Can ‘Don’t Breathe’ or ‘Mechanic’ sequel take down ‘Suicide Squad’?
Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto and Stephen Lang star in “Don’t Breathe.”
Low-budget horror movie “Don’t Breathe” and action sequel “Mechanic: Resurrection” will clash with “Suicide Squad” in this weekend’s box-office matchup as Hollywood crawls to the end of a mixed summer film season.
Warner Bros.’ DC antihero mash-up “Suicide Squad” has held the top spot at the box office for three weekends in a row, scoring $264 million in the U.S. and Canada in the process, even though it suffered poor reviews.
It should gross about $10 million at home Friday through Sunday, leaving room for two new wide releases to fight for moviegoers’ attention.
Sony Pictures’ “Don’t Breathe” appears to have the best chance at the No. 1 spot this weekend, bolstered by generally positive early reviews. The violent thriller about a group of friends whose home invasion plot goes horribly wrong could gross $12 million to $14 million through Sunday, according to people who have reviewed pre-release audience surveys.
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That would mark the latest financial success for Uruguay-born writer-director Fede Alvarez, best known for 2013’s “Evil Dead” remake. Alvarez has been in high demand in Hollywood since he was discovered through a short film uploaded to YouTube in 2009.
Well-reviewed horror fare is having a vibrant summer at the box office, with recent hits including “Lights Out” and “The Conjuring 2” from New Line Cinema, “The Shallows” from Sony and “The Purge: Election Year” from Universal Pictures.
“Don’t Breathe,” produced by Alvarez and “Evil Dead” series creator Sam Raimi, cost about $10 million to make.
The only other major wide release this weekend is “Mechanic: Resurrection,” a follow-up getting its release from Santa Monica studio Lionsgate. It’s expected to gross a modest $6 million to $8 million through Sunday.
The first in the Jason Statham franchise, “The Mechanic,” about an elite hit man, opened to $11 million when it was released by CBS Films in 2011. It eventually grossed $62 million worldwide. In the new film, Statham, known for action roles in the “Fast & Furious” and “Crank” franchises, is joined by costars Jessica Alba and Tommy Lee Jones.
Meanwhile, Weinstein Co. is premiering the new Robert DeNiro boxing drama “Hands of Stone” in a mid-level release of about 800 theaters. It had originally been planned for a wider push, but the company recently decided to scale back its release plans. It is expected to take in less than $6 million.
The film tells the story of Panamanian fighter Roberto Duran (Edgar Ramirez), who became a world champion with the help of legendary coach Ray Arcel (De Niro). Music star Usher plays legendary boxer Sugar Ray Leonard.
Late August usually means slow business for Hollywood as the summer movie season winds down. That appears to be the case this year, especially coming after the weak results from MGM and Paramount Pictures’ big-budget remake of “Ben-Hur.” The $100-million movie debuted to a weak $11.2 million last weekend.
Overall domestic ticket sales are up slightly compared with last year, despite high-profile flops and disappointments including “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and “Independence Day: Resurgence.” Ticket sales have hit $4.1 billion since the first weekend of May, up 3% from the same period of time in 2015.
Follow Ryan Faughnder on Twitter for more entertainment business coverage: @rfaughnder
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