As far as the box office goes, timing is everything. And, it seems like The Accountant 2, which was riding a terrific wave of buzz following its SXSW world premiere, might be a victim of timing, with the movie looking unlikely to beat Ryan Coogler’s Sinners at the box office this weekend. While the $48 million opening was considered solid, the film’s mid-week performance at the box office has been extraordinary. That aspect, coupled with the rare A CinemaScore rating, has many believing that the film will easily snatch the box office throne this weekend, despite the combined star power of Ben Affleck and Jon Bernthal.
As such, Sinners should be able to easily crack $30 million at the box office this weekend, while The Accountant 2 should make in the neighborhood of $20 million. Why so low? For one thing, The Accountant 2 is a sequel to a nine-year-old movie. While it did solid box office, it wasn’t a blockbuster; it became a major hit once it hit streaming and home media. That seems likely to happen for the sequel as well, as it’s targeting the over-35 audience who, increasingly, are choosing to watch movies at home rather than theatrically. The Accountant 2 is produced by Amazon/MGM, meaning it will eventually find a place streaming on Prime Video, where it will, no doubt, become one of their more popular titles. That said, I really liked the movie and would dig the hell out of an Accountant 3, so I’m hoping it does better than expected.
Another movie that could play the spoiler this week is the re-release of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Last year, The Phantom Menace opened to $8.8 million, but resales suggest Sith will at least double its take, and we’re predicting about $18 million. It would be a shame if this re-release topped The Accountant 2, but that’s where we are in the business today. A Minecraft Movie should hit fourth place with about $15 million, while King of Kings should round out the top five with $10 million.
Here are our predictions:
- Sinners: $30 million
- The Accountant 2: $20 million
- Revenge of the Sith: $18 million
- A Minecraft Movie: $15 million
- King of Kings: $10 million
What do you think will top the box office this weekend? Let us know!
