The box office during Super Bowl weekend used to be a dead zone until Taken surprised the industry with a $24.7 million debut in 2009. Will any of this year’s new wide releases break out as counter-programming to the big football game? Lionsgate hopes to target teenagers and young adults with the PG-13 rated romantic comedy Warm Bodies [WARMB]. Nicholas Hoult [NHOUL] stars as a zombie who slowly learns to be human again after falling for a survivor played by Teresa Palmer [TPALM]. The original concept should appeal to both female fans of fantasy romances and male fans of zombie horror films. Roaming in 3009 locations, Warm Bodies could heat up $19 million.
Severe weather managed to put a damper on the opening day of Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters [HNGH]. But even though the R-rated actioner held well over its first weekend, the Super Bowl will take a chunk of its Sunday business. Hansel & Gretel may decline 55% to $9 million.
Slyvester Stallone [SSTAL] toplines the R-rated actioner Bullet to the Head [HDSHT]. Although The Expendables did booming business, the effect has not trickled down to each individual star’s solo outings. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jason Statham both bombed earlier this month, and Stallone looks to follow suit. Bullet to the Head doesn’t offer anything new to the genre, and its release was delayed by Warner Bros. from its original date last year. Loading up 2404 theaters, Bullet to the Head may hit just $7 million.
Oscar-winners Al Pacino [APACI], Christopher Walken [CWALK] and Alan Arkin P[ALARK] team up in the R-rated action comedy Stand Up Guys [STUPG]. Lionsgate gave the film an Oscar run in late December hoping that a nomination for one of the aging stars would help sell the film. Unfortunately, the lack of award recognition and any critical buzz will keep the older adult target audience at home. Opening in just 659 theaters, Stand Up Guys may uncover $2.5 million.
That’s the whisper from the virtual trading floor.
Tag(s): WARMB, NHOUL, TPALM, SSTAL, HDSHT, APACI, CWALK, ALARK, STUPG