Tag: Animated Movies

Oscar Predictions: Thelma the Unicorn

Jared and Jerusha Hess, the married couple behind irreverent comedies Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre, bring their sensibilities to the animated comedic musical Thelma the Unicorn. Based on a series of books by Aaron Blabey, the pic is out on Netflix this weekend. Voiceover work comes from Brittany Howard, Will Forte, Jemaine Clement, Edi Patterson, Fred Armisen, Zach Galifianakis, Napoleon himself Jon Heder, and Shondrella Avery.

Critical reaction is mostly complimentary though not lavish in acclaim. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 70%. I’m guessing Netflix won’t make this a priority in their Best Animated Feature campaign. Perhaps it can make the final five if the field is especially weak though I wouldn’t bank on it. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

The Garfield Movie Box Office Prediction

Arriving 20 years after the live-action version Garfield: The Movie based on the comic strip from Jim Davis, The Garfield Movie hits multiplexes this Memorial Day weekend. Mark Dindal, who made Disney’s The Emperor’s New Groove and Chicken Little, directs. Chris Pratt, after providing the vocal stylings for Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie last year, mics up for the iconic tabby cat. Other voice work comes from Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham, Ving Rhames, Nicholas Hoult, Cecily Strong, Harvey Guillén, Brett Goldstein, Bowen Yang, Janelle James, and Snoop Dogg.

The aforementioned Garfield: The Movie from two decades ago (which led to a classic comedy line from Bill Murray in Zombieland) took in $21 million for starters and $75 million overall domestically. The 2006 sequel Garfield: A Tale of Two Kitties was the equivalent of cinematic kitty litter with only $28 million total in its coffers.

This animated rendering seems poised for better results than what happened several years ago. The holiday frame should bring families out in droves and competition from the second weekend of IF may only be a minor threat.

For the Friday to Monday frame, I believe this could get a little north of $40 million.

The Garfield Movie opening weekend prediction: $41.5 million (Friday to Monday estimate)

For my Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga prediction, click here:

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga Box Office Prediction

For my Sight prediction, click here:

Sight Box Office Prediction

Oscar Predictions: Chicken for Linda!

Chicken for Linda! premiered in France at the Cannes Film Festival close to a year ago. The 73 minute hand-drawn animated effort comes from filmmakers Chiara Malta and Sébastien Laudenbach and it has finally arrived stateside after GKIDS nabbed distribution rights.

The bulk of reviews are fresh as evidenced by the 94% Rotten Tomatoes rating. That said, many of those write-ups are tempered in their flattery. GKIDS has shown an ability to their features nominated for Best Animated Feature, including seven in the past decade alone (the most recent being their first winner The Boy and the Heron). Therefore I certainly wouldn’t count Chicken out though the studio is expected to have more at bats coming later in 2024. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Kung Fu Panda 4

While animated titles dealing with spiders or herons are the likeliest Best Animated Feature Oscar winner this Sunday, Kung Fu Panda 4 hopes to take the box office this weekend. DreamWorks Animation’s martial arts comedy comes from director Mike Mitchell with Jack Black reprising his role as Po. Dustin Hoffman, Awkwafina, Viola Davis, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, Ian McShane, Ke Huy Quan, Lori Tan Chinn, and Ronny Chieng also provide voiceover work.

The first pair of Panda pics in 2008 and 2011 both received Animated Feature nods from the Academy, losing respectively to Wall-E and Rango. The third edition in 2016 did not manage to make the quintet despite matching the original’s 87% RT score (the second one hit 81%). No. 4 currently sits at 78%. If competition is weak, perhaps this series could return to contention. I wouldn’t count on it. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Kung Fu Panda 4 Box Office Prediction

DreamWorks Animation hopes to reverse diminishing returns for its comedic martial arts franchise when Kung Fu Panda 4 arrives in theaters March 8th. Mike Mitchell, maker of such genre fare including Shrek Forever After and Trolls, directs. Jack Black is back voicing the title character alongside returnees Dustin Hoffman, James Hong, Bryan Cranston, and Ian McShane. Newcomers include Awkwafina, Ke Huy Quan, Ronny Chieng, Lori Tan Chinn, and Viola Davis.

In the summer of 2008, the first Panda sighting kicked off with $60 million and an eventual $215 million domestic haul. Three summers later, the second edition also made $60 million. However, that was with an extra day of grosses due to the Memorial Day holiday. Its lesser total was $165 million. By January 2016, Kung Fu Panda 3 premiered at $41 million and then $143 million overall.

The eight year layoff is easily the longest between entries. Absence could make the heart grow fonder or at least enough to match its predecessor’s beginning. Yet I suspect mid to high 30s is more likely.

Kung Fu Panda 4 opening weekend prediction: $38.1 million

For my Imaginary prediction, click here:

Imaginary Box Office Prediction

For my Cabrini prediction, click here:

Cabrini Box Office Prediction

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training Box Office Prediction

Japan’s animated action fantasy franchise hopes to continue cutting into the American box office when Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira premieres on February 23rd. Haruo Sotozaki, who helmed previous entries Mugen Train (2021) and To the Swordsmith Village (2023), returns.

