Warner Bros., which is now owned by Skydance, has had a troubled run at the box office over the last year. Nearly every movie they’ve put out has sunk like a stone, with them—at best—pulling off a few minor hits like Clayface. One of the more ambitious animated films, The Cat in the Hat, is likely going to continue that troubled streak, with it looking like it will have a hard time topping $20 million. It used to be that Dr. Seuss adaptations were mostly a sure thing at the box office, with The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who!, and The Grinch all blockbusters. But the buzz on The Cat in the Hat seems suspiciously quiet, with it unlikely to come anywhere near the opening gross of the 2003 live-action version of the story, which starred Mike Myers and opened to $38 million.
So, what’s going to take its place at the top of the box office? None other than Godzilla Minus Zero. Indeed, the film—which has earned rave reviews (including from us)—seems like it will pull off a $25 million opening, which is stunning for a subtitled film. Its predecessor, Godzilla Minus One, pulled off $11.4 million in its opening weekend before legging out to a striking $57 million and winning an Oscar for Best VFX. Already, the movie is a juggernaut in Japan, having made $5.7 million its first day. It’s also getting an IMAX release here.
Number three should go to the Angel Studios release, Drummer Boy, a musical drama set during the Revolutionary War and starring Joel Smallbone of the Christian band For King and Country. It could hit $10 million, which would give Angel its best opening since Young Washington back in the summer, although given that it’s a musical, the appeal for this one might be a little more niche than that more conventional war film.
You Can See Everything should hit fourth place, with the A24 documentary looking at about $8 million. Fifth place is the big question mark, with many believing the mega-budget Bollywood release, Ramayana, could crack the top five with a gross in the $6 million region.
Here are our predictions:
- Godzilla Minus Zero: $25 million
- The Cat in the Hat: $20 million
- Drummer Boy: $10 million
- You Can See Everything: $8 million
- Ramayana Part 1: $6 million
What are you seeing this weekend? Let us know in the comments.
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