How will Watchmen do in its second week? That’s what I, and possibly everyone in Hollywood wants to know. Well, not so good, we get to know as the first numbers are coming in.
Here are Friday’s estimates. Watchmen came in at the third place, down 80% compared to last Friday, with 5 million. The Last House on the Left made 5.5 million. And at the first place, Race to Witch Mountain with The Rock, made a good 6.5 million.
Watchmen’s screenplay writer urged every fanboy to go to Watchmen again this weekend. But hey, the fanboys can’t save this movie. I mean, it could make a difference of a couple of million, at the most. Plus, not all the Watchmen fans are embracing this adaptation.
This means Race to Witch Mountain is expected to win this weekend with 25 million. Last House on the Left should make around 15 million. And Watchmen won’t do a lot more than 16 million.
So unless it has an amazing second weekend overseas, I regret to say Watchmen will be a failure at the box office. Not a big one, but still a failure.
Remember, Warner has to share its profits with Fox after a legal battle and Paramount for overseas distribution. This, plus normal costs like the 150 million production budget, high marketing costs and the percentage that goes to the theaters, will result in no leftovers for Warner.
I’ll have the final domestic numbers and the overseas box office after the weekend.
The Last House on the Left other (1:34 minutes) added to the Cultjer video catalog on March 14th, 2009.