Long Range Forecast: ‘Cars 3,’ ‘Rough Night,’ & ‘All Eyez On Me’

Our latest edition of the Long Range Forecast takes a look at the weekend of June 16-18, which is currently slated for the wide release of four titles. Our analysis and updated forecast table follow:

Cars 3
Disney / Pixar

PROS:

  • If there’s such a thing as a safe box office bet, it’s the combination of Disney and Pixar.
  • Reactions to the initial teasers have been largely positive, offering some hope among fans that the franchise is in course-correction mode after the divisive (by Pixar standards) Cars 2.
  • Getting a two-week head start on the release of Despicable Me 3 positions this to capture family audiences early in the summer as kids are getting out of school.

CONS:

  • The aforementioned reception of Cars 2 could be a hindrance to major anticipation for this third installment, particularly among older Pixar fans.
  • If Captain Underpants takes off with family crowds in early June, that will also soften some of the immediate demand for another animated option among parents and children.

Rough Night
Sony

PROS:

  • Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, and a solid ensemble cast could help bring out both men and women in this raunchy, R-rated comedy. Healthy buzz and strong trailers closer to release will be key, though.
  • As Bad Moms proved last summer (and Bridesmaids in 2011), “girls’ night out” comedies are not to be underestimated at the box office.
  • In general, the female audience has continued to be under-served in recent summers when compared to male-oriented films.

CONS:

  • As the second female-centric comedy to open this summer after Snatched in May, plus with the similarly themed Girls Trip in mid-July, the market isn’t as wide open for this title as it was for Bad Moms last year. Baywatch could also cut into the audience here if its staying power proves strong.
  • Initial social media buzz isn’t as strong as we’d like to see compared to similar films, but there’s plenty of time for that pick up.

All Eyez on Me
Lionsgate / Summit

PROS:

  • More than 20 years after his death, Tupac Shakur continues to stand as a legendary symbol among the hip-hop community.
  • Straight Outta Compton demonstrated the heights that bio-pics about modern hip-hop icons can reach. The counter-programming potential on opening weekend is noteworthy.
  • Social media buzz has been notably positive since the first trailer’s release.

CONS:

  • Reviews and a big marketing push will be key to determining the ceiling for this film. It would be unfair to expect Straight Outta Compton-like box office numbers — then again, this film doesn’t necessarily need them.

This Week’s Changes & Other Notes

  • April’s end-of-spring market continues to look soft as tracking and social media buzz for The CircleHow to be a Latin Lover, and Sleight have yet to break out beyond expectations.
  • First industry tracking for King ArthurSnatched, and Lowriders was released this week. The former two titles indicate trends that line up with our earlier forecasts. We’ve added our first predictions for Lowriders below.
  • Captain Underpants‘ position as the first animated release of summer and its status as the only non-sequel animated title before July 28’s Emoji Movie continue to increase our optimism.
  • Due to Entertainment Studios’ lack of distribution and marketing history, we’ve temporarily excluded 47 Meters Down from the forecast. It’s scheduled to open June 16.

Check out our 8-week forecast in the table below.

Release Date Title 3-Day Wide Opening % Chg from Last Week Domestic Total % Chg from Last Week Location Count Distributor
4/28/2017 The Circle $10,000,000 $27,000,000 -10% 2,800 STX Entertainment
4/28/2017 How to Be a Latin Lover $6,500,000 $23,000,000 1,000 Lionsgate
4/28/2017 Sleight $4,000,000 -20% $8,800,000 -20% 1,600 BH Tilt
5/5/2017 Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 $160,000,000 $400,000,000 4,200 Disney
5/12/2017 King Arthur: Legend of the Sword $23,000,000 $67,000,000 Warner Bros.
5/12/2017 Lowriders $5,500,000 NEW $15,300,000 NEW BH Tilt
5/12/2017 Snatched $25,000,000 $85,000,000 Fox
5/19/2017 Alien: Covenant $35,000,000 $90,000,000 Fox
5/19/2017 Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul $10,000,000 $32,000,000 Fox
5/19/2017 Everything, Everything $8,500,000 $26,000,000 Warner Bros.
5/25/2017 Baywatch $35,000,000 FSS
$42,000,000 FSSM
$115,000,000 Paramount
5/26/2017 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales $61,000,000
$75,000,000 FSSM
$190,000,000 Disney
6/2/2017 Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie $28,000,000 17% $93,500,000 17% Fox / DreamWorks Animation
6/2/2017 Wonder Woman $83,000,000 $225,000,000 Warner Bros.
6/9/2017 It Comes At Night $12,000,000 $39,000,000 A24
6/9/2017 The Mummy (2017) $50,000,000 $143,000,000 Universal
6/16/2017 47 Meters Down n/a n/a Entertainment Studios
6/16/2017 All Eyez On Me $18,000,000 NEW $49,000,000 NEW Lionsgate / Summit
6/16/2017 Cars 3 $49,000,000 NEW $180,000,000 NEW Disney / Pixar
6/16/2017 Rough Night $25,000,000 NEW $80,000,000 NEW Sony

Shawn Robbins and Alex Edghill contributed to this report.