Dave McNary of Variety:
Will 3-D meatballs equal moolah? That's the big question as Sony launches 3D toon "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" at 3,119 playdates. Pic's the odds-on fave to win the weekend box office.
"Meatballs" faces competish from Universal's Jennifer Aniston romancer "Love Happens" at 1,898, Warner's Matt Damon caper comedy "The Informant" at 2,505, and Fox's Megan Fox horror-laffer "Jennifer's Body" at 2,701. And the soph sesh of Tyler Perry's "I Can Do Bad All by Myself" will stay a player in the mix.
"Meatballs," an irreverent take on the well-known children's book, should satisfy moviegoing hunger from the family-and-kids demo -- particularly as the sector hasn't seen an entry since "Shorts" came and went last month. Notices have been largely positive, and the opening at a record 1,828 3D sites, including 127 Imax locations, should help juice the grosses thanks to premium prices.
Tracking on the PG-rated "Meatballs" shows a probable finish in the low to high 20s, though accurate forecasts tend to be particularly elusive on kidpics. Sony is hoping for a result equivalent to 2006's "Open Season," which opened with $23.7 million on its way to an $85 million domestic cume.
Sony's also going day and date with "Meatballs," which carries an estimated $90 million pricetag, in Mexico and the U.K. -- a logical move given the ongoing enthusiasm for animated fare in foreign markets.
The R-rated "Jennifer's Body," a tale of demonic possession in a high school setting, looks likely to lead the rest of the pack as it aims at the usual horror demo of teens and young adults along with male fans of Fox. Written by Diablo Cody and helmed by Karyn Kusama, pic could have substantial appeal for young women. Though last week's slashfest "Sorority Row" tanked, the genre remains capable of generating decent numbers, with most forecasts for "Body" in the low teens.
"The Informant," also rated R, represents a test of Damon's drawing power in the true tale of a corporate whistleblower; tracking hints at a weekend in the high single digits to low teens. Enthused by upbeat reviews, Warners execs are hoping for a leggy run on the order of "Burn After Reading," which opened with $21 million and cumed $60 million domestically.
"Love Happens," which carries a PG-13 rating, appears to be coming out of the gate with the least traction among the openers despite Aniston's star power. The pic, also starring Aaron Eckhart as a self-help guru, is aimed at adult women and tracking in the high single digits.
U's risk exposure on "Love Happens" is fairly low given that the movie carries an $18 million pricetag and was financed 50-50 with Relativity Media.
Lionsgate's "I Can Do Bad All by Myself" will likely wind up in the top five after dominating last weekend. Domestic cume had hit $27 million through Wednesday...
Nicole Sperling of EW says:
'Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs' will 'rain' at number one...
Next Week: A new group of kids are looking for Fame...While Pandorum jolts
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