Weekend Forecast: 'Neighbors', 'Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return', & 'Moms' Night Out'

Featured Stories - on May 07, 2014 by BoxOffice Staff

may9.pngThree new releases open on May 9, with the anticipated comedy Neighbors leading the pack.

Neighbors

PROS:

- Seth Rogen's star power has surged again since last year's This is the End hit it big.
- Zac Efron has a few box office successes on his resume. His draw among women is also significant for this kind of movie.
- Strong early buzz from critics and screenings at SXSW and CinemaCon should translate into commercial success.
- Director Nicholas Stoller has plenty of experience working in the genre, previously helming Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him to the Greek.
- As the first widely appealing comedy to open since January, demand is definitely there.

CONS:

- Will the prank aspect of the film overshadow the broader premise and limit opening weekend potential before word of mouth kicks in?
- One hit last year isn't enough to guarantee that Rogen's fans will automatically turn out again, even if the odds support it.

Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return

PROS:

- With Rio 2 being the last animated release, parents may be looking for a new option for the young ones.
- Social media buzz isn't altogether discouraging.

CONS:

- Clarius Entertainment, the film's distributor, has no previous experience releasing an animated title.
- Parents may just opt for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 or Rio 2 again.

Moms' Night Out

PROS:

- The film's trailer ran in front of Heaven is for Real, increasing its exposure to faith-based audiences.
- A release coinciding with Mother's Day this weekend could give the low-profile flick a needed boost.

CONS:

- The Other Woman's success is likely to overshadow this flick as the preferred option among most women this weekend.
- The film's low theater count will significantly hinder it. 

Check out our complete weekend forecast in the table below.

Title Release Date Distributor Opening Weekend Domestic Total through Sunday, May 11
Neighbors (2014) May 9, 2014 Universal
 $39,000,000 $39,000,000
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 May 2, 2014 Sony / Columbia
 $37,000,000 $148,500,000
The Other Woman (2014) Apr 25, 2014 Fox
 $9,300,000 $61,700,000
Moms' Night Out May 9, 2014 Sony / TriStar
 $7,000,000 $7,000,000
Heaven is for Real Apr 16, 2014 Sony / TriStar
 $6,300,000 $74,500,000
Rio 2 Apr 11, 2014 Fox
 $5,500,000 $113,600,000
Captain America: The Winter Soldier Apr 4, 2014 Disney
 $5,300,000 $244,600,000
Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return May 9, 2014 Clarius Entertainment
 $4,500,000 $4,500,000
Brick Mansions Apr 25, 2014 Relativity Media
 $2,100,000 $19,000,000
Divergent Mar 21, 2014 Lionsgate / Summit
 $1,500,000 $144,800,000

Phil Contrino, Daniel Garris, Alex Edghill, and Shawn Robbins contributed to this report.

Tags: Neighbors, Moms' Night Out, Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return, predictions

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