Box office looks to continue to be up from last year...
Liam Neeson's The Grey, as expected, will open at the top spot, with an estimated $6.5 million on Friday. The critically-adored action film is opening higher than what most analysts were expecting, but audience reception was mixed, with a "B-" CinemaScore grade. Based on recent trajectories, the film is headed for a $19 million weekend, with the $20 million barrier a possibility dependent on how high the Saturday bump is.
Second place went to Katherine Heigl's book adaptation One for the Money, which earned solid numbers with an estimated $4 million on Friday. That was also higher than what most analysts were expecting, and while audiences were mixed with a "B-" CinemaScore, its' still headed for a $12 million weekend, in line with last years' The Lincoln Lawyer.
Underworld: Awakening fell out of the top spot and came in third place on Friday with a 63% depletion to an estimated $3.5 million. Based on recent trajectories for horror flicks, that was a softer blow than what similar films usually drop. Right now, I would expect a second weekend of $11.5 million.
Red Tails, on the other hand, didn't pull a strong hold compared to its' "A" CinemaScore, but considering the amount of competition, it held relatively OK. Easing 53% to an estimated $2.7 million, it should pick up business over the weekend with around $10 million by Sunday.
The other new release, Man on a Ledge, disappointed in fifth place. The crime drama debuted to a underwhelming estimated $2.5 million on Friday. That's short of last weeks' Haywire's opening Friday, but Ledge did get mainly positive reception from audiences, with a "B+" CinemaScore grade, the best out of all the new releases, which could help its' grosses bump up a bit as the weekend progresses. For now though, a $7.5 million weekend looks to be right on target.
George Clooney's The Descendants expanded to nearly 2,000 theaters as a result of its' Oscar nominations, and earned an estimated $1.6 million in eighth place. That's a fine number for a film that's already been playing in some theaters for over a month, and it should be able to score about $5 million for the weekend.
Meanwhile, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close didn't quite pull a solid hold despite its' Best Picture nomination, with a 40% ease to an estimated $2 million on Friday, and will likely pull about $6.5 million for the weekend. Contraband also couldn't pull a strong hold with all the competition, with a 53% drop to an estimated $1.9 million, and is also heading for $6.5 million in a close race for the sixth spot. Beauty and the Beast (3D) and Haywire rounded out the Top 10 with 47% and 64% plunges to estimates of $1.2 million and $1 million, in what looks to be $5 million and $3.5 million grosses for the weekend.
Weekend estimates coming tomorrow afternoon....
