Based on one of the 21st century’s most acclaimed theater productions from Stephen Schwartz, Wicked looks to bewitch audiences this Friday. Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu helms the reported $145 million production with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande headlining. Costars include Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum.
Representing part 1 of the epic musical with its follow-up arriving next November, Wicked is expected to be a massive hit worldwide. With its box office fortunes appearing secure, lingering Oscar buzz was confirmed with today’s review embargo lift.
The Rotten Tomatoes score is 93% with Metacritic at 73. Technical noms were always a strong possibility. Costume Design (where it could win), Makeup and Hairstyling (same), Production Design, Sound, and Visual Effects are all on the table. There are no original songs so that’s off the table.
A Best Picture nod certainly seems achievable and I had it listed 8th in last weekend’s update. That still seems about right. I don’t believe it’s guaranteed a slot, but its impending popularity gives the Academy a chance to honor a crowd favorite that many viewers have actually seen. Chu’s direction and the screenplay seem far less likely to make the cut.
On the performance front, Erivo will vie for Actress with Grande contending in supporting. Best Actress is super crowded and I’m skeptical Erivo gets her second nomination behind 2019’s Harriet. Grande, meanwhile, stands a better shot even though Supporting Actress has plenty of contenders as well. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…
**Blogger’s Update (11/20): I have posted a $4 million forecast for Bonhoeffer today which puts it in fourth place. That change is reflected below and we now have a top 7 projections.
Hollywood hopes for a massive box office weekend ahead as Wicked and Gladiator II look to inject $200 million or more in domestic receipts. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:
In July 2023, the phenomenon known as Barbenheimer occurred when Barbie soared with a $162 million starting haul while Oppenheimer took in $82 million. I don’t think the grosses will be as gargantuan with Wicked and Gladiator II, but multiplexes should be in for a much needed boost.
Wicked adapts the well-known stage musical with Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as early versions of the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz, respectively. This is part 1 of Jon M. Chu’s fantasy musical with part II arriving in a year. I’m projecting nearly $135 million out of the gate as a wide audience seems destined to greet it.
Gladiator II is the long-in-development follow-up to Ridley Scott’s Best Picture winner with Paul Mescal headlining and Denzel Washington in an Oscar baity supporting turn. My high 60s forecast puts it in the runner-up position. I would note that either of these titles could over perform and keep on this post to see if there are any upgrades by Thursday.
With families flocking to Wicked and action fans packed for Gladiator, current champ Red One will slide to third. The holiday themed action comedy may experience a decline north of 50% considering the fresh competition.
The rest of the high five will consist of holdovers Venom: The Last Dance and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Heretic in a close race for fifth. Here’s how I envision the top 6 shaking out:
1. Wicked
Predicted Gross: $134.6 million
2. Gladiator II
Predicted Gross: $69.8 million
3. Red One
Predicted Gross: $14.9 million
4. Bonhoeffer
Predicted Gross: $4 million
5. Venom: The Last Dance
Predicted Gross: $3.6 million
6. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Predicted Gross: $2.7 million
7. Heretic
Predicted Gross: $2.5 million
Box Office Results (November 15-17)
On one hand, Red Notice with Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans was originally set for Amazon only distribution so any number is better than nothing. On the other, its debut is fairly ho-hum considering the reported $250 million price tag. It made $32.1 million which did manage to exceed my $27.6 million take. As mentioned, I do expect a hefty dip though it could rebound over the Turkey Day frame.
Venom: The Last Dance was second after three weeks in 1st with $7.3 million, falling behind my $10.2 million prediction. The comic book based threequel sits at $127 million after four outings.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was third with $5.2 million. In a trend from this past weekend, it didn’t match my number as I pegged it at $7.6 million. The two-week tally is $19 million.
Heretic was fourth with $5.1 million (I said $6.3 million) as Hugh Grant horror thriller’s total is $20 million after its second go-round.
The Wild Robot rounded out the top five with $4.2 million compared to my $5.5 million call. The animated tale has earned $137 million in eight weeks.
My first Oscar predictions in two weeks and it’s about what narratives I’m buying and which ones I’m selling. For example, I’m currently not sold that Paramount’s September 5 is the contender that some other prognosticators think it is.
On the flip side, I am starting to buy that Conclave is on the rise. The Focus Features effort from Edward Berger is performing well at the box office for an adult skewering drama. I think it has to a shot to win the big prize and that’s why you’ll see it elevated in multiple categories.
