'Fever Pitch' looks to score at the B.O. this weekend.
Seeking to sink "Sin City" from its box office perch this weekend are 20th Century Fox's "Fever Pitch," at 3,267 theaters, and Paramount's "Sahara," which bows in 3,148 venues.
Though there's no clear favorite for the frame's B.O. crown, the Jimmy Fallon-Drew Barrymore romantic comedy may have a slight edge. Tracking shows the pic drawing aud interest evenly (if moderately) across all four aud quadrants, and relationship comedies have been playing well in the early months of 2005, demonstrated by the monster hauls for "Meet the Fockers" and "Hitch."
"Pitch" may not be in their league, but two weeks ago "Guess Who" bowed better than expected with $20.7 million. And Fallon's first bigscreen outing in "Taxi" opened in October with $12 million. Industry estimates put "Pitch" somewhere in between.
"Sahara," with a $100-million-plus budget financed by Phil Anschutz's Bristol Bay Prods., has a fate less clear. While similarly themed hunt pic "National Treasure" came out of nowhere at Thanksgiving with a $35.1 million debut, last spring "Hidalgo" had trouble mustering its $18.8 million opening. Older males have been the demo showing most interest in "Sahara," while younger auds have yet to show much spark.
As with "Pitch," "Sahara" may end up opening in the mid-teens, which is where "Sin City" would end up if it drops 50% from its opening weekend of $29.1 million.
However, if "Sin" follows form of other pics with strong core followings, the strong turnout for opening night last week may portend a second-week slump closer to 60%. A year ago, for instance, , Miramax watched "Kill Bill Vol. 2" drop 59% in its second week after unspooling with $25.1 million.
In the limited arena, Sony Pictures Classics will start Stephen Chow's "Kung Fu Hustle" on seven screens in Gotham and L.A. before going national with the pic on April 22.
Also opening this week is Warner Independent's "Eros," which starts on 12, Paramount Classics' "Winter Solstice" with five playdates and "A Hole in My Heart" from Newmarket on a solo screen.
Among the expansions, Fox Searchlight begins Woody Allen's "Melinda and Melinda" nationally, upping its run to 294 screens. Playing its fourth frame, "Melinda" is adding 97 new bookings.
IFC is also expanding both of its holdovers, bulking "The Ballad of Jack and Rose" by 22 runs in its third week, for a total of 69, and moving "Dust to Glory" up to 32 screens a week after it debuted on two.
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