Box Office Predictions: September 18-20

Two promising box office prospects hit the multiplexes Friday as YA sequel Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials and Johnny Depp gangster flick Black Mass roll out. On a more limited number of screens, the hostage drama Captive with David Oyelowo and Kate Mara will also debut. You can find my individual prediction posts on all three here:

As I see it, Maze Runner should debut on top but I think the race could be closer than anticipated. In fact, my prediction on Scorch Trials is a bit lower than some of my fellow prognosticators. I look for Mass to have a healthy start with its positive buzz that includes Oscar nomination talk for Depp. As for Captive, my $2.3 million prediction on it should leave outside the top five.

As for holdovers, both The Perfect Guy and The Visit premiered to impressive results (more on that below). Look for both to experience hefty declines in weekend two, but they’ve both already proven to be huge hits for their studios.

And with that, my top five predictions for the weekend:

**Blogger’s note: I have altered my predictions as of Tuesday, September 15th due to my predicted gross of Everest, which debuts on approximately 500 screens IMAX screens only Friday. I feel that’ll be enough to get it in the top five. My full prediction post on Everest will be posted on blog Tuesday evening.

Maze Runner: The Scorch Trails

Predicted Gross: $33.8 million

2. Black Mass

Predicted Gross: $27.9 million

3. The Perfect Guy

Predicted Gross: $10.2 million (representing a drop of 60%)

4. The Visit

Predicted Gross: $9.7 million (representing a drop of 61%)

5. Everest

Predicted Gross: $8.6 million

Box Office Results (September 11-13)

Thriller The Perfect Guy got off to a great start with $25.8 million over the weekend, outpacing my $21.9M prediction. With a tiny $12 million budget, it managed to double its budget in three days.

M. Night Shyamalan found himself in the position of having a hit once again as The Visit followed closely behind in second with $25.4 million, topping my $17M estimate. With an even tinier budget of $5M budget, it quintupled its meager budget and gave its director his first huge hit since The Village over a decade ago.

Faith based drama War Room dropped to third with $7.7 million, a bit shy of my $8.9M prediction. Its three week total stands at a strong $39M.

A Walk in the Woods dropped to fourth with $4.7 million, falling further my $7.7M forecast and it’s made $20M so far.

I incorrectly didn’t list Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation in my estimates but it took fifth place with $4.1 million to bring its cume to $188M.

That’s because I mistakenly believed another faith based pic, 90 Minutes in Heaven, would perform much stronger than it did. While I had it opening third with $10.5 million, it flopped with just $2 million for a weak ninth place showing. Oops.

And that’ll do it for now, folks! Until next time…

Box Office Predictions: September 11-13

As the fall box office season gets underway, three new titles open Friday: romantic thriller The Perfect Guy, low budget M. Night Shyamalan horror pic The Visit and faith based drama 90 Minutes in Heaven. You can peruse my detailed individual predictions post on each here:

The Perfect Guy Box Office Prediction

The Visit Box Office Prediction

90 Minutes in Heaven Box Office Prediction

I believe the new releases stand a decent chance at filling the top three slots this weekend. As I see it, The Perfect Guy should take the top spot unless The Visit over performs. I could also see The Visit not doing very well and it remains a large question mark. On a far less number of screens than its competitors, 90 Minutes should have a sturdy start but might be a little hindered by the continuing solid performance of the similarly themed War Room.

Speaking of War Room, I believe it and A Walk in the Woods should both experience smallish declines (par for the course on the post Labor Day weekend) and round out the top five. And with that, my predictions:

The Perfect Guy

Predicted Gross: $21.9 million

2. The Visit

Predicted Gross: $17 million

3. 90 Minutes in Heaven

Predicted Gross: $10.5 million

4. War Room

Predicted Gross: $8.9 million (representing a drop of 33%)

5. A Walk in the Woods

Predicted Gross: $7.7 million

Box Office Results (September 4-7)

As expected, the Labor Day weekend was sluggish but there were surprises to be had… particularly in the top two spots. War Room expanded on its screen count and therefore its numbers and unexpectedly took the #1 spot away from three peat champ Straight Outta Compton. Over the four day holiday, it took in $13.3 million to bring its two week tally to $28 million. I only had it earning $7.7 million. Oops

The other pic doing better than expected business: the Robert Redford travel flick A Walk in the Woods which took second with $10.9 million over the weekend and $12.8 million since its Wednesday bow. It greatly surpassed my respective projections of just $4.3 and $5.8 million. Oops again.

Dipping to third was Straight Outta Compton with $10.8 million, under my $14.3 million estimate. Its terrific four week total stands at $149 million. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation was fourth with $9.4 million (I said $9.9M) for an overall $182 million total.

The Transporter: Refueled opened with a whimper at $9 million, a bit under my $10.2M prediction. The Owen Wilson thriller No Escape was sixth with $7 million (just ahead of my $6M estimate) for a $20M take.

And that’s all for now! Until next time…

90 Minutes in Heaven Box Office Prediction

This Friday, the Christian themed drama 90 Minutes in Heaven looks to bring in an audience that just made War Room a surprise success. It could succeed. Based on a popular novel, the film stars Hayden Christensen, Kate Bosworth, and Dwight Yoakam.

Over the last few years, these faith based flicks have had a knack of making more than prognosticators have anticipated. As mentioned, just two weeks ago, War Room took in $11 million on just over 1000 screens for a second place showing. The current numbers have Heaven debuting on around 800 (this could change, of course).

I really see no reason why this won’t post a similar result, so we’ll say this reaches just past double digits in its opening.

90 Minutes in Heaven opening weekend prediction: $10.5 million

For my prediction on The Visit, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/09/04/the-visit-box-office-prediction/

For my prediction on The Perfect Guy, click here:

https://toddmthatcher.com/2015/09/04/the-perfect-guy-box-office-prediction/

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