The master of disaster Roland Emmerich is back and this time nothing’s sacred. Will his over-the-top spectacle — blowing up Vegas, India and Rome among other locales — be the cure-all for moviegoers this weekend? Sony Pictures seems to think so. The PG-13-rated actioner starring John Cusack and Amanda Peet will bow in some 3,000 locations. The only thing that could hold back the weekend results on this film is the long runtime of 2 hours and 38 minutes. (This may be the perfect movie to test out RunPee.com so you know when to duck out to the bathroom.) Also opening this weekend is British import Pirate Radio. Previously titled The Boat That Rocks, this Richard Curtis-directed film follows the pirated radio boats that commanded the open seas when the British government banned rock music in the early ’60s. But opening on only 900 theaters may not get this R-rated flick into the top 5. Read on for my predictions.
1. 2012: $65 million
Emmerich’s 2004 disaster movie The Day After Tomorrow opened to $68 million, but that was helped by a Memorial Day weekend slot. It will be quite a feat if 2012 reaches that number. 2012’s other comparison could be Quantum of Solace, which bowed the same time last year and also opened to $68 million. But this ain’t James Bond, folks. The film, based on a somewhat original, yet totally predictable premise, is destined to gross above $60 million but reaching all the way to $68 million seems a bit optimistic.
2. Disney’s A Christmas Carol: $18 million
Last weekend’s $30 million opening for this expensive re-imagining of the classic Dickens’ tale must have been quite disappointing for all involved. But what’s even more crucial to this film’s ultimate success is how it holds up during this second weekend in theaters. It was a risk for the studio to open this Jim Carrey-starrer so early in the holiday season, but it seems they were counting on the 3D screens to be more of a factor than the early time of release. I predict the film will have some staying power. If it drops only 40%, the filmmakers should feel blessed that their theatrical run will hold up at least through the Thanksgiving holiday.
3. This is It: $7.5 million
Michael Jackson is a box-office success. His film has now crossed the $200 million mark internationally and has grossed more than $61 million stateside. With such good numbers, another 40% drop wouldn’t be impossible.
4. The Men Who Stare at Goats: $6 million
Despite mixed reviews, this George Clooney-starrer opened to $12.7 million and has reached $16 million since it bowed last weekend. Falling 50% would portend good things for this quirky comedy.
5. Precious: $5 million
If there was any doubt that Precious was bound for Oscar glory, that was all erased last weekend when it pulled in $1.8 million on only 18 screens. Now that this heart-wrenching drama is expanding to 74 locations, there is a high probability that this Lee Daniels-directed film may land in the top five at the box office. Quite a feat for a film with the most unlikely of leading ladies and difficult subject matter.
Photo Credit: Joe Lederer
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That seems awfully high for 2012. On the other hand, there are a whole lot of idiots in America. We did elect an illiterate Texan to president. Twice.
We did elect an illiterate Texan to president. Twice.—To make yourself sound more intellegent you should have written “We did elect an illiterate Texan as President, twice.”
To sound more intelligent, you should have spelled “intelligent” correctly.
And we also elected his evil, ignornat father – so three times.
Guys. Stick to the subject at hand. Why on earth inject politics into a debate about this abyssmal excuse for a movie? Many people would argue we’re not much better as a country now than we were last year at this time. Failed policies and broken promises, anyone????
I’m so sick of the Bush bashers. Because we know the country’s doing so well, now that the Democrats control the presidency, house and senate. Oh wait, they are still useless, because even though they control everything, they still can’t get sh!t done. Which makes it worse!
Wow! Movie preference is now a scale for a person’s IQ? Thank you crispy
It absolutely is.
I never voted for Bush a I an a staunch Democrat,, Sorrrrry, Stupid, leave me out of the we elected. I know Bush from Texas, I was a Pilot in the Air Force when he was Gov, I hated him then, you really dont know STUPID he really is
I guess I’m an idiot. I like watching the earth get destroyed occasionally. I don’t plan on seeing it opening weekend, but it seems like a good popcorn flick my hubby and I will enjoy.
I REFUSE to see this wretched excuse for blowing things up and massacring (sp?) untold billions of people. Even for entertainment purpose, how could ANYONE find it enjoyable to see lives lost on this kind of massive scale is perplexing. We’re supposed to cheer because the dog we see in the movie lives, but because the millions of people lost, we don’t know, so we don’t care. Ugh. Wasn’t “Independence Day” more than enough for this sort of torture porn?
UGH! I hate Roland Emmerich
I feel like 2012 snuck up on me, which is odd for a big budget movie.
Whyyyy is this movie that long? I cannot possibly fathom that Roland would include something along the lines of plot or character development, so it seems a bit outrageous to me. I think 65 million is way too high. I see more around 50 million, but I guess I don’t buy into the hype of this movie.
Just like Titanic and Pearl Harbor, you really need 3 hours to get to know the characters before they are put in harm’s way.
ive read that you absolutely dont get to know the characters in this flick. shocker! the movie is all aboout the visual, special effects!!!
I love big budget, SFX extravagant disaster films with good casts. I’ll go see it. Won’t be first on my list though. “Boondock Saints II” finally arrived in Minnesota this weekend. That takes the prize; the prize being my hard earned money. lol
I was wondering if Emmerich would ever direct an end-of-the-world disaster flick. I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like!
Only $65 million? You give too much credit to the human race.
wouldn’t surprise me if it did. i really want to see this but it may be a while=/
We all need escapism these days….and i definitely need one this weekend…..
So billions of people dying in fantastic cataclysmic ways is “escapism” for you huh, Fred? I’d rather watch “Glitter” again for escapism than this….and that’s saying A LOT.
Besides America has all this money to spend this weekend…..like 70 millions bucks?
It will probably clear $60M this weekend, but it won’t double that. Here’s hoping, anyway.
I think “A Christmas Carol” will follow in the same vein as “The Polar Express”–that is, start relatively modest and have long legs all the way to Christmas. “Polar Express” even opened LOWER than “Christmas Carol” and still managed to make around $160 million by the time it left theaters.
y’all are getting sloppy with your copyeditting. “How much destruction WITH 2012 Cause???” Or how much WILL it cause?
the movie was superfluous, so looong and sooo boring…but in fairness the special effects was okay…