While Hollywood celebrates its best high-brow films from last year at the Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday, it offers two new low-brow fares for moviegoers this weekend. The Farrelly brothers [FARRE] are back with their latest R-rated comedy Hall Pass [HLPAS]. Owen Wilson [OWILS] and Jason Sudekis [JSUDE] star as two married men whose wives let them mess around for a week. The storyline may attract males at the expense of females, who did not respond to the cheating ways in the comedies The Dilemma and Just Go With It. Opening in 2950 theaters, Hall Pass may tally $17 million.
Just a month after his last opener, Nicolas Cage [NCAGE] is back to cash another paycheck in Drive Angry [DRVAN]. The R-rated film was shot in 3D, which is Summit’s main selling point to male action fans. Running in 2290 theaters, Drive Angry could steer away $12 million.
Unknown [UWMAL] connected with the older adult audience looking for another Taken. That could have frontloaded the thriller and lead to a second weekend drop around 45% to $12 million.
I am Number Four [IMNO4] proved not to have as broad appeal as expected. A sophomore frame decline of more than 50% would net around $9 millio.
Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son [BMOM3] failed to match the opening of its predecessors. The tired threequel looks to fall more than 50% in its second weekend to $7 million.
That’s the whisper from the trading floor.
Tag(s): FARRE, HLPAS, OWILS, JSUDE, NCAGE, DRVAN, UWMAL, IMNO4, BMOM3