Welcome to this week’s “Preview Reel” column, wherein we look at the week’s upcoming wide-release movies. Last week was an especially slow week as Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017) regained the top spot from Maze Runner: The Death Cure. That likely won’t happen this week as there are three big releases aiming at different demographics. The final chapter of the Fifty Shades series whips into theaters, while Peter Rabbit is aimed towards family audiences, and The 15:17 to Paris looks to please the older demographic. Let’s see which comes out on top.
Fifty Shades Freed
What we are worried about: The series has its fans and apparently has done a nice job of appealing to that base. The box office for the first two movies was huge, so there is no need to change the formula at this point. This series won’t take any risks to appeal to a larger fan base, so it’s probably just going to be of the same quality as the first two, and that gives us a lot to worry about.
The Buzz: Universal has done a nice job of slowly building buzz over the last couple of weeks and this feels like the first big movie of 2018. Reviews are similar to the first two installments (14% on RottenTomatoes and 30 on MetaCritic) so the series isn’t likely to grab any new fans. There’s probably going to be a small decrease from last year’s installment, but still look for it to grab an impressive $33 million.
Final Thoughts: It’s over, it’s finally over.
Peter Rabbit
What we are worried about: The trailers are very silly, even for a kids’ movie. Unlike a Disney or Pixar movie, Sony seems content with just appealing to small children with this one. Which is fine, but it probably means the whole family won’t find a lot to enjoy. It has the potential to be more, but the trailers make it seem like it won’t be.
The Buzz: The buzz is appropriate for a non-Disney family movie as some are excited to have a family movie out that isn’t Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle. The reviews have been mostly positive as it sits at 68% on RottenTomatoes and 56 on MetaCritic. Look for an opening around $20 million.
Final Thoughts: We won’t be hopping to the theater to see this one, but if you have little ones, this might be a fine option.
The 15:17 to Paris
What we are worried about: Since 2010, Clint Eastwood has been a very pedestrian director. For every American Sniper (2014), there’s a Hereafter (2010). He makes a successful movie about a true-life person in Sully (2016), but J. Edgar (2011) was a failure. We’re hoping the real-life heroes angle is more than a gimmick, but given his spotty track record, we’re not all that confident in Eastwood.
The Buzz: The internet was pretty positive on this movie up until the reviews started coming out. They have not been good as it currently sits 26% on RottenTomatoes and 48 on MetaCritic, which won’t help the movie stand out from the crowded marketplace. Look for an opening around $15 million.
Final Thoughts: This one seems to be more like J. Edgar than American Sniper.
Scott Davis
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