This weekend at the box office features a battle between two very different comedies for the #1 spot: the second weekend of critically acclaimed rom com Crazy Rich Asians and the debut of dirty puppet pic The Happytime Murders. We also have the family science fiction tale A.X.L. opening. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:
https://toddmthatcher.com/2018/08/14/the-happytime-murders-box-office-prediction/
https://toddmthatcher.com/2018/08/14/a-x-l-box-office-prediction/
If Asians falls in the mid 30s range, it might manage to edge out Melissa McCarthy’s Murders. My estimates indicate this should be the first weekend since early February where no picture makes over $20 million as the summer season slows down.
The Meg should fall to third place with action flicks Mile 22 and Mission: Impossible – Fallout in a race for the 4 spot (I give Mile an edge).
As for A.X.L., I’m not expecting much at all and my tiny $2.1 million forecast leaves it outside the top 5. And with that, here’s those top five projections for the weekend:
1. Crazy Rich Asians
Predicted Gross: $16.9 million
2. The Happytime Murders
Predicted Gross: $13.8 million
3. The Meg
Predicted Gross: $11.2 million
4. Mile 22
Predicted Gross: $7.5 million
5. Mission: Impossible – Fallout
Predicted Gross: $6.8 million
Box Office Results (August 17-19)
Riding a wave of positive buzz and anticipation from its bestseller source material, Crazy Rich Asians had a terrific start in first place with $26.5 million for the weekend (topping my $22.5 million prediction). When factoring in its Wednesday debut, the critically praised comedy has made $35.2 million and that’s a bit above my call of $33.4 million.
The Meg dropped to second with $21.1 million, in line with my $20.3 million projection for $83 million so far.
Mark Wahlberg’s Mile 22 was a disappointment with a third place premiere at $13.7 million. I was a touch higher at $16.7 million. This definitely ranks on the lower end of the star’s action debuts.
Mission: Impossible – Fallout was fourth with $10.7 million (I said $11 million) for $181 million overall. The sixth franchise entry stands a decent shot at surpassing the $215 million made by Mission: Impossible II and becoming the series all-time domestic earner.
Alpha performed better than I figured with a fifth place start at $10.3 million. I was way lower at $5.2 million.
Christopher Robin was sixth with $8.8 million (I said $7.4 million) for $66 million. The Disney feature could come close to $100 million when all is said and done, but it may fall a little short.
BlacKkKlansman was 7th in its sophomore outing with $7.3 million (I said $7.1 million) for a total of $23 million.
And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…
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