While my BP and directorial and Best Actress lineups are unchanged as far as hopefuls, Daniel Craig (Queer) returns to my Actor quintet at the expense of Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice). In Supporting Actor, it is the same five but Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) is perched atop the list for the first time. In Supporting Actress, I’m banking on Isabella Rossellini potentially riding that Conclave goodwill and that leaves Ariana Grande (Wicked) on the outside looking in.
You can read all the movement below and the next update should arrive on Thanksgiving weekend!
Best Picture
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Brutalist (Previous Ranking: 1) (Even)
2. Conclave (PR: 5) (+3)
3. Anora (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-1)
6. Sing Sing (PR: 6) (E)
7. A Real Pain (PR: 7) (E)
8. Wicked (PR: 10) (+2)
9. Nickel Boys (PR: 9) (E)
10. Blitz (PR: 8) (-2)
Other Possibilities:
11. Gladiator II (PR: 11) (E)
12. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 12) (E)
13. The Substance (PR: 14) (+1)
14. Nosferatu (PR: 15) (+1)
15. A Complete Unknown (PR: 13) (-2)
Best Director
Predicted Nominees:
1. Brady Corbet, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)
2. Sean Baker, Anora (PR: 2) (E)
3. Edward Berger, Conclave (PR: 5) (+2)
4. Denis Villeneuve, Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (E)
5. Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (-2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Coralie Fargeat, The Substance (PR: 8) (+2)
7. RaMell Ross, Nickel Boys (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Mohammad Rasoulof, The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Greg Kwedar, Sing Sing (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Robert Eggers, Nosferatu (PR: 10) (E)
Dropped Out:
Steve McQueen, Blitz
Best Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Mikey Madison, Anora (PR: 1) (E)
2. Angelina Jolie, Maria (PR: 2) (E)
3. Karla Sofia Gascón, Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)
4. Saoirse Ronan, The Outrun (PR: 4) (E)
5. Amy Adams, Nightbitch (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths (PR: 6) (E)
7. Demi Moore, The Substance (PR: 8) (+1)
8. Nicole Kidman, Babygirl (PR: 7) (-1)
9. Cynthia Erivo, Wicked (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Fernanda Torres, I’m Still Here (PR: 9) (-1)
Best Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Adrien Brody, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)
2. Ralph Fiennes, Conclave (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Colman Domingo, Sing Sing (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Timothée Chalamet, A Complete Unknown (PR: 4) (E)
5. Daniel Craig, Queer (PR: 6) (+1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Jesse Eisenberg, A Real Pain (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Glen Powell, Hit Man (PR: 8) (+1)
8. Sebastian Stan, The Apprentice (PR: 5) (-3)
9. Sebastian Stan, A Different Man (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Paul Mescal, Gladiator II (PR: 9) (-1)
Best Supporting Actress
Predicted Nominees:
1. Zoe Saldaña, Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)
2. Danielle Deadwyler, The Piano Lesson (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Felicity Jones, The Brutalist (PR: 4) (+1)
4. Saoirse Ronan, Blitz (PR: 2) (-2)
5. Isabella Rossellini, Conclave (PR: 6) (+1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Ariana Grande, Wicked (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)
8. Selena Gomez, Emilia Pérez (PR: 8) (E)
9. Margaret Qualley, The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Joan Chen, Dídi (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Natasha Lyonne, His Three Daughters
Best Supporting Actor
Predicted Nominees:
1. Kieran Culkin, A Real Pain (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Guy Pearce, The Brutalist (PR: 1) (-1)
3. Denzel Washington, Gladiator II (PR: 5) (+2)
4. Stanley Tucci, Conclave (PR: 4) (E)
5. Clarence Maclin, Sing Sing (PR: 3) (-2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Yura Borisov, Anora (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Jeremy Strong, The Apprentice (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Adam Pearson, A Different Man (PR: 8) (E)
9. Edward Norton, A Complete Unknown (PR: 9) (E)
10. Brian Tyree Henry, The Fire Inside (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
John Magaro, September 5
Best Original Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Anora (PR: 1) (E)
2. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (E)
3. A Real Pain (PR: 3) (E)
4. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 4) (E)
5. Saturday Night (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Substance (PR: 9) (+3)
7. September 5 (PR: 8) (+1)
8. Hard Truths (PR: 6) (-2)
9. Blitz (PR: 7) (-2)
