Last week, Sensei was dead-on about I, Frankenstein getting outgunned by Lone Survivor. It’s Super Bowl weekend, where opening films are usually an afterthought. Nevertheless, a key blockbuster will pass a box office milestone.
Sensei’s weekend predictions are as follows (We’ll even sneak in a Super Bowl pick!):
1. That Awkward Moment ($12.5 million) – Super Bowl weekend will be brutal on the new releases, so a low mid-teens result can take the weekend. This one has Zac Efron, who carries enough female fans to grab the win. “Awkward” better describes the weekend’s other new release, Labor Day. Shudder.
2. Ride Along ($11 million)– That close to winning three weekends consecutively. It’s still possible to do so (depending on audience word of mouth). Look for this one to be the Seattle Seahawks and play close defense (striving for that weekend win).
3. Lone Survivor ($7 million)– Again, the true star of the weekend. The year’s first blockbuster will break the $100 million domestic mark. Film will also top the final gross of last year’s Zero Dark Thirty ($95 million). This is definitely the weekend’s Denver Broncos, whose offense set all sorts of football records this season.
4. Frozen ($6 million) – Speaking of records, this one is now the fourth highest grossing Walt Disney animated feature of all time–behind only The Lion King, Toy Story 3, and Finding Nemo). Take away Pixar’s entries to the list, and it only stands behind The Lion King. That’s a lot of green. Much like the green turf Peyton Manning will be shredding with his passes come game day.
5. American Hustle ($4.8 million)– Well, look who’s back in the top five: Jennifer Lawrence, Hollywood’s current box office marvel. This year pits the “Super Bowl” in actress appeal against current actress Hollywood heavyweight Angelina Jolie, who releases Maleficent and clashes with Lawrence’s Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 for box office actress supremacy. Should be fun.
In other calls:
Look for Labor Day to flop horrendously. Film will be lucky to score a $4 million opening.
Super Bowl Pick:
Much has been made of the Seattle Seahawks and their number one rated defense. Unfortunately this is something the Denver Broncos have faced before. When Denver faced a then-undefeated 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs team during the regular season, the Chiefs were supposedly the “number one defense” in the league. Peyton Manning still found his yards in the Denver win and beat Kansas City again two weeks later just to make certain.
Tough to bet against Peyton Manning. A lower scoring Denver Broncos outing, but look for a win nonetheless.
Denver Broncos 27, Seattle Seahawks 14
Have a great Super Bowl weekend.
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