The summer movie season kicked into high gear last weekend with Iron Man 3’s amazing debut, earning the second-biggest weekend in history. Now, Tony Stark will have to go up against a very different rival - The Great Gatsby, Baz Luhrmann’s glitzy adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legendary book.
Last weekend, Iron Man 3 opened to $175 million, the second biggest debut in history. Only Marvel’s The Avengers grossed more when it made $207 million in 2012. For its second weekend that year, Avengers made $87 million, notes Box Office Mojo. So, the site predicts that Iron Man 3 will have a similarly strong second weekend with at least $70 million.
Gatsby finally hits theaters this weekend after almost coming out on Christmas day last year. While the stars of the film have all scored recent hits - especially DiCaprio, who starred in Django Unchained - this is a huge test for director Luhrmann. As The Wrap notes, this is his first film since 2008’s Australia, a big-budgeted epic that made $211 million worldwide on a $130 million budget and was a critical disappointment. Luhrmann wrote the script and packed the film’s soundtrack with modern artists produced by Jay-Z, which Warner Bros. is heavily promoting.
The film should make around $40 million for its first weekend, although THR reports that the studio is going with a more modest $35 million prediction.
The other new film hitting theaters is the Tyler Perry-produced Peeples with The Office’s Craig Robinson. Even though he didn’t direct it, Perry’s name has been a heavy presence in the marketing, so it will probably open around $15 million.
Mud with Matthew McConaughey continues to add new locations, bringing its theater count to 853 this weekend.