July 4-6 Box Office Predictions

Dinosaurs seek to rule the Independence Day weekend courtesy of the seventh feature in the 32-year-old franchise with Jurassic World Rebirth. It is the only wide release newcomer stomping into multiplexes over the holiday and you can peruse my detailed prediction post on it here:

The Jurassic series has proven itself to be critic proof in recent years and that should come into play with the new installment starring Scarlett Johansson. An opening weekend in nine figures is unlikely since it premieres on Wednesday (the last three World‘s achieved $100M+ out of the gate but debuted on traditional Friday to Sunday frames). I’m projecting a three-day in the $80 million ballpark with $130M+ when factoring in Wednesday and Thursday.

After a sizzling start, F1 with Brad Pitt will drop to second. With an A Cinemascore grade and appeal to adult moviegoers, you can expect impressive holds in the weekends to come. This may only ease around 30% and don’t be shocked if it’s even a little less for a strong runner-up position.

Holdovers will populate 3-6 with How to Train Your Dragon firmly in third and the lackluster Elio in fourth. Numbers five and six could be close between sequels 28 Years Later and M3GHAN 2.0, which short-circuited over the weekend.

Here’s how I see it playing out:

1. Jurassic World Rebirth

Predicted Gross: $80.8 million (Friday to Sunday); $133 million (Wednesday to Sunday)

2. F1

Predicted Gross: $39.7 million

3. How to Train Your Dragon

Predicted Gross: $12.9 million

4. Elio

Predicted Gross: $6.2 million

5. 28 Years Later

Predicted Gross: $4.5 million

6. M3GAN 2.0

Predicted Gross: $4.2 million

Box Office Results (June 27-29)

F1 or F1: The Movie, Joseph Kosinski’s follow-up to Top Gun: Maverick, revved up impressive results with $57 million, lapping my $46.2 million prediction. It also performed with top-notch earnings overseas. As mentioned, word-of-mouth should keep this in the zeitgeist over the weekends to come. A sequel is already in the planning stages.

How to Train Your Dragon, after two weeks atop the charts, was second with $19.5 million. That’s in line with my $19.1 million forecast as the live-action remake has fired up $200 million in three weeks.

Elio, after a worst ever Pixar premiere, didn’t hold up well in third with $10.4 million. I was more generous at $13 million as its sophomore plunge was a steep 50% (especially for its studio). This is undoubtedly one of the summer’s most significant flops.

Same goes for M3GAN 2.0. The sequel eschewed horror for a campier sci-fi tone and audiences rejected it. The fourth place showing was a DOA $10.2 million compared to the original’s $30 million. There’s no spinning that result for Blumhouse.

Finally, zombie threequel 28 Years Later plummeted 67% in its second outing with $9.7 million compared to my $12.6 million take. The ten-day tally is $50 million.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

M3GAN 2.0 Box Office Prediction

Two and a half years ago, Blumhouse scored a sci-fi horror hit with the demonic doll tale M3GAN and now the inevitable sequel M3GAN 2.0 arrives June 27th. Gerard Johnstone returns to direct along with cast members Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Amie Donald (embodying the title character), and Jenna Davis (voicing her). New faces to the franchise include Jenna Davis, Ivanna Sakhno, Aristotle Athari, Timm Sharp, and Jemaine Clement.

In January of 2023, M3GAN rode a wave of buzz to a better than anticipated $30 million premiere and $95 million overall domestic take. Early projections have part 2 (.0) achieving around the same number. It absolutely could, but I have a nagging feeling it may fall short.

I suspect there might be casual viewers who aren’t clamoring to view the AI killer’s next moves. There was a bit of a novelty factor to the original that may not carry over to those same theater goers. Therefore I’m saying low to mid 20s is more likely.

M3GAN 2.0 opening weekend prediction: $21.7 million

For my F1 prediction, click here:

April 18-20 Box Office Predictions

Sinners, which reunites Michael B. Jordan with his Creed and Black Panther director Ryan Coogler, looks for a strong Easter weekend showing at multiplexes. Seeking to challenge A Minecraft Movie for the top spot, you can peruse my detailed prediction post on the vampire flick here:

It could be a real photo finish for the #1 slot. Sinners is holding at a remarkable 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and that should help build buzz. My mid 40s projection might equal box office supremacy.

