes at the Hollywood Arclight (whose Cinerama Dome makes a cameo in the film) are going fast for tonight’s show. Previews start today at 4 PM in 3,300 locations. I think the director’s love letter to 1969 Los Angeles and Hollywood will open to about $40-45 million this weekend.
The second weekend of The Lion King will also be one to watch. The film overcame a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes to open to a July record of $191.7 million last weekend and since it’s the only real family offering out there, it should show strong legs in its second weekend. The weekday numbers have been fantastic with the film grossing $21 million on Monday and $30.3 million on Tuesday (as of this writing, the Wednesday numbers have yet to be released). Sometimes nostalgia and entertainment win out and Disney bet on that bringing in a crowd. Saying it has paid off would be an understatement and I’m predicting The Lion King sees about $95 million for the weekend as it reigns the box office once again.
