The Reject Report: Ben Stiller is Breaking Hearts and Taking Names
Posted by John Cairns (jcairns@filmschoolrejects.com) on October 4, 2007
Welcome once again to another heart-breaking edition of The Reject Report. This week we have several movies on tap at the box office, including The Heartbreak Kid. Yes, this is that much-anticipated Ben Stiller reunion with the Farrelly Brothers, those same guys who brought you There’s Something About Mary. The question is: will this movie be as big a hit, or even as good, as There’s Something About Mary?
That’s the big question this week. Now, to the latest movies.
The Heartbreak Kid , the big release this week, looks to be in the same league as these other Wedding Crashers-type movies that we have seen. It’s a remake of the Seventies movie of the same name that starred Charles Grodin and Cybill Shepherd. This one features Ben Stiller as this guy who wouldn’t commit, until he meets gorgeous Malin Akerman. And he gets married! Unfortunately, it turns out Malin’s character is a complete psycho. A real piece of work. So Stiller finds himself longing for the gorgeous good-girl brunette, played by Michelle Monaghan.
I look at this movie and I think this is a flick that ought to be able to pull in $25 to $30 million. The question I have is, how many people out there think this is going to be a piece of junk like Good Luck Chuck? I think that Dane Cook movie did quite a job to hurt The Heartbreak Kid’s chances at the box office. Everyone is going to say how unoriginal The Heartbreak Kid is, and how it’s not on the same level of There’s Something About Mary — even if the movie turns out to be good. That’s my two cents. So I will say $26 million for The Heartbreak Kid, which is opening wide on over 3200 theaters this weekend.. By the way, it’s also rated R, so a lot of kids aren’t going to be able to see it. Which is probably a good thing when you think of it.
The Seeker: The Dark is Rising is from Fox, and opens in 3141 theaters, almost as many as The Heartbreak Kid. This is based on the second of a five-part book series by Susan Cooper. It stars Alexander Ludwig as Will Stanton, He finds out he’s the last of a long line of warriors called The Old Ones, who must do battle against the forces of evil bringing The Darkness to the world. This movie also stars Ian McShane and Frances Conroy.
Based on the theater count alone I have to think this is going to do some business, and it’s a fantasy movie so I’m sure the fantasy crowd will see it. But I don’t get the sense we are in Harry Potter territory with this one. So I will say $13 mil.
Feel the Noise is a music drama from Sony BMG opening on 1015 screens. It’s a story about a kid from the South Bronx with big dreams of becoming a big-time rapper. Problem is he has a run-in with a gang and has to flee to Puerto Rico to be with his estranged father. The movie stars Omarion Grandberry, Giancarlo Esposito and Victor Rasuk. Anyway I think the fans of inner-city movies might want to go see this one. $4 million is my guess.
Finally, expanding this week is the Jane Austen Book Club. It’s about five women and one guy who get together to discuss the works of author Jane Austen, and they end up having their love lives play out as if it’s a modern version of one of her novels. This played at the Toronto International Film Festival, and it stars such names as Emily Blunt, Maria Bello, Hugh Dancy, Kathy Baker and Amy Brenneman. Looks like a chick flick to me. Anyway, $3 million would be my guess.
So here is how the box office picture looks this week:
| Release | Studio | Predicted Gross |
| The Heartbreak Kid | Dreamworks | $26,000,000 |
| The Seeker: The Dark is Rising | Fox-Walden | $13,000,000 |
| The Game Plan | Buena Vista | $12,000,000 |
| The Kingdom | Universal | $11,500,000 |
| Resident Evil: Extinction | Screengems | $5,000,000 |
| Feel the Noise | Columbia | $4,000,000 |
| Good Luck Chuck | Lionsgate | $3,400,000 |
| 3:10 to Yuma | Lionsgate | $3,300,000 |
| The Jane Austen Book Club | Sony Pictures Classics | $3,000,000 |
| The Brave One | Warner Bros. | $2,800,000 |
I should note that I’ve been reading Box Office Mojo and it seems The Kingdom ended up beating The Game Plan during the week to finish as the top movie in the USA on several nights. So I think it will be a close finish between those two this weekend again. What The Game Plan has going of it is the fact that it can take advantage of a lot of weekend matinees where the kids go out in full force to watch flicks. So I see that movie regaining its advantage over The Kingdom.
That’s that for my predictions this week. See you on Monday, as we’ll find out how heartbroken the executives in Hollywood are after the weekend is over.
Read more articles by John Cairns
