Weekend Actuals: 'Mockingjay' Flies But Also Misses the Mark, Few Audiences Experience 'The Night Before', Fail to See the 'Secret in Their Eyes'

     Three new wide releases fell well short of expectations this weekend, although it's pretty hard to think of them as flops. Still, the conclusion to a once very popular franchise barely made it past the centurion mark while past installments went past $120 million, and the star power of the other films should have gotten them much better grosses.

     Taking the #1 spot, the highly-anticipated 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2' opened in 4,000 locations and earned $102.7 million, easily marking a franchise low. Making $24,591 per theater (also a series low), 'Mockingjay' was off 15.8% from the $121.9 million opening of 'Mockingjay - Part 1' last year, and was way behind the $150m+ weekends of the first two. It started out with $45.6 million on Friday (including an estimated $16m from Thursday night) and dropped 25.8% on Saturday to gross $33.8 million. It fell another 31.3% on Sunday and made $23.2 million, putting the weekend-to-Friday ratio at 2.25-to-1, which is among the stronger weekend holds of the franchise.
     This performance is somewhat shocking, since reviews are an improvement over its predecessor (70% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to 'Part 1''s 65% score), word-of-mouth is on par ('A-' CinemaScore), Jennifer Lawrence's star power doesn't seem to be fading yet, and YA finales usually tend to experience increased grosses from the previous installments ('Twilight' ($141.1m) and 'Harry Potter' ($169.2m) both set (or almost set) franchise highs). Unfortunately, after the breakout performance of the first two installments ($152.5m and $158.1m weekends), franchise fatigue began to set in. 'Mockingjay - Part 2' didn't do a good-enough job to differentiate itself from its predecessor, and the Flixter score eroded rather quickly going through the weekend (81% to 77%). The marketing wasn't really pushing audiences to go out and see this, which would have also caused problems. Plus, the hype for 'Star Wars' has been going on ever since it was announced, so more casual audiences probably decided to save their money for that. The trailers and social media activity as well as last night's tribute at the American Music Awards definitely sealed the deal for fans and presented itself to the ones that don't really know what it is. Therefore, 'Hunger Games' doesn't have nearly as much potential as 'Star Wars', and the interest in that movie definitely muted grosses a bit.
     However, with one of the most back-loaded weekends in the franchise and its smaller-scale opening, 'Mockingjay - Part 2' could be able to hold up much better than its predecessors and could be the first one to get a 3x multiplier, but just to be safe I'm going with a $260-$285 million finish, but anything above that is more than welcome.
     In second place, 'Spectre' kept running behind expectations with $15 million, down a sizable 55.3% from last weekend. That is worse than all the other Craig-as-Bond films, being a bit off from the 50.9% decline of 'Quantum of Solace' and not even close to the 13.6% and 29.5% drops of 'Skyfall' and 'Casino Royale'. The $245-million spy film from Sony has earned $154.1 million, and if it keeps holding up the way it is now it will have trouble getting past $185 million. But don't feel bad for 'Spectre', as it has already made $677.4 million worldwide and will take a shot at $1 billion.
     'The Peanuts Movie' took another rather steep drop this weekend, falling 45% and making $13.2 million for a new $99.3 million cume. For a strongly-reviewed animated film, 'Peanuts' has been front-loaded for the most part, but nevertheless is still performing solidly. $150 million should still be possible.
     'The Night Before', a $25-million comedy starring Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, performed modestly in fourth, raking in $9.9 million from 2,960 theaters for a $3,338 average. Compared to Rogen's latest works, this is more of a disappointing start. Instead of matching the likes of 'This is the End' ($20.7m) and 'Neighbors' ($49m), it performed more in line with 2011's '50/50', another low-budget R-rated comedy starring Rogen and Gordon-Levitt, which opened to $8.6 million. Marketing was modest at the very most, marking it as a low-profile release this weekend. Plus, Gordon-Levitt and Mackie, albeit recognizable, aren't guaranteed box office draws. Gordon-Levitt stumbled with his latest film 'The Walk' ($3.7m opening), and Mackie hasn't found much success outside the Marvel canon ('Our Brand is Crisis' flopped with just $3.2m).

