Image Credit: New Line CinemaEveryone knows that the official start of the summer movie-going season begins next weekend with the debut of Iron Man 2. But this weekend’s A Nightmare on Elm Street opening just might prime the pump for what’s sure to be a huge box office bonanza in the months to come. And that would be good news for a business that, in the last weekend, fell beneath $100 million for the first time all year.
It helps that a horror film hasn’t hit theaters since February. And with Iron Man hot on the Nightmare reboot’s tail, Freddy Krueger needs to slash through as much box office coin as he can this weekend since there ain’t gonna be anything to share next weekend. Also bowing this frame is the Brendan Fraser-starrer Furry Vengeance, which is unlikely to help quell the box office downturn that began last weekend. In fact, How to Train Your Dragon, which will be entering its sixth weekend of release, is destined to open higher then this PG-rated flick. Read on for my predictions.
1. A Nightmare on Elm Street: $33 million
Jackie Earle Haley in the role of Freddy Krueger was an inspired choice and it’s likely to pay off handsomely for New Line Cinema. The film, from commercial director Sam Bayer, features a cast of newcomers and a revamped origin story. The R-rating may limit its box office potential a bit. But when it comes to horror, is there really any other way to go? Despite tepid reviews, expect this film to dominate the frame.
2. How to Train Your Dragon: $11 million
A 25 percent drop would get this movie with a remarkable run into striking distance of the film it’s been compared to most, Dreamworks’ Monsters Vs. Aliens, which completed its domestic run at $198 million after opening on the same date as Dragon last spring. As of Wednesday, How to Train Your Dragon had earned $180 million and is now destined to beat MVA. That’s good news for a movie that underwhelmed its opening frame.
3. Furry Vengeance: $7 million
Brendan Fraser movies go one of two ways: They are either giant hits or forgettable failures. Furry Vengeance appears to be in the latter category. A co-production between Summit Entertainment and Participant Pictures, the PG-rated family film is not likely to do much business over the weekend. And the business it will do will be with families with young children. But with a negative cost of $30 million and a lot of the film already pre-sold to foreign markets, a low-scoring number at the box office won’t be too painful for the studios bankrolling the endeavor.
4. The Back-Up Plan: $6 million
A 50 percent drop is likely for this Jennifer Lopez-starrer that failed to ignite at the box office last weekend. The movie has grossed an additional $2.6 million in its weekend run and could end the weekend with $22 million to its name.
5. Date Night: $6 million
The Tina Fey, Steve Carell-starrer has held up well each weekend since it opened on four weeks ago. I’d look for another 40 percent drop this frame, which could make it a bit of a horse race between Back-Up Plan and Date Night for the fourth slot. Check back here Saturday for an update.
Looks like a big steaming load for one more week. If you need an action fix before Iron Man 2, check out Kick-Ass while it is still in theatres.
Do yourselves a favour and leave the overhyped and underwhelming Kick-Ass for the teenagers trying to sneak into an R-rated movie.
Go see The Losers instead. I was pleasantly surprised just how much I laughed, was surprised by the twist, and in the sheer amount of what I call, “SH** blowing up real good!”
I think Jackie is a great actor but to me Robert Englund IS Freddy.
I loved the original but I’ll wait for this to come on cable.
I totally agree.. I think I’ll skip this one altogether. If Robert Englund was playing Freddy, I’d be first in line, but not even the previews look good. And Cecily Nobler gave it a D this morning, saying Jackie’s Freddy lacked the dark humor that Robert’s Freddy posessed.
I think I’ll skip this weekend and go and see Iron Man 2 twice next weekend.It’s almost here.
I had the chance to see it already and loved it! (There had to be some advantages to living in Switzerland)
what?! I lived in Switzerland and I remember having to wait for movies to play there long after they opened in the US.
Living in Switzerland is an advantage already
I predict a 50-60 million dollar opening for nightmare on elm street
When was the last time a horror movie made that much its opening weekend? Much less a horrid remake?
