Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt has built quite a career as an Indie film favorite since the end of his TV sit-com 3rd Rock from the Sun. His new thriller, The Lookout (reviews) may have solid critical praise...
But it faces an uphill climb, with the CGI animated Meet the Robinsons (reviews) and the comedy Blades of Glory (reviews) getting all of the attention...
Ian Mohr and Dave McNary of Variety talk about this trio of big releases and a gaggle of smaller flicks:
Will 3-D toons be able to take down a same-sex figuring skating duo at the multiplexes this weekend?
Disney is hoping that its "Meet the Robinsons" -- about a doodad-obsessed orphan who travels to the future -- will be able to power to No. 1 past Paramount/DreamWorks' laffer "Blades of Glory," starring Will Ferrell and Jon Heder, on the strength of the roughly 600 3-D screens the CGI pic will play.
"Robinsons" is running in 3,413 theaters overall as the frame's widest new rollout. Some key markets are blanketed with 3-D showings: If you want to see "Robsinons" in [New York City], for example, you'll be wearing 3-D glasses this weekend.
Sliding into 3,000 theaters is "Blades," the comedy in which Ferrell and Heder ham it up as unlikely ice-skaters.
Coin from 3-D screens on "Robinsons," which is aiming squarely at families, could be a wild card in the battle for No. 1. ("300," Warner Bros.' f/x heavy hit has been a big draw with tech-heads on IMAX screens throughout its run so far.)
High-stakes NCAA tourney games running in prime time could possibly prove a drain on "Blades"' Saturday biz as that pic aims for some of the same young males.
Coming into the market as a limited release -- and a distribution experiment -- to 615 theaters, meantime, is Universal's New Age drama "Peaceful Warrior."
Rather than plow money into a trad marketing campaign, U has instead offered the public $15 million in free tickets to the pic, in a partnership with retailer Best Buy, to try and ignite word of mouth.
Pic was previously released theatrically through Lions gate, but not via any nationwide run.
In other less wide releases over the weekend will include Miramax's "The Lookout," playing in just under 1,000 theaters, as well as the Weinstein Co.'s "Nomad," which attacks 60.
TWC had a No. 1 last frame, in a partnership with Warner Bros., in "TMNT," the latest "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" pic.
Green guys lead a host of holdovers vying for extra ducats this weekend, including Sony's "Reign Over Me," Par's "Shooter," New Line's "The Last Mimzy," Fox's "The Hills Have Eyes II," Lionsgate's "Pride" and B.O. biggies "300" (Warners) and "Wild Hogs" (Disney).
IFC rolls with Danish helmer Susanne Bier's "After the Wedding," ThinkFilm shoots out "Live Free or Die," Strand flies with "The Hawk Is Dying," and Shadow Distribution rocks docu "Air Guitar Nation."
The complete weekend landscape is discussed here...
Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly thinks that
Will Ferrell ice-skating romp will cut an impressive figure -- say, $45 mil -- freezing out all challengers...
I know that I'm probably on thin ice here, but, I actually believe Will Ferrell has become vastly over-rated of late. His last pure comedy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby may have made lots of cash--but I didn't think it wasn't all that funny. That said though, I aggree with Rich's assessment: Blades will make a small mint over the weekend and land in the top spot comr Monday.
No comments:
Post a Comment