Weekend Predictions: 'Jack the Giant Slayer', '21 and Over', 'The Last Exorcism Part II', & 'Phantom'
Featured Stories - on February 27, 2013 by BOXOFFICE Staff
Four films open this weekend as March kicks off and tries to recover from a slow February. Jack the Giant Slayer is considered the favorite to win the weekend, but 21 and Over may have some surprise potential. The Last Exorcism Part II and Phantom also debut.
Please note that while we have Phantom listed in our table below, we see that film debuting outside of the top 12.
Jack the Giant Slayer
PROS:
- Bryan Singer's name has been attached to a number of high profile films in the past such as the X-Men films, Superman Returns, and his last directorial effort, Valkyrie.
- The ensemble cast provides some recognizable names and faces for the general audience.
- The lack of family movies in the market could draw that crowd out to theaters.
- The well-known fairy tale gives it a sort of brand name.
CONS:
- Singer's name is more well-known among genre fans than general audiences.
- Last year's John Carter proved that families won't go for just anything, and many of them may be waiting for next week's Oz: The Great and Powerful.
- Social media activity has been fairly modest, though it has picked up steam over the last few days. Flixster activity is extremely weak.
21 and Over
PROS:
- The older teen/young adult audience may be looking for a new comedy with Identity Thief having been out for awhile now.
- Similarly-themed Project X performed quite well during the same weekend last year.
CONS:
- With no star names and an R-rating, the upfront audience could be limited.
The Last Exorcism Part II
PROS:
- Horror films have a strong track record in recent years.
CONS:
- The first film isn't very well-remembered, and horror sequels don't have as strong of a track record.
Phantom
PROS:
- The combined power of recognizable stars can often be as powerful as one A-list stars.
- High concept premise that will be easy to digest for adults looking for familiar entertainment.
CONS:
- The film's marketing campaign has been almost non-existent.
- Ed Harris and David Duchovny aren't exactly star names today, nor were they consistent draws during their respective career peaks.
- The low theater count.
Check out our predictions for these films and the remainder of the top 11 in the table below.
| Title | Release Date | Distributor | Opening Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack the Giant Slayer | Mar 1, 2013 | Warner Bros. / New Line |
$24,300,000 | $24,300,000 |
| 21 And Over | Mar 1, 2013 | Relativity Media |
$14,800,000 | $14,800,000 |
| Identity Thief | Feb 8, 2013 | Universal |
$9,200,000 | $107,000,000 |
| The Last Exorcism Part II | Mar 1, 2013 | CBS Films |
$8,700,000 | $8,700,000 |
| Snitch (2013) | Feb 22, 2013 | Lionsgate / Summit |
$8,000,000 | $24,700,000 |
| Escape From Planet Earth | Feb 15, 2013 | Weinstein Company |
$6,700,000 | $43,000,000 |
| Safe Haven | Feb 14, 2013 | Relativity Media |
$6,300,000 | $57,100,000 |
| Silver Linings Playbook | Nov 16, 2012 | Weinstein Company |
$5,300,000 | $115,000,000 |
| A Good Day to Die Hard | Feb 14, 2013 | Fox |
$5,200,000 | $60,300,000 |
| Dark Skies | Feb 22, 2013 | Weinstein / Dimension |
$3,700,000 | $13,500,000 |
| Phantom (2013) | Mar 1, 2013 | RCR Media Group |
$1,250,000 | $1,250,000 |
Phil Contrino, Daniel Garris, Alex Edghill, and Shawn Robbins contributed to this report.
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