This weekend will feature a battle between How To Train Your Dragon 2 and 22 Jump Street at the box office. DreamWorks Animation needs Dragon 2 to be a huge hit, while Sony is clearly hoping audiences want more laughs from Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill.
DWA has experienced a series of flops, most recently with Peabody and Sherman, so the studio is returning to the world established by one of their best reviewed recent films. The 2010 Dragon bowed to $43 million and went on to make $494.9 million worldwide. Like that film, Dragon 2 is also earning great reviews.
Analysts expect Dragon 2 to make at least $60 million, notes Entertainment Weekly, although that may be a bit high. Any number over $50 million will make DWA and distributor 20th Century Fox happy.
This could be the first weekend of the summer with two $50 million-plus debuts. 22 Jump Street is expected to make at least $50 million as well. The first film was a surprise hit, making $36.3 million on opening weekend before earning $138.4 million in total, notes Box Office Mojo. 22 should be just as big.
Maleficent is expected to add around $20 million in its third weekend, while a huge drop is anticipated for The Fault In Our Stars. Edge of Tomorrow will round out the Top 5.
You can check out other films hitting theaters this weekend at Trailer Park.
image courtesy of INFphoto.com