Mr. Predicto: Summer 2009 Box Office
I'm dusting off the blog for my favorite annual entry: predicting the top-grossing movies of the summer. This year there are so many strong contenders for box-office glory, I'm expanding it to a top 15.
First, I think that
Harry Potter is in the driver's seat to take the top spot, for one reason: pent-up demand. You have a rabid J.K. Rowling fanbase that no longer has any books left to look forward to, plus the fact that this movie was
pushed back from its original November release date. I could see
Transformers or
Terminator (in a back-to-back for Christian Bale) threatening for the top spot, but in the end, you can't beat an established, kid-friendly, multi-media global franchise.
As for other storylines, I think
Land of the Lost will fail to appeal to anyone under 40, the melodramatic
Funny People will end the Apatow winning streak, and
Public Enemies will entertain critics, draw in some adults, but won't have the broad appeal of your typical Independence Day release. On the flip side,
Star Trek will ride great reviews to full-fledged comeback, Meryl Streep and Sandra Bullock will draw in their loyal female audiences,
The Hangover will be a comedy sleeper hit and the
outrageous Bruno will end up being the most buzzworthy hit among the cool kids.
Here are my picks for how the US box office totals will look on Labor Day:
1. Harry Potter - $410 million
2. Transformers 2 - $350 million
3. Star Trek - $310 million
4. Wolverine - $250 million
5. Terminator: Salvation - $220 million
6. Up - $210 million
7. Ice Age 3 - $200 million
8. Night at the Museum 2 - $160 million
9. Bruno - $140 million
10. Julie and Julia - $120 million
11. G.I. Joe - $115 million
12. Imagine That - $110 million
13. Public Enemies - $105 million
14. The Proposal - $100 million
15. The Hangover - $95 million