Title: Gerard Butler and "Den of Thieves 2" Targeting Weekend Box Office Victory
Den of Thieves 2, starring Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr., is aiming to dethrone Mufasa: The Lion King from the top spot at the box office. As per Deadline, this action crime thriller sequel, produced by Lionsgate, is projected to rake in $15 million in its opening weekend from 3,008 North American theaters.
Should the prediction hold true, Den of Thieves 2's opening weekend earnings would be enough to bump Mufasa: The Lion King off its throne, a position it's held since the Christmas weekend. Deadline expects Disney's live-action prequel to The Lion King to earn $11.7 million in the same period from 3,620 theaters, boosting its domestic total to $187.2 million.
Taking the third spot is Paramount Pictures' live-action and animated hybrid Sonic the Hedgehog 3, with an estimated $8.67 million from 3,582 North American theaters. Focus Features' Nosferatu, director Robert Eggers' remake of the 1922 horror classic, is projected to earn $6.3 million from 3,082 theaters.
Rounding off the top five is Disney's Moana 2, which Deadline expects to earn $5.9 million from 3,170 North American theaters.
The Last Showgirl, a drama from Roadside Attractions, is projected to debut in the top 10 with $1.35 million from 870 North American theaters after a qualifying awards season run and Pamela Anderson's SAG Award nomination. This leaves Different Man, the Robbie Williams fantasy music biopic, to open outside the top 10 with $1.1 million from 1,291 theaters.
Note: This report will be updated throughout the weekend with new domestic and international box office information as it becomes available. The final numbers for this weekend's box office will be released on Monday.
References:1. Deadline2. Screen Rant3. Box Office Mojo4. Variety5. The Hollywood Reporter
Insights:- This weekend's box office battle features a mix of sequels, remakes, and original films.- The projected opening weekend earnings for Den of Thieves 2: Pantera are higher than its actual opening results, showing the potential for higher earnings.- The Lion King prequel, Mufasa, has held the top spot since the Christmas weekend, indicating a stronghold in the market.- The performance of Den of Thieves 2: Pantera compared to its predecessor and international box office titles highlights its success.- Different Man, the Robbie Williams biopic, debuts outside of the top 10 with lower anticipated earnings. The Last Showgirl marks a notable entry with its qualifying awards season run and nominations.
Den of Thieves 2, with Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr., is not the only Gerard Butler movie vying for attention at the box office. His other films such as 'London Has Fallen' and 'Greenland' have also performed well in the past.
Nosferatu, directed by Robert Eggers, is not the only horror movie making waves at the box office. Many famous horror classics like 'Nosferatu' (1922) and 'The Exorcist' have had significant impact on cinema and box office success.
Mufasa: The Lion King's box office reign may be challenged by Den of Thieves 2, but it's not the only film in the top 5 with animal themes. Moana 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 also feature animals prominently.
The weekend box office results for Den of Thieves 2: Pantera and other movies like 'Mufasa: The Lion King' and 'Sonic the Hedgehog 3' will be closely watched by industry analysts to gauge audience interest in sequels and remakes.
