The monster movie is set to be the latest title from Dwayne Johnson to land $35 million-$40 million in its U.S. debut.
Fresh off the box-office success of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Dwayne Johnson is back in theaters this weekend in Rampage, playing a primatologist whose beloved pal — a silverback gorilla — is transformed into a giant menace as the result of a genetic experiment.
Rampage, from New Line and Warner Bros., should top the U.S. chart with $35 million-$40 million, enough to fend off holdover A Quiet Place and the new horror film, Truth or Dare.
Paramount’s A Quiet Place is something of a wild card after opening to a rousing $50 million last weekend, and could earn as much as $25 million-$30 million in its second weekend. The film has done brisk midweek business, grossing nearly $60 million through Tuesday.
A Quiet Place cost a modest $17 million to produce, while Rampage cost at least $115 million-$120 million. New Line is counting on Rampage, an adaptation of the videogame of the same name, to be a formidable player overseas, where it opens in almost every major market timed to its U.S. launch, including China.
Rampage reunites Johnson with his San Andreas director, Brad Peyton. The story follows Johnson’s character as he teams with a discredited genetic engineer (Naomie Harris) to stop the gorilla, along with a mutated wolf and crocodile, from destroying the U.S. The movie currently shows a 45 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
A Quiet Place, a high-concept horror pic directed by John Krasinski, poses direct competition for Truth or Dare, the latest mirco-budgeted collaboration from Universal and Blumhouse. Tracking suggests the film will open in the mid-teens.
The supernatural thriller — hitting theaters on Friday the 13th — revolves around a group of spring breakers who play an innocent game of “Truth or Dare” that turns deadly. Directed by Jeff Wadlow, the film stars Lucy Hale and Tyler Posey.
Universal and Blumhouse screened the film on some 50 college campuses across the country, and used its television spots to target younger females. The film’s Rotten Tomatoes score currently rests at 30 percent.
The indie animated film Sgt Stubby: An American Hero also opens nationwide this weekend, but expectations for the film are nominal and it may not clear more than a few million dollars.
New offerings at the specialty box office include the Neon’s tennis biographical drama Borg vs. McEnroe, starring Shia LeBeouf as bad-boy tennis champ John McEnroe, and Sony Classic Pictures’ The Rider. Elsewhere, Wes Anderson’s Isle of Dogs expands nationwide in its third weekend (the Fox Searchlight title has grossed roughly $13 million to date).
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