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Creepy Journey To 'Village' Green At Box Office LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) — It's genre weekend at the multiplex, where there is a choice for everyone. Whether it's suspense, politics, comedy or children's fare, the box office is open for business. For only the second time this summer, four studios are bringing out wide national releases with the hope that there is enough differentiation for all of them to score well with audiences. The weekend's top film is likely to be M. Night Shyamalan's The Village from Disney, but Paramount Pictures' political drama The Manchurian Candidate, New Line Cinema's stoner comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and Universal Pictures' family film Thunderbirds are all clamoring for their share of the pie. The Village is out to test the brand-name appeal of its writer-director. Shyamalan has become a franchise unto himself with his past three movies. But this time around, the Indian-born thriller buff reaches out to audiences without the help of the significant star power that marked his previous entries. Shyamalan scored his biggest opening in 2002 with Signs, which opened to $60.1 million during the first weekend in August and marked Disney's first hit of that year. The company is hoping for the same phenomenon this time around, as the studio has struggled at the box office this year. While Signs featured Mel Gibson, Shyamalan's crew for The Village includes Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, William Hurt and Sigourney Weaver — all acclaimed actors but not box office draws on their own. This weekend will be the ultimate test of Shyamalan's box office power, and according to tracking, that shouldn't be a problem. Industry sources are putting the PG-13 film, bowing in 3,730 theaters, in the mid-$40 million range. The race for second will be a heated contest. Universal's The Bourne Supremacy exceeded expectations last weekend when it opened at No. 1 with $53.5 million. Strong midweek performances suggest that it will hold well. Most expect the Matt Damon starrer to drop no more then 50%, with some observers placing its second-week gross in the high-$20 million range. Bourne's toughest competition for the second spot will be Jonathan Demme's remake of The Manchurian Candidate. Arriving just as the Democratic National Convention wraps, the political thriller could find itself riding a wave of topicality. Tracking indicates that the positive reviews and strong performances from Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep and Liev Schreiber have target audiences increasingly interested in seeing the film. On the other hand, its release in between the two presidential conventions could have a negative effect if audiences are experiencing political overload. The R-rated film centers on a Gulf War veteran who uncovers a plot to control a vice presidential candidate. Most handicappers are placing the picture's arrival in the low-$20 million range. Candidate will stump in 2,867 venues. Harold & Kumar is the comedic entry in the race, but it may have more trouble connecting with its audience. The pot-smoking, munchie-hankering road-trip movie starring relatively unknown actors John Cho and Kal Penn will have to rely on the film's theme to draw its audience. New Line has orchestrated a creative advertising campaign, playing off the lure of the famed White Castle burger, but the results are not yet evident in prerelease polling. Industry insiders place the R-rated film in the $10 million range. Universal's Thunderbirds, based on the 1960s television series, stars Ben Kingsley and Bill Paxton. Despite its minimal franchise recognition in the United States, the Jonathan Frakes-directed film is aiming for the children's audience that is up for grabs in the current marketplace. Estimates for the film range from $5 million - $9 million. |