Box Office Challenge
What movie will be No. 1 at the box office?
Hitting the screens this weekend ...
Conan the Barbarian Fright Night One Day Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World
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Four relatively big films open this weekend, three of them in 3D. The trend continues!
With a smile wider than her head, Anne Hathaway joins Jim Sturgess in One Day (fortunately just in 2D). This director/writer team-up looks to be an impressive one, Lone Scherfig last directorial was 2009's well-reviewed An Education and writer David Nicholls's screenplay for When Did You Last See Your Father? was tremendous. Still, for me, Hathaway and Sturgess have always been the iconic poster-children for "difficult to digest." Yes, maybe I'm in the minority. But maybe I'm not? This weekend's box office results will lend to the answer. I'm skeptical this film will sell very many tickets.
Robert Rodriguez labors onward with his "kid film" distraction, much to the chagrin of Sin City fans (this one included). I guess the title of the 3rd Spy Kids installment, 2003's Spy Kids 3D: Game Over didn't mean what we thought it meant. Still, Rodriguez did give us Machete and Planet Terror in the interim, so we can't complain (too much). Spy Kids 4 should pull in respectable numbers -- around $30 Million, would be my bet.
In the latest of a long spate of remakes, Fright Night joins the fray. Director Craig Gillespie is known for comedies (Lars and the Real Girl, Mr. Woodcock) and from what I've heard buzzing around, Fright Night is more of a comedy than a horror, so that all checks up nicely. I love both Anton Yelchin and Colin Farrell, but despite the weight of credibility they bring to this picture, I just don't see it performing too well.
Conan the Barbarian, on the other hand, is poised to do some serious weekend box office wenching. I foresee great piles of gold toppling into the coffers of the Cimmerian. Sure, Marcus Nispel directed the unbearable Pathfinder, but after seeing Conan the Barbarian's trailer, I've fully forgiven him, and I believe there's a lot of general hype out there, amongst the hoards of comic-book nerds in love with the realm of Hyboria -- I count myself amongst their ranks, and I'm super stoked for this one. Jason Momoa looks to make a great Conan, and his supporting thespians in Rose McGowan, Ron Perlman and Rachel Nichols look to be well cast too.
Each week Calhoun Kersten and Aaron Ruffcorn go head to head in a Box Office Challenge.
Who will win? Maybe you. Calhoun will be back Monday with the Box Office Review. Tune in to find out who wins.
We’ll take a look at the box office and see if we can’t nail the Number 1 film in the U.S. Whoever is closest, wins. But really, if they aren't within $2 million, it's not very impressive.
It’s harder than you think. If you don’t believe, let’s see what your answers are.
Calhoun Kersten's prediction for the weekend of August 19-21 …
1. Fright Night ($39 Million)
Aaron Ruffcorn's prediction for the weekend of August 19-21 …
1. Conan the Barbarian ($40 Million)
So what are your guess for the Number 1 movie at the box office this weekend?