This weekend
Major release
- The Revenant – 20th Century Fox
Epic biographical western starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter and Domhnall Gleeson directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu its Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy second film together after Inception.
Has been in development since 2001 with Samuel L. Jackson originally set to star then Christian Bale left to star in Steve Jobs he also dropped out of that replaced by Leonardo DiCaprio who dropped out of that to star in The Revenant.
Reviews have been positive with much praise for Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance which should finally win him a Best Actor Oscar. In November a blogger caused controversy describing it as ‘unflinchingly brutal’ for women and it won’t appeal to female audiences on account of its raw and immersive qualities.
The Drudge Report earlier this month came out with a story DiCaprio was raped by a bear there was no truth to this story but it didn’t stop it going viral across the internet with 20th Century Fox having to shut down the insane claims.
It was among several Academy screeners that was leaked to the internet downloaded over 600,000 times in first couple days; Receives its UK premiere on January 14th.
Film trailers have a careful balancing act with what to include many complained recently with Batman Vs Superman trailer director Zach Snyder said the trailers don’t reveal as much as audiences think; for The Force Awakens it was opposite was much footage not in final film. But with The Revenant second trailer seems to reveal almost everything about the film but it’s much harder to sell an original film to an audience without some spoilers.
After receiving 8 BAFTA nominations last Friday and winning 3 Golden Globes on Sunday it will likely be battling out with Creed to see which knocks The Force Awakens into second this weekend.
Also released
- Creed – Warner Bros
The seventh Rocky film has been described as both as a sequel and a spinoff starring stars Michael B. Jordan and Sylvester Stallone directed by Ryan Cooper.
Was filmed in Liverpool at Everton football match in January (Sylvester Stallone Everton fan) and also and Philadelphia the home of Rocky.
Film surprised critics who gave it positive reviews Sylvester Stallone received Golden Globes Best Supporting Actor Nomination 39 years after the first film received Golden Globe and Oscar nominations wining Best Picture and Director; has European premiere on January 12th; The last Rocky film Rocky Balboa opened in 2007 with a massive £3.63m taking £9m
Sylvester Stallone won Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe almost 40 years after he won Best Actor for Rocky he was surprisingly snubbed for Best Supporting Actor for BAFTAs with members blaming Warner Bros for not sending out screeners.
MGM and Warner Bros announced today November 2017 release date for its sequel.
- Room – Studiocanal
Drama directed by Lenny Abrahamson starring Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen and William H. Macy. Had its world premiere last month at Toronto Film Festival (winning the People’s Choice Award); received positive reviews from critics praising the performance of Brie Larson who received Golden Globe Best Actress nomination also received Best Film Drama and Best Screenplay nominations; premiered at the London Film Festival in October.
Brie Larson surprised many winning Best Actress at Golden Globes as most expected Cate Blanchett or Saoirse Ronan to win.
Out next week
Major release
- The Big Short – Paramount Pictures –
Biographical comedy-drama based on the book by Michael Lewis starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt and directed by Adam McKay; has received positive reviews from critics. Received 5 BAFTA nominations not winning any of the Golden Globes it was nominated for will likely be this year’s film thats nominated but doesn’t win.
Michael Lewis previous books The Blind Side and Moneyball were both box office and Academy Award winners; The Blind Side opened with £1.31m in March 2010 taking £6m and Moneyball opened with £230,848 in November 2011 taking £700,000; receives its UK premiere on January 20th
Also released
- Ride Along 2 – Universal Pictures
Action comedy sequel starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart; original opened February 28th 2014 surprisingly strongly with £1.41m thanks to Kevin Hart and Ice Cube coming to UK to promote.
- Our Brand is Crisis – Warner Bros
Comedy drama based on 2005 documentary of the same name starring Sandra Bullock and Billy Bob Thornton directed by David Gordon Green. Premiered at Toronto Film Festival receiving negative reviews and then was one of the many adult drama films opening poorly in October in the US unlikely to do much better in the UK.
- The Fifth Wave – Sony Pictures
The latest young adult film adaptation based Rick Yancey’s trilogy of novels sci-fi thriller starring stars Chloë Grace Moretz, Ron Livingston, Maria Bello and Liev Schreiber. After the success of films like The Hunger Games and Divergent Sony Pictures hope this will be the first of a trilogy of films. But the 15 certificate in UK will hurt its potential box office as its targeted audience won’t be able to legally see it; first trailer was released in September was well received on social media.
