Three new films go into wide release this weekend as part of the
extended 4-day weekend in honor of Martin Luther King Day (Monday).Broken
City, The Last Stand and Mama will each
debut on Friday, January 18.
Broken City
PROS:
- Mark Wahlberg has a reputation for being able
to exceed expectations at the box office recently. Last January's Contraband particularly
comes to mind.
- The added appeal of Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones, while beyond
their peak as draws, could play a role too.
CONS:
- Competition for the adult audience is stiff
right now with Oscar nominees getting a boost.
- Opening against The Last Stand will cut into its potential.
- Twitter and Flixster activity have been lacking.
The Last Stand
PROS:
- Arnold's return to a leading role will entice his fans.
- The film's early critical response is better than many expected. Could this
sway some last minute viewers?
CONS:
- Again, current market competition limits any
potential breakout.
- The Expendables 2 opened softer than expected last summer
despite heavy marketing that featured Arnold and a number of other action
stars.
- Social media activity has been slow.
Mama
PROS:
- The PG-13 rating guarantees a teenage
audience's ability to show up.
- Recent horror breakouts, namely 2012's The Devil Inside, give the
genre a strong track record on opening weekend.
- Guillermo del Toro's name has been featured heavily in the marketing which
will at least bring out some of his niche fan base.
- Jessica Chastain is riding a wave of buzz thanks to her award-winning
presence in last week's #1 film, Zero Dark Thirty. Could there be
some spillover to Mama for her growing fan base?
CONS:
- Facing two new openers plus existing
competition is more than Devil Inside faced last year when it
opened January practically by itself.
- Did Texas Chainsaw 3D dilute any of the demand for another
horror flick so soon?
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