10. Challengers (PR: 10) (E)
Best Adapted Screenplay
Predicted Nominees:
1. Conclave (PR: 1) (E)
2. Nickel Boys (PR: 2) (E)
3. Sing Sing (PR: 3) (E)
4. Dune: Part Two (PR: 4) (E)
5. I’m Still Here (PR: 7) (+2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)
7. The Room Next Door (PR: 5) (-2)
8. Hit Man (PR: 9) (+1)
9. The Piano Lesson (PR: 10) (+1)
10. A Complete Unknown (PR: 8) (-2)
Best International Feature Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)
2. The Seed of the Sacred Fig (PR: 2) (E)
3. I’m Still Here (PR: 3) (E)
4. Vermiglio (PR: 4) (E)
5. The Girl with the Needle (PR: 8) (+3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Kneecap (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Universal Language (PR: 5) (-2)
8. Dahomey (PR: Not Ranked)
9. How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (PR: 6) (-3)
10. Grand Tour (PR: 9) (-1)
Dropped Out:
Armand
Best Animated Feature Film
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Wild Robot (PR: 1) (E)
2. Memoir of a Snail (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Inside Out 2 (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Flow (PR: 4) (E)
5. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Piece by Piece (PR: 9) (+3)
7. Moana 2 (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Savages (PR: 8) (E)
9. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (PR: 7) (-2)
10. Spellbound (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
The Most Precious of Cargoes
Best Documentary Feature
Predicted Nominees:
1. No Other Land (PR: 1) (E)
2. Black Box Diaries (PR: 2) (E)
3. Daughters (PR: 6) (+3)
4. Will & Harper (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Sugarcane (PR: 7) (+2)
Other Possibilities:
6. Dahomey (PR: 8) (+2)
7. Union (PR: 5) (-2)
8. The Remarkable Life of Ibelin (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat (PR: 4) (-5)
10. Separated (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Gaucho Gaucho
Best Cinematography
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)
2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)
3. Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)
4. Conclave (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Nosferatu (PR: 8) (+3)
Other Possibilities:
6. Blitz (PR: 4) (-2)
7. Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)
8. Maria (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Gladiator II (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Anora (PR: 6) (-4)
Best Costume Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Wicked (PR: 1) (E)
2. Dune: Part Two (PR: 2) (E)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)
4. Nosferatu (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Blitz (PR: 6) (+1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Maria (PR: 4) (-2)
7. The Brutalist (PR: 7) (E)
8. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Saturday Night (PR: 10) (+1)
10. Conclave (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Best Film Editing
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Brutalist (PR: 2) (+1)
2. Anora (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (-2)
4. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (E)
5. Conclave (PR: 5) (E)
Other Possibilities:
6. Sing Sing (PR: 6) (E)
7. Nickel Boys (PR: 7) (E)
8. The Substance (PR: 8) (E)
9. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)
10. Challengers (PR: 10) (E)
Dropped Out:
Saturday Night
Best Makeup and Hairstyling
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. The Substance (PR: 2) (E)
3. Nosferatu (PR: 6) (+3)
4. A Different Man (PR: 3) (-1)
5. Wicked (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Maria (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (PR: 9) (+2)
8. Emilia Pérez (PR: Not Ranked)
9. Sasquatch Sunset (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 5) (-5)
Dropped Out:
Joker: Folie à Deux
Best Original Score
Predicted Nominees:
1. The Brutalist (PR: 1) (E)
2. Conclave (PR: 2) (E)
3. Dune: Part Two (PR: 3) (E)
4. The Wild Robot (PR: 5) (+1)
5. Emilia Pérez (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Challengers (PR: 7) (+1)
7. Sing Sing (PR: 6) (-1)
8. Saturday Night (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Gladiator II (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Blitz
Best Original Song
Predicted Nominees:
1. “El Mal” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 1) (E)
2. “Like a Bird” from Sing Sing (PR: 2) (E)
3. “Mi Camino” from Emilia Pérez (PR: 3) (E)
4. “Kiss the Sky” from The Wild Robot (PR: 5) (+1)
5. “Harper and Will Go West” from Will & Harper (PR: 6) (+1)
Other Possibilities:
6. “Forbidden Road” from Better Man (PR: 4) (-2)
7. “The Journey” from The Six Triple Eight (PR: 8) (+1)
8. “Piece by Piece” from Piece by Piece (PR: 9) (+1)
9. “Beyond” from Moana 2 (PR: 10) (+1)
10. “Better Way to Live” from Kneecap (PR: 7) (-3)
