Yep, its' Friday the 13th, and how suitable is it that a highly-anticipated horror sequel is debuting on this day. Insidious: Chapter 2 is opening two and a half years after its' predecessor rode unexpected word-of-mouth to four times its' opening weekend ($52 million). Distributor FilmDistrict has promoted this film very well, and buzz is amazingly high for this. Horror, while not the genre I would go see, has been a strong choice for audiences this year. Mama ($70 million), The Purge ($64 million), and The Conjuring ($134 million) have all opened at #1, and this will be the fourth horror flick to top the chart this year. James Wan is turning into a heck of a director, directing this, its' predecessor, and is currently filming next year's Fast and Furious 7. Early reviews have been negative, but that will not get in its' way. Analysts predictions' are all over the place, but I am going to go with a $30 million start, on its' way to around $70 million domestically.
Also opening this weekend is crime thriller The Family, which does boast some starpower in Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Tommy Lee Jones. While being promoted well, the film just doesn't look all that appealing. The title is too generic, and its' crime-doing family theme seems way too familiar (We're The Millers). That being said, those not interested in horror should find this an OK alternative. I'm going to go with a $8.5 million opening weekend, which will be enough to take second place by default. It will be lucky to hit $25 million by the time its' done though, as critical reception has been bad so far.Riddick will likely plunge based on genre trajectories, and will likely drop around 60% to $8 million, for a $34 million 10-day gross.
The rest of the holdovers will earn $6 million or less this weekend, here is how they will rank:
#4: Lee Daniels' The Butler ($6 million, -29%)
#5: Instructions Not Included ($5.5 million, -33%)
#6: We're The Millers ($4.5 million, -42%)
#7: Planes ($3 million, -27%)
#8: One Direction: This is Us ($2 million, -50%)
#9: Blue Jasmine ($1.5 million, -35%)
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters ($1.5 million, -38%)