The trilogy of manga offerings is spawned from the anime TV series that ran from 2016-2020. While their profits are larger overseas, domestic grosses have impressed. In April of 2021, Mugen took in $21 million in its opening weekend with just under $50 million for the overall haul. In March of last year, Swordsmith‘s earnings were a cut below. It made $10.1 million out of the gate and the abbreviated run ended at $16.9 million.

I’m forecasting that Hashira will experience similar numbers to Swordsmith. I don’t anticipate a significant drop-off and it could even slightly exceed its predecessor’s start.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira opening weekend prediction: $10.5 million

For my Ordinary Angels prediction, click here:

Ordinary Angels Box Office Prediction

For my Drive-Away Dolls prediction, click here:

Drive-Away Dolls Box Office Prediction

Oscar Predictions: Orion and the Dark

Orion and the Dark is streaming as of today on Netflix. Produced by DreamWorks Animation and marking the directorial debut of Sean Charmatz, the animated fantasy deals with themes of existentialism and fear. This is not too surprising considering the script comes from Charlie Kaufman, adapting Emma Yarlett’s children’s book. The voice cast includes Jacob Tremblay, Colin Hanks, Paul Walter Hauser, Angela Bassett, Ike Barinholtz, Natasia Demetriou, Nat Faxon, Carla Gugino, and Werner Herzog.

Kaufman is no stranger to the genre. He wrote and directed 2015’s Anomalisa. That critically acclaimed effort was up for Animated Feature at the Oscars, ultimately losing to Pixar’s Inside Out. Netflix knows how to get their animated material awards attention. Recent nominees include The Mitchells vs. the Machines, The Sea Beast, the victorious Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and Nimona.

Orion is getting a warm reception so far with 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. We don’t know yet what this category’s landscape will look like several months down the road. However, I wouldn’t underestimate the chances for this to make it in. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Migration

Migration is the latest animated offering from Illumination and it arrives in theaters this Friday. The comedic adventure is directed by Benjamin Renner with a voice cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell, Carol Kane, and Danny DeVito.

With its review embargo lifted, the Rotten Tomatoes meter is a fair though far from overwhelming 71%. This is Illumination’s 14th big screen effort that began with Despicable Me back in 2010. While the studio’s product usually succeeds in being a box office winner, only Despicable Me 2 in 2013 managed a Best Animated Feature Oscar at the Oscars.

Don’t look for Migration to be the second. Precursors like Critics Choice and the Globes have already ignored it. Illumination does have another 2023 contender in the financial behemoth The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The chances are stronger (if still unlikely) that it makes the cut. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Migration Box Office Prediction

Universal and Illumination Entertainment hope families flock to Migration when it debuts over the long holiday weekend on December 22nd. The animated comedic adventure is directed by Benjamin Renner with a voice cast including Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell, Carol Kane, and Danny DeVito.

This studio knows how to put out blockbusters with the Despicable Me and Minions franchises. They had one of the biggest hits of the year with The Super Mario Bros. Movie. During Christmastime at multiplexes, films geared toward kids can start out a little slower than they normally would. However, they tend to leg out impressively over the weekends to come.

That might be the case with Migration. A high teens or lows 20s start sounds about right.

Migration opening weekend prediction: $19.6 million (Friday to Monday estimate)

For my Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom prediction, click here:

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Box Office Prediction

For my The Iron Claw prediction, click here:

The Iron Claw Box Office Prediction

For my Anyone but You prediction, click here:

Anyone but You Box Office Prediction

For my Poor Things prediction, click here:

Poor Things Box Office Prediction

For my The Color Purple prediction, click here:

The Color Purple Box Office Prediction

For my Ferrari prediction, click here:

Ferrari Box Office Prediction

For my The Boys in the Boat prediction, click here:

The Boys in the Boat Box Office Prediction

For my Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire prediction, click here:

Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire Box Office Prediction

The Boy and the Heron Box Office Prediction

Blogger’s Update (12/06): It appears The Boy and the Heron is opening on approximately 2100 screens. That is more than I assumed and my estimate rises from $3.8 million to $8 million

Legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (of My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl’s Moving Castle acclaim) came out of retirement to make The Boy and the Heron. It flies into North American venues on December 8th after robust business overseas. Unsurprisingly, critics are lauding it (97% RT score) as it might battle Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse at the Oscars. The fantasy arrives with a dubbed version for stateside crowds featuring the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson, and Florence Pugh.

After debuting in Japan over the summer and expanding to other nations, it has made $83 million thus far. GKIDS is handling North American distribution and it is said to have the widest release in the studio’s history. That said, I’ve yet to see a theater count and that could alter my projection.

Miyazaki is a bigger draw elsewhere, but he certainly has his ardent fans here. Again, depending on the count, I can’t see this getting below $3 million. Earning over $5 million could be a chore.

The Boy and the Heron opening weekend prediction: $8 million