Weekend Forecast: Need for Speed to Rise above Empire Video game adaptation Need for Speed starts its engines this weekend. The film is an adaptation of one of the most successful video game franchises of all-time – as over 150 million copies have been sold worldwide since the game debuted in 1994. It faces tough competition from holdovers 300: Rise of An Empire and Mr. Peabody & Sherman. Dont count out Tyler Perrys The Single Moms Club, which could also factor in. Need for Speed is the latest in a long line of video game adaptations, most of which have disappointed at the box office. Only one—2001s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider—has earned over $100 million domestically, and movies like Max Payne ($40.7 million), Hitman ($39.7 million) and Doom ($28.2 million) all failed to connect outside of the gamer audience. The video game movie genre hasn’t had the same kind of box office success as superhero films, but there are reasons to believe Need for Speed could be a solid contender. It’s obviously trying to capitalize on the popularity of the Fast and Furious series, which is one of the most commercially viable film franchises around today. While star Aaron Paul is unproven as a leading man in movies, his iconic role as Jesse Pinkman in TV’s Breaking Bad earned him a large fan base that could follow him to the multiplex. Need for Speed is not projected to be a major hit, but these factors combined with a solid marketing presence (and 3D ticket prices) could help it do solid business. Look for last week’s champ, 300: Rise of an Empire, to fall to second this week. During its first three days, the action sequel grossed over $45 million. Even though that was way below the original’s opening weekend, it still indicates that there is an audience for this franchise. However, it will face tough competition in the form of Need for Speed, which not only takes away 3D screens, but also sports a PG-13 rating (making it more “accessible” than the R-rated 300 sequel). Mr. Peabody and Sherman. DreamWorks’ latest animated film grossed $32.2 million during its opening weekend. While that’s lower than a typical animated film, the fact remains it’s the only fresh one available right now. Families don’t have many options, so those who missed out last week could go now. A Single Moms Club is writer/director Tyler Perrys 15th movie since 2006. Usually, Perry’s films perform well at the box office (despite their poor critical receptions). However, we believe this one could be an exception to the rule. It’s only opening in 1,800 theaters, which will put it at a distinct disadvantage against its competition. Also, the marketplace is crowded with big action movies and animated family films, and that will make it tough for this film to contend for audiences’ attention. Perry’s last non-Madea film, Peeples, only made $9.1 million total domestically. His die-hard fans will come out, but Single Moms Club will have trouble achieving mainstream success. Box Office Renegades forecast for the weekend: 1. Need for Speed - $24 million 2. 300: Rise of an Empire - $21.5 million 3. Mr. Peabody & Sherman - $20.5 million 4. A Single Moms Club - - $14.5 million
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 03:19:15 +0000
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