Long Range Forecast: 'Nightcrawler'

Featured Stories - on September 06, 2014 by BoxOffice Staff

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Jake Gyllenhaal makes another play at Oscar consideration in Nightcrawler, an intense look at a creepy video reporter who will do anything to get a story. Will mainstream audiences embrace a dark look at the media or is this title doomed to be overshadowed by other Oscar contenders? This week BoxOffice takes a look at the financial prospects for the Open Road release.

Nightcrawler
(Open Road)

PROS:

- There have been some very enthusiastic reviews out of the Toronto International Film Festival. 
- Open Road successfully turned another Gyllenhaal vehicle--End of Watch--into a solid mid-level hit.
- The subject matter of voyeurism in the media is certainly more relevant than ever following the leaked photos of major starlets. 
- The film's atmospheric trailer has managed to build healthy online buzz.  

CONS:

- Nightcrawler also has its share of detractors out of TIFF--Variety and The Hollywood Report, most notably.
- Opening one week before Interstellar and Big Hero 6 will be a very difficult task.
- If any October Oscar-bait title overperforms it could eat into Nightcrawler's potential audience.  

Check out our predictions for this film and others in the table below. 

Title Release Date Distributor Opening Weekend Cumulative
Nightcrawler Oct 