Chris
After a massive opening for Scream 7, exhibitors seem to be on track for another solid weekend, with Pixar’s Hopperslooking like it’s set for an opening north of $40 million. Given the excellent reviews, it’s possible the film even hits $50 million. While that would be on the low end for the studio, it’s still a significant improvement over their last film, Elio, which earned a disastrous $20.8 million. Pixar movies tend to have legs, so it’s possible Hoppers could have a similar trajectory to Elemental, which opened soft with $29 million but legged out to a $150 million domestic gross.
This weekend’s other new opener, The Bride, has a less rosy outlook. A pricey feminist reimagining of The Bride of Frankenstein, reviews for Maggie Gyllenhaal’s film have been all over the place. Some are calling it brilliant, while others are saying it’s a total dud (I was somewhere in between). One thing everyone seems to agree on, though, is that its box office prospects are dim, with it very much an “art film” as opposed to the horror movie it’s being marketed as. I predicted an opening in the $12 million range, but it could go a lot lower. It could even, theoretically, get beaten by Sony’s GOAT if it only hits single digits, but I’m expecting curious horror fans will at least help it reach double digits.
Whatever the case, Scream 7 will easily take second place this weekend, with about a $30 million gross. The CinemaScore rating is a weak B-minus, and the franchise has always been front-loaded. Even so, its performance has been terrific, and it’s likely Scream 8 will be in production before long.
Here are my predictions:
- Hoppers: $40 million
- Scream 7: $30 million
- The Bride: $12 million
- GOAT: $7 million
- Wuthering Heights: $4 million
What are you seeing this weekend? Let us know in the comments.
