Lionsgate/Summit hopes lightning strikes thrice with Divergent [DVRGN], their next young heroine film franchise based on a YA novel series after Twilight and The Hunger Games. Set in a dystopian future Chicago, the PG-13 rated, sci-fi film stars Shailene Woodley [SWOOD] as a teenager whose personality doesn’t fall into any five factions defined by society. The Veronica Roth book series are popular, but sales are nowhere near the phenomenal The Hunger Games, which opened to $152.5 million two years ago. While Divergent is apparently tracking close to the first Twilight, which opened at $69 million in 2008, there has been little report of similar advance tickets sales. Reviews have been mixed, which could discourage the adults who checked out The Hunger Games. Nevertheless, Liongate are so confident that the sequel has already been slotted to open a year from now. Opening in 3936 theaters, Divergent may tally $62 million.
Kermit and gang are back in the PG-rated Muppets Most Wanted [MUPE2] with a new human cast. Jason Segel and Amy Adams helped relaunch The Muppets to $41.5 million over Thanksgiving weekend 2011 or $29.2 million for the Friday-Sunday portion. The sequel stars Tina Fey [TFEY] and Rickey Gervais [RGERV], but the reviews are not as the good as The Muppets. With less buzz this time around, Muppets Most Wanted may uncover $25 million from 3194 theaters.
With little competition last week, Mr. Peabody & Sherman [MRPBS] ascended to the top spot when the new releases faltered. With the Muppets now in the picture, Mr. Peabody & Sherman may settle with $14 million.
Audiences had no Need for Speed [NFSPD]. Ignored by its young male target demo, Need for Speed may downshift 55% to $8.5 million
The Grand Budapest Hotel [GBHTL] should continue its rise up the box office chart this week. Expanding to 304 theaters, the Wes Anderson film could check in with another $6 million.
That’s the whisper from the virtual trading floor.
Tag(s): DVRGN, SWOOD, MUPE2, TFEY, RGERV, MRPBS, NFSPD, GBHTL