     The raunchy R-rated comedy began with $3.6 million on Friday, had an uptick of 6.7% on Saturday to gross $3.8 million, and fell 33.7% on Sunday and made $2.5 million. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at a back-loaded 2.75-to-1, which is a bit off from '50/50''s 2.97-to-1. With mostly encouraging reviews (66% on RT) and word-of-mouth (77% Flixter), and its nature as a holiday film, $45 million could be a lock.

     The $19.5-million crime thriller led by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman, and Julia Roberts 'Secret in Their Eyes' opened with a disappointing $6.7 million, which is less than what pre-release tracking suggested ($7m-$11m weekend). It gained a weak $2,781 per-theater average from 2,392 locations. 'Secret' likely suffered from uneventful reviews (43% Tomatometer) and shameful word-of-mouth ('B-' CinemaScore). Beginning with $2.3 million on Friday, 'Secret' increased 13% on Saturday and earned $2.6 million, and declined 35.9% the next day to make $1.7 million. The weekend-to-Friday ratio here is an admittedly strong 2.91-to-1. With tough competition ('Bridge of Spies', 'Martian', 'Spectre', etc.) competing for adult audiences already, a breakout performance wasn't really expected of 'Secret'. Assuming it can get past its reviews and CinemaScore, 'Secret' will try to make a run at $25 million.
     With $4.1 million this weekend, 'Love the Coopers' dropped 50.3% from its opening. That is a worse hold than one would predict, but its pretty clear now that reviews and word-of-mouth are making at least a small impact on its performance. Still, 'Coopers' has collected a solid $15.1 million in two weeks, and although it might suffer weaker drops in the future, it should get past $22 million.
     'The Martian' experienced its worse hold yet, but that one wasn't even past 45%. Dropping 43.4%, the $108-million Matt Damon led sci-fi made $3.8 million over the weekend. It has so far made a strong $213.1 million, and $220 million isn't out of the question.
     Jumping up four spots from last weekend, 'Spotlight' increased another whopping 160.7% and made $3.5 million. The critically-acclaimed drama continues performing very strongly as it expanded into 598 locations this weekend, and has so far brought in a solid $5.8 million.
     'The 33' plummeted 59.5% to gross $2.3 million. Solid word-of-mouth apparently couldn't save it from bad reviews and general disinterest in the film. The disaster drama has made a terrible $10 million, and $15 million is going to be hard to get to at this point.
     'Bridge of Spies' finally dropped more than 50%, with $2 million due to it losing 1,156 theaters this weekend. Still, with $65.2 million in the bank so far, being called a disappointment is far from the actual truth. $70 million might be able to be reached, but $67 million is more likely.
     'Goosebumps' also dropped more than 50% for the first time, and in fact almost hit 60% after losing 1,018 locations. The $58-million horror comedy dropped 59.8% and grossed $1.9 million. With $76.1 million, $80 million is still a likely total.
     'Spotlight' wasn't the only limited release to receive a huge bump this weekend. The period drama 'Brooklyn' rocketed up nine spots and 141.8% and grossed $1.2 million. It has made $2.2 million as of now, and will look to expand into more locations.
     Overall, the weekend's Top 12 grossed $166.3 million, which is up an outstanding 72.6% from last weekend but down a disappointing 10.9% when 'Mockingjay - Part 1' (at the time) set a new series low with $121.9 million.
     Next weekend, or should I say, this Wednesday, three new wide releases open over the 5-day Thanksgiving weekend. They include the likes 'Creed', the new spin-off of the beloved 'Rocky franchise, 'The Good Dinosaur', Pixar's latest animated treat, and 'Victor Frankenstein', a sci-fi horror based on the popular legend starring two of the most famous English actors there are.
     
    

Weekend Estimates: 'Spectre' and 'Peanuts' Hold On as 'Coopers' Find Box Office 'Love', 'The 33' Collapses and 'My All American' Not On Game

     While last weekend's top openers held up strongly this weekend, only one of the new wide releases managed a solid debut while the others were outright disappointments. Meanwhile, Universal's latest limited release underwhelmed and a Bollywood production found an audience.
     Dropping a mostly unexpected 49.7%, the $245-million Daniel Craig led spy movie 'Spectre' earned a solid $35.4 million for a $130.7 million cume. That hold is better than that of 'Skyfall' (-53.5%) and 'Quantum of Solace' (-60.4%), and is the best one since 'Casino Royale' (-24.6%). Coming off its unspectacular debut last weekend as well as mixed reviews (63% on Rotten Tomatoes), everybody expected a 50%+ decline, but word-of-mouth ('A-' CinemaScore and 68% Flixter) has been more than encouraging towards the film. If it continues its strong holds, $190 million should be in reach.