Best Production Design
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Wicked (PR: 3) (+1)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (-1)
4. Nosferatu (PR: 6) (+2)
5. Blitz (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. The Brutalist (PR: 5) (-1)
7. Conclave (PR: 7) (E)
8. Emilia Pérez (PR: 10) (+2)
9. Maria (PR: 9) (E)
10. Saturday Night (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Best Sound
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Gladiator II (PR: 2) (E)
3. Wicked (PR: 4) (E)
4. Blitz (PR: 4) (E)
5. Nosferatu (PR: Not Ranked)
Other Possibilities:
6. Emilia Pérez (PR: 6) (E)
7. Twisters (PR: 5) (-2)
8. Conclave (PR: 7) (-1)
9. The Substance (PR: Not Ranked)
10. A Complete Unknown (PR: 8) (-2)
Dropped Out:
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
Civil War
Best Visual Effects
Predicted Nominees:
1. Dune: Part Two (PR: 1) (E)
2. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (PR: 2) (E)
3. Gladiator II (PR: 3) (E)
4. Wicked (PR: 7) (+3)
5. Twisters (PR: 4) (-1)
Other Possibilities:
6. Better Man (PR: 6) (E)
7. Deadpool & Wolverine (PR: 5) (-2)
8. Mufasa: The Lion King (PR: 9) (+1)
9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (PR: 8) (-1)
10. Blitz (PR: Not Ranked)
Dropped Out:
Here
And that equates to these movies generating these numbers of nominations:
11 Nominations
Dune: Part Two
10 Nominations
Emilia Pérez
9 Nominations
The Brutalist, Conclave
6 Nominations
Wicked
5 Nominations
Anora, Blitz, Gladiator II, Nosferatu, Sing Sing
3 Nominations
A Real Pain, The Wild Robot
2 Nominations
I’m Still Here, Nickel Boys, The Seed of the Sacred Fig, Will & Harper
1 Nomination
Black Box Diaries, A Complete Unknown, Daughters, A Different Man, Flow, The Girl with the Needle, Inside Out 2, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, Maria, Memoir of a Snail, The Outrun, Nightbitch, No Other Land, The Piano Lesson, Queer, Saturday Night, The Substance, Sugarcane, Twisters, Vermiglio, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl
Amy Poehler really (?!?!) pops up in 23rd for my all-time 50 SNLers countdown as the Upright Citizens Brigade alum wasted no time making her mark on the show. Highlights include plenty of material with Tina Fey and Maya Rudolph (particularly Bronx Beat) during a golden age of female cast members. Poehler replaced Jimmy Fallon as Fey’s Weekend Update coanchor in her fourth year. After Fey departed, she would handle Update duties with Seth Meyers that spawned the Really!?!? bits.
There was one-legged Amber and her take on Dakota Fanning hosting a chat program where she was hilariously condescending. She would famously play Hillary Clinton to Fey’s Sarah Palin shortly after both had departed the regular cast and just as Parks and Recreation was readying its run. #22 will be up soon!
Prior to taking over the Late Night and Tonight Show franchises, it was on SNL that Jimmy Fallon honed his skills. The Groundlings alum quickly established himself as a crowd favorite in a fertile era for the show with terrific impressions of Jerry Seinfeld, Robert De Niro, Regis Philbin, Mick Jagger, and even former SNL cast members Adam Sandler and Chris Rock. His talents perhaps shone brightest on The Barry Gibb Show portraying a mentally unbalanced version of The Bee Gees frontman alongside his brother Robin (Justin Timberlake), who never had anything to add.
Nearly halfway into his run, Fallon nabbed the Weekend Update desk spot alongside Tina Fey. It made for one of the strongest duos to deliver the fake news. Along the way, the future talk show host tried his best not to break during classic sketches such as “More Cowbell” and Debbie Downer’s visit to Disney. #23 will be up soon!
Andy Samberg has been a frequent presence on SNL’s 50th season as Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff in cold opens leading up to the election. It was his contributions to the show from 2005 to 2012 that have him kicking off the top 25 of my 50 all-time cast members.
His writing partners Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone also deserve special mention. That trio made up The Lonely Island and are responsible for SNL Digital Shorts. These taped bits brought the sketch program into the internet age starting with “Lettuce” in which Will Forte and Samberg hilariously mull serious issues while chomping on heads of the title plant. Yet it the second Short “Lazy Sunday” with Samberg and Chris Parnell’s hardcore rapping about The Chronicles of Narnia that became a YouTube sensation just as that platform was becoming known to the populace.
Many uproarious Shorts followed. Natalie Portman and her hip hop skills? Check. Laser Cats and T-Pain on a boat? Double check. And, of course, a trio of iconic risquè numbers with Justin Timberlake. It’s also worth noting that Samberg did memorable Mark Zuckerberg and Nicolas Cage impressions. #24 will be up soon!
