Box Office Talk: October 19

Last week was another good weekend at the box office with the top 10 finishing with a total gross of $117,244,701, up approximately 56% from 2011. Although I don’t expect a 50+% increase from last year, I do expect an increase of about 15%. This weekend there are two new releases entering the mix.

In what’s become somewhat of a Halloween tradition over the past few years, we’re getting the release of an installment in a horror film franchise. This year, like the past two, a Paranormal Activity is being released; in this case, it’s Paranormal Activity 4. Last year’s film opened domestically at an astounding $52,568,183, and was far better received than the second film in the series. However, the build up to Paranormal Activity 4 has been lukewarm at best. I expect the film to easily be the #1 film this weekend, but it’s unlikely the film beats the third in the series, let alone the original. Paranormal Activity 4 takes place five years after the disappearance of Hunter and Katie. Strange events start happening around a neighborhood after a woman and her child move in.

The second new film opening this weekend, based on the books written by New York Times #1 best-selling writer James Patterson, who seems to release a new book that ends up on the best seller list every month, is Alex Cross. Technically a reboot of the franchise, the role was originated by Morgan Freeman in Kiss the Girls, and the he revisited the part in the sequel Along Came a Spider. Each of the original films was a modest hit, with Along Came a Spider grossing just over $74 million. Tyler Perry, yes THAT Tyler Perry, takes on the role of Alex Cross in the new film, and no he doesn't wear a fat suit. The trailers have looked fairly decent, but it’s incredibly difficult to not look at Perry and think about Madea. As a fan of the books and the original films, what’s even more frustrating is knowing that Idris Elba was originally going to play the part. Is there no better actor born to play the role of Alex Cross?! Matthew Fox plays Picasso, the foil to Perry’s Cross. I think anyone whose seen the film’s trailers, will agree that Fox looks absolutely psychotic. As nervous as I am about Perry playing Cross, I’m seriously excited to see what Fox does with his part. Supporting characters are played by Giancarlo Esposito, Edward Burns, Rachel Nichols and Jean Reno. The film is directed by Rob Cohen. After being told that a family member had been murdered, homicide detective Alex Cross is pushed to the end of his limits by a vicious serial killer.

Box Office Predictions

1	Paranormal Activity 4	$45,000,000
2	Alex Cross	$19,000,000
3	Argo	$13,500,000
4	Taken 2	$10,800,000
5	Hotel Transylvania	$10,400,000
6	Sinister	$7,700,000
7	Pitch Perfect	$5,400,000
8	Here Comes the Boom	$5,300,000
9	Frankenweenie	$4,200,000
10	Looper	$3,900,000