There are four high-profile titles coming to the multiplex this weekend, but I’m starting to believe Warner Bros. The Conjuring could take the top spot when all is said and done.
Why? For one thing, horror/supernatural flicks are a hot commodity right now. In June, The Purge grossed an impressive $34 million in its first weekend. In January, Mama greatly exceeded expectations with a $28 million debut.
The Conjuring, starring Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, comes from Saw and Insidious director James Wan. And it just may have more going for it than the two previously mentioned 2013 horror hits. Unlike most horror flicks, The Conjuring is receiving surprisingly glowing reviews. It currently sits at 87% on Rotten Tomatoes… something practically unheard of for a picture of its genre.
Whether that translates into an opening on par with The Purge is a good question. Horror films tend to have big openings and suffer huge drops in their second weekend. The Conjuring could be an exception to the rule in that it may not have the significant percentage drops in subsequent weekends due to solid word-of-mouth.
I see The Conjuring debuting to no lower than in the mid-twenties range. However, I feel good buzz surrounding it will propel the film to a larger debut (right in Purge range).
The Conjuring opening weekend prediction: $35.3 million
There are four new films opening this week. For my prediction on Turbo, click here:
https://toddmthatcher.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/turbo-box-office-prediction/
For Red 2, click here:
https://toddmthatcher.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/red-2-box-office-prediction/
For R.I.P.D., click here:
https://toddmthatcher.wordpress.com/2013/07/14/r-i-p-d-box-office-prediction/
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