Box Office: “Angry Birds” eats Captain America’s lunch, “Neighbors” underwhelms, “Nice Guys” finish last

boxoffice

A bad weekend for any potential re-launch of Russell Crowe’s big screen career. That April “Saturday Night Live” bombing is followed by a somewhat over-rated, financially underwhelming “Nice Guys” opening weekend.

Great, or at least consistently positive reviews aren’t helping this violent action comedy get to $11 million, according to Deadline.com’s prognosis, based on Thursday night/all day Friday numbers. Wow. Predictions ranged in the $15-20 million range, thanks to the reviews, the laughs and Ryan Gosling. Nope. Warners’ gamble didn’t pay off. Nobody wants to go back to the Shane Black/Joel Silverman ’80s.

“The Angry Birds Movie” was the worst reviewed wide release to open this weekend, and it, being animated and in 3D, will clear $40 million. Parents may grimace and wished they’d read a review, but whatever. The high end of expectations was around $44, so that’s a win.

“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising” shows that brand had less sequel value than Universal thought. Predictions that it might win the weekend, or hit the mid $30s, are down the drain. Thursday night put it on track to do well, Friday tamped down expectations. A $20 million weekend is the baseline, now. Maybe they’ll recover to $25 or so. Maybe.

“Captain America: Civil War,” the first summer movie and first blockbuster of the summer, has added another $33 million, or will have by midnight Sunday. Three weeks at number 1 didn’t quite happen.

“Zootopia” is still in the top ten after 12 weeks, $330 million richer.

 

About Roger Moore

Movie Critic, formerly with McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Orlando Sentinel, published in Spin Magazine, The World and now published here, Orlando Magazine, Autoweek Magazine
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