     In second place, 'The Peanuts Movie' dropped 45.3% from its debut last weekend and grossed $24.2 million. While that represents a solid hold, it is a fairly larger one than recent November animated openers ('Big Hero 6' dropped 38.3% and 'Megamind' with 36.7%), suggesting that the fanbase likely rushed out on opening weekend, causing more front-loading than usual. However, 'Peanuts' still has a solid $82.5 million total so far, and reviews (85% on RT) and word-of-mouth (85% Flixter) are very positive. $170 million should still be in reach.
     Leading the weekend's newcomers, CBS Films' $17-million Christmas comedy 'Love the Coopers' debuted to an excellent $8.4 million. With a $3,227 per-theater average, 'Coopers' has the seventh-highest debut for a CBS film. Starting out with $2.82 million on Friday, 'Coopers' increased a strong 22.7% on Saturday to gross $3.46 million and is expected to fall 38.7% on Sunday to earn $2.12 million. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at a back-loaded 2.98-to-1. While this is usually a good sign going forward, the comedy has garnered a paltry 17% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 46% Flixter score. A 'B-' CinemaScore won't help matters either, but due to its nature as a holiday release, it's almost guaranteed for a lengthy run a the box office. Expect a total of over $30 million.
      In fourth place, 'The Martian' slipped just 25.9% and made $6.7 million. The $108-million Matt Damon led sci-fi has so far grossed an estimated $207.4 million (ranking sixth among 2015 releases), and $220 million could still be a possibility.
     Rounding out the Top 5, Warner Bros.' $26-million mining drama 'The 33' opened with a disappointing $5.8 million for a $2,384 per-theater take. '33' opened below its already modest pre-release expectations ($7m-$13m), and debuted 48.7% below 'Selma' ($11.3m) and 56.1% below the nationwide expansion of 'Everest' ($13.2m), another disaster-based disappointment. Although Antonio Banderas is a recognizable star, he probably didn't have enough drawing power to rake in a large number of audiences. Mixed reviews didn't help matters either, with a meager 40% on Rotten Tomatoes). '33' began with $1.8 million on Friday, increased 28.6% on Saturday to earn $2.4 million, and is estimated to drop 30.1% on Sunday and gross $1.7 million. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at 3.22-to-1, which could suggest strong legs going forward. Word-of-mouth is mostly positive too, with a 67% Flixter rating. Still, even if that's the case, it still won't make that much due to a lackluster debut, and $20 million or lower is a likely scenario.
     'Goosebumps' placed in sixth place this weekend, grossing $4.7 million and easing 31.7%. The $58-million horror comedy from Sony has so far grossed a strong $73.5 million, and $80 million definitely isn't out of the question.
     'Bridge of Spies' followed in a close seventh, with $4.3 million. The $40-million Steven Spielberg directed Tom Hanks led Cold War thriller slid a slim 26.5% from last weekend, adding to its new $61.7 million total. At this point, getting past $65 million shouldn't be a problem.
     The new Bollywood film, this time a musical, called 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo' debuted to an excellent $2.4 million this weekend for a $8,392 average from just 286 locations. It began on Thursday to make $387.4k, increased a whopping 79.1% on Friday, earning $694k, increased another 41.8% on Saturday to gross $984k, and should decline a small 26.6% on Sunday to make $722k. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at 3.46-to-1. That is a very encouraging sign for the long run, and $8 million and up is likely.
     'Hotel Transylvania 2' grossed $2.35 million this weekend, down 34.8%. The $80-million animated comedy has so far earned $165.2 million, and it remains to be seen if it can push past $168 million or not.
     'The Last Witch Hunter' arguably had a solid hold this weekend, dropping 42.3% and grossing $1.5 million. Still, that doesn't make up for the lackluster $26.1 million total against its $90 million budget. Unfortunately, getting to $30 million will be a challenge for the big-budget action fantasy.
     'Spotlight' rose a HUGE 374% after expanding to 61 locations this weekend. The $20-million ensemble led drama earned a respectable $1.4 million and a $22,925 average over the weekend. With studio plans to further expand the film, it should continue to bring up impressive numbers throughout its release.
     Barely rounding out the Top 12, the $20-million football drama 'My All American' bombed with just $1.4 million for a sad, shameful $889 per-theater average. Although opening so close to fellow faith-based football movie 'Woodlawn' probably didn't have much of an impact on opening weekend gross, reviews probably did as it has a terrible 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences greatly enjoyed it however, with 89% of them giving it a thumbs up. Still, don't expect great holds or any significant numbers going forward. $4 million should be possible.
     'By the Sea', the $10-million Angelina Jolie directed Brad Pitt / Jolie led drama, made just $95.4k from 10 locations for an uneventful $9,544 per-theater average. It will be expanding into more locations next weekend, and will have to hope for a more impressive number as reviews (32% on RT) and word-of-mouth (63% Flixter) aren't that reliable at this point.
     Overall, the Top 12 this weekend made $98.5 million, which is down 34.9% from last weekend. It is also down 23.9% from last year when 'Dumb and Dumber To' led the pack with $36.1 million.
     Next weekend will likely be one of the busiest of the year, as the very highly-anticipated 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2' will try to rebound on the disappointment last year and the Seth Rogen / Anthony Mackie / Joseph Gordon-Levitt led R-rated comedy 'The Night Before' steps into theaters. Also, the low-budget revenge thriller 'Secret in Their Eyes' will try to pull off a 'Taken' style debut.

