Transformers 2 made more money than you and everyone you know will ever make in your entire life. The end.
6/3
Wide
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) vs. John Dillinger (Johnny Depp).
WILL IT SUCK?
Gotta say I agree with the choice of director. Michael Mann (who co-writes) made his bones on cops and robbers. One of his co-writers, Ann Biderman, also has some good crime under her belt (Primal Fear
Early buzz is good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
It’s Purvis vs. Dillinger, not Batman vs. Jack Sparrow. Ice Age will pull any demo that might otherwise make that mistake. $78mil.
ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
In case you were wondering, yes, they do have a plausible explanation for dinosaurs being around during the Ice Age. Well, an explanation, anyway.
WILL IT SUCK?
Co-director of the original and director of the sequel is back, along with writers from the original plus Simpsons vet Mike Reiss. So there’s hope. Also Simon Pegg joins the voice cast, and that’s always fun.
Early buzz is very good.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Ice Age movies are only getting bigger grosses, but this is the first time they’ve launched in the summer. 2nd frame of Transformers is nothing to sneeze at, but at least there’s a cushion of a weekend before Harry Potter hits. $205mil.
Limited
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
How to Lose a Guy in Five Dates
WILL IT SUCK?
Wasn’t Nia Vardolos just in a romantic comedy? This one has more in common with Big Fat Greek however, given that she wrote it and co-stars with her Greek co-star John Corbett. Also her directorial debut. And how they kept Judah Friedlander out of the trailer is beyond me. Vardolos penning the screenplay tips the odds in favor of not suck.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Meh returns for Ruins bode poorly for this. $10mil.
WHAT’S THE PITCH?
Guy falls for girl and his bodyguard gets involved somehow.
WILL IT SUCK?
Early buzz is meh. From writer/director Anne Fontaine whose Coco Chanel biopic starring Audrey Tatou has yet to hit the States. This is considered her least impressive work by IMDb’ers. (The Chanel pic, btw, is considered her best).
Co-written by Benoit Graffin, which I only bring up because he also wrote Priceless (also w/ Tatou), which you should go see now.
HOW WELL WILL IT DO?
Likely to be overshadowed. $750,000.
Next Week: Two dudes bang each other, and neither one is named Brüno.
Gosh, lots of female screenwriters this week!