2011 Preview: April

April 1, 2011

Another month has gone by and 2011 has slipped further behind 2010's pace. March was a bit of an improvement over the first two months, but only in the most generous of terms. It still lost ground to 2010, but not at the same disastrous pace as January and February did. There is some good news, as last April was rather weak and there's a chance 2011 could actually gain ground. After all, only Clash of the Titans earned $100 million last year (although Date Night came awfully close). This year, there are three or four films that could hit the century mark. That would be welcome news indeed. On a side note, April is usually a bit of a dumping ground as studios fear going head-to-head with summer blockbusters opening in May. However, I get the feeling that this year they are hoping to extend summer by having it open a couple of weeks early. Maybe they'll succeed.

Weekend of April 1st, 2011

April starts with an Easter themed kids movie, a scary-kid horror movie, and a high-concept action film. Since all three have different target demographics (families, teens & young adults, and more mature adults) they could all be hits. However, none of them is generating the buzz I would like to see this close to release. Furthermore, the first week of April last year saw the release of Clash of the Titans, which earned more than $60 million during its opening weekend, and there's no way that performance will be repeated. In fact, all three new releases combined might not make that much. 2011 might win once or twice on the year-over-year comparison this month, but it won't hit that mark in its first weekend.

Hop

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: IWantCandy.com
Distributor: Universal
Release Date: April 1st, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild rude humor.
Source: Based on a Legend
Major Genre: Comedy
Keywords: Coming of Age, Delayed Adulthood, Easter, Musician, Music Industry, Food, and more
Directed By: Tim Hill
Starring: James Marsden, Russell Brand, Hank Azaria, and others
Production Budget: Estimated at $65 million
Box Office Potential: $85 million

After Universal broke out in the CG animation genre with Despicable Me, they are hoping to attract the same target audience with Hop. Although it has more in common with Alvin and the Chipmunks, sharing both a similar look, a musical theme, and the director. That's great news for this film, as both Despicable Me and Alvin and the Chipmunks were huge hits. On the other hand, both those films opened on much better release dates and to much louder buzz.

That's not to say Hop has a terrible release date. After all, the film is about the Easter Bunny (voiced by Russell Brand) and it is coming out close enough to Easter that it will be able to take advantage of all of the advertising for those creamy eggs and the glut of chocolate bunnies in stores. That said, the buzz is really quiet. Not negative so much as it is non-existent. Neither situation is great, and this close to release date it might be too late to fix the problem, but at least there's a little hope.

Last minute update: The buzz is finally starting to grow, but early reviews suggest word-of-mouth could be worse than initially expected. The net effect on the box office potential is probably positive, as kids tend to not read reviews.

Insidious

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Insidious-Movie.com
Distributor: FilmDistrict
Release Date: April 1st, 2011
MPAA Rating: R for thematic material, violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.
Source: Original Screenplay
Major Genre: Horror
Keywords: Scary Kid, Haunting, Possession, Surprise Twist, Demons, Medical, and more
Directed By: James Wan
Starring: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, and more
Production Budget: Reported at $1 million
Box Office Potential: $25 million

The people who made Saw and Paranormal Activity combine to make the latest low-budget horror movie hoping to make it big. This film's budget is reportedly just $1 million, which is amazingly low. That's lower than the original Saw, and that movie was made close to a decade ago.

In the film, Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne are parents whose son has an accident and is left in a coma, or a coma-like state. When they bring him home, weird stuff happens and at first they think the house might be haunted, but it's worse than that. It's not the greatest time of year to release a horror film, plus there are two others opening during the month, so it won't have a lot of time to itself to rake in the box office dollars. Finally, the studio, FilmDistrict, is a new entrant into the marketplace, so it is really unlikely they will have a major hit right out of the gate.

That said, it cost $1 million. As long as it doesn't miss the Mendoza Line during its opening, it will show a profit sometime during the film's home market run. Anything significantly more than $10 million during its opening weekend, and there will likely be a sequel. And given its early reviews, a $10 million opening weekend is quite likely.

Source Code

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: EnterTheSourceCode.com
Distributor: Summit Entertainment
Release Date: April 1st, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence including disturbing images, and for language.
Source: Original Screenplay
Major Genre: Thriller
Keywords: Time Travel, Body Swap, Terrorism, Romance, and more
Directed By: Duncan Jones
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga, and more
Production Budget: Reported at $35 million
Box Office Potential: $50 million

Jake Gyllenhaal wakes up in the body of another man riding a train. Before he can figure out what's happening, there's an explosion and he, along with many, many people are killed. He then wakes up and learns he's part of a secret government program that allows him to take over the mind of anyone during the last eight minutes of their life and he's being sent to this train looking for clues to whoever planted the bomb, in order to stop a much larger attack. He then repeats this procedure again, and again, and again. And in the process falls in love with a fellow passenger and now must choose between his mission and saving the woman he loves.

It's a high concept film directed by the man who made Moon, so right away you are thinking this could be a great movie, as Moon was fantastic. And early reviews are backing that up. However, Moon was also a little too high concept for a mass audience, and I'm worried that might be the case here. Plus, Summit doesn't have a great track record at the box office. Yes, they've released the Twilight films, but outside of that franchise, they only have two or three mid-level hits. (With Letters to Juliet on the bubble in that regard.) Finally, while Jake Gyllenhaal is a great actor and I wouldn't be surprised if he wins an Oscar within the next five years, his box office drawing power is not strong. He's had one $100 million hit, The Day After Tomorrow, and since then only Brokeback Mountain could be considered an unqualified success.

That said, it doesn't have a lot of direct competition, neither of the week's other two wide releases are likely to be runaway hits, and its reviews should lead to stronger than average legs.

Weekend of April 8th, 2011

The second weekend of April has four wide releases, but there's a very good chance none of them will even be close to mid-level hits. The buzz around Arthur is weak, Hanna feels too much like a serious version of Kick-Ass, Soul Surfer is likely going to open in the fewest theaters and could be too much of a niche market film, while Your Highness could be too high concept for mass appeal. There is some good news, as this time last year was particularly weak at the box office with only one and a half wide releases. You really have to stretch the definition of wide release to include Letters to God, which opened in less than 1,000 theaters. However, even though it opened in less than 1,000 theaters and opened below the Mendoza Line, it still reached the top ten. That's how weak the box office was this time last year. If all four wide release this year find an audience, we could have our first unqualified victory of the year. I really hope that's the case. It's also possible that all four films will struggle and we could have yet another losing weekend at the box office.

Arthur

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: ArthurTheMovie.WarnerBros.com
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: April 8th, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for alcohol use throughout, sexual content, language and some drug references.
Source: Remake
Major Genre: Comedy
Keywords: Dysfunctional Family, Delayed Adulthood, Romance, Cross-Class Romance, Inheritance, Addiction, Narcotics, and more
Directed By: Jason Winer
Starring: Russell Brand, Jennifer Garner, Greta Gerwig, Helen Mirren, Geraldine James, and others
Production Budget: Estimated at $30 million to $50 million
Box Office Potential: $35 million

Russell Brand stars as the titular Arthur, an alcoholic playboy content with doing nothing of value with his life. His mother threatens to cut off his inheritance if he doesn't marry Susan, an upper class woman. However, he's fallen in love with Naomi and now has to choose between love and money.

This is a remake of the 1981 film of the same name, which won over critics and moviegoers alike. It's unlikely this film will do the same. The buzz has been almost non-existent while most people who are talking about it are complaining it's a remake rather than discussing the film itself. Furthermore, Russell Brand has never been the lead in a film before and has generally been a supporting character. Granted, he tended to be the most memorable character in these movies, but he was a supporting character nonetheless. Finally, this film shares a lot of the same target demographic as Your Highness, and that film has a bigger cast and is generating a lot more buzz.

It is directed by Jason Winer, who's the executive producer of Modern Family, as well as one of its directors, so perhaps it will be better than expected. Plus, if it cost less than Get Him to the Greek, which is possible, then maybe it will do well enough to be considered a mid-level hit.

Hanna

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: HannaTheMovie.com
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: April 8th, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some sexual material and language.
Source: Original Screenplay
Major Genre: Thriller
Keywords: Secret Agent, Kid Spies, Revenge, Hitmen, and more
Directed By: Joe Wright
Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, and others
Production Budget: Reported at $30 million
Box Office Potential: $25 million

Saoirse Ronan stars as Hanna, a teenage assassin trained by her father, Eric Bana, a former C.I.A. agent. He's spent years training her for one mission, to kill Cate Blanchett, his former boss. However, when the hit goes wrong, Hanna must escape and make it back to their remote cabin in the wilderness of Norway.

I'm kind of hoping this film will do well and there is some advance buzz going in, but there are a number of reasons to think it will struggle. First of all, it feels like a more serious version of Kick-Ass, and that movie missed expectations. Secondly, it's being released by Focus Features, which has had a lot of success shepherding limited releases to mainstream success, but its has had relatively few wide releases become hits. Finally, it's one of four films opening this weekend, and it is very likely not going to be one of the widest releases. In fact, it could be the narrowest of the wide releases and the competition could simply be too much for the film to find an audience.

It could be the best movie of the week (director Joe Wright hasn't made a bad movie yet) but I don't think it will be the biggest.

Soul Surfer

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: SoulSurferTheMovie.com
Distributor: Sony
Release Date: April 8th, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG for an intense accident sequence and some thematic material.
Source: Based on Book that is Based on Real Life Events
Major Genre: Drama
Keywords: Religion, Surfing, Animals Gone Bad, Medical and Hospitals, The Comeback, and more
Directed By: Sean McNamara
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid, Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood, and others
Production Budget: Reported at just over $15 million
Box Office Potential: $15 million

First of all, you are more likely to die from eating shark than you are from being eaten by a shark. Yes, I do feel the need to point that out every time there's a killer shark movie. Sharks are alpha predators and they are very, very important to the environment, and films like this tend to give them a bad reputation.

AnnaSophia Robb stars as Bethany Hamilton, who at the age of 13 was the victim of a shark attack while surfing, which resulted in the loss of one of her arms. However, with the help of her family, she was able to overcome this and to begin surfing again. It's an inspirational story, but I'm not bullish on the film's chances for a number of reasons. First of all, it took a number of years for the film to be made: talk of a film first started in 2004, just one year after the attack. By the time the film was actually in production, it had half a dozen credited screenwriters, which is another bad sign. The director, Sean McNamara, is mostly known for his TV work and his few theatrical releases have generally been really bad. After the film was made, the studio tried to retroactively reduce the Christian content in order to appeal to a wider audience, which implies they don't have a lot of confidence in the movie. The original trailer was terrible, as it went out of its way to not even hint at the shark attack, which further suggests the studio doesn't have faith in the movie. And finally, they are aiming to open the film in 2,000 theaters, which is barely wide. Since the studio only spent around $15 million making the movie, they could decide to cut their losses and let it sink at the box office.

On the other hand, AnnaSophia Robb has shown she's a talented young actress and this is an inspirational story. Furthermore, the churchgoing set is a mostly under-served demographic and if it can tap into that audience, it could do rather well. Plus, with a very low production budget, it wouldn't take much to be considered a hit.

Your Highness

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: YourHighnessMovie.net
Distributor: Universal
Release Date: April 8th, 2011
MPAA Rating: R for strong crude and sexual content, pervasive language, nudity, violence and some drug use.
Source: Original Screenplay
Major Genre: Comedy
Keywords: Sword & Sorcery, Rescue, Prince, Kidnap, Delayed Adulthood, Improvised, Voiceover, and more
Directed By: David Gordon Green
Starring: Danny McBride, James Franco, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Theroux, Natalie Portman, and others
Production Budget: Estimated at $30 million to $50 million
Box Office Potential: $60 million

James Franco plays a prince who goes on a quest to rescue his beloved after she is kidnapped by the evil Leezar. Meanwhile, Danny McBride plays his lazy brother who is forced to go along. While on the quest, the meet up with Natalie Portman, warrior woman.

James Franco, Danny McBride, and David Gordon Green reunite, as the trio previously worked together on The Pineapple Express, while the latter two also made Eastbound & Down together. The studio would love to see Pineapple Express-type numbers, but this could be too high-concept, while the release date is far weaker. That said, it is earning the best buzz of any of the four films coming out this particular weekend. Certainly the loudest. It doesn't hurt that Natalie Portman is coming off an Oscar win and her previous film made just over $70 million while the promotion for Thor will be in high gear by the time this film opens, so that should help its box office numbers.

Plus the film features Iga Wyrwal, which can only help the box office numbers. ... What? I refuse to believe I'm the only one that recognizes that name.

Admittedly, I am a little more bullish on this film's chances than most, but even more conservative estimates have it becoming a mid-level hit, and depending on how much it cost to make, perhaps it will show a profit early in its home market run. And if I'm right, it will get there a lot sooner.

Weekend of April 15th, 2011

It's a strange weekend at the box office, and one that is different than in most years past. By this point in April, the box office potential of the films being released tends to dry up, as studios worry about the upcoming summer blockbusters. However, this year there are not one, but two films that have the potential to reach $100 million at the box office. Additionally, There's another likely $100 million movie opening at the end of the month. One gets the impression that studios are trying to expand the summer. Will it work? It could. This time last year not a single movie made more than $20 million at the box office, while this year we could see two films open with more than $40 million. On the other hand, this time last year there were five films that earned more than $15 million, while there's a very good chance there will be only two films that manage to perform the same feat this year. So it will be a case of depth vs. strength at the top. With two potential $100 million movies, I'm going to give the edge to 2011.

Rio

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Rio-TheMovie.com
Distributor: Fox
Release Date: April 15th, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG for mild off color humor.
Source: Original Screenplay
Major Genre: Adventure
Keywords: Animal Leads, Talking Animals, Environment, Culture Clash, Country Mouse / City Mouse, 3D, and more
Directed By: Carlos Saldanha
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, and others
Production Budget: Estimated at $75 million to $100 million
Box Office Potential: $150 million

Jesse Eisenberg provides the voice for Blu, a pet Blue Macaw that is brought to Rio so it can mate with Jewel, as he's the last known male Blue Macaw around, and she's the first female of the species seen in some time. However, he's been a pet all his life and he's just not cut out for life in the wild. Add in the dangerous of poachers, and he's in way over his head. Fortunately, he has help from many other animals, like a Toucan named Rafael and a bulldog named Luiz.

This film is directed by Carlos Saldanha, who previously made Robots and the Ice Age films. Right away this has to be seen as potentially one of the biggest hits of the spring, as his career average is close to $175 million. I do have a few concerns. Firstly, it does have a similar feel to Rango, as both movies deal with pets out in the wild. Secondly, while Carlos Saldanha's previous films have all been big draws at the box office, it might not be the biggest hit of the weekend, or the biggest kids movie of the month. Finally, its buzz hasn't really grown yet. Granted, it does have a couple of weeks until it opens, but Hop is currently overshadowing it.

That said, even the low-end of expectations has is crossing $100 million with ease, while there's a slim but statistically significant chance it will reach $200 million.

Scream 4

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Scream-4.com
Distributor: Weinstein / Dimension
Release Date: April 15th, 2011
MPAA Rating: R for strong bloody violence, language and some teen drinking.
Source: Original Screenplay / Sequel
Major Genre: Horror
Keywords: Delayed Sequel, Teenage Slasher, Ensemble, Surprise Ending, Writers, and more
Directed By: Wes Craven
Starring: Far too many to name.
Production Budget: Estimated at $30 million to $50 million
Box Office Potential: $105 million

Sydney Prescott returns to Woodsboro to promote a self-help book she wrote, and reunites with Gale Weathers and Sheriff Dewey Riley. When she gets back, she finds the killings are starting again, only this time its her cousin and her friends that are the new targets.

There's quite a bit of buzz surrounding this film, but that's not necessarily a good thing. While a lot of people are talking about Scream 4, many of them are saying the same thing: "Why?" It's been more than a decade since Scream 3 came out and that film wasn't exactly a critical success. Plus it was the weakest installment at the box office, failing to crack $90 million despite having the best opening of the three films. On the other hand, if this film sells the same number of tickets, it would make $130 million thanks to the power of inflation. I don't think that will happen, but it could open with $50 million and finish with more than $100 million in total. And if that does happen, this film will be the first in a second Scream trilogy to hit theaters.

Weekend of April 22nd, 2011

It's a busy week with four wide releases, including the latest nature documentary from Disney, the latest Tyler Perry adaptation, the latest vehicle for a Twilight alumnus, and the latest found footage thriller. While none of these films will likely be blockbusters, there is reason to be hopeful when compared to this weekend last year. How to Train Your Dragon led the way last year with barely more than $15 million. There's a good chance three of the four wide releases will top that mark (the documentary being the lone exception) while both holdovers from the previous weekend could do the same. This depth could give 2011 a much needed win.

Last minute update: With just under a month to go before its release, Apollo 18 was pushed back from April 22nd to January 6th of 2012. Its box office potential went from $15 million to $20 million opening and $40 million to $50 million in total to about $20 million in total. Maybe things will pick up as its new release date nears, but I'm not optimistic.

African Cats

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Disney.Go.com/DisneyNature/AfricanCats
Distributor: Disney
Release Date: April 22nd, 2011
MPAA Rating: G for General Admissions.
Source: Based on Real Life Events
Major Genre: Documentary
Keywords: Animal Lead, Environment, Voiceover/Narration, and more
Directed By: Alastair Fothergill and Keith Scholey
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, and a bunch of animals
Production Budget: Estimated at $40 million to $80 million
Box Office Potential: $25 million

Following in the footsteps of earth and Oceans is African Cats. When earth came out in 2009 it was very profitable, since it was a re-cut version of the already popular British TV series, so it didn't cost a lot to make. Oceans, on the other hand, did have a pretty hefty price-tag and was not as lucrative at the box office. I think African Cats will place somewhere in the middle of those two films, giving it $25 million at the box office, but it was likely a rather expensive movie to make, especially compared to the average documentary. Will that be enough to make the studio happy? Well, they already have two more films announced, Chimpanzee and Hidden Beauty, so we'll see if they add more to that roster later on.

Madea's Big Happy Family

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: MadeasBigHappyFamilyMovie.com
Distributor: Lionsgate
Release Date: April 22nd, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for drug content, language and some mature thematic material.
Source: Based on a Play
Major Genre: Drama
Keywords: African-American, Terminal Illness, Dysfunctional Family, Funeral Reunion, Cross-Dressing, Ensemble, Fat Suit, and more
Directed By: Tyler Perry
Starring: Tyler Perry and others
Production Budget: Estimated at $20 million to $30 million
Box Office Potential: $55 million

This film has Tyler Perry in a dress. That's all you really need to know to judge its box office potential. Actually, there are maybe a few more details, like is Medea the main character or a side character? I reviewed the play when it came out on DVD and Medea was not the main character, so that probably means having a run like Medea Goes to Jail is out of the question. It's not impossible, but I wouldn't bet on it. On the other hand, it's just as unlikely that the film will earn less than Meet the Browns.

Anything close to $50 million will be a success, while anything close to $75 million will make it a profitable film the second it hits the home market. I do suspect it will be the number one draw of the weekend, but it will likely have short legs.

Water for Elephants

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: WaterForElephants.com
Distributor: Fox
Release Date: April 22nd, 2011
MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated - Likely aiming for PG-13.
Source: Based on a Book
Major Genre: Drama
Keywords: Orphan, Road Trip, Romance, Animal Lead, Performing Arts, Cross-Class Romance, Relationships Gone Wrong, Non-Chronological, Coming of Age, Same Role, Different Actor, and more
Directed By: Francis Lawrence
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, and others
Production Budget: Estimated at $40 million to $80 million
Box Office Potential: $65 million

I'm not sure about this film's financial strength on both ends of the equation. It's directed by Francis Lawrence, who got his start making music videos, but his two previous films, Constantine and I Am Legend, were big-budget action films, which suggests this film could be quite pricey to make. Granted, this film won't have the special effects budget of those movies, but given the demands of costumes, sets, and creating a general period feel for the movie, there is a chance this film cost $100 million to make. And let's face it, when your last film made close to $600 million worldwide, it's much easier to convince a studio to hand over a bundle of money for your next project.

On the other hand, I'm not sure how well it will do at the box office. It stars Robert Pattinson from Twilight, but while that franchise is huge, it's hard to argue that any of the cast members from those films were made into huge stars by those movies. For instance, Robert Pattinson's last movie, Remember Me, made less than $20 million domestically. Likewise, Christoph Waltz is just starting his English-language career, so his box office drawing power is a mystery. Reese Witherspoon does have a more widespread appeal and that should help the bottom line, but overall I'm not entirely sold on the film's prospects.

Water for Elephants should open with more than $20 million and have better legs than Madea's Big Happy Family, but there is a chance it was a very expensive movie to make and it will bomb at the box office.

Weekend of April 29th, 2011

The final weekend in April is usually a dumping ground, as studios are unwilling to release A-material so close to summer. However, this year Thor is not scaring away the big releases and the studios are trying to extend summer by at least one week. (In fact, Thor itself is opening in many major international markets this week.) Domestically, Fast Five will be looking to dominate and could become the biggest hit of the year so far. Meanwhile, Hoodwinked 2 and Prom will be fighting for second place. Compared to last year, Fast Five could open with more than Nightmare on Elm Street made in total, while the second place film was How to Train Your Dragon with just over $10 million, which is a target both Prom and Hoodwinked 2 could reach. We could have another win on our hands, meaning 2011 will be going into the summer blockbuster season on a winning streak.

Fast Five

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: FastFiveMovie.com
Distributor: Universal
Release Date: April 29th, 2011
MPAA Rating: Not Yet Rated - likely aiming for PG-13
Source: Original Screenplay / Sequel
Major Genre: Action
Keywords: Street Racing, Car Chases, Gangs, Prequel, and more
Directed By: Justin Lin
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, and a bunch of cars
Production Budget: Estimated at $80 million to $100 million
Box Office Potential: $150 million

The latest from The Fast and the Furious franchise, which outside of Tokyo Drift has been a very consistent performer at the box office. This does make it easier to judge the film's box office potential, but it makes it harder to come up with something to say about the film.

It's the first time a film in the franchise will be shown in IMAX theaters. That's something.

Look for a $70 million opening, like Fast & Furious made, but with slightly shorter legs than last time.

Hoodwinked Too!: Hood vs. Evil

Trailer: Coming Soon
Official Site: HoodwinkedTooMovie.com/
Distributor: Weinstein Co.
Release Date: April 29th, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG for some mild rude humor, language and action .
Source: Based on a Fairytale / Sequel
Major Genre: Comedy
Keywords: Talking Animals, Animal Lead, Police Procedural, 3D, and more
Directed By: Mike Disa
Starring: Hayden Panettiere, Patrick Warburton, Glenn Close, and others
Production Budget: Estimated at $20 million to $30 million
Box Office Potential: $35 million

This film has been pushed back so many times that I'm not 100% sure its coming out. So far, delays and lawsuits have been more common for this film than good buzz. The original Hoodwinked was definitely a second-tier digitally animated film. It cost less than $20 million to make, which at the time was tiny compared to the average production budget for CG film. It's reviews were mixed, but better than average for a family film. And its box office numbers were less than spectacular, especially when compared to other computer animated movies. That said, it did well enough and the studio set to work on a sequel. Financial struggles for the studio delayed those plans and now five years have passed. This is particularly troubling for Hoodwinked Too!: Hood vs. Evil, as fans of the original movie will no longer be in the target demographic for this film.

At this point, it seems unlikely that Hoodwinked Too! will earn as much at the box office and only a low production budget will save its chances of earning a profit.

Prom

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Disney.Go.com/DisneyPictures/Prom
Distributor: Disney
Release Date: April 29th, 2011
MPAA Rating: PG for mild language and a brief fight.
Source: Original Screenplay
Major Genre: Comedy
Keywords: Coming of Age, Romance, Breaking the Fourth Wall, Mockumentary, Ensemble, and more
Directed By: Joe Nussbaum
Starring: There a no real stars
Production Budget: Estimated at $15 million to $30 million
Box Office Potential: $25 million

Of the three films opening wide this weekend, this one will likely have the hardest time finding an audience. It's directed by Joe Nussbaum, whose previous two films failed to connect with moviegoers. It has almost no box office drawing power among is ensemble cast. Finally it will be fighting for the small counter-programing pie with Hoodwinked Too!, which has much higher name recognition.

It probably cost very little to make, so at least the studio won't lose a lot of money as a result.


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Filed under: Monthly Preview, Your Highness, Rio, Hoodwinked Too: Hood vs. Evil, Madea’s Big Happy Family, African Cats, Fast Five, Scream 4, Arthur, Soul Surfer, Insidious, Water for Elephants, Hanna, Source Code, Prom, Hop