I apologize for this being late, but I have been on vacation so I am trying to get this out quickly.
Here is my predicted Top 10 (factoring in the #1's Thursday night take):
#1: Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ($67 million)
#2: Transformers: Age of Extinction ($16 million, -57%)
#3: Tammy ($12.5 million, -42%)
#4: How To Train Your Dragon 2 ($6.5 million, -28%)
#5: 22 Jump Street ($6 million, -39%)
#6: Earth to Echo ($5.5 million, -35%)
#7: Deliver Us from Evil ($4.5 million, -54%)
Maleficent ($4.5 million, -28%)
#9: Begin Again ($4 million)#10: Jersey Boys ($3 million, -43%)
Its looking like another weak weekend in theaters.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes' $4.1 million Thursday night closely resembles Maleficent's $4.2 million start. That film earned $69 million in its debut, which seems to suggest a slightly less debut for Apes. Rise of the Planet of the Apes was a sleeper hit, earning $175 million against a $55 million opening weekend. Reviews are stellar and marketing has been intense. There's a good chance this winds up above $200 million stateside and over $500 million worldwide.
Begin Again has been under the radar as of late, but its dramedy-style of filmmaking makes it nice counter-programming for adult audiences looking for something different. Reviews have been solid and it had a great limited opening last weekend. Opening in close to 1,000 locations, this should hit close to $5 million for the frame and get into the Top 10.
As for holdovers, look for family films such as How To Train Your Dragon 2, Earth to Echo and Maleficent to hold well, and adult-aimed films to be a mixed bag. Female-centric Tammy and younger-male centric 22 Jump Street might see lighter drops. Meanwhile, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Deliver Us from Evil seem likely to have heavy declines in favor of either not so good word-of-mouth or competition. At the very bottom of the list, Jersey Boys may lose some audience to the more well-received Begin Again.