Weekend Actuals: 'Spectre' and 'Peanuts' Take Flight as 2015 Box Office is Revived

     Although the #1 film debuted on the low end of expectations, it and second place still shook up nice debuts that brought the box office roaring back to life. They weren't the only shining stars of the weekend though, as a handful of limited releases raked in impressive numbers as well.
     Standing at the #1 spot is the 24th entry in the James Bond franchise, 'Spectre', which opened to a solid $70.4 million. That ranks as the second-biggest debut ever for a bond film, beating the $67.5 million debut of 'Quantum of Solace' and behind 'Skyfall''s $88.4 million opening ($90.6m if you count the Thursday grosses). Averaging out at $17,919 per theater, the $245-million spy film grossed $27.4 million on Friday, declined a slim 4.2% to gross $26.3 million, and fell 36.5% on Sunday to earn $16.7 million. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at 2.57-to-1, which is better than the 2.5x multiplier of 'Solace' but way behind the 2.9x multiplier of 'Skyfall'. Those films, however, only had to worry about the second weekends of strong animated openers, whereas 'Spectre' opened alongside one ('The Peanuts Movie', which we'll be getting to in a little bit). While this performance is still strong, it still opened on the low end of its pre-release expectations, which ranged from $72-$96 million.
     One factor that can be attributed to this is the critical reception the film received, which were very mixed (63% on RT) compared to 'Skyfall' (93%). Word-of-mouth, although not bad, isn't spectacular either, with a 70% Flixter score. CinemaScore users, however, have a different story, awarding 'Spectre' with an 'A-' rating. That is better than the 'B-' rating that 'Solace' got, and is essentially on par with the likes of 'Casino Royale' ('A-') and 'Skyfall' ('A'). 'Spectre' also didn't have the advantage of opening on the 50th anniversary of the series, and the social media activity never quite matched the might of 'Skyfall'.
     The question here is how the film will hold up in the coming weeks. Next week, competition isn't that bad, or at least not for 'Spectre', but on its third weekend it will have to go up against the very highly-anticipated 'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2', and it might find some serious competition in the Rocky spin-off 'Creed', which is another nostalgic film. With a weekend multiplier that is a little bit better than 'Quantum of Solace', expect 'Spectre' to experience stronger holds and pass its $168.4 million domestic total. $185-$190 million total is likely, and while that would be $55-$60 million less than its production budget, it should still save a lot of face overseas where it has already earned $223.1 million.
     In second place, Fox's long-awaited family flick 'The Peanuts Movie' opened to a strong $44.2 million across 3,897 locations for a $11,345 per-theater average. That is on par with several other Blue Sky movies (such as 'Horton Hears a Who!' ($45m) and 'Ice Age' ($46.3m)) and in the general range of animated November openers. The closest comparison that comes to mind is 2006's 'Happy Feet', which opened to $41.5 million against 'Casino Royale''s $40.8 million. Both films experienced mostly similar daily holds throughout the weekend. Beginning with $12.1 million on Friday, 'Peanuts' increased a very strong 62.1% on Saturday to earn $19.6 million and declined 35.8% on Sunday to earn $12.6 million. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at 3.65-to-1, which is better than the 3.37x multiplier of 'Happy Feet'. It opened in line with expectations ($43m-$49m), which is a good sign going forward. It did better than 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' ($44.3m) and 'The Smurfs' ($35.6m), both of which were nostalgic family adaptations of existing animated properties.
     Strong reviews and word-of-mouth were likely two of the biggest reasons this film did so well. An 86% Rotten Tomatoes score and 87% Flixter rating, not to mention an 'A' CinemaScore, undoubtedly told families that this was a solid choice for the movies this weekend. Also, brand awareness was pretty high to begin with thanks to the annual Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Peanuts specials that families gathered around to watch. The $99-million comic adaptation should hold up well in the following weeks, with no noticeable competition until Thanksgiving when Pixar's 'The Good Dinosaur' stomps into theaters. Great legs are essentially guaranteed for 'The Peanuts Movie', and although it probably won't hold up as well as 'Happy Feet' (if so, it would get around $215 million!), $185 million is a very reasonable prediction.
     'The Martian' had to relinquish the top spot this weekend, but it still found a way to perform solidly this weekend. Dropping just 22.5%, the $108-million Ridley Scott directed Matt Damon led sci-fi grossed $9.1 million for a new $196.8 million total. It should get past the $200 million in the middle of the week, and $215 million by the end of its run.
     Despite competing with 'The Peanuts Movie' for family audiences, 'Goosebumps' held up well with $6.8 million, dipping 31.1% from last weekend. The $58-million Jack Black led horror comedy has so far made an impressive $66.3 million, and $80 million total should still be in reach.
     'Bridge of Spies' continued to hold up nicely, easing 30.4% and making $5.8 million. The $40-million Cold War thriller has brought in $54.7 million, and $65 million might be a possibility at this point.
     'Hotel Transylvania 2' didn't take as much of a hit as expected due to 'Peanuts', falling just 38.5% from last weekend and earning $3.6 million. With an impressive $161.3 million total, 'Transylvania' should still have enough gas left in the tank to get to $165 million.

