“The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” earned $1.5 million from in Thursday night box office previews, bringing it to a total of $2.1 million following a limited special preview event on Jan. 26. It opens on over 4,276 screens this weekend.
Warner Bros.’ “The Lego Movie” sequel opens against three other films going wide in the first weekend post the Super Bowl, including Liam Neeson’s action film “Cold Pursuit” from Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment, the horror movie “The Prodigy” from Orion Pictures and “What Men Want,” Paramount’s remake of the Mel Gibson film “What Women Want” starring Taraji P. Henson.
Independent trackers have “The Lego Movie 2” projected to earn between $45 million and $52 million, with estimates going as high as $55-60 million. “The Lego Batman Movie,” which also opened the same weekend in 2017, earned $2.2 million in its previews on its way to grossing $53 million over the full weekend. The original “Lego Movie” opened to $69 million and had a domestic run of $257.7 million following a Thursday opening of just $400,000.
“The Lego Movie 2” brings back the voice talents of Chris Pratt and Elizabeth Banks in an adventure five years removed from the events of the original film. Everything is Not Awesome any longer, and Lego Duplo invaders from outer space have wreaked havoc on the world. Mike Mitchell directs the film from a screenplay by the original’s directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
“What Men Want” earned approximately $1.25 million from during its preview screenings. It’s opening on 2,900 screens this weekend.
Paramount is projecting the film to earn between $18-$20 million, with independent trackers guessing it could go as high as $25 million on its opening weekend for the R-rated comedy that puts a gender-flipped twist on the Nancy Meyers original. That film was a massive hit for Paramount in 2000, opening to $33.6 million before earning $182 million domestically.
“About Last Night,” another rom-com remake that is produced by Will Packer and opened in February of 2014, made $525,000 in Thursday night previews and opened to $25.6 million. The R-rated “Girls Trip” made $1.7 million in its preview screenings before grossing $31.2 million in its opening.
“What Men Wants” is directed by Adam Shankman (“Hairspray”) and is a rom-com with a fantasy twist in which Henson’s character gains the ability to hear men’s thoughts, using her newfound power to rise in the ranks as a professional sports agent. Tracy Morgan co-stars, and it’s the second film put out under the studio’s Paramount Players label.
Lionsgate and Summit’s “Cold Pursuit,” starring Liam Neeson, earned $540,000 from its Thursday night previews on 2,050 North American screens. It goes wide Friday on 2,630 screens this weekend. Independent trackers have it projected for an opening between $7-10 million, which would be on track for one of Neeson’s lowest openings ever.
“Cold Pursuit” is a remake of a 2014 Norwegian film called “In Order of Disappearance.” Neeson’s “The Commuter,” also from Lionsgate, earned $700,000 in Thursday box office previews when it opened in January 2017, going on to a $13.7 million opening weekend.
The open to “Cold Pursuit” has been dogged this week by shocking comments made by Neeson in an interview with The Independent on Monday. He revealed that as a younger man, he spent a week prowling the streets with a weapon hoping to attack a “black bastard” after learning that his close friend had been raped. Neeson appeared on “Good Morning America” to further clarify and apologize for his comments, but Lionsgate cancelled his red carpet appearance for the film’s premiere, and his team cancelled a guest spot on “The Late Show” for Friday to promote the film.
In the film, Neeson stars as a snowplow driver who seeks revenge against the drug dealers who he believes killed his son. Hans Petter Moland, who directed the Norwegian film, directs Neeson alongside Laura Dern, Michael Richardson and Tom Bateman.
Finally, “The Prodigy” is also opening on approximately 2,500 screens this weekend. Projections for the film this weekend are between $6-7 million. Orion hopes to attract audiences by offering the first trailer for the upcoming remake of “Child’s Play,” which will be exclusively attached to the film.
Taylor Schilling stars in the horror movie released by Orion Pictures. Nicholas McCarthy directs the film about a mother who fears her son’s disturbing behavior might be explained by a supernatural force.