Tag: Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

May 1-3 Box Office Predictions

Two decades after the original was a blockbuster that showed staying power, The Devil Wears Prada 2 should fashion an impressive start to kick off May. We also have haunted house horror flick Hokum and Andy Serkis directed animated adaptation of Animal Farm debuting. You can peruse my detailed prediction posts on the trio of newcomers here:

The Devil Wears Prada 2 Box Office Prediction
Hokum Box Office Prediction
Animal Farm Box Office Prediction

Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, and others are back for Prada 2 in a sequel that seems to have audiences with a genuine eagerness to revisit the characters. The original opened to $27 million, but the follow-up is expected to triple those numbers. A best case scenario could be nine digits. I have it in the mid 80s as nostalgia and a high female turnout should push it to a runaway #1 debut.

Expectations are more tempered with other newbies. My mid single digits projection for the well-reviewed Hokum with Adam Scott should mean a fifth place showing.

As for Animal Farm from Angel Studios, meh reviews and a quiet marketing campaign could put this in low single digits. My $2.7 million forecast certainly leave it outside of the high five.

Besides the Prada premiere, the second major storyline is how Michael will perform in its sophomore frame after a sizzling beginning (more on that below). The musical biopic wasn’t a hit with many critics (38% on Rotten Tomatoes), but patrons are digging it as evidenced by the 97% audience score on the same site. Encouraging word-of-mouth might result in a drop in the 40% range. That’s similar to where Bohemian Rhapsody and Elvis eased in their second weekends. However, due to the sheer size of its performance, I will hedge and say a mid to high 40s drop could occur.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary should respectively move down a slot to third and fourth and add to their considerable hauls.

Here’s how I see the top five shaking out:

1. The Devil Wears Prada 2

Predicted Gross: $86.5 million

2. Michael

Predicted Gross: $51 million

3. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Predicted Gross: $12.6 million

4. Project Hail Mary

Predicted Gross: $8.2 million

5. Hokum

Predicted Gross: $4.2 million

Box Office Results (April 24-26)

Michael wanted to be startin’ with the greatest opening ever for its genre and it achieved that and then some. The look at Michael Jackson’s first two decades of massive fame stunned with $97.2 million compared to my $81 million prediction. That blows away the former musical biopic record of $60 million held by Straight Outta Compton. It will need $216 million to claim the largest domestic take for that genre held by Bohemian Rhapsody. That should happen.

After three weeks in the pole position, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was second with $20.5 million. That’s in line with my $19.9 million take as the animated sequel grew to $385 million. A gross over $400 million is set to arrive by this weekend.

Project Hail Mary was third with $12.8 million as its 37% fall in weekend #6 was more Earth bound than previous meager declines. The sci-fi awards hopeful sits at $305 million.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy held a bit better in frame #2 than I figured with $5.5 million compared to my $4.4 million call. The poorly received attempted franchise reboot has made only $23 million after two weeks.

The Drama rounded out the top five with $2.6 million (I said $2.8 million) for a four-week total of $44 million.

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

April 24-26 Box Office Predictions

Michael looks to set records for its genre just as its title subject set records in the music business decades ago. Antoine Fuqua’s look at Michael Jackson’s life is the primary wide release this weekend and you can peruse my detailed prediction post on it here:

Michael Box Office Prediction

As outlined in that post, Michael looks to surpass the $60 million mark that Straight Outta Compton set for best ever in the musical biopic field. I am projecting it will do so with plenty of room to spare in the low-80s. If it hits that figure, it will certainly stand a good shot at surpassing the $216 million that Bohemian Rhapsody made back in 2018. If and when it achieves a gross beyond that number, it’ll set the high mark overall domestically in the genre. There is some concern that subpar reviews might be a hindrance, but I’m still banking on a wide audience turnout.

The emergence of the King of Pop will cause The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Project Hail Mary to drop spots after being 1-2 for the last three weekends. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy should see the biggest percentage drop of holdovers are an unimpressive start (more on that below) with The Drama rounding out the top five.

I will note that Mother Mary with Anne Hathaway could pop into the high five with a planned expansion. However, I’ve yet to see a theater count following a limited release on the coasts so I’m not placing it there.

Here’s how I envision it all shaking out:

1. Michael

Predicted Gross: $81 million

2. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Predicted Gross: $19.9 million

3. Project Hail Mary

Predicted Gross: $15.3 million

4. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

Predicted Gross: $4.4 million

5. The Drama

Predicted Gross: $2.8 million

Box Office Results (April 17-19)

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ruled the charts once again in its third frame with $36.4 million, in range with my $38.4 million prediction. After three weeks, the animated sequel has generated $356 million as it should blast past $400 million in short order.

