The weekend box office is set to be a thrilling showdown between two highly anticipated sequels, 'Mortal Kombat II' and 'The Devil Wears Prada 2'. Both films are expected to debut with impressive numbers, but who will emerge victorious in this battle of the box office? Warner Bros.' 'Mortal Kombat II' is projected to debut with a solid $40 million to $45 million from 3,400 North American theaters, with the studio offering a slightly softer estimate of $35 million. Disney's 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' is also tracking well, with estimates ranging from $38 million to $42 million in its second weekend, putting it in a close race with 'Mortal Kombat II' for the top spot. Rivals and exhibitors believe that the final ticket sales for both films could be closer to $50 million, depending on word-of-mouth for 'Mortal Kombat II' and turnout on Mother's Day for 'The Devil Wears Prada 2'.
Two other newcomers, Amazon MGM's 'Sheep Detectives' and Paramount's concert film 'Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D)', will land behind a holdover title, 'Michael', on domestic box office charts. Lionsgate's biopic about Michael Jackson, 'Michael', is estimated to add a remarkable $35 million to $40 million in its third weekend of release. 'Sheep Detectives' is hoping to open to $12 million to $15 million from 3,457 locations, while 'Billie Eilish' is targeting a start of $8 million to $10 million from 2,600 venues.
'Mortal Kombat II' is expected to generate at least $30 million at the international box office, so the global start could range from $70 million to $80 million. The sequel was produced for $80 million, above the prior installment's $55 million price tag. The previous 'Mortal Kombat' opened to $23 million while launching simultaneously on HBO Max during the disastrous year-long experiment known as Project Popcorn. All things considered, the video game adaptation became a modest success with $42 million in North America and $84 million worldwide. Typically, those aren't the kind of returns to justify a sequel or launch a franchise, but HBO reported that 'Mortal Kombat' was among the streamer's most-watched movies at the time. Director Simon McQuoid returned for the sequel, which follows mixed martial arts champions in a high-stakes tournament to prevent the annihilation of Earthrealm. The studio clearly has high hopes for the series because a third film is already in development.
'Sheep Detectives' will need to stick around in theaters to justify its hefty $75 million budget. Hugh Jackman stars in the PG-rated film, which follows a shepherd who goes missing, leaving his sheep to follow the clues, investigate human suspects, and crack the case. Reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, earning 'Sheep Detectives' a 95% average on Rotten Tomatoes. Variety's film critic Guy Lodge described the film as a 'wholesomely offbeat family comedy' with 'bags full of charm'. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bryan Cranston, and Regina Hall lead the voice cast.
'Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft' was produced for $20 million and will be released by Paramount and Interscope Records through a partnership. The film follows the 24-year-old Grammy and Oscar-winning artist on her most recent concert tour. Eilish co-directed 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' with 'Avatar' filmmaker James Cameron, who 'pioneered 3Dcameras specifically designed to capture Billie's performance', according to press notes. Like Taylor Swift's 'The Eras Tour' and 'Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé', exhibitors want audiences to view 'Hit Me Hard and Soft' as a less-expensive stop on Eilish's sold-out world tour. However, points of comparison are tough, according to box office watchers. 'The Eras Tour' was a theatrical anomaly, debuting to $93 million in North America and concluding its run with a record-setting $180 million domestically and $261 million globally. 'Renaissance' was another rarity, opening to $21.8 million in North America and ending up with $33 million domestically and $43 million globally.
So far, the late spring and early summer box office has been strong. 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' has grossed $82 million domestically and $240 million globally to date. Thanks to nostalgia and great word-of-mouth, the star-studded sequel is expected to outgross the first film's $326 million lifetime haul in a matter of days. Meanwhile, 'Michael' has remained a force with $188 million in North America and $432 million worldwide after just two weekends in theaters. The box office battle between these films promises to be an exciting one, with high stakes and high hopes for the future of these franchises.