Yet I have Minecraft barely managing bragging rights with a low 40s percent ease for a third week in first. The separation is less than $1.5 million between the leaders.

Holdovers in their sophomore frames should populate the rest of the top five via The King of Kings, The Amateur, and Warfare.

Here’s how I have it shaking out:

1. A Minecraft Movie

Predicted Gross: $46.1 million

2. Sinners

Predicted Gross: $44.8 million

3. The King of Kings

Predicted Gross: $12.7 million

4. The Amateur

Predicted Gross: $8.6 million

5. Warfare

Predicted Gross: $5.4 million

Box Office Results (April 11-13)

A Minecraft Movie mastered the charts once again with $78.5 million, on pace with my $77.9 million call. The video game based smash has amassed $278 million in just two weeks of release.

Five newcomers filled the next spots with animated The King of Kings from Angel Studios outpacing its competitors. With an A+ Cinemascore, it was runner-up with $19.3 million. That’s falling shy of my $21.4 million estimate, but it’s still a terrific result.

The Amateur with Rami Malek was third with $14.8 million. That’s at the top of the anticipated range for the spy thriller and outdoes my $11.9 million prediction.

Warfare from Alex Garland and Iraq War vet Ray Mendoza managed fourth with $8.3 million, on target with my $8.5 million projection.

Blumhouse thriller Drop was fifth with a meh $7.3 million. I was close at $7.6 million. The B Cinemascore is decent for its genre though I’d look for this to fade quickly.

Finally, The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3 took sixth with $6 million, I was a tad lower at $5.5 million.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

April 11-13 Box Office Predictions

After a record breaking start, A Minecraft Movie should easily repeat in first position at the box office. Yet there’s a handful of newcomers jockeying for slots 2-6. We have the faith-based animated tale The King of Kings, Rami Malek’s spy thriller The Amateur, Blumhouse thriller Drop, Alex Garland’s Iraqi Freedom drama Warfare, and episodes 6-8 of the Christian show The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the quintet here:

Based on the best selling video game of all time, A Minecraft Movie achieved the best opening for a picture based on a video game (more on that below). I’m estimating a sophomore drop between 50-55% and that should put it somewhere in the mid 70s-low 80s.

A report surfaced today that The King of Kings has already taken in approximately $8 million in pre-sales. That’s surprising, but Angel Studios has certainly exceeded projections before via Sound of Freedom. A low 20s performance would easily put it in the runner-up spot.

After that it gets tricky. The Amateur, Warfare, and Drop could all open similarly in the $7-11 million range. I’ve got them placing in the order of the previous sentence with The Chosen in sixth.

Here’s how I have it shaking out:

1. A Minecraft Movie

Predicted Gross: $77.9 million

2. The King of Kings

Predicted Gross: $21.4 million

3. The Amateur

Predicted Gross: $11.9 million

4. Warfare

Predicted Gross: $8.5 million

5. Drop

Predicted Gross: $7.6 million

6. The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 3

Predicted Gross: $5.5 million

Box Office Results (April 4-6)

The box office got a much needed jolt as A Minecraft Movie kicked off well above forecasts. With $162.7 million, it is 2025’s largest start thus far and, as mentioned, the highest video game adapted feature in history. The previous record was held by 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie with $146 million. I was way off with a prediction of only $92.5 million. With a less than expected B+ Cinemascore, it should fall further than the 37% that Mario dropped in its second weekend. Yet any way you cut it, this is a fantastic result for Warner Bros.

A Working Man with Jason Statham slid to second with $7.3 million, slightly under my $8 million call. The action thriller has made $27 million after ten days.

The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 2 placed third with $6.9 million, not quite matching my $7.8 million estimate. Episodes 3-5 of the popular program made a little more than half of the nearly $12 million achieved by Part 1. Per above, diminishing returns should continue with Part 3.

