All hoping to topple 2-time champ 300...
The heroes on a half shell are back CGI-style the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (reviews) are back (pictured); Fighting for those Kiddie bucks is The Last Mimzy (reviews); Fresh off of his Oscar nomination, Mark Wahlberg teams with Antoine Fuqua for Shooter (reviews); The horror sequel The Hills Have Eyes 2 (reviews) hopes to scare the teen crowd; While Adam Sandler gets serious with Don Cheadle for the 9/11 themed drama Reign Over Me (reviews)--duking it out with the inspirational Pride (reviews) for the adult crowd; And Color Me Kubrick (reviews), starring the great John Malkovich finally gets a shot after a long wait...
Ian Mohr and Dave McNary of Variety:
This weekend's box office begs many questions.
Do kids still dig those "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles"? Will Adam Sandler fans buy the funnyman as a widower coping in the aftermath of 9/11? Can Mark Wahlberg capitalize on his "The Departed" success? And can "300" and "Wild Hogs" hold up?
The weekend will prove a free-for-all as no fewer than six wide releases roll out, while standing in their way are a few of the year's biggest hits to date.
A pack of films aimed at families will hit the B.O. over a crowded frame, led by a wildcard, the animated "Turtles" pic.
Franchise has reeled in $256 million at the domestic B.O. from three pics, but the last installment in that hit series came 14 years ago. Warner Bros. and the Weinstein Co. are hoping that this outing will bring in new young auds as well as nostalgic fans.
Aiming for the same aud will be New Line's "The Last Mimzy," a kidlit adaptation helmed by studio co-head Bob Shaye. According to tracking, pic has been catching up with "TMNT," which should have the edge.
"TMNT" comes out of its shell into 3,110 theaters; "Mimzy" counters in 3,017.
Lionsgate, meanwhile, will plunge into 1,518 theaters with its PG-rated, urban-skewing sports drama "Pride."
Aiming for older auds with R-rated pics, Sony sends out the Sandler drama "Reign Over Me," while Paramount will roll out the Wahlberg actioner "Shooter" and Fox Atomic opens "The Hills Have Eyes 2."
Sandler's last pic, "Click," clocked in at $137.3 million, but "Reign," opening at 1,671, puts the comic in a straight dramatic role for helmer Mike Binder. Sandler's last dramatic film, "Spanglish," brought in $42.7 million in 2004.
Fox's first "Hills Have Eyes" horror remake chopped up $41.7 million for the studio a year ago.
Any new pics gunning for auds over 18 will have to tussle with Warner Bros.' R-rated battle epic "300," which attempts to retain its No. 1 title for the third straight frame.
The article continues here...
Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly thinks that:
TMNT looks primed for an explosive debut, well out of range of Wahlberg's ''Shooter'' and those plucky Spartans...Read more of Rich here...
It's been awhile since the turtles were on the big screen. It will be interesting to see how much of a factor they are.
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