Nearly 25 years after Ridley Scott’s original epic stormed the box office and the Academy Awards, Gladiator II enters cinematic arenas on November 22nd. Paul Mescal stars as Lucius, son of Russell Crowe’s Maximus with Scott back in the director’s chair. Costars include Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Fred Hechinger, Derek Jacobi, Connie Nielsen (back as the sister to Joaquin Phoenix’s departed Commodus), and Denzel Washington (generating Oscar buzz for his role).
With a reported budget north of $200 million, the long-in-development sequel should capitalize on a quarter century of goodwill from the Best Picture winning part 1. Reviews are decent with 75% on Rotten Tomatoes and 67 on Metacritic.
The $60-$75 million forecast for its debut sounds about right. I am hesitant to take the over as some viewers may wait until the following Thanksgiving frame to make the multiplex trek. I’ll put it in the upper end of that range for a second place showing to Wicked.
Gladiator II opening weekend prediction: $69.8 million
Universal is banking on Wicked casting a spell on a wide audience when it debuts November 22nd. Based on the Stephen Schwartz musical, the fantasy set in the land of Oz comes from Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande headline with a supporting cast including Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, and Jeff Goldblum. The adaptation serves as part one with the sequel scheduled for November of 2025.
Expectations are high, especially after industry screenings that were met with Oscar buzz in Best Picture, Supporting Actress fo Grande, and numerous tech races. Moviegoers of all ages have familiarity with the Broadway show and, of course, The Wizard of Oz. There’s even some Barbenheimer chatter since it is opening on the same date as Gladiator II, which is also anticipated to perform well.
The forecasted range of its start is wide with some estimates less than $100 million, but going all the way up to $150 million. I’m skeptical it gets that high as some viewers may choose to wait until the extended Thanksgiving frame to check it out. Yet I do think it will easily clear nine digits out of the gate.
Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans headline this weekend’s sole wide release with the Christmas action comedy Red One. It looks to dominate the charts with an eye on a lengthy holiday run. You can peruse my detailed prediction post on it here:
Early word-of-mouth is a bit troubling with a 30% Rotten Tomatoes score. I don’t think it gets to the top end of its anticipated range ($40 million). A mid to high 20s output would be considered a cold opening, but families may wait until later in the month to check it out.
Holdovers should all drop a notch as we await heavy hitters like Wicked, Gladiator II, and Moana 2. Venom: The Last Dance should dip to second after three weeks atop the charts. There’s a decent chance that The Best Christmas Pageant Ever stays in third as it might have a better sophomore hold than Heretic. The Wild Robot should round out the top five and here’s how I envision it breaking down:
1. Red One
Predicted Gross: $27.6 million
2. Venom: The Last Dance
Predicted Gross: $10.2 million
3. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
Predicted Gross: $7.6 million
4. Heretic
Predicted Gross: $6.3 million
5. The Wild Robot
Predicted Gross: $5.5 million
Box Office Results (November 8-10)
Tom Hardy’s loopy third take on his comic book creation was #1 for a third frame as Venom: The Last Dance repeated with $15.9 million. That’s a bit ahead of my $14.3 million projection as the total is $114 million thus far. It won’t match its two predecessors, but it has posted solid holds weekend to weekend.
Horror thriller Heretic with Hugh Grant came in right where it was forecasted in second with $11 million (I said $11.2 million). Despite strong reviews, this certainly didn’t over perform and a so-so C+ Cinemascore could mean it fades fairly quickly.
Yuletide dramedy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever was third with $10.7 million, outpacing my $8 million call. This will hope for smallish declines as the festive season is just underway.
The Wild Robot was fourth with $6.6 million, edging my $5.5 million prediction. The potential Animated Feature Oscar frontrunner has collected $130 million after seven weeks.
Smile 2 was fifth with $5.1 million (I went with $4.4 million) as the horror sequel sits at $60 million in its four weeks of play.
Bill Murray had big and clumsy shoes to fill when he joined SNL in 1977. The Second City performer was essentially brought in to replace Chevy Chase, the show’s first breakout star who left for movie stardom.
It didn’t happen immediately as evidenced by a sketch in which Murray apologized to viewers for not being funny. Eventually, of course, he would hit his stride with characters like Nick the Lounge Singer and nerdy Todd alongside then girlfriend Gilda Radner. Murray would also make his mark at the Weekend Update desk.
If this seems a little low for Murray, I would maintain that his most inspired work came on the big screen after his show duties. If this was a list of greatest movie careers after SNL, he would be at the top or darn close to it. #25 will be up soon!
All My Life... I Wanted To Be A Blogster 