Tag: Tony Jaa

Expend4bles Box Office Prediction

Over nine years have passed since the seasoned action stars of The Expendables franchise have been onscreen. That changes on September 22nd with the rather strangely titled Expend4bles. It is the fourth entry of the series that’s seen diminishing returns with each release. Scott Waugh directs and cast members reprising their roles are Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, and Randy Couture. New players to the mix include Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox, Tony Jaa, Iko Uwais, Jacob Scipio, Levy Tran, and Andy Garcia.

In 2010, the original feature exceeded expectations with a nearly $35 million opening weekend and $103 million overall domestic tally. Two years later, part 2 ebbed slightly with a $28 million start and $85 million total. By 2014, audiences were growing weary and it didn’t help that part 3 had a PG-13 rating. The Expendables 3 made just over $15 million in its premiere and only $39 million when all was said and done.

It’s a little surprising that the franchise is coming back at all. The R rating from the first two is back, but the grosses should still be rocky. Expend4bles may be lucky to make what its predecessor did out of the gate. I think it will probably fall short.

Expend4bles opening weekend prediction: $12.8 million

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9MYE13PJmc

xXx: Return of Xander Cage Box Office Prediction

Lest ye forget, the Fast and Furious series isn’t the only franchise that Vin Diesel has been a part of and I’m not talking about Riddick or Guardians of the Galaxy. Next weekend, Mr. Diesel returns in the title role of xXx: Return of Xander Cage. 

In 2002, the star (hot off the first Fast feature) headlined summer action blockbuster xXx, which opened to $44 million with an eventual $142M domestic haul. Yet, just like the first Furious sequel, he decided to sit out the follow-up, xXx: State of the Union which featured Ice Cube instead. That one didn’t fare so well with just a $12 million debut and $26M overall gross.

Cage finds D.J. Caruso taking over the directorial duties with a supporting cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson, Donnie Yen, Toni Collette, Ruby Rose, Deepika Padukone, Nina Dobrev, and Tony Jaa. The question is: will moviegoers return to the super spy action series nearly 15 years after the original?

The answer: to an extent. Diesel has obviously gotten max exposure in recent years with the well-received Furious extravaganzas. There is the cautionary tale of 2015’s The Last Witch Hunter, which he hoped would turn into a franchise but sputtered with just $27 million domestically. xXx may earn that and then some in its first weekend of release. I’ve got it pegged in the mid to high 20s and even though that’s not reaching what the first Cage opus made a decade and a half ago, it’s OK.

xXx: Return of Xander Cage opening weekend prediction: $25.4 million

For my Split prediction, click here:

Split Box Office Prediction

For my The Founder prediction, click here:

The Founder Box Office Prediction

For my 20th Century Women prediction, click here:

20th Century Women Box Office Prediction

For my The Resurrection of Gavin Stone prediction, click here:

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone Box Office Prediction