Image Credit: Dan SmithLayer Cake director Matthew Vaughn’s send-up of the superhero genre Kick-Ass has already earned the hearts and minds of fanboys everywhere. But how will it do in theaters? Right now the film, about a group of regular people who become superheroes, is obviously tracking really well with young men. It’s also scoring with teens. But that audience is going to have more trouble getting into the R-rated flick. This weekend also marks the debut of the R-rated Death at a Funeral starring Chris Rock and Tracy Morgan. The film, a remake of the 2007 British indie comedy, is likely to be Lakeview Terrace playwright Neil LaBute’s most commercial debut yet. How well it does all depends on the cross-over potential for the predominantly African-American cast. It will also be interesting to see how the high-profile holdovers — Clash of the Titans and Date Night — score with audiences in their subsequent weekends in theaters.
1. Kick-Ass: $29 million
With a negative cost of only $28 million and the biggest name on the screen — Nicolas Cage — this film doesn’t have to be a behemoth for it to be a success. It does, however, seem to have that “it” factor that can turn a unique little movie into a blockbuster. And stand-out performances from Chloë Grace Moretz and Aaron Johnson are going to mean big things for these actors down the road. The studio is trying to tamp down expectations but my hunch is this film can get into the high 20s, perhaps low 30s when those fanboys show up in droves. After all, the film will start screening late Thursday night, to appease those the rabid fans.
2. Death at a Funeral: $19 million
With a cast that includes Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Zoe Saldana and Danny Glover, it’s no wonder the film is tracking with all audiences, regardless of color. What is a shock is that the movie, about all that could go wrong at a funeral, is tracking well with young women. Neil LaBute, best known for his dark, brooding dramas is a surprise choice to direct a comedy. With the studio declining to screen the movie for critics ahead of time, we don’t know if the results are good, but the materials they are putting out sure are attracting a crowd.
3. How to Train Your Dragon: $17 million
Dreamworks Animated flick only fell a ridiculously low 14 percent last weekend, so it’s unlikely the Viking-themed cartoon will experience a huge drop its fourth weekend in theaters with no other competition in sight. I would guess the movie falls off another 30 percent this frame, still giving it another $17 million and a total domestic cume of over $150 million.
4. Date Night: $13 million
The Tina Fey-Steve Carell starrer had a steeper drop-off than expected on Sunday, perhaps leading one to conclude that poor reviews encouraged audiences to stay home and watch the two comic geniuses for free on their respective NBC sitcoms. Since Kick-Ass and Death at a Funeral are both comedies that are quite difference from Date Night, the film could drop a respectable 50 percent its second weekend in theaters.
5. Clash of the Titans: $13 million
Clash should be able to call $130 million its new gross after this weekend in theaters. Whether or not the film holds better than a 50 percent drop remains to be seen. What could be interesting though is Date Night and Clash may be neck in neck at the derby for the second weekend in a row.
I’m hoping that a lot of people come out for Kick A$$. I’ve heard mostly positive internet buzz (and you know how that goes) and it seems like a fun movie. I sort of do want to see Death at a Funeral though, but not as much.
Sorry, Death at a Funeral is going to be #1 this weekend!
You must be forgetting the Tyler Perry movie that came out 2 weeks ago. The “target audience” got their fill then (possibly with some chit’lins) and won’t be lining up for this turkey. Sorry, I meant chicken.
Hilarious guy, I mean you’re a comedy genius.
THX, why are you sorry that Death at a Funeral is going to be #1 this weekend??
Wooooo! I am bizarrely excited about Kick-Ass, and it’s actually my husband that’s the comic book/superhero geek. But I’m really looking forward to seeing this and I hope we go this weekend! Bring on the violence!
I’ll be seeing both movies this weekend. I’ll be seeing Kick A$$ tonight with some friends while my GF works, then I’ll see Death…Funeral with her on Saturday night.
Well, i’m inviting all of my friends to Kick-Ass….looks fun. I hope it makes a lot of money….it seems deserving
I myself was worried that Kick-Ass would be one of those movies that has huge internet buzz, but tanks at the box office. However, after watching it last night, I can say that I had nothing to worry about. Although the movie appeals mainly to comic book geeks, is very violent and features a character (Hit-Girl) that’s already causing some controversy, it’s also a true audience crowd pleasure that, if it doesn’t hit it big this weekend, will definitely have some legs thanks to positive word of mouth. Trust me, this movie will be a hit.
