Why isn’t anyone going to the movies?
The movie industry is being plagued by the worst box office numbers in a decade—and insiders are hoping that “Finding Nemo” will come riding to the rescue.
No, it’s not a new Nemo. Not really. It’s the same old “Finding Nemo,” but this time in 3D. That’s how bad it’s gotten in Hollywood, banking on a movie retread gussied up with some new paint.
The 2003 fish tale will just as another entry in the “Resident Evil” franchise, which began in 2002, arrives.
The “Nemo” re-release and “Resident Evil: Retribution” follow on the heels of the worst weekend at the box office since weekend after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Industry experts blamed a lack of quality new releases on last weekend’s poor grosses, pointing out that the $22 million “Contagion” was able to make last year despite similar competition from the kickoff of football season and students heading back to school. Box-office watchers expect a close race this weekend between “Finding Nemo 3D” and “Resident Evil: Retribution.”
“‘Finding Nemo’ is the highest-grossing Pixar film outside of ‘Toy Story 3,’ ” pointed out Jeff Bock, a box-office analyst with Exhibitor Relations Company. “Disney has proven time and again that their titles are evergreen at the box office — even before this wave of 3-D re-releases, the Mouse House would routinely bring their films back into theaters.”
“Finding Nemo 3D” follows similar re-releases of “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King.” Bock predicted that it will top the box office with $25 million, while the fifth “Resident Evil” movie will follow behind with $23 million. However, MovieFanatic.com’s Joel Amos gave a slight edge to “Resident Evil.”
“It’ll be a close race,” MTV Next Movie’s Kevin Polowy said. “I see ‘Nemo’ swimming closer to the haul of ‘Lion King 3D,’ which was about $30 million, than the less successful 3-D re-release of ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ which made $17 million.
“The numbers from the previous ‘Resident Evil’ movies say there won’t be much of a dip,” he added. “These sequels average about $24 million opening weekend. The last one was the highest grossing ever, with $26 million.”