Disney dud Snow White was fourth with $5.9 million (I said $6.7 million). The troubling three-week tally is $77 million.

Horror flick The Woman in the Yard was fifth and I incorrectly had it outside the high five. With $4.5 million, the two-week total is $16 million.

I had Part 1 of the The Chosen in fifth with $5.2 million, but it plummeted 84% to seventh with $1.8 million for $17 million overall.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

The Woman in the Yard Box Office Prediction

Danielle Deadwyler stars in The Woman in the Yard, the latest horror flick from Universal/Blumhouse. Reuniting the lead with her Carry-On director Jaume Collet-Serra, costars include Okwui Okpokwasili, Russell Hornsby, Peyton Jackson, and Estella Kahiha.

Coming in at a brisk 87 minutes, I still question whether genre fans will make the time for it. Some may opt for Death of a Unicorn, which opens against it. A best case scenario might be a gross just north of $10 million, similar to Talk to Me from 2022. Yet that pic had more buzz than this one. I’ll say mid to high single digits is where this lands.

The Woman in the Yard opening weekend prediction: $6.7 million

For my A Working Man prediction, click here:

For my Death of a Unicorn prediction, click here:

For my The Chosen: Last Supper – Part 1 prediction, click here:

January 24-26 Box Office Predictions

Mark Wahlberg looks to guide Flight Risk to #1 this weekend and Angel Studios premieres their latest drama Brave the Dark. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:

The doldrums of January should continue at multiplexes with Flight Risk seeking action fans to get onboard. Directed by his Daddy’s Home 2 and Father Stu costar Mel Gibson, I have Wahlberg’s latest in the low double digits. That should be enough for the top spot.

After returning to first place by a nose, Mufasa: The Lion King should slip to second with One of Them Days in third after a better than anticipated runner-up showing (more on that below).

The fourth slot could be close between Brave the Dark and Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s 6th frame. Wolf Man had a disappointing rollout and could ease to sixth with a decline in the mid 50s or so.

And with that, here’s how I envision the top 6:

1. Flight Risk

Predicted Gross: $11.3 million

2. Mufasa: The Lion King

Predicted Gross: $8.7 million

3. One of Them Days

Predicted Gross: $6.8 million

4. Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Predicted Gross: $5.1 million

5. Brave the Dark

Predicted Gross: $5.1 million

6. Wolf Man

Predicted Gross: $4.6 million

Box Office Results (January 17-19)

In the weakest MLK weekend in nearly a quarter century, Mufasa: The Lion King managed to climb back into the winners circle with $12 million from Friday to Sunday. That’s ahead of my $9.5 million call and it gives the Disney property $206 million after five weeks.

Buddy comedy One of Them Days starring Keke Palmer and SZA rode a wave of solid reviews to second place and $11.8 million, easily overshadowing my $7.8 million projection. This is the first 2025 title to exceed expectations.

The same cannot be said for Wolf Man. Blumhouse’s horror reboot received plenty of subpar critical notices and audiences turned away. While I had it pegged for 1st at $16.6 million, it was third with only $10.8 million.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was fourth with $8.6 million compared to my $6.6 million estimate for a five-week total of $216 million.

Last weekend’s champ Den of Thieves 2: Pantera fell to fifth with $6.5 million. The 56% drop was steeper than I figured as I had it at $8.2 million. The ten-day take is $26 million.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

Oscar Predictions: Wolf Man

Leigh Whannell follows up his acclaimed horror reboot The Invisible Man from 2020 with another iconic interpretation of a genre classic in Wolf Man this weekend. Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner headline the low-budget Universal/Blumhouse production with Matilda Firth and Sam Jaeger costarring.

Originally planned as a vehicle for director Derek Cianfrance to star Ryan Gosling, Wolf is not generating the same acclaim as its replacement filmmaker’s previous venture. Invisible topped out at 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and 72 for Metacritic. Wolf currently sports a 60% Tomato meter with Metacritic at 49.

