Sony’s “Money Monster,” starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Jack O’Connell, is poised to bring in more than $10 million in its opening weekend, which is not nearly enough to overtake Disney-Marvel’s monster hit “Captain America: Civil War” — expected to hold at No. 1 with approximately $80 million.
Experts estimate the Jodie Foster-directed thriller will debut somewhere between $10- and $15 million, a somewhat soft opening given the star power involved.
To be fair, “Money Monster’ was made for about an eighth of what “Civil War” cost to produce — reportedly around $30 million — and revolves around an angry TV viewer (O’Connell) who takes matters into his own hands after a bad tip from a talk show host (Clooney) costs him his savings. As a hostage situation ensues in a television studio, it’s up to a quick thinking producer (Roberts) to keep everyone safe.
The film will have its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival during a special gala screening on Thursday night. Remarkably, the event marks Roberts‘ first time with a film at the French film festival and Jodie Foster‘s second film there as a director.
Also opening this weekend on the strategic date of Friday the 13th is the supernatural thriller “The Darkness” from BH Tilt, distributed by High Top (a label of Focus) and made for a production budget of less than $5 million.
The horror film, which stars Kevin Bacon as a father warding off ancient Native American demons with his family, is tracking to debut somewhere at or above $5 million.
“Civil War,” with a reported production budget of $250 million, is expected to bring in $80 million on its second weekend, with low estimates in the $70 million range, and high predictions at $90 million.
The critically acclaimed film, about an epic fight among Avengers, has made $192.4 million domestically so far.