A couple of directors return after a long hiatus, but they will be no match for the animated monsters of Hotel Transylvania 2 [HTRN2]. The first Hotel Transylvania set the September opening weekend record in 2012 with $42.5 million. Adam Sandler [ASAND], Selena Gomez [SGOME] and Andy Samberg [ASAMB] reprise their roles in the PG-rated sequel from Sony. While there hasn’t been another animated film since The Minions, Hotel Transylvania is not as fondly remembered as, say The Minions. Booked at 3745 theaters, Hotel Transylvania 2 could ring up $40 million.
After a lucrative week on large-format screens, Everest [EVRST] expands wide into regular theaters. Positive word of mouth should help Everest climb upwards of $20 million from 3004 locations.
Anne Hathaway [AHATH] and Robert De Niro [RDENI] team up in the generational comedy The Intern [INTRN]. Writer-director Nancy Meyers' [NMEYE] last film was 2009’s It’s Complicated, which took in $22 million over Christmas weekend. September is a less busy month and the older female target demographic is not one to rush out opening weekend. Showing in 3305 theaters, The Intern could earn $16 million.
The Maze Runner declined 46% in its second weekend. Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials is likely to be more frontloaded as a sequel and drop 50% to $15 million.
Moviegoers were less enthusiastic about Black Mass [BMASS] than critics. The crime drama may hold slightly better than 50% at $12 million.
Eli Roth [EROTH] returns to direct for the first time since 2008 with The Green Inferno [GRNFR]. The R-rated horror film is the first release from Blumhouse’s BH - Tilt, a new label that will spend less using targeted marketing, rather than big on major ad buys. Opening 1504 theaters, The Green Inferno may cook up $4 million.
Tobey McGuire [TMCGU] stars in the Bobby Fischer biopic Pawn Sacrifice [PAWNS]. The Bleecker Street release had a poor PSA for a limited opening. Pawn Sacrifice may check just $1.5 million from its wide expansion to 779 theaters.
That’s the whisper from the virtual trading floor.
Tag(s): HTRN2, ASAND, SGOME, ASAMB, EVRST, AHATH, RDENI, INTRN, NMEYE, BMASS, EROTH, GRNFR, PAWNS