It’s the weekend before Christmas, and with a bevy of new releases in theatres, it’s going to be extremely interesting to see how the numbers shape up.
Aquaman, starring Jason Momoa as the titular character, arrives with a huge amount of hype, thanks to its DC Comics pedigree, director James Wan’s cache, and Momoa’s amazing star power. While he may not be a box office draw yet, the actor has been working hard to spread the word about the film. He’s the exact sort of star Warner and DC need to make this franchise work, handsome and charismatic, and clearly enamoured with his character and the opportunity it’s giving him. Reviews have been ok Aquaman, certainly stronger than Justice League, and the film should have little trouble topping the box office in its debut weekend. Look for it to hit $90 million on its way to first place.
Also new is Bumblebee, a reboot of the Transformers film franchise that mercifully appears to have little to no involvement from Michael Bay, who is only credited this time as Executive Producer. Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena topline this film featuring arguably the most popular Transformer ever, and reviews have been very kind indeed for a film that is said to recall E.T.. The film is currently sitting at 94% at Rotten Tomatoes which, lets face it, is unheard of for every other Transformers film. Look for Bumblebee to surprise some and debut in second place with $46 million.
Mary Poppins Returns arrived in theatres this past Wednesday and has been performing very well, and should continue to do so over the weekend. Again, reviews have been favourable, and families will appreciate another option so close to the holidays. Look for a third place finish with $44 million.
As for the rest of the top five, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse will drop to fourth place with $20 million, while The Mule will close things out in fifth with $12 million.
So, to recap, here are our predictions:
1) Aquaman – $90 million
2) Bumblebee – $46 million
3) Mary Poppins Returns – $44 million
4) Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse – $20 million
5) The Mule – $12 million
Be sure to check back on Sunday to see how the weekend turns out!
