Two new films open wide this weekend as the summer slump continues at the box office. Leading the way is the R-rated action comedy The Hitman’s Bodyguard [HTMBG] starring Ryan Reynolds [RREYN] and Samuel L. Jackson [SLJAC]. While the likeable duo have chemistry, the Lionsgate film lacks must-see buzz. Opening in 3350 theaters, The Hitman’s Bodyguard could score $17.0 million.
Annabelle: Creation [ANAB2] nearly matched the debut the original Annabelle, which fell 57% in its second weekend. A similar drop-off would bring in $15 million for the sequel.
Director Steven Soderbergh [SSODE] returns with Logan Lucky [LUCLO], basically a NASCAR version of his Ocean’s trilogy. Channing Tatum [CTATU], Daniel Craig [DCRAI] and Adam Driver [ADRIV] lead the cast of the PG-13 rated heist film. Although Logan Lucky has earned rave reviews, it may suffer from a lack of marketing. Soderbergh opted out of the studio system to partner with tiny Bleecker Street and target Southern States. Starting in 3041 theaters, Logan Lucky could finish with $12.5 million.
As an animated film for families, The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature [NUTJ2] could hold 60% for a $5 million second weekend.
After earning $1 million in two weeks of limited release, Wind River [WNDRV] expands wide to 694 theaters. The Weinstein Co. release has excellent reviews, which could help pull in around $2.5 million.
That’s the whisper on the virtual trading floor.
Tag(s): HTMBG, RREYN, SLJAC, ANAB2, SSODE, LUCLO, CTATU, DCRAI, ADRIV, NUTJ2, WNDRV