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    Box Office Preview: 'Ghost Rider' has the spirit

    By PAUL DERGARABEDIAN | Associated Press – Thu, Feb 16, 2012

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sony's "Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance" in 3-D, starring Nicolas Cage as Marvel Comic character Johnny Blaze, is looking to kick President's weekend into high gear with an expected four-day holiday debut around $30 million.

    However, given the recent spate of over-performing films at the domestic box office, the film's weekend total could go much higher. The first installment, released over President's weekend in 2007, debuted with a whopping $52 million for the four-day period.

    Sony's romantic drama "The Vow," starring Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams, led last weekend's Valentine's box office chart with a $41.7 million bouquet and received additional love from audiences with $11.5 million on Valentine's Day alone. And that was a Tuesday. So a four-day, second-weekend gross in the mid-$20 millions is not out of the question, with a domestic total of nearly $90 million likely by Monday night.

    Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds in Universal's "Safe House" also exceeded opening expectations last weekend and should draw an upcoming four-day total in the low $20 million range.

    Twentieth Century Fox unleashes the action comedy "This Means War" as a sort of anti-Valentine for those ready to leave the mushy stuff behind and embrace a different kind of romance. Starring Chris Pine and Tom Hardy as two former CIA operatives who realize they are dating the same woman played by Reese Witherspoon, the McG-directed film should draw a four-day gross in the $15 million to $17 million range.

    The top 5 will likely round out with either Warner Bros. "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island" or Fox's 3-D rerelease of "Star Wars: Episode One —The Phantom Menace." Both have the potential to earn grosses in the low teens in their second weekend in theaters.

    But don't be surprised if Disney's debut of "The Secret World of Arrietty" sneaks in there, too. The G-rated animated film is the American adaptation of the 2010 Japanese smash "The Borrower Arrietty," which has earned more than $126 million worldwide.

    ___

    Paul Dergarabedian is president of the Box Office Division of Hollywood.com and provides box office analysis for The Associated Press.

    ___

    Online: www.Hollywood.com

     

    12 comments

    • William
      William  •  3 mths ago
      I hope Ghost Rider does well.
    • Uatu
      Uatu  •  3 mths ago
      Just saw it at a free preview.

      It's definately better than the first.

      The story is a little predicatble (but then, most comic book movies are), the effects are great...Ghost Rider himself looks badass....even Nic Cage's histrionics work well in context to the story.

      **** out of *****
    • HQD
      HQD  •  Fremont, California  •  3 mths ago
      Looks to have more promise than the first one.
    • Shadez
      Shadez  •  3 mths ago
      wasn't crazy about the last film. At first. But it grows on ya. Hopefully the sequel doesn't flop.
    • seekr34
      seekr34  •  Syracuse, New York  •  3 mths ago
      The coming attractions looked good, like there was more action than the first.
    • Trollulah
      Trollulah  •  3 mths ago
      "Ghost Rider" looks like one of those old tired metal albums my dad still has, or one of his 10,000 flaming skull t-shirts.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Las Vegas, Nevada  •  3 mths ago
      Sure hope it's better than the first Ghost Rider movie. That one blew.
      • Outsider
        Outsider 3 mths ago
        I disagree; I think it sucked.
      • Joshua
        Joshua 3 mths ago
        That can't be very hard.
      • David
        David 3 mths ago
        Fool you once, shame on them...
    • somebody
      somebody  •  3 mths ago
      Nick Fury is going to show up after the credits and tell Johnny..."I putting a team together...but your not invited because you suck!"
      • A Yahoo! User 3 mths ago
        That would only make nerds laugh.Fortunately,I am a nerd,and I enjoyed the joke.
      • Rich
        Rich 3 mths ago
        Uh oh, I got that joke and thought it was funny. My inner nerd is showing.
    • pj
      pj  •  Miami, Florida  •  3 mths ago
      Another Nick Cage bomb.
    • SCOTT N
      SCOTT N  •  3 mths ago
      Not a bad prediction for a badly miscast movie! Sorry, but Nick Cage is old enough to play Johnny Blaze's father! Too old and too ethnic for the part. Pass!
      • Sandra
        Sandra 3 mths ago
        He's the right person to play Johnny, there's no one I could think of that could do it as well.
      • Smorch
        Smorch 3 mths ago
        Ethnic?
      • Rich
        Rich 3 mths ago
        Smorch already said this, but "ethnic?"
    • Mark
      Mark  •  Bozeman, Montana  •  3 mths ago
      nick is no action hero, lol, hollywood keeps trying to cast him as one, but who would be afraid of nick coming after ya, he aint intimidating at all...
    • Wealthychat.com
      Wealthychat.com  •  Fremont, California  •  3 mths ago
      D_a_t_e___s_i_n_g_l_e____M'_i_l_l_i_o_n_a¬¬¬_i_r_e______H_e_r_e
      • Uatu
        Uatu 3 mths ago
        Yuck fou and you website.
     Post a comment
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