Disney/Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame Encore” is set to top several new films at the box office as the former all-time box office record holder returned to theaters Thursday night and made $3.8 million.
Featuring a new color balance and post-credit sequences teasing “Avengers: Doomsday,” “Endgame Encore” is set to earn $25-28 million this weekend. If walk-ups are particularly strong and it can clear $30.2 million, it will set a new unadjusted record for the highest weekend ever for a re-release, topping the 2011 3D reissue of “The Lion King.”
Among newcomers, the highest grossing film is expected to be A24’s “Primetime,” which stars Robert Pattinson as “To Catch a Predator” host Chris Hansen, which made $2.8 million from preview screenings as it is looking at an opening weekend of around $20 million against a $15 million budget.
Paramount’s “Heart of the Beast,” a David Ayer survival thriller starring Brad Pitt as an Army vet who crashes with his combat dog in the Alaskan wilderness, earned $2 million from Thursday previews as it is projected for an opening weekend in the high teens.
Finally, there’s Universal/DreamWorks’ “Forgotten Island,” an original animated family film that made $1.5 million from previews and is looking at a $15-17 million opening that would be among the lowest ever for DreamWorks Animation despite strong reviews, holding a 95% Rotten Tomatoes score.
Both “Heart of the Beast” and “Forgotten Island” will have to hope that strong critical and audience reception will allow them to leg out through October, as they both carry production budgets of around $80 million. Like last weekend’s “Resident Evil,” which is looking at a $25 million second frame, these two films will be unique wide releases in the current theatrical landscape as next weekend’s films will be the female-focused Amazon MGM thriller “Verity” and Warner Bros.’ Oscar contender satire “Digger” starring Tom Cruise.
