Before you go automatically assuming Battle of the Year, this Friday’s breakdancing flick, will be a huge bomb, consider these facts. The following dance pics over the past few years that marketed toward a hip hop audience all opened between $15-$23 million: Save the Last Dance, Step Up, Step Up 2 the Streets, Step Up 3-D, Stomp the Yard, and You Got Served.
Not too shabby at all. Battle of the Year stars America’s sweetheart Chris Brown and Sawyer from “Lost” Josh Holloway. Oh Sawyer… call your agent. While there is certainly precedent for these types of pictures having robust openings, Battle of the Year could struggle. Last year’s Step Up Revolution had the weakest debut in that franchise with only $11 million, suggesting the genre could be fading.
My fellow estimators over at Box Office Ace have this averaged at only about a $7.5M opening. I’ll cut it a little more slack than that. Chris Brown does have his fans after all and a debut that low would easily mark the lowest in the genre in recent history. I’ll say it debuts right in line with the last Step Up flick and other similar titles like Honey and the Fame remake from 2009.
Battle of the Year opening weekend prediction: $10.3 million
For my prediction on the opening of Prisoners, click here:
https://toddmthatcher.wordpress.com/2013/09/15/prisoners-box-office-prediction/
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A bit too high in my eyes; but I’m only going $3 million less