This is going to be one of Hollywood’s busiest Memorial Day weekends in recent memory. Two tentpole releases - The Hangover Part III and Fast & Furious 6 - both hit theaters this weekend, while Star Trek Into Darkness and Iron Man 3 are still showing. Also in the mix is Epic, an animated feature from Fox that is likely to draw the family crowd.
Hangover Part III has been in theaters since Wednesday and has only made $11 million for its Wednesday night and Thursday midnight screenings , notes Deadline. That’s much weaker than the Thursday premiere for Part II, which made $31.6 million in its first day in 2011. Part III has also earned a B CinemaScore grade from early audiences and is getting hit hard by critics. Entertainment Weekly is putting its four-day total at $73 million, which would also be lower than Part II’s $86 million opening.
Fast & Furious 6 will probably top Hangover. THR notes that industry insiders are expecting it to open north of $80 million and the good reviews for the Vin Diesel action film should help. It’s also already had a stunning opening in the U.K., so Universal should have high hopes for the film’s overseas success.
In third place will likely be Star Trek Into Darkness, which made $70 million last weekend. EW is predicting around $45 million for its second weekend, which would but it neck-and-neck with Epic. Thanks to the long weekend, families will have time to see the PG-rated film.
Iron Man 3 should round out the top 5 with around $25 million to bring its domestic total to $350 million.
image: image.net/Universal