For the second weekend in a row, there is only one big wide release, but it is very different than last week. Best Man Holiday, a sequel to the hit 1999 comedy Best Man, opens and will go up against Thor: The Dark World.
The second Thor film opened to $86.1 million last week, besting the first film’s opening by 31 percent. It continued Marvel’s hit streak and proves that The Avengers is still having a positive effect over a year after its release.
The Hollywood Reporter expects that the film will take a big dip for its second week to around $40 million, but that will easily keep it in the top spot. It’s about to pass $450 million worldwide, which would top the $449.3 million the first film made in total.
Best Man Holiday reunites the Best Man cast, including Morris Chestnut, Taye Diggs, Regina Hall, Terrence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Monica Calhoun and Melissa De Sousa. As TheWrap notes the film is being marketed straight to African-American audiences and it’s working so far. On Fandango, 49 percent of all sales were for the film, which is being released by Universal and only cost $17 million to make.
Universal is being a cautious with its predictions, estimating that the film will only open in the high teens. However, Box Office Mojo predicts that it could make at least $24 million.
Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street was supposed to open this weekend, but Paramount has pushed it back to Christmas. However, Paramount is releasing Alexander Payne’s Nebraska with Will Forte and Bruce Dern in New York and Los Angeles. The black & white film has won over critics and is expected to be competing for Oscars.
Of course, next weekend, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire hits theaters, so Thor better enjoy its two-week run at the top.
For a run-down of other films hitting theaters this weekend, check out Trailer Park.
image: Universal/image.net