Ian Mohr and Dave McNary of Variety
After "Spider-Man 3" kicked off the season with record breaking B.O. tallies, the pressure is on for Paramount and DreamWork's third installment of "Shrek" to deliver.
While "Shrek the Third" -- flooding 4,122 theaters -- will no doubt land at No. 1, it remains to be seen whether the green guy can post numbers to match his last pic's opening of $108 million in 2004.
Third "Shrek" has been tracking so far to open around the $100 million mark. But tracking on CG pics tends to be tricky as data overlooks kiddies' interests.
Though it seems unlikely "Shrek" can break "Spider-man's" first weekend B.O. marks, the ogre has little competish in his way as the frame's only new wide rollout.
Clocking in at just over 80 minutes, "Shrek" will enjoy more runs than longer competish; "Spider-Man" runs 140 minutes.
PG pic is also one of the only family choices in the marketplace currently.
But while "Shrek" is coming off a heady theatrical run -- "Shrek 2" hit a towering $436.7 million in North America alone -- the franchise hit a bump in the road after DreamWorks Animation had to cut financial forecasts in 2005 due to slower than expected DVD sales for the property.
"Shrek" also could take in much of its ticket sales this weekend from underage auds, resulting in less robust first-frame booty than Spidey. (Par and DreamWorks are hoping "Shrek" won't be a "drop-off" pic, where adults unload kids at the mall, but one that will capture the 'rents as well.)
In more limited release, Magnolia will send Hal Hartley's "Fay Grim" to 27 screens, while ThinkFilm runs with Luke Wilson's "The Wendell Baker Story," the Yari Group bets on gambling pic "Even Money" and Fox Searchlight spotlights romantic musical "Once"...
Info about overseas can be found here
Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly says:
The ogre's return should leave competitors -- including ''Spider-Man 3'' -- green with envy...
Next Up: The Pirates get get set to plunder the box office...
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