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Weapons and Freakier Friday in Tight Race for Summer Box Office Top Spot
6 Aug
Summary
- Weapons and Freakier Friday expected to earn $30M+ each this weekend
- Weapons has edge with potential $40M take, strong presales, and critical acclaim
- Freakier Friday targeting women 17-34 and teens, with $3M in presales
As the summer box office season nears its end, two major releases are set to battle it out for the top spot this weekend. New Line's horror film Weapons and Disney's comedy Freakier Friday are both expected to earn over $30 million, making for a tight race.
According to distribution sources, the Zach Cregger-directed Weapons has a slight edge, with the potential to earn a mid-$30 million to $40 million opening. The film, which follows a mysterious disappearance of a class of schoolchildren, has generated significant buzz, with AMC reporting presales ahead of the 2002 zombie hit 28 Days Later. Meanwhile, Freakier Friday, a sequel to the 2003 film starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis, is targeting a $30 million debut.
Weapons' advantage lies in its R-rating, which has secured it the majority of IMAX and premium large format (PLF) screens. The film also boasts strong definite interest tracking across all demographics, a rarity for a horror title. In contrast, Freakier Friday's definite interest is primarily among female audiences.
While Freakier Friday may dominate the middle of the country, which tends to favor PG-rated films, Weapons' critical acclaim, with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, could give it an edge. The original Freaky Friday was also well-received, with an 88% fresh rating and an A- CinemaScore.
As the summer box office season comes to a close, this weekend's showdown between Weapons and Freakier Friday promises to be one of the most exciting and closely watched battles of the season.
