It is rare these days that a movie captures audiences and critics like Gravity has. The film has been an enormous success for Warner Bros. and is looking to make a rare three-beat at the box office this weekend. Even during this past summer of blockbusters, it didn’t happen often and since its only major new competition is Carrie, it looks possible for Gravity.
Last weekend, Gravity scored $44 million, falling just 23 percent from the previous weekend. Entertainment Weekly is predicting an even smaller drop this week at just 20 percent. That would put it at $34 million, bringing its domestic total to $173 million. That’s stunning for a movie that only stars two actors - George clooney and Sandra Bullock - and runs only 90 minutes.
Carrie is looking to provide horror fans with some scares before Halloween. The film is a new adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, which Brian De Palma famously filmed in 1976. This new version stars Chloe Moretz in the title role and Julianne Moore as her mother. According to Box Office Mojo, the Sony film is being shown at 3,157 locations, but that’s not going to help it top Gravity. The site is expecting a $22.4 million opening.
Tom Hanks’ Captain Phillips opened to $26 million and could add just under $20 million in weekend number two. Hanks will take it, since it will help the film easily past the total box office gross of his last three movies, Cloud Atlas, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and Larry Crowne.
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is incredibly still the only family film in theaters, so look for it to add around $10 million. It could nudge just past Escape Plan, the new film with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
You can check out other films hitting theaters this weekend at Trailer Park. The limited release to keep an eye on this weekend is Fox Searchlight’s 12 Years A Slave, which is a favorite for the Best Picture Oscar. It hits 19 locations this weekend.
The Fifth Estate with Benedict Cumberbatch also opens this weekend, but will probably make just $5 million. There's been no positive buzz for it.
image: Sony