I like the optimism in the predictions from both Laremy and the readers, but I’m afraid I think you’ve all gone too high. Both Laremy and the readership have Nightcrawler taking the #1 slot this Halloween weekend and it most likely will, but I think the $13.8 million both have it pegged for is a bit too high.
Last night, in 2,766 theaters, Nightcrawler brought in $515,000 and is more likely to finish around $10.5 million or so and I expect the CinemaScore from Friday to be a bit low, as in “C+” or so range as this is a movie general audiences aren’t likely to be in the bag for, especially considering the hyperbolic marketing setting up a film that’s not only manic and crazy, but a little deeper than that. No, that’s not a diss, just reality.
Second place could go a lot of directions, but we’re mostly looking at last weekend’s #1 Ouija, which the readers agree with me on while Laremy is pegging the new and poorly reviewed Nicole Kidman thriller Before I Go To Sleep, which is looking to be Clarius Entertainment’s second bomb in a row. The film managed to screen for critics in a lot of markets, but the Seattle screening was cancelled about five hours before it was to take place and if the reviews are any indication I understand why. I will say, however, I have read the book from which it was adapted (and seemingly dramatically altered) and I was never sure it could be adapted properly, it’s just not necessarily a story that translates to the screen easily.
Finally we have the 10th anniversary re-release of Saw, which has been marketed rather heavily in my email Inbox, but I’m not sure everyone is reading my email. So, does anyone know or even care? The readers aren’t as bullish as Laremy, predicting a $5.2 million weekend compared to Laremy’s $7.8 million, but I’ll have to go even lower and say no more than $4 million, if that… Because, come on, why do we need to revisit Saw?
I’ve included Laremy’s predictions and the average reader predictions directly below and I’ll be back on Sunday with box office estimates. To see Laremy’s full list of predictions and all 90 reader predictions for this weekend click here.
Laremy’s Predictions
- Nightcrawler – $13.8 million
- Before I Go To Sleep – $8.5 million
- Ouija – $7.9 million
- Saw – $7.8 million
Your Predictions
- Nightcrawler – $13.8 million
- Ouija – $7.8 million
- Before I Go To Sleep – $6.11 million
- Saw – $5.2 million
