The summer is nearly over and to celebrate, the theaters are being loaded up with a bunch of films probably not good enough to do as well in the busier summer months. Don’t Breathe is expected to knock out Suicide Squad from the top spot while no other film is being projected to reach $10 million. Despite the smaller box office takes, there are 7 other films joining Don’t Breathe this week. That’s a lot so we better get right to MHT’s recommendations for what to see and not see for the week of August 26th:
Don’t Breathe
Theater Count: 3,051
Starring: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette
Buzz:
Low budget horror flicks are often the safest bet in Hollywood to turn a profit. Don’t Breathe features a budget just under $10 million which expects to make back in ticket sales in the first week of release. The only known commodity would be Stephen Lang who is best known for his role as the villain in Avatar. Estimates are all over the place for the horror thriller with a range of $10-20 million but all of the estimates put it in the top spot for the week.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
See it! While low budget horror is usually box office gold, it also can be box office poison. However, Don’t Breathe is bucking that trend.
Mechanic: Resurrection
Theater Count: 2,258
Starring: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh
Buzz:
The sequel to the 2011 remake of a 1972 film of the same name is a little perplexing. The remake wasn’t a huge box office success and received mixed reviews. With a $40 million budget, it’s difficult to understand the motivation for a sequel. Also, critics have not screened the sequel which is almost never a good sign.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
Skip it! If you loved the remake, you’re probably seeing it but if you are on the fence or have never seen the first film, there’s probably no reason to see the second.
Southside With You
Theater Count: 811
Starring: Parker Sawyers, Tika Sumpter
Buzz:
Before Barack Obama and Michelle became President and First Lady, they had to have met. Southside With You explores the first couple’s first date. To critic’s delight, the film has been received positively. The box office results will be interesting as this one has a limited audience for political reasons but should still have an adequate reception.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
See it! The generally favorable reviews and a total lack of romantic date movies this summer makes Southside With You one worth seeing.
Hands of Stone
Theater Count: 810
Starring: Edgar Ramirez, Robert De Niro, Ana de Armas, Usher Raymond, Ellen Barkin
Buzz:
The reviews for Hands of Stone have been mixed and even a little bit unfavorable and the somewhat limited wide release for a boxing movie with a decent budget ($20 million) is another caution flag. However, the Roberto Duran story is an interesting one and the film has a solid cast.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
See it! MHT is a sucker for a good boxing movie… and even a bad one.
Greater
Theater Count: 400
Starring: Neal McDonough, Michael Parks
Buzz:
If The Blind Side or Rudy got a faith-based facelift and threw in an emotional epilogue. This one looks to be an inspirational tearjerker and might have a sneaky success at the box office. It’s only receiving a release on 400 theaters initially but could see expansion if it starts off well.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
Skip it! Greater feels like one that can wait for home viewing.
Level Up
Theater Count: 27
Starring: Josh Bowman
Buzz:
Before seeing the list of releases this week, Level Up was not on the radar. After some research, the low budget British film is still just a blip. The film is about a 20-something layabout whose life seemingly appears to become a video game when his girlfriend is kidnapped.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
Skip it! Not really sure who this appeals to but the initial recommendation is to sit this one out.
The Hollars
Theater Count: 4
Starring: John Krasinski, Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, Anna Kendrick, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Richard Jenkins
Buzz:
Typically, a film like The Hollars relies on good critical reviews to see long term success. So far, it is not receiving the welcoming reception it needs which might mean the film fails to receive a wide release in the coming weeks.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
Skip it! It’s unlikely it’ll get the wide release most of us will need to see it anyway but The Hollars looks like a movie that has home viewing written all over it.
The Sea of Trees
Theater Count: 2
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts, Ken Watanabe, Katie Aselton
Buzz:
Yet another completely under the radar release, The Sea of Trees has Matthew McConaughey and is from A24. It’s also directed by Gus Van Santa and has a supporting cast featuring Naomi Watts and Ken Watanabe. How could this one go wrong? Well, critically, the reception is putrid as The Sea of Trees is sporting a very poor 10% Tomatometer. Hmmmmm.
See the Trailer:
MHT Hot Take:
Skip it! For the first time, an A24 movie is not receiving the stamp of approval here. Despite the cast and director, The Sea of Trees looks a little too melodramatic. Usually, this type of film scores well with critics so for it to not causes concern.
Box Office Recap (August 19th)
- Suicide Squad ($20,855,401)
- Sausage Party ($15,485,577)
- War Dogs ($14,685,305)
- Kubo and the Two Strings ($12,608,372)
- Pete’s Dragon ($11,349,938)
- Ben-Hur ($11,203,815)
- Jason Bourne ($8,016,895)
- Bad Moms ($7,946,885)
- The Secret Life of Pets ($5,880,500)
- Florence Foster Jenkins ($4,384,511)
Last week’s new releases failed to crack the top 2 spots with War Dogs, Kubo and the Two Strings and Ben-Hur finishing 3rd, 4th and 6th respectively. Suicide Squad earned a three-peat at the top and Sausage Party held as expected.
Box Office Predictions for August 26th Weekend
- Don’t Breathe ($18,000,000)
- Suicide Squad ($9,900,000)
- Sausage Party ($7,700,000)
- War Dogs ($7,400,000)
- Mechanic: Resurrection ($7,000,000)
- Kubo and the Two Strings ($6,900,000)
- Pete’s Dragon ($6,700,000)
- Ben-Hur ($5,000,000)
- Bad Moms ($4,900,000)
- Jason Bourne ($4,400,000)
The Secret Life of Pets ($3.7m), Hell or High Water ($3.3m), Florence Foster Jenkins ($3.2m), Hands of Stone ($2.3m), Star Trek Beyond ($1.9m)
While Don’t Breathe should take the top spot, none of the other débuts are expected to make a big splash. However, one movie to watch is Hell or High Water which has expanded to 900-plus screens and the $3.3 million estimation might be a little low.