Will a gritty, globe-trotting police officer and an anthropomorphic chimpanzee pop star have the ability to kickstart the 2025 field workplace?
The yr’s first two new nationwide releases, Lionsgate’s “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” a heist thriller starring Gerard Butler as a caper-busting sheriff, and Paramount’s big-budget “Higher Man,” a musical biopic by which a CGI monkey portrays the British singer Robbie Williams, are hoping to attract audiences to the massive display amid the post-holiday doldrums. Nonetheless, wildfires ravaging although components of Los Angeles might have an effect on moviegoing in one of many greatest theatrical markets within the nation. Paramount canceled the L.A. premiere of “Higher Man” as a result of fires and excessive winds.
The sequel to “Den of Thieves” is aiming for $11 million to $13 million from 3,000 North American theaters over the weekend, whereas “Higher Man” is projected to usher in $2 million from a slimmer display rely of 1,200 venues. Whether or not “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera” steals the No. 1 spot on the home field workplace will depend upon the endurance of Disney’s “Mufasa.” The “Lion King” prequel topped the charts in North America with $23.4 million over the primary weekend of 2025 and appears so as to add $12 million to $15 million in its fourth body. “Mufasa” has generated $170 million domestically and $478 million worldwide so far.
Until “Den of Thieves 2” beats expectations, preliminary ticket gross sales received’t enhance upon its predecessor, which opened to $15.2 million in late January 2018 and powered to $80 million globally by the top of its theatrical run. Lionsgate believes the caper sequel will endure on the cinema all through January, which tends to be a lighter month on the field workplace when it comes to new releases. “Den of Thieves 2” value $40 million, although Lionsgate normally mitigates threat by promoting overseas rights to its theatrical titles.
Christian Gudegast returned to jot down and direct “Pantera,” which additionally sees the return of Butler as Huge Nick, a gritty Los Angeles police officer who’s now on the hunt in Europe to trace down Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), an ex-marine-turned-robber who’s plotting an enormous diamond heist.
“Higher Man,” which was acquired by Paramount for $25 million, is an off-kilter tackle the current upswing of musical biopics (movies about Amy Winehouse, Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston and Bob Dylan have hit theaters in simply the previous three years, whereas one on Michael Jackson opens later this yr). The story captures the rise of the best-selling native artist by means of the lens of a chimp as a result of, as Williams places it, he at all times felt “much less advanced than different individuals.”
Michael Gracey, who steered “The Best Showman” with Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum to sleeper hit standing, directed “Higher Man.” The movie launched in restricted launch (six venues in whole) in late December and has grossed a paltry $91,696 so far. Since Williams isn’t as well-known within the States as he’s throughout the pond, critiques and word-of-mouth will consider closely to the business success of “Higher Man.” Essential sentiment has been overwhelmingly optimistic, with Selection’s chief movie critic Peter Debruge writing that “towards all odds, the gimmick works, distinguishing the undertaking from so many different cookie-cutter pop-star hagiographies.”
Hollywood is banking on 2025 as a rebound yr after the pandemic and two union strikes wreaked havoc on the field workplace. January has solely a smattering of newcomers on the calendar, together with Common’s horror thriller “Wolf Man” and Sony’s R-rated comedy “Considered one of Them Days” with Keke Palmer (Jan. 17) and Lionsgate’s “Flight Danger,” starring Mark Wahlberg as a hitman (Jan. 24). The winter season, nonetheless, is predicted to select up with Marvel’s “Captain America: Courageous New World” on Feb 14. Paging Sam Wilson!