Big George Foreman Box Office Prediction

Blogger’s Update (04/26): I am revising my estimate down from $8.5M to $5.7M

Big George Foreman enters the box office ring on April 28th from George Tillman Jr. (who recently directed Notorious and The Hate U Give). The sports biopic stars Khris Davis as the two-time boxing champ and grill master. Jasmine Mathews, John Magaro, Sullivan Jones, and Forest Whitaker are in the supporting cast.

Sony Pictures is hoping audiences are ready for another tale of the sweet science shortly after the success of Creed III. With a lack of star power and not much in the way of buzz, Foreman may struggle to reach $10 million in the first weekend. I’ll project it falls a bit shy for a performance that’s no knockout. It does get credit for having a ridiculously lengthy full title – The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World.

Big George Foreman opening weekend prediction: $5.7 million

For my Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret prediction, click here:

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret Box Office Prediction

Oscar Watch: The Hate U Give

Nineteen year old actress Amandla Stenberg is most known for her work as Rue in the original Hunger Games and the 2017 romance Everything, Everything (she also headlined this summer’s box office flop The Darkest Minds). The Toronto Film Festival has screened The Hate U Give, George Tillman Jr.’s crime drama where Stenberg’s character witnesses the shooting of her childhood best friend.

Early reviews suggest it could be a breakout role for the performer. The supporting cast includes Regina Hall, Common, and Anthony Mackie. The pic is based on last year’s YA novel by Angie Thomas. Tillman Jr. has seen many of his pics achieve financial success, such as Soul Food, Barbershop and Notorious. Awards recognition has alluded him.

Bottom line: The Hate U Give will need to get noticed by audiences in order for that recognition to have any chance. While reviews are strong, I’d say Oscar nods are a long shot and that includes Stenberg.

The film is slated for release on October 19. My Oscar Watch posts will continue…

All Eyez on Me Box Office Prediction

The life and times of the iconic late rapper Tupac Shakur gets the big screen treatment next weekend when All Eyez on Me drops. Taking its title from his heralded Death Row album in 1996, the pic casts Demetrius Shipp Jr. as Shakur with a supporting cast that includes Kat Graham, Lauren Cohan, Danai Gurira, and Jamal Woolard (reprising his role as the Notorious B.I.G. that he played in 2009’s Notorious). Benny Boom, known mostly for making rap videos, directs.

All eyez may be on whether this manages to over perform and nab a possible third place showing over Rough Night. The chances of this coming anywhere near Straight Outta Compton territory (which made $60 million out of the gate) seems highly unlikely. However, a gross in the range of the aforementioned Notorious seems feasible. That film made $23 million over the long MLK weekend over eight years ago and $20 million for the traditional weekend.

That’s where I’ll put Tupac’s biopic, which puts it just over Rough Night for third place (and behind Cars 3 and Wonder Woman).

All Eyez on Me opening weekend prediction: $24.4 million