The only race where Wolf stands a shot at awards attention is Makeup & Hairstyling (for the latter designation of that category). 2010’s The Wolfman with Benicio del Toro and Emily Blunt actually won the Oscar for Makeup (before the Academy apparently cared about hair). A safe assumption is that voters won’t have this picture fresh in their minds a year from now to nominate it, but let’s see how competition stacks up. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

January 17-19 Box Office Predictions

Blumhouse’s horror remake Wolf Man looks to dominate the box office charts this weekend while Keke Palmer and SZA headline the buddy comedy One of Them Days. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the newcomers here:

Sporting a meager budget of reportedly $7 million, Wolf Man from The Invisible Man director Leigh Whannell could see a gross close to $20 million (or at least low to mid teens in the worst case scenario). That should mean an easy perch at #1 under either scenario.

As for One of Them Days, it has a shot of exceeding my expectations. However, my mid to single digits take should mean a fourth or fifth place showing depending on the drops of holdovers.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera was able to snag the top spot this past weekend (more on that below). It may slide to third with a mid 40s decline with Mufasa: The Lion King staying put in second if it drops in the low to mid 30s.

Here’s how I envision the high five shaking out:

1. Wolf Man

Predicted Gross: $16.6 million

2. Mufasa: The Lion King

Predicted Gross: $9.5 million

3. Den of Thieves 2: Pantera

Predicted Gross: $8.2 million

4. One of Them Days

Predicted Gross: $7.8 million

5. Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Predicted Gross: $6.6 million

Box Office Results (January 10-12)

Gerard Butler scored bragging rights as Den of Thieves 2: Pantera managed first position with $15 million. That’s ahead of my $13.3 million forecast and right in line with the $15.2 million that its 2018 predecessor achieved for its start. This is a much needed boost for Lionsgate after a 2024 littered with bombs including Borderlands, The Crow, and Megalopolis.

Mufasa: The Lion King, after two weeks atop the box office mountain, was runner-up with $14.2 million. That’s on pace with my $14.4 million call as the Disney property’s fortunes rose to $189 million after four weeks.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 was third with $11.3 million, on target with my $10.9 million prediction. The Sega threequel has amassed $204 million during its four-week run.

Nosferatu was fourth with $6.8 million, falling below my $8.6 million estimate. This horror remake stands at $81 million after three weeks.

Finally, Moana 2 rounded out the top five with $6.5 million (I said $6.3 million). The Mouse House sequel has grossed $434 million in seven weeks.

And that does it for now, folks! Until next time…

Wolf Man Box Office Prediction

Universal and Blumhouse are looking for their Wolf Man reboot to tantalize audiences when it opens January 17th. Leigh Whannell, who wrote Saw and directed 2020’s successful The Invisible Man, helms with Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner headlining. Costars include Matilda Firth and Sam Jaeger.

A decade ago, this project was intended to be part of the Dark Universe franchise that started and ended with 2017’s The Mummy starring Tom Cruise. The box office for that feature stalled future installments and this pic has gone through various contributors before the final 2025 version.

Unlike The Mummy, there’s little question that this will be a profitable venture. The budget is reportedly $25 million. This could make close to $20 million out of the gate and maybe even top that figure under the best case scenario. Yet I’ll say mid to high teens is likelier.

Wolf Man opening weekend prediction: $16.6 million

For my One of Them Days prediction, click here:

Oscar Predictions: Speak No Evil

Blumhouse’s Speak No Evil has developed some consensus approaching its Friday the 13th release. The thriller from director James Watkins stars James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, and Scoot McNairy.

A remake of a well-regarded 2022 Danish effort by Christian Tafdrup, most reviews say the American version doesn’t match intensity or shock value of the original. Write-ups are still saying it’s effective as it sports an 88% Rotten Tomatoes rating and 63 Metacritic score.

Critics are lauding the work of McAvoy in this genre once again. That’s reminiscent of their praise for his work in 2017’s Split by M. Night Shyamalan. McAvoy managed to generate some awards buzz for that blockbuster. I doubt he’ll get that chatter for Speak. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…