The Numbers Weekend Preview News Articles - April 2017
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Weekend Predictions: April Circles the Drain
April 27, 2017
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The last weekend in April is usually a terrible weekend and this year is no different. There is only one truly wide release this week, The Circle, although How to be a Latin Lover has a shot at the top five. There are also two films opening in approximately 500 theaters hoping to sneak into the top ten: Sleight and Baahubali 2: The Conclusion. However, while it seems like a busy week for new releases, The Fate of the Furious will easily remain in first place. In fact, the top five this week could be nearly identical to the top five last week, with The Circle being the only nearly guaranteed new addition. This weekend last year, The Jungle Book led the way with $44 million, while the biggest new release was Keanu with just under $10 million. The new releases might be stronger this time around, but there’s almost no way 2017 will be able to compete with The Jungle Book.
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Weekend Predictions: New Releases are Very Forgettable
April 20, 2017
Late April is one of the traditional dumping grounds and this week is truly living down to that reputation. There are five new releases that have at least a shot at the top ten, but none of them have a shot at becoming midlevel hits. Unforgettable is the widest new release of the week and will likely be the biggest hit, but it very likely won’t be the best. Free Fire and Born in China are in a close battle for the best reviews for the week. Meanwhile, The Promise and Phoenix Forgotten are just hoping to avoid opening below the Mendoza Line. I think earning a theater average above $2,000 is overly optimistic for either film. There’s a lot of competition, but nearly all of it is terrible, so The Fate of the Furious will have no trouble repeating in first place. Furthermore, both The Boss Baby and Beauty and the Beast will likely remain in the top five, meaning there’s not a lot of room for the other films. This weekend last year, The Jungle Book earned just over $60 million over the weekend, while The Huntsman: Winter’s War opened with close to $20 million. There’s no way 2017 will be able to match this one-two punch.
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Weekend Predictions: Furious is Fated to Outrace the Competition
April 13, 2017
The headline isn’t 100% accurate, because let’s face it, there is no competition this week. The Fate of the Furious is the only wide release of the week (Spark was dropped to select cities.) and it will beat the nearest competition likely by over $100 million. It will likely earn more than the rest of the box office combined will earn. There could be a close race for second place between The Boss Baby and Beauty and the Beast, but for the most part, there will be no mystery at the box office this weekend. As for this weekend last year, it was also really one-sided. The Jungle Book opened with $103.26 million, while Barbershop: The Next Cut was a distant second with $20.24 million. The Fate of the Furious will need to match this one-two punch, or at least come close, for 2017 to continue building on its lead over 2016. I’m cautiously optimistic.
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Weekend Predictions: Will it be Smurfs and the New Releases Get Lost in the Crowd?
April 6, 2017
It is the first weekend of April and there are two and a half films opening wide this week. The widest of these is Smurfs: The Lost Village, but direct competition is going to hurt it at the box office. Going in Style is aiming to be a sleeper hit, but its reviews will likely get in the way of that. Meanwhile, The Case for Christ is opening in barely more than 1,000 theaters and it is aiming for the churchgoing crowd and no one else. On the positive side, it is Easter next weekend, so it should have good legs. Unfortunately for the new releases, it looks like The Boss Baby will have a relatively easy time repeating in first place, while Beauty and the Beast will be close behind in second. This weekend last year, The Boss opened in first place with $23.59 million, while Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice was right behind with $23.36 million. This week we should have at least two films top that, perhaps even three if Smurfs: The Lost Village is on the high end of expectations. 2017 should continue to add to its lead over 2016.
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