     Although 'Burnt' had an admittedly respectable hold this weekend, dropping 42.3% from its debut, it still continued to disappoint with just $2.9 million. With a sad $10.1 million cume, 'Burnt' could finish in the $15 million range, which isn't a complete flop but still a major letdown.     
     'The Last Witch Hunter' dropped 49.7% from last weekend and grossed a $2.6 million, adding to its underwhelming $23.5 million domestic total. $26 million should be in reach by now.
     The $35-million Anne Hathaway / Robert De Niro led comedy 'The Intern' will just not slow down, dropping a small 27.8% and making $1.7 million. 'Intern' hasn't dropped any more than 38% in all of its weekends, helping it get to its current $71.3 million gross. $75 million would be a lock.
     Right before going on its VOD release, the $10-million R-rated horror 'Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension' grossed $1.6 million, dropping 52.4%. So far, the film has grossed $16.3 million.
     The $28-million Sandra Bullock led 'Our Brand is Crisis' continued to bomb with just $1.4 million, down a sizable 56% from its debut. It has so far grossed a soft $5.9 million, and reaching $9 million total is going to be tricky.
     Rounding out the Top 12, 'Crimson Peak' fell a large 62.1% after losing 981 locations, grossing $1.2 million. Its domestic total currently stands at an underwhelming $29.8 million, and a $32 million final is in store for the gothic horror.
     Outside the Top 12, 'Steve Jobs' plummeted a ghastly 70.4% and made a meager $797.8k. With a shameful $16.3 million, getting to $18 million is going to be a challenge.

