LOS ANGELES - "Mission: Impossible III," which opened to lackluster
sales a week ago, should accomplish a second weekend atop the North American box
office, despite Friday's arrival of "Poseidon," which has been tracking poorly,
industry observers said.
Midweek business for the Tom Cruise vehicle has
been fairly solid, so "M:I-3" will head into the weekend with more than $60
million in its coffers. If the high-end actioner from director J.J. Abrams drops
a respectable 50% from its $47 million opening, that would put the weekend tally
in the $23 million-$24 million range.
The underwater-set disaster movie "Poseidon," which observers expect will
follow close behind, borrows its premise and name from 1972's "The Poseidon
Adventure." Director Wolfgang Petersen's PG-13 update stars Kurt Russell, Josh
Lucas, Jacinda Barrett, Richard Dreyfuss and Andre Braugher.
Petersen is no stranger to directing adventures on the high seas -- his track
record includes "Das Boot" and "The Perfect Storm." The production costs on the
special effects-filled Warner Bros. release are estimated at $150 million.
Lindsay Lohan's latest, "Just My Luck" (20th Century Fox), is tracking to
land in the third slot. Lohan plays the luckiest girl in the world who finds she
has swapped her good fortune for that of an unremittingly unlucky guy, played by
Chris Pine. Director Donald Petrie's PG-13 romance is targeting girls 11-17 but
will probably play slightly older as well.
Sony Pictures' "RV" most likely will take the fourth slot in its third
weekend. The Robin Williams family comedy had the lowest drop of the top-ranked
films last weekend and has generated about $33.3 million so far.
The only other film bowing in wide release this weekend is "Goal! The Dream
Begins," a PG-rated soccer drama that already has done well in several
international markets. Danny Cannon directed the Disney film, which stars Kuno
Becker and Alessandro Nivola.
"Goal!" centers on a young Latino who has the odds stacked against him and
makes his way from Los Angeles to England with dreams of becoming a professional
soccer player.
In the limited-release arena, Sony Pictures Classics opens "Sketches of Frank
Gehry" in two theaters in New York. Directed by Sydney Pollack, the biographical
documentary explores the famed architect's creative process.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter