Ben Fritz, Dave McNary and Pamela McClintock of Vatiety:
While the Punisher shoots it out with several holdovers for the No. 1 spot in the traditionally slow post-Thanksgiving frame, most of the action will be in the specialty market.
Hot limited releases "Slumdog Millionaire" and "Milk" both expand into new markets, while Universal is bowing "Frost/Nixon" on three screens. All three are considered top awards contenders.
Also opening somewhat wide is Sony's music biopic "Cadillac Records which will hit 686 theaters. Adrien Brody-Beyonce Knowles starrer is expected to do modest biz.
Lionsgate's "Punisher: War Zone," which takes aim at young men in 2,508 theaters, is looking at a tight race with the second weekend of "Four Christmases" and the third of "Bolt" and "Twilight." All four pics will likely land in the teens.
Studio's first pic based on Marvel's gun-toting vigilante opened to $13.8 million in April 2004 in about the same number of theaters.
"Four Christmases" has held a comfortable lead over "Twilight" in the weekday grosses this week.
"Australia," which bowed to $14.8 million last weekend, has been No. 3. Many will be watching to see whether Fox's costly epic shows legs or quickly fades.
Fox Searchlight's "Slumdog," which took the National Board of Review's film of the year kudo Thursday, is expanding from 49 to 78 theaters. Most of the growth is coming from existing markets, though the movie is also going into Atlanta, Detroit and Indianapolis for the first time.
Pic has already grossed $3.8 million and last weekend averaged a boffo $27,470. "Milk," which opened with the best per-location take of the year last weekend, averaging $40,385 from 35 theaters, is nearly tripling its print count to 99. As the biopic of the gay-rights pioneer starts to hit smaller markets, Focus is undoubtedly hoping it will continue to play well with older women, as well as the gay community. Through Wednesday, "Milk" has grossed a very healthy $2.3 million.
U is starting off its Ron Howard-helmed stage adaptation "Frost/Nixon" conservatively, with just three runs in Gotham, L.A. and Toronto.
Joshua Rich of EW:
Freshman flick ''Punisher: War Zone'' may have a hard time cracking the top five; Disney animated feature [Bolt] may finally fetch No. 1 spot
I really liked Thomas Jane as The Punisher in 'o4--But the character has had a tough time clicking with fanboys on the big screen...
Next Week: Witness The Day The Earth Stood Still--As far as I'm concerned it won't top the 1951 version. Unfair to say that-yes since I have not seen the new one yet. But I don't care...
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