     Oscar hopeful 'Spotlight' brought up respectable numbers this weekend, playing in just 5 locations. It managed a strong $295k debut, representing a solid $59,002 per-theater take. The $20-million drama has received very strong reviews (96% on RT), and audiences obviously enjoyed the film as well (93% Flixter score). Another strong performer in limited release is 'Brooklyn', which made a solid $187.3k for a per-theater average of $37.5k. The $10-million period drama opened on Wednesday, and since then earned a respectable $243.7k and has benefited from encouraging reviews (99% RT score) and word-of-mouth (92% Flixter). Also experiencing a solid opening in 5 locations was the biographical drama 'Trumbo', which grossed $74.2k, eking out a $14,835 average. 'Trumbo''s performance, although solid, could have been better had it not been for modest reviews (67% on RT) and audience reception (69% on Flixter).
     The Top 12 this weekend rebounded after the dreadful Halloween weekend, rocketing 141.5% and grossing $151.4 million. It is also up an encouraging 3.2% from last year when 'Big Hero 6' and 'Interstellar' opened to $56.2 million and $47.5 million, respectively.
     Next weekend should be a bit slower, with the likes of Christmas Comedy 'Love the Coopers', mining drama 'The 33', and football drama 'My All American' all opening in wide release, while the Angelina Jolie / Brad Pitt collaboration 'By the Sea' debuts in 10 locations.
    

Friday Report: 'Spectre' Takes Off with Second-Best Opening Day for the Franchise while 'The Peanuts Movie' Soars

     As expected, the box office was reinvigorated by the likes of 'Spectre' and 'The Peanuts Movie', both of which look to have stellar debuts in store this weekend.
     Easily taking the #1 spot, the $240-million Daniel Craig led spy film 'Spectre' grossed a respectable $28 million on Friday. That marks the second-largest opening for a Bond film, ahead of the $27 million start of 'Quantum of Solace' and behind the $32.7 million gross of 'Skyfall', its predecessor. 'Skyfall''s Friday gross, however, is actually $30.5 million, with the extra $2.2 million coming from exclusive IMAX showings on Thursday. Reviews are very modest this time around (62% on Rotten Tomatoes), similar to 'Quantum of Solace' back in 2008 (that film had a 65% score). 'Solace' opened to a great $67.5 million over the weekend, but was at a fairly weak 2.5x weekend multiplier. That film, however, earned more negative word-of-mouth (58% Flixter score and 'B-' on CinemaScore). 'Spectre', on the other hand, boasts a 71% Flixter rating and an 'A-' CinemaScore, although audiences were more satisfied with 'Casino Royale' and 'Skyfall'. Still, it should have a weekend multiplier between 'Solace' (2.5x) and 'Skyfall' (2.9x), which would translate into anything from $70m-$81m, which would represent a solid debut for the 24th outing for James Bond.
     In a still respectable second place, $100-million family film 'The Peanuts Movie' landed an excellent $12.1 million. Although that's a few million dollars less than 'Big Hero 6' ($15.8m), it is at least nearly on par with 'Wreck-It Ralph' ($13.5m) and 'Megamind' $12.5 million. Among Blue Sky (its production company) releases, 'Peanuts' ranks sixth behind only 'Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!' and the 'Ice Age' franchise. With strong reviews (86% on RT) and audience reception (86% on Flixter), it should hold up very well throughout the weekend. With a weekend multiplier that will likely beat 'Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs' (3.02x) (compared with its Wednesday opening) and 'Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!' (3.39x), a weekend of around $43 million is the most likely scenario here.
     Finally relinquishing its throne at the #1 spot, 'The Martian' eased 25.6% from last Friday, grossing $2.6 million. It was up 170.6% from Thursday's take, and with a new total of $190.4 million, a weekend of $9.5 million is likely.
     In fourth place, 'Bridge of Spies' fell a light 28.6% from last week, making $1.8 million and increasing 139% from Thursday. With $50.6 million in the bank, 'Spies' should earn around $6 million for the three-day weekend.
     Rounding out the Top 5, 'Goosebumps' rocketed up 216.9% from Thursday and decreased 45.2% from last Friday, making $1.7 million for its troubles. Its current domestic cume stands at a healthy $61.2 million, and a fourth weekend of about $6 million is a lock.

