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Box Office Preview: 'Expendables' to wreak havoc

Updated: 2010-08-13 09:04

(Agencies)

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LOS ANGELES – Looks like Friday the 13th will bring good luck to the movie industry as Lionsgate's "The Expendables" wreaks weekend havoc with an expected gross in the $35 million-plus range.

Directed by and starring Sylvester Stallone, this new arrival takes the notion of star power to a whole new level by enlisting a veritable who's who of the action world, including Jason Statham, Jet Li, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren and Steve Austin. By flexing its considerable muscle, "The Expendables" looks to dispatch all comers in this weekend's box office smackdown.

The second spot will likely be filled by the softer, gentler "Eat Pray Love," Sony's highly anticipated, big-screen version of Elizabeth Gilbert's best-selling novel, starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem.

The film will likely gross in the $20 million range, but should also generate solid word-of-mouth and respectable returns over the long haul. With exotic locations, noteworthy performances and a very "un-Expendable"-style sensitivity, women will be lining up to follow this romantic journey of enlightenment that features one of the biggest female stars in the world.

In the battle for third place, it should be "Scott Pilgrim" vs. "The Other Guys," with grosses in the $15 million to $17 million range.

Unique and visually stunning, Universal's debuting "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" starring Michael Cera will attempt to wrestle the young male demographic away from Sony's "The Other Guys," last weekend's No. 1 film, but not without a major challenge from stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

Of course, Warner Bros.' "Inception" will continue to be a factor in the top-five derby with yet another impressively small drop in the mid to high 30 percent range that will likely land it in fifth place with a gross of more than $10 million.

A major box office milestone is also in the cards this weekend as Disney's "Toy Story 3" looks to become only the 11th film in history to cross the $400 million mark in domestic revenue.