Weekly Anticipation Index: 'The Bounty Hunter'

Featured Stories - on January 16, 2010 by Phil Contrino

Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler will try to turn The Bounty Hunter into a hit this March.

This week, we've added The Bounty Hunter, Season of the Witch and Hot Tub Time Machine to our Anticipation Index. All three films are set to hit theaters on March 19.

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It's obvious that The Bounty Hunter is aiming for the same audience that made Mr. and Mrs. Smith a $430 million worldwide hit in 2005. The film combines key romantic comedy elements with action scenes. If Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler prove that they have a palpable chemistry on screen, then the film could end up being a solid hit. Yet it's worth noting that both stars are not exactly sure things. For every Marley and Me, Aniston seems to have a Love Happens. As for Butler, he wasn't able to carry Gamer on his own.

Speaking of not being a sure thing, Nicolas Cage is the main selling point for Season of the Witch. Cage is capable of delivering at the box office (see the National Treasure films), but he's also capable to making huge duds (The Wicker Man). Unless horror enthusiasts really latch on to Witch, it will probably end up in the dud camp.

With a story focused on male bonding and lots of partying, Hot Tub Time Machine seems to be gunning for at least a fraction of The Hangover's audience. The trailer is full of laughs, and the high-concept premise may entice a healthy crowd. Hot Tub Time Machine could end up being a sleeper hit.

Check out our predictions for The Bounty Hunter, Season of the Witch and Hot Tub Time Machine as well as other films in the table below.

Weekly Anticipation Index, January 16, 2010
Title Release Date Distributor Opening Weekend Cumulative
The Tooth Fairy January 22 20th Century Fox $20M $65M
Legion January 22 Screen Gems $19M $50M
Extraordinary Measures January 22 CBS Films $12M $35M
Edge of Darkness January 29 Warner Bros. $24M $75M
When in Rome January 29 Disney $14M $42M
Dear John February 5 Screen Gems $17M $60M
From Paris with Love February 5 Lionsgate $13M $42M
Valentine's Day February 12 New Line $37M* $100M
The Wolfman February 12 Universal $25M* $60M
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief February 12 Fox 2000 $23M* $65M
Shutter Island February 19 Paramount $26M $80M
Cop Out February 26 Warner Bros. $17M $50M
Alice in Wonderland March 5 Disney $73M $215M
Green Zone March 12 Universal $27M $75M
Remember Me March 12 Summit $15M $35M
The Bounty Hunter March 19 Sony/Columbia $25M $73M
Season of the Witch March 19 Lionsgate $13M $33M
Hot Tub Time Machine March 19 MGM $12M $35M

*= four-day weekend

Additional reporting by Daniel Garris and Alex Edghill.

Tags: Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler, The Bounty Hunter, Weekly Anticipation Index, Season of the Witch, Nicolas Cage, Dominic Sena, Hot Tub Time Machine, John Cusack, Craig Robinson, Rob Corrdry, Clark Duke, box office, estimates

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