Weekend Forecast (Updated)

1. Spectre - $72.8 million

2. The Peanuts Movie - $43.6 million

3.The Martian - $9.4 million (-19.7%)
4. Goosebumps - $6.2 million (-37.4%)
5. Bridge of Spies - $6 million (-28.6%)

Weekend Forecast: 'Spectre' and 'Peanuts' to Bring Box Office Back to Life

     After some the worst weekends of the year, this weekend looks to be a victorious comeback as the highly-anticipated 'Spectre' and the long-awaited 'Peanuts Movie' are essentially guaranteed to earn huge numbers.
     'Spectre' is the first film that comes to mind when looking at the opening films this weekend, and for good reason. The very-hyped-about sequel to the 2012 spy hit 'Skyfall' ($88.4m opening to $304.4m final) has gathered huge momentum on social media, as its Facebook currently stands at an impressive 4.1 million likes. 'Spectre' also boasts an impressive +99% anticipation rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Plus, Christoph Waltz as a villain has surely got some people buzzing about that. Sam Mendes is also returning to direct, which means fans don't have to worry that the film will go in a different (and usually unwanted) direction. Plus, it's been a (mostly) good year for spy films as recent hits like 'Kingsman: The Secret Service' ($128.3m) and 'Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation' ($195m) have amassed impressive grosses. Still, although reviews are still pretty decent (62% on RT), they are way off from 'Skyfall''s 93% score. Plus, it won't have the advantage of opening on the franchise's 50th anniversary and the superior popularity of Adele (Sam Smith is still a huge star, but just not as much). The trailers have failed to meet Skyfall's standards as well, and while strong, social media is also lagging behind. While this won't be a disappointment, 'Spectre' will still probably open below 'Skyfall', and to get past its $245m+ budget it will need to open above $90 million, something it will probably fail to do. $80-$87 million is likely.
     Next up is 'The Peanuts Movie', opening in 3,897 theaters. The animated comic adaptation from Blue Sky should benefit mostly from nostalgia, and it has been a while since the last animated movie came out ('Hotel Transylvania 2', and that's pretty harmless at this point). The most recent airing of 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown' had brought in an encouraging 6 million viewers, which proves that brand awareness is still strong. Reviews are also very strong so far, with a respectable 85% rating on RT. Anticipation shouldn't be looked over as well, with the current score showing off a fairly great +97% want-to-see rating on RT. Opening an animated film on the first weekend of November is a smart plan, as huge (and mostly unexpected) hits like 'Megamind' ($46m) and 'Big Hero 6' ($56.2m) have performed very nicely in recent years. Pretty much the only factor going against it is Pixar's latest film 'The Good Dinosaur', which opens on Thanksgiving. Still, that's three weeks away, and that's plenty enough time for 'The Peanuts Movie' to make big grosses. Anywhere in the $48-$54 million range should be expected.

Weekend Forecast

1. Spectre - $84.3 million

2. The Peanuts Movie - $51.7 million

3. The Martian - $8 million (-31.7%)

4. Goosebumps - $6.7 million (-32.5%)

5. Bridge of Spies - $5.7 million (-28.2%)

Weekend Actuals: 'Martian', 'Goosebumps', and 'Spies' Rule Once Again as 'Burnt' Gets Roasted, 'Crisis' Gets Vetoed, and 'Scouts Guide' Is Eaten Alive

     On what is the worst weekend of the year, and the worst weekend on Halloween since 1998, the Top 3 from last weekend, Ridley Scott's 'The Martian', the Jack Black led 'Goosebumps', and the Spielberg/Tom Hanks collaboration 'Bridge of Spies', took the top 3 spots again this weekend as the newcomers, the Bradley Cooper led 'Burnt', the Sandra Bullock led 'Our Brand is Crisis', and the horror comedy 'Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse', all flopped.
     Ridley Scott's $108-million Matt Damon led sci-fi 'The Martian' took the top spot once again with $11.7 million, down just 25.5% from last weekend. 'Martian' has been displaying excellent holding power due in part to strong reviews and word-of-mouth with $183.1 million in five weeks. $210 million is still a possibility at this point.
     In second place (again), the $58-million Jack Black led horror comedy 'Goosebumps' declined only 36.4%, grossing $9.9 million. 'Goosebumps', with solid reviews (74% on Rotten Tomatoes) and encouraging word-of-mouth (74% Flixter score), has so far made a strong $56.8 million, and will likely pass $80 million by the end of its run.
     'Bridge of Spies' repeated in third again this weekend, earning $8.4 million and decreasing 26.2%. The $40-million Tom Hanks led Cold War thriller has made an excellent $45.5 million, and $65 million is a lock.
     'Hotel Transylvania 2' settled in fourth place, up one spot from last weekend and down a soft 34%, grossing $5.9 million. The $80-million animated comedy passed its predecessor's final gross on Monday, and with $156 million in the bank, reaching $165 million shouldn't be a problem.
     Last weekend's $70-million action fantasy flop 'The Last Witch Hunter' continues to run below expectations with just $5.2 million, down 52.3% from its opening weekend. With an uneventful $19 million so far, 'Witch Hunter' should end its run with around $25 million.