I think 50 million is a good guess. This film will have a large built in audience of generation x’er’s who fondly remember the campy horror movies of the 80′s
I’d be surprised if it does 25. Speaking as a Gen-Xer myself, everyone I know is planning on Iron Man 2.
I admit I am obsessed with Justin Bieber. So much in fact that I troll his videos and must comment first. I know it seems I dislike him when in fact I really have this secret crush on him that I wouldn’t dare tell my friends. I apologize if I’ve ever offended anyone doing this.
SPAM much?
Awww I feel the love guys I feel the love, so glad that people are waiting for my comments! Me, I’ll probably wait until next week for Iron Man 2, Nightmare looks good but so did Clash of the Titans and the reviews are not pretty.
Well it is another remake and still at the box office, so the comparison is not uncalled for. But I am so glad that you wait for my comments too!
C’mon guys…leave Nerwen alone. His mother probably nags him outside of his bedroom door all day. He has to vent somewhere.
Thanks for sticking up for me Mark but really I don’t need a champion. I’m sure you understand what it is like to have a mother nag you but I don’t live with my mom, I’m actually a college student so I live on campus…I’m also female by the way.
But again, thank you for trying to stick up for me, I’m sure you don’t get the opportunity to defend a woman often.
And you probably don’t get an opportunity to pretend to be a woman all that often, so we both win! I’m sure mommy and daddy are shelling out good money for you to attend university, so stop trolling entertainment sights pretending to be a girl and get back to your schoolwork mister.
Poor Mark…you’ve seen too many movies. There you sit, hoping for dear life that Nerwen is a gorgeous, single, babe who might notice you and date you if you talk smack to her. Get a life buddy and stop trolling around entertainment sites wasting precious effort trying to make yourself matter to other people.
Thank you Flickity, Gina and Frank, I love my fans
Awww Frank, thank you so much! I know you wait for my comments with baited breath which is why I come on so often. I’m sorry if it isn’t soon enough for you. By the way, I should have said earlier, thank you so much for the compliment. I am a geek, I am an unashamed, proud and most of all exuberant Geek. Thank you for acknowledging that.
I for one don’t wait for your comments with baited breath Nerwen, but I do masterbait while reading them…oh wait, here it comessssssssssssss;lsdkfjsdlfjasdflksjdfsdlfjsflksajflaskfj;asoioiew9898y9a8sy98yps9ufh
You’ll never know
Forget Nerwen Aldar…whatever the hell his name is, what about me?
You are absolutely disgusting! She may get on your nerves, but you should have the dignity and the courtesy not to say filthy things like that.
Thank You EW for get ridding of that pig’s comment. No one should have to read what he said.
HELLOOO?!
Has-been J.Ho must Go!! tee-hee!
Hmmm Ms. Sperling, the first sentence of your prediction for Furry Vengeance looks awfully the same as the one in boxofficeguru.com .. Not accusing you of anything, just found it funny that everyone is thinking the same thing about Brendan Fraser
i screened nightmare last night and it is by the worst reboot ever…. CHAINSAW MASSACRE was a treat why could it repeat here… (84) Nightmare gives more scare and suspense after repeat viewing than this reboot ever will.. its a shame to see it turn into this JACKIE EARL is fantastic but hes got bad material to work with… entire cast was forgettable and by no means what depp and leathercamp had to offer… SHAME ON YOU MICHAEL BAY !!!!! this is pure crap go see the BACK UP PLAN that was actually good
I actually enjoyed it…way better than that trainwreck of a remake called Friday the 13th from last year…i could not take that movie seriously after the gratuitous “Jason must protect his weed” scene. Give me a break. the new NOES doesn’t flash sex and drugs all over the place, it stuck to the story and I liked that.
I believed everything you had to say…until you said to go see the Back-up Plan and lost all credibility.
Leathercamp? I think you mean Langenkamp. Just guessing.