Early B.O: 'Devil' has inside track
Holdovers led by 'Mission: Impossible,' 'Sherlock Holmes'
Paramount's horror pic 'The Devil Inside' is on track to earn between $18 and $21 million for the weekend.
Newcomer "The Devil Inside" is looking to pull in between $8 million and $10 million today, according to early Friday estimates, putting it on pace to beat a handful of holdovers at the domestic box office this weekend.
Including Thursday's late-night grosses of $2.2 million, B.O. watchers estimate the Paramount low-budget chiller to earn between $18 million and $21 million for the weekend. A few bizzers caution, however, that the number could be a couple million dollars modest, pointing to an outpouring of Twitter buzz around the film.
Par's "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol" will likely follow the studio's frosh entry, with observers estimating the pic to earn around $15 million to $16 million this weekend. Warner Bros.' "Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows" is looking to take bronze with estimates in the $12 million to $14 million range.
Sony's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" may compete with Disney's "War Horse," but box office watchers say that "Dragon" is likely to pull ahead in the $8 million to $10 million range. "Horse" may race up second, with estimates pegged in the $7 million to $8 million range.
Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118048243
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