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After an unexpectedly large drop for IM2 in its second weekend, studios are releasing two fairly high-profile movies this weekend in an attempt to draw summer moviegoers back into the air-conditioned theaters where they belong.
The first of these new releases is Shrek Forever After (also called Shrek: The Final Chapter). Though critics mostly gave up on the series after a weak second and abysmal third entry, the characters are still box office gold as the third opened with $121 million in 2007. The sad part of this situation is that Dreamworks proved with How To Train Your Dragon that they could make great films, yet now they retreat back to their safe little corner filled with bad pop culture references and tacky celebrity voices. Opening in 3,800 theaters, we all must hope Dreamworks lives up to its “Final Chapter” tag-line.
The other new release this weekend is the much lower profile MacGruber. Coming off one of the stupider SNL skits in recent memory, expectations are low for this action-comedy. Mediocre trailers and terrible commercials don’t raise much hope, but reviews are starting to come in and they are surprisingly positive. The movie won raves at it’s SXSW Premiere and currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes (but with only 8 reviews in). If the movie is as good as many say, it has the potential to ride a Hangover-type hype wave into box office success. Opening in 2,400 theaters, MacGruber has an uphill battle ahead to reach its box office potential.
Congratulations to Hobbes for winning the caption contest and getting an extra 30 points for their theater.
The Buzz: Do you think good reviews and WOM can draw people into MacGruber, or could it be the first box office disaster of the summer?
-Zack Young, Flickpicks
