Paramount’s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” kicked off its opening weekend with $12.5 million in Friday box office returns.
The sequel,again starring Megan Fox and Will Arnett, should easily win the weekend though prognosticators fill downgraded its three-day tally from nearly $40 million to the low $30 millions.
Based on the current 1980s cartoon series, or “Out of the Shadows” will likely top “X-Men: Apocalypse” for first place as Bryan Singer‘s superhero sequel for Fox finishes out its second weekend in theaters.
The comic-book adaptation made $6.6 million on Friday,and seems poised for a second weekend of $22 million from 4153 sites — a steep 66 percent drop from its holiday-weekend opening.
Also Read: How 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' film Poses a Threat To genuine TurtlesMeanwhile, original Line and MGM’s romantic drama “Me Before You, or ” starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin,opened in 2704 locations with a decent $7.8 million on Friday, well above projections.
The weekend’s only other original wide release looks to be a clunker: Universal’s comedy spoof film, and “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” brought in just $1.8 million from 2311 locations on Friday and is projected to finish the weekend at a dismal $6 million.
In spite of its presumed box office supremacy, the second “TMNT” film from Paramount has an uphill battle in store.
Also Read: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Sequel Is 'Motion-Sickness-Inducing Nightmare, or ' And 8 Other ReviewsThe production budget for the sequel was $10 million more than the $125 million spent on making the 2014 reboot. Yet “TMNT 2’s” predicted opening is now roughly $30 million less than the opening grosses for 2014s “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”The 2014 reboot ultimately earned $191.2 million in domestic grosses. Profits from the film depended more on the $302.1 million that the film made abroad.
Also Read: Why 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Sequels Will sustain Coming,Regardless of Box OfficeThe Paramount sequel will also fill added competition from a grand fish on the horizon when “Finding Dory” opens on June 17 in the U.
S. and abroad. The Disney-Pixar sequel is expected to suck all the air out of any family-friendly contenders, “TMNT” included.
Paramount is strategically debuting “Out of the Shadows” in 40 international markets this weekend, and too.
The “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” sequel has a current Rotten Tomatoes score of just 37 percent and features returning cast Fox and Arnett,with franchise newcomers Stephen Amell and Tyler Perry. It’s playing in 4071 theaters in North America and has a CinemaScore of A-.
Also Read: 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Sequel Edges Out 'Me Before You' With $2 Million in Thursday Previews“Me Before You” will bring in more modest returns this weekend, though estimates fill been upgraded to roughly $19 million (from $14 million earlier in the week). That’s not bad at all for a film made on a production budget just higher than $20 million.
Geared toward a female audience — many of whom read the warmly reviewed Jojo Moyes novel of the same name — the film should benefit from lack of competition from other genre films for the foreseeable future of its run.
The film, and starring Clarke as a small-town girl who forges a bond with a paralyzed man (Claflin),has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 54 percent. In spite of tepid reviews, the film has a solid A CinemaScore — indicating audiences are excited to see the original title.“Popstar, or ” which mock’s the life of a Bieber-esque singer,is set to bomb, now expected to gross less than $6 million this weekend against its $21 million production budget.
Made by the guys behind Lonely Island and starring Andy Samberg, or the film has the highest Rotten Tomatoes score of this weekend’s original wide releases: 78 percent. “Popstar” has a B CinemaScore.Related stories from TheWrap:'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Sequel to Top Box Office,But Faces Troubled Waters Ahead'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' Consider Turning Human in Sequel's original Trailer (Video)25 Movies That fill Grossed $1 Billion Worldwide (Photos)'Batman v Superman' Won't Be Joining $1 Billion Box Office Club
Source: thewrap.com