Can ‘The Lost City’ Top ‘The Batman’?
The Batman crossed $300 million domestic on Sunday and $600 million worldwide earlier this week, and it will soon fly past the grosses of Batman v Superman ($330 million) and Joker ($335 million) to become the third highest grossing Batman film domestically behind The Dark Knight ($535 million) and The Dark Knight Rises ($448 million). The Robert Pattinson starring reboot doesn’t seem likely to pass TDKR, but ending up as the biggest non-Nolan Batman film is a nice feather in its cap, as is being the second biggest pandemic-era film. There has been little else going on at the box office this month, but after three weeks of total dominance, The Batman finally faces a formidable box office challenger this weekend.
Though it could be a tight race, we’re expecting Paramount’s star-studded adventure rom-com The Lost City to dethrone the caped crusader for the number one spot, and the studio predicts an opening that falls in the low to mid 20s. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum star in what could be called “Uncharted for Women,” which features supporting roles by Daniel Radcliffe, Brad Pitt, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Directing and co-writing are Aaron and Adam Nee, who made the well received indies The Last Romantic and Band of Robbers and are set to helm a live-action Masters of the Universe film for Netflix. The Lost City, which reportedly cost $68 million, opens in 4,248 locations and could be the right film to bring back the adult female audience, which few recent big releases have targeted, though it should have a broader appeal as well.
In the film, Bullock plays an adventure-romance novelist named Loretta whose Indiana Jones-esque stories star a dreamy, long-haired treasure hunter named Dash. Dash is portrayed on the books’ covers by a model Loretta can’t stand named Alan (played by Tatum) who has the looks but not the wits. When an eccentric billionaire (Radcliffe) kidnaps Loretta to help him search for the treasure featured in her latest book, Alan tries to prove himself by coming to her rescue.
Unlike the more middling reviews of recent adventure films Uncharted and Jungle Cruise, the critical response for The Lost City is upbeat (79% on Rotten Tomatoes), and a similarly positive audience response could translate to a strong multiple, especially as none of the big April releases look to scratch the same itch. The film also opens in 16 smaller markets this weekend, but April 15 is when the rollout in major international markets will start.
Outside of the Batman/Lost City faceoff, the weekend’s big film story is of course the Oscar ceremony this Sunday. It seems unlikely this will impact the box office, though. The late in the season show means that most of the nominees have already run their course, and none of them made the top ten or grossed above $200k last weekend.
Getting buzz in the specialty box office is A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once which opens in limited this weekend and will go wide after two weeks. Critics are raving (96% on RT) about writer/director duo Daniels’ (Swiss Army Man) wild metaphysical multiverse action-comedy which stars Michelle Yeoh as an ordinary Chinese-American immigrant who finds herself having to save the world (and Yeoh gets to show off her still spectacular martial arts skills in the process). Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis have supporting roles.
Another noteworthy limited release is the Indian historical epic RRR, which will play on many IMAX and other PLF screens. It is the latest from director S.S. Rajamouli, whose previous film Baahubali 2: The Conclusion went on to become India’s highest grossing film both in its home country and in the U.S., with a $10.4 million opening and $20.2 million cume.
Sony Pictures Classics is debuting Mothering Sunday in New York and Los Angeles. The story, set in post-WWI England, is about a maid (Odessa Young) who has an affair with a wealthy man (Josh O'Connor). Eva Husson directs and the cast also includes Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, Sope Dirisu, and Glenda Jackson (who plays an older version of the maid). The film premiered at Cannes and is at 76% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Also opening is Bleecker Street’s Infinite Storm. The true-story survival-thriller about mountain climbers caught in a blizzard stars Naomi Watts and Billy Howle. It is directed by Polish film festival favorite Małgorzata Szumowska (Never Gonna Snow Again) and co-director Michal Englert.
Though it could be a tight race, we’re expecting Paramount’s star-studded adventure rom-com The Lost City to dethrone the caped crusader for the number one spot, and the studio predicts an opening that falls in the low to mid 20s. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum star in what could be called “Uncharted for Women,” which features supporting roles by Daniel Radcliffe, Brad Pitt, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Directing and co-writing are Aaron and Adam Nee, who made the well received indies The Last Romantic and Band of Robbers and are set to helm a live-action Masters of the Universe film for Netflix. The Lost City, which reportedly cost $68 million, opens in 4,248 locations and could be the right film to bring back the adult female audience, which few recent big releases have targeted, though it should have a broader appeal as well.
In the film, Bullock plays an adventure-romance novelist named Loretta whose Indiana Jones-esque stories star a dreamy, long-haired treasure hunter named Dash. Dash is portrayed on the books’ covers by a model Loretta can’t stand named Alan (played by Tatum) who has the looks but not the wits. When an eccentric billionaire (Radcliffe) kidnaps Loretta to help him search for the treasure featured in her latest book, Alan tries to prove himself by coming to her rescue.
Unlike the more middling reviews of recent adventure films Uncharted and Jungle Cruise, the critical response for The Lost City is upbeat (79% on Rotten Tomatoes), and a similarly positive audience response could translate to a strong multiple, especially as none of the big April releases look to scratch the same itch. The film also opens in 16 smaller markets this weekend, but April 15 is when the rollout in major international markets will start.
Outside of the Batman/Lost City faceoff, the weekend’s big film story is of course the Oscar ceremony this Sunday. It seems unlikely this will impact the box office, though. The late in the season show means that most of the nominees have already run their course, and none of them made the top ten or grossed above $200k last weekend.
Getting buzz in the specialty box office is A24’s Everything Everywhere All at Once which opens in limited this weekend and will go wide after two weeks. Critics are raving (96% on RT) about writer/director duo Daniels’ (Swiss Army Man) wild metaphysical multiverse action-comedy which stars Michelle Yeoh as an ordinary Chinese-American immigrant who finds herself having to save the world (and Yeoh gets to show off her still spectacular martial arts skills in the process). Ke Huy Quan, Stephanie Hsu, James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis have supporting roles.
Another noteworthy limited release is the Indian historical epic RRR, which will play on many IMAX and other PLF screens. It is the latest from director S.S. Rajamouli, whose previous film Baahubali 2: The Conclusion went on to become India’s highest grossing film both in its home country and in the U.S., with a $10.4 million opening and $20.2 million cume.
Sony Pictures Classics is debuting Mothering Sunday in New York and Los Angeles. The story, set in post-WWI England, is about a maid (Odessa Young) who has an affair with a wealthy man (Josh O'Connor). Eva Husson directs and the cast also includes Olivia Colman, Colin Firth, Sope Dirisu, and Glenda Jackson (who plays an older version of the maid). The film premiered at Cannes and is at 76% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Also opening is Bleecker Street’s Infinite Storm. The true-story survival-thriller about mountain climbers caught in a blizzard stars Naomi Watts and Billy Howle. It is directed by Polish film festival favorite Małgorzata Szumowska (Never Gonna Snow Again) and co-director Michal Englert.
