The Weekend Report: A Red Sun Rises

It looks like we are in for our first truly successful box office weekend this year, even if it's small by last year's standards. Two $40 million openings does seem a bit small in the context of Summer, but looking at the drought we've been in so far this year, it's a welcome change. Oddly enough, The Conspirator, the independently released historical drama starring James McAvoy and Tom Wilkinson has gathered many mixed reviews. So don't expect long term potential, not that we would from a 700 theater release. The real benefits of this weekend will come from franchise hits and 3D kids pics, as one should expect. We haven't had that many big franchise releases so far this year, so maybe that's the explanation for the decline.

After spending a decade away from theaters, the Scream franchise is back with Scre4m. All the nostalgic core fanbase members, along with new audience members intrigued by the trailers should be in attendance. I'd say Wes Craven's name is also a draw, but things have changed, and My Soul to Take didn't do too well with that. I'd imagine it to do about as well as Rio, the second 3D animated childrens film of this year, the first being Gnomeo and Juliet. Seeing as this film has a good chance of actually being good, I'd call its box office potential a more positive thing. Imagine both films to open as the best thus far this year. We're slowly escalating towards the Summer movie season, where the box office will really be booming.