Two films could gross over $20M apiece this weekend which is pretty good in the pre-Christmas frame: Disney’s third weekend of Zootopia 2 and Universal/Blumhouse’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.
The family animated movie is expected to pop back up to No. 1 with around $26M, a -40% dip from its $43.4M second weekend. Zootopia 2 will any day now pass the $1 billion mark worldwide (sans Russia) becoming the third movie to do so YTD (second MPA title to pull it off after Lilo & Stitch‘s $1 billion).
Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 has a swing between $16M-$20M. Though purely theatrical, the movie’s fandom is frontloaded, hence the drop. Still, the movie which stands at $71M through yesterday is destined for $100M+. The first movie ended its U.S./Canada run at $137.2M.
L-R: Jamie Lee Curtis and Emma Mackey in ‘Ella McCay‘
20th Century Studios
Disney’s 20th Century Studios is opening female dramedy Ella McCay which is 3x Oscar winner James L. Brooks first movie that he’s directed in 15 years. It stars fresh Emma Mackey as state lieutenant governor who has greatness thrust upon her when her Boss the governor has stepped back for greater political opportunities. She takes over at a time when her personal life between her husband, her father (Woody Harrelson), brother and even her boss (Albert Brooks) are driving her crazy. The movie cost $35M before P&A, which is lower than Brooks previous Owen Wilson-Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy How Do You Know ($120M), but alas, Ella McCay is only expected to open to $4M at 2,500 theaters. Yikes. Previews begin at 2pm on Thursday. Jamie Lee Curtis, Spike Fearn, Ayo Edebiri, Rebecca Hall and Kumail Nanjiani also star. Reviews aren’t good sadly: 23% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Cinverse has their reboot of Christmas horror movie Silent Night, Deadly Night at 1,000, but it’s not expected to well, maybe $2M, with limited showtimes. Bigger hopes from Universal’s re-release of the 25th anniversary of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas starring Jim Carrey in the title role. Fun fact: When that Christmas movie was released, it became the highest grossing movie of 2000 with $251.6M beating Tom Cruise Mission: Impossible II ($215.4M). There’s always a big to-do made about how there’s a short runway for Christmas movies. Grinch finaled at $261.3M domestic, with over $347M worldwide.
Avatar: Fire & Ash, also from 20th Century Studios, opens on Dec. 19, the hope is to north of $100M; the big Christmas tentpole.