The zombie apocalypse is back, and it's ready to take over the box office! But will it dethrone the mighty Avatar? Let's take a closer look at the upcoming releases and see what's in store for movie-goers this weekend.
The Rise of the Zombie Sequel
'28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' is set to make a splash at the box office, aiming for a strong debut of $20 million to $22 million over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend. This zombie sequel, directed by Nia DaCosta and written by series creator Alex Garland, continues the story of a post-apocalyptic Britain ravaged by the Rage Virus. With a stellar cast including Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, and Alfie Williams, the film has already garnered positive reviews, holding a 94% Rotten Tomatoes average. Variety's chief film critic Peter Debruge praised it as a 'bold, mind-bending work' that satisfies the craving for a zombie movie with substance.
Avatar's Dominance in Question
Meanwhile, the reigning box office champ, 'Avatar: Fire and Ash', is looking to add another $12 million to $14 million to its total. However, its dominance might be short-lived, as the third installment in the Avatar franchise is running out of steam faster than its predecessors. While the first two films dominated the box office for seven consecutive weekends, 'Fire and Ash' might end its reign after just five. This is despite the fact that 'Avatar 3' is a theatrical juggernaut, having already earned $1.23 billion globally. The high expectations for the film are due to the success of its predecessors, 'Avatar' (2009) and 'Avatar: The Way of Water' (2022), which were two of the biggest movies in history, earning $2.9 billion and $2.3 billion, respectively.
The Competition and Contenders
'Hamnet', directed by Chloe Zhao and based on a Shakespearean tragedy, is expanding to 688 theaters after several weekends in limited release. The film has already earned an impressive $13 million domestically during its platform rollout and recently won the Golden Globe for best motion picture drama and best actress for star Jessie Buckley. Additionally, Hollywood has set a few potential hits in the first month of the year, including Amazon MGM's sci-fi adventure 'Mercy' with Chris Pratt, Sam Raimi's survival horror film 'Send Help', and the Jason Statham-led 'Shelter'.
The Slow Season
January tends to be a slower month for movie theaters, at least compared to the summer months and holiday season. However, with a few potential hits in the pipeline, movie-goers can look forward to some exciting releases in the coming weeks. As Comscore's head of marketplace trends, Paul Dergarabedian, notes, 'patience will be a virtue' as we await the bigger openers on the way.
So, will '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' claw its way to the top of the box office, or will 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' continue its reign? Only time will tell. But one thing's for sure: the zombie apocalypse is back, and it's ready to take over!