     In sixth place, the $20-million cooking drama starring Bradley Cooper led the newcomers, but made just $5 million ($1,666 per-theater average). That is only a little more than half of what Bradley Cooper's other 2015 release 'Aloha' earned in its opening ($9.7m). Originally projected to earn a solid $7-$9 million in its opening weekend, 'Burnt' began with $1.8 million on Friday, decreased 5.2% on Saturday to make $1.7 million, and grossed $1.4 million for a 17% decline on Sunday. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at 2.78-to-1. That suggests some back-loading, but it probably won't be enough to save 'Burnt' from failing to make back its budget domestically, as reviews (29% on RT) and word-of-mouth ('B-' CinemaScore) have been unkind to the film. A disappointing domestic total of just $15 million is likely.
      'Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension' is also struggling to find an audience, plummeting 57.4% and making only $3.4 million. The $10-million supernatural horror has so far grossed a disappointing $13.6 million, and $15 million should still be in reach.

     Almost edging out 'Ghost Dimension' but still a bomb in its own right, the $28-million Sandra Bullock led 'Our Brand is Crisis' flopped with just $3.2 million for a $1,471 average. 'Crisis' likely suffered from poor reviews (33% on RT) and weak word-of-mouth ('C+' on CinemaScore). It started out with $1.1 million on Friday, increased 12.5% on Saturday to gross $1.3 million, and fell a troublesome 32% on Sunday to earn $857.1k, placing the weekend-to-Friday ratio at a back-loaded 2.91-to-1. Although that is initially a good sign, it still isn't a good enough sign to guarantee very strong holds in the long run. A domestic finish of around $10 million should be expected of the political comedy.
     'Crimson Peak' dropped 45.8% to make $3.1 million this weekend. The $55-million horror from Universal has so far made a soft $27.7 million through three weeks of release, and $33 million is very likely at this point.
     You would think that a well-reviewed, audience-approved Oscar contender like 'Steve Jobs' would experience strong holds throughout its run, even if its opening is less than satisfactory, right? Well, in this case, it just got even worse, falling 62.1% in its second weekend of wide release and grossing just $2.7 million. The $30-million biographical drama continues to run behind expectations GREATLY, and with only $14.7 million in the bank, $20 million will be hard to reach by now.
     'The Intern' held up well as always this weekend, dropping just 36.4% and making $2.4 million. The $35-million comedy has yielded a strong $68.6 million, and $70 million is a forgone conclusion now.
     Barely making it into the Top 12, the $15-million horror comedy 'Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse' bombed hard with just $1.8 million from 1,509 locations, making a $1,220 per-theater average. That is almost 14 times less than what 2009's 'Zombieland' opened to, and marks yet another failure for the sooner-than-usual VOD release pattern that was put into play last weekend with 'Paranormal Activity'. It began with a terrible $687.1k on Friday, fell 5.9% on Saturday to earn $646.6k, and decreased 21.5% on Sunday to earn $507.4k. That places the weekend-to-Friday ratio at a mixed 2.62-to-1. With only 14 days left before its VOD release, and a 32% RT score as well as a 'B-' CinemaScore, 'Scouts' will probably make a meager $4 million by then.
     As previously stated, this is the worst weekend of the year for the Top 12, which grossed just $62.7 million total, beating the previous low of $65.9 million on the weekend of September 4-6, 2015. It was down 34% from last weekend and decreased 21.6% from the $80 million total of last year's Top 12 when 'Ouija', in its second weekend, barely beat 'Nightcrawler'.
     Next weekend is essentially guaranteed to be one of the biggest weekends of the year, with the latest James Bond movie 'Spectre' opening (it is rumored to cost $300m, tying with 'Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End' as the most expensive movie of all time) as well as the highly anticipated animated pic 'The Peanuts Movie'.