FILM: Box Office Hustle – The Mummy Resurrected

Welcome movie fans! We are hitting our stride into summer movie season, and last week was a BOMBSHELL opening for the superheroine that everyone knows and loves: Wonder Woman. The Amazing Amazon raked in $100.5 million domestically and $122.5 million overseas, and received widespread critical acclaim that could do much to help DC’s recent problems with their cast of characters. Hopefully, they can carry over this success into future endeavors and create a competitive environment with Marvel.

Another weekend opener in Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie slid into the second spot, and the rest of the top 5 shook out like this (with previous week earning ranks, if available):

1. (-) Wonder Woman: $100.5 m
2. (-) Captain Underpants: $23.5 m
3. (1) Pirates of the Caribbean: $21.6 m
4. (2) Guardians of the Galaxy: $9.7 m
5. (3) Baywatch: $8.5 m

Wonder Woman could easily remain at the top of the charts, and may handily beat out a relatively weak incoming set of openers. This week brings only one real contender to slip in and shake up the top of the box office, and that is the newest reincarnation of a horror classic.

Weekend Blockbuster: The Mummy

The Mummy is the first in a resurrection of a world of monsters and destruction that was created by Universal Studios and spanned 92 movies between 1923 and 1960. The characters included in that universe were Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolfman, the Invisible Man, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Mummy. The return to this cast of monsters and horror is being called the Dark Universe, and six movies have been planned so far. While many spinoffs, stand alones, spoofs, and failed reboots have occurred since then, this is the definitive return to the beginning.

The Mummy follows the betrayal of the princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) and her entombment. When a soldier of fortune, Nick Morton (Tom Cruise), stumbles across her crypt and unleashes her evil upon the world. In the process, something happens to him that begins to turn him into a monster as well. Only the mysterious Dr. Jekyll (Russell Crowe) and his Prodigium seem to be able to help. Can Nick stop the rampaging creature and manage to save himself in the process, and will the darker side of Jekyll make an appearance? Take a look at the sneak peak Universal posted on Youtube:

What You Need to Know

Anyone looking for a Mission Impossible type of action movie that brings the star power of Cruise and Crowe to the beginnings of a monster franchise would leave the theater feeling like this movie hit the right notes. It may not wow you with storytelling and originality, but no one ever accused the originals or the subsequent remakes of being powerhouses in those departments.

Reboot exhaustion and lack of interest in the Dark Universe may be the things that really cut profits for this movie in its opening weekend. The Brendan Fraser trilogy of Mummy movies ended on a sour note, and Dracula Untold flopped in the original attempt to launch the Dark Universe. With so many franchises and movies being rebooted these days, this movie could be a casualty to the desire for originality.

The experts are expecting this movie to make around $40-45 million domestically, which is not a great take overall considering it is the potential launch of a new franchise. It could take more due to a big push in advertising in the final weeks before release, but I think it will still only pull in around that number. It will have to battle with Wonder Woman as people opt to see if after release week. It should do well internationally, but it won’t blow anyone away. If it cracks the top spot, it will only be by the slimmest of margins.

Power Rankings for June 9-11 (Domestic)

1.  Wonder Woman – the clear box office champ. While you can expect the usual drop off from the second week of showings, nothing else opening comes close to the guaranteed family fun and female empowerment. Prediction: $50-60M
2.  The Mummy *debut* – the box office opener, well placed on the calendar. While it’s got stars, these actors are past their prime and don’t have the punch they used to. Even so, we’re calling it a tie since other films like Pirates 5 came out and shocked the world, anything can happen these days. Prediction: $50-60M
3. It Comes In The Night  – a well timed debut – We only give this one the edge over Pirates as we expect the same crowd who would see Pirates to go see either Wonder Woman or Captain Underpants this weekend. Leaving a different audience to dominate this level of box office draw. Prediction: $15-18M
4. Pirates of the Caribbean – a wonderful box office shelf life. What else is there to say, it’s a hit. However, this will be one of the final power weeks for this adventure, as other ships set sail soon. Prediction: $8-10M
5. Captain Underpants – the sleeper family hit. Amist one of the most packed summers of recent memory, Captain Underpants is still banking with families. We expect the word on the street to spread and other families to support it again (albeit the drop off from the previous weekend), edging out other openers and weekend veterans. Prediction: $3-4M