Out in two weeks
Major release
- Spotlight – Eone
Drama based on Boston Globe’s Spotlight team coverage of the Massachusetts Catholic sex abuse scandal, The Globe won 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Starring stars Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber and Billy Crudup and directed by Thomas McCarthy.
Premiered at Venice International Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival receiving critical acclaim currently with 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes has been included in many critics top ten films of 2015; Received UK premiere on January 20th
In the regular anomaly that occurs with award nominations used to be regular with Steven Spielberg film Spotlight received a Best Film nomination BAFTA nomination but not Best Director.
Also released
- 13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi – Paramount
Action thriller directed by Michael Bay starring James Badge Dale, John Krasinski, Max Martini, Toby Stephens, Pablo Schreiber, David Denman, Dominic Fumusa, Demetrius Grosse and Freddie Stroma.
Based on true events many will compare to Ridley Scott’s 2001’s Black Hawk Down opened January 2002 with £1.77m 14 years later it will be lucky if it matched that opening.
But if Ridley Scott can make a comedy that wins Golden Globes then maybe Michael Bay can make a serious action film that doesn’t feel like Bad Boys. His best action film was The Rock released 20 years ago.
- The 33 – Warner Bros
Based on the events of Chilean mining accident in 2010 soon after the rescue in 2010 Brad Pitt’s Plan B production company had plans to developed into a film as events was the classic human interest story that gripped the world and had a happy ending the kind of films studios used to love to make. Instead producer Mike Medavoy financed and made it locally in Chile with Antonio Banderas headline a cast of mostly South American actors. Alcon Entertainment acquiring US and some international rights releasing through output deal with Warner Bros opening in November with $5.78m unlikely to spark much interest in the UK.
- Dirty Grandpa – Lionsgate
Role reversed road trip comedy starring Robert De Niro and Zac Efron about Spring Break. Robert De Niro used to be more famous for his gangster roles but in recent years many know him better for his comedies in films Analyze This, Meet the Fockers and Stardust.
- Youth – Studiocanal
Drama directed by Paolo Sorrentino starring Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel,Rachel Weisz, Paul Dano, and Jane Fonda; premiered at Cannes Film Festival and Toronto Film Festival and at the London Film Festival in October receiving positive reviews.
- Capture the Flag – Paramount
Spanish animated film Paramount Pictured acquired world rights for in July 2014 to this fun space race adventure has received positive reviews from critics saying that it plays well to children and adults; but will it get a chance to find an audience against much more high profile family films being released for half term holidays;
US Opening Friday
Ride Along 2 – Universal
Sequel to the 2014 surprise hit starring Ice Cube and Kevin Hart sequel was filmed in Miami where it had its world premiere last week. First trailer was released in August with Straight Outta Compton.
After the first film opened same weekend two years ago with $41.5m the sequel is likely to replace The Force Awakens from top spot with a similar sized opening.
- 13 Hours: Secret Soldiers of Benghazi – Paramount
Action thriller produced and directed by Michael Bay based on the book 13 Hours by Michael Zuckoff based on the true story set in Benghazi September 11th 2012.
Many were surprised when Paramount announced Michael Bay would direct this film as in different hands it would be similar to Black Hawk Down (opened wide after limited release same weekend in January 2002 with $28.6m); but trailers has all the elements expected from a Michael Bay film; were concerns film could affect Hillary Clinton’s campaign to be Democratic presidential candidate opening two weeks before the Iowa caucuses as she was Secretary of State when events happened.
Around the same time over previous years American Sniper opened with $89.2m and Lone Survivor $37.8m unlikely 13 Hours will open as strongly but no one predicted those two films would of opened as strongly as they did; has its world premier on January 12th in Texas. With strong trailers likely to open with over $20m as Michael Bay has only had two films opening with less than that 2005’s The Island with $12m and Bad Boys $15.5m but that was 21 years ago.
rame width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/u8A_F5oYJGI” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
- Norm of the North – Lionsgate
Animated comedy adventure featuring voices of Rob Schneider, Heather Graham, Ken Jeong, Colm Meaney, and Bill Nighy. With limited choices for family films could open similar to The Nut Job with $19.4m 2 years ago.