The movie business is expected to slow down a bit this weekend due to the Superbowl falling on Sunday. Friday and Saturday grosses are usually fine but Sunday showings are known to take a dip on the big game day. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for success over the Superbowl weekend.
In 2006, When A Stranger Calls opened to a surprisingly high $21.6 million over Superbowl weekend. That film played to the young adult and female crowd, which allowed it to break out. That doesn’t mean male-skewing films can’t also be successful. Nine years ago, Taken started its impressive box office run over Superbowl weekend with $24.7 million and three years ago the sixth weekend of American Sniper scored with $30.6 million. A lot of big studios take this weekend off but the numbers show there is room for success here.
Maze Runner: The Death Cure is likely to lead the weekend which gives it bragging rights for two weeks at number one by default. There isn’t a huge newcomer opening this weekend and unless that film completely surprises, The Death Cure is staying put until the Fifty Shades Freed crowd takes over next weekend. I’m calling about $13 million for the weekend.
The only newcomer is the horror film Winchester, starring Helen Miren as rifle heiress Sarah Winchester, who constructed a multi-room house in Northern California to ward off the ghosts who have a score to settle with her family. The film has no reviews up as of this writing and I don’t see a huge rush factor but horror has been hot lately and largely unpredictable. Helen Mirren isn’t a big sale with younger women who will make up the bulk of the audience, but she could get older audiences interested in a few frights this weekend. I’m calling about $8-10 million for the weekend.
Check back on Monday for the full box office results!