Project Hail Mary was runner-up and it continued a remarkable run of meager declines. The sci-fi critical and commercial hit made $20.5 million, ahead of my $17.9 million forecast. The five-week total is rock solid $285 million.

Horror heavy franchise reboot Lee Cronin’s The Mummy stumbled in third with $13.5 million, under my $17.2 million take. With so-so reviews, scary movie fans did not turn out in the way Warner Bros. hoped for. With a C+ Cinemascore grade, look for this to wrap up its theatrical run quickly.

The Drama was fourth with $4.8 million, not matching my $6 million call. The unconventional romance is up to $39 million after three weekend.

Rom com You, Me & Tuscany fell 50% in its sophomore outing to fifth with $3.8 million (I said $4.5 million) for $14 million overall.

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

Oscar Predictions: Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is unwrapped this weekend in theaters with Warner Bros. looking to turn out horror fans for the franchise reboot. From Evil Dead Rise director Cronin, the cast includes Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, and Verónica Falcón.

This is the third take on the series in just over a quarter century. We had the three Brendan Fraser flicks that began in 1999 and the poorly received reimagining with Tom Cruise in 2017. Reviews for this gorier interpretation of the material are so-so reviews with 54% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 46 Metacritic.

Only the first Fraser adventure got the Academy’s attention with a Best Sound nod. There’s one race where Cronin’s pic has a fair shot and that’s Makeup and Hairstyling. That branch of voters showed genre love last year to winner Frankenstein as well as Sinners and (mostly surprisingly) The Ugly Stepsister. If WB mounts a campaign, it’s at least a possibility to make the shortlist and perhaps make the eventual quintet. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

April 17-19 Box Office Predictions

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy will attempt to scare up decent business as the weekend’s major new wide release, but The Super Mario Galaxy Movie looks to rule the charts for a third frame. You can peruse my detailed rap on the reboot of The Mummy franchise here:

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy Box Office Prediction

My projection for the newcomer likely puts it in a battle for second place with the fifth weekend of Project Hail Mary. I’m looking for both to land in the mid to higher teens and I’ll give the latter a slight edge for a third weekend in the runner-up position. Warner Bros. would love for Cronin’s horror version of The Mummy to hit $20M+, but I’m skeptical.

As for Mario, it should have no trouble scoring the trifecta atop the box office mountain with earnings between $35-40 million. Its streak in the top spot should end in weekend #4 with musical biopic Michael slated to beat it.

Holdovers romances The Drama and You, Me & Tuscany should fill out the rest of the top five and here’s how I envision it shaking out:

1. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie

Predicted Gross: $38.4 million

2. Project Hail Mary

Predicted Gross: $17.9 million

3. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy

Predicted Gross: $17.2 million

4. The Drama

Predicted Gross: $6 million

5. You, Me & Tuscany

Predicted Gross: $4.5 million

Box Office Results (April 10-12)

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie didn’t hold as well as 2023 predecessor The Super Mario Bros. Movie, but its 48% decline was still commendable. The Illumination Entertainment sequel took in $68 million, falling below my generous $79.1 million prediction. In two weeks, the total has soared to $307 million.

Project Hail Mary eased only 24% in second with $24.1 million, ahead of my $20.6 million forecast. The sci-fi blockbuster stands at $256 million after four weeks.

The Drama with Zendaya and Robert Pattinson was third, with a solid 39% dip to $8.7 million. That’s on track with my $8.5 million call resulting in a two-week take of $30 million.

You, Me & Tuscany was fourth as the romantic comedy with Halle Bailey and Regé-Jean Page stalled with $7.7 million. I had it making more at $11.2 million.

Finally, Hoppers was fifth with $4.1 million (I said $3.6 million) as the Pixar effort jumped to $157 million after six weeks.

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

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy Box Office Prediction

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy looks to wrap up an impressive debut when it drops April 17th. While the Brendan Fraser and Tom Cruise versions of The Mummy saga concentrated more on adventure, Evil Dead Rise director Cronin is bringing the horror to this James Wan/Jason Blum coproduction. Jack Reynor headlines the cast which includes Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, and Verónica Falcón.

This is the second reboot of this franchise in the 21st century. The 2017 Tom Cruise one was a box office and critical failure (confession: i think it’s kinda fun). Warner Bros would love to see a repeat of the $24.5 million that greeted Evil Dead Rise over the same April time frame three years ago.

That is probably a best case scenario and I suspect it won’t reach those levels. Estimates have this is in the low to mid teens. I’ll say it manages to land on the higher end of that range.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy opening weekend prediction: $17.2 million