Doh! I meant crowd pleaser.
I feel bad for Zoe Saldana being in a movie with a bunch of guys who haven’t had a hit in years.
I don’t know why Zoe is in this movie. Do people think she is black, she is NOT! She is from Columbia.
there are black people in south america
Ms Saldana seems to be laboring under the same misconception herself. Perhaps you can correct her.
Actually, she’s half Dominican and half Puerto Rican. Being Colombian myself, I would know if she were one.
What the heck does this have to do with whether the movie’s a hit or not?
To correct your statement, she is not from Columbia she was actually born in New Jersey. Lived in Columbia for 7 years after she turned 10.
Yes, she is Have Puerto Rican(mother) half Columbian(father)
The Bounty Hunter is the funniest movie out of the lot
Oh, silly Juddith.
Definitely seeing Kick-Ass. I’ve heard mostly good things about it and it looks like the type of movie you see and tell all your friends, “You HAVE to see this!”
if this movie is as fun as the trailers i will see this thing this movie remind me of mistery men although mistery men was a silly movie and the only character funny was the one playing by ben stiller and i hope it does more than 29 million i hope it deos more than the batman movies.
I saw a movie like this in Quebec city the night Expos beat Yankees. Man were the poutine good that night!
Ah, yes, the famous French-Canadian film “Qui Caisse”.
Why they decided to remake the hilarious-on-its-own first version of “Death At A Funeral” escapes me. Watch the original and then watch the trailer for the Chris Rock version and you’ll quickly realize how disastrous this idea is.
Roger Ebert’s seen both and says this one is even funnier. The cast clicks together better.
From what I’ve seen of the trailer, it looks too identical to the ’07 version. I’ll wait for DVD since I imagine I’ll feel like I’ve seen it before. And I love the Brit version.
I’m with you on this, but I won’t be renting the dvd. It looks like they took the film and remade it line-by-line.
Death at a Funeral… a remake 3 years after the original. Is that a record?
Not necessarily. Many foreign films are remade fairly quickly in America (the remake of Let the Right One In, now called Let Me In, is coming out this year). What’s strange is that this is a British film in ENGLISH. What’s the point?
I agree Conor whats the point to making a movie that we can already understand that was good in its own way.
I still think that they should have left,”Let the Right One in” alone, that film was good no need to mess it up.
Have seen Kick-Ass twice now and it is frickin awesome!!! May have to go and watch it again if I have time.
HELL YES!!! Kick-Ass was amazing!
Totally agree. Hit Girl was brilliant! And Nick Cage was actually really good
For Hollywood to come out with their own version of Death at a Funeral only three years after the wonderful British version just serves as testament to the fact that Hollywood is out of ideas, lacking inspiration and is consistently surpassed by Foreign studios. As if Avatar wasn’t evidence enough of this. The disgusting soon to be released American “remake” of the brilliant Swedish thriller Let the Right One In is the next hideous instance of Hollywood’s disregard for true art. America simply does not make the best films anymore, and we haven’t been for a while.
So you saying that Avatar shouldnt have been made???
@ Brendan: Then don’t watch American movies anymore ya stuck up movie snob. Quick fix. Jeez, why can’t people just sit back and watch a movie and not think about whether it is a “remake” or “oscar” movie or any other off screen distraction? People care to much about the behind the scenes stuff today and not the actual movie itself. Remember when movies used to have magic and wonder and people didn’t give a crap about the budget, box office, who directed or produced it, whether it is a “remake” or not, whether it used plot devices from other movies? Just watch the friggin movies people!
Nicely said Aaron!
Cosign with Aaron.
The Bounty Hunter is better
What’s with all the Bounty Hunter plants?
Anyway, you should all cjeck out Kick Ass, saw it a while back in the UK, excellent fun.
I was reluctantly dragged into the cinema to watch Kick-ass last Friday and I absolutely loved it! I don’t read comics so I didn’t know anything about it but it is honestly one of the best films I’ve seen in the past five years.Its a five star movie and I’m definetly gonna see it again (and again).
I’m going to see How To Train Your Dragon again, lol. I might see Kick-Ass next weekend though…not usually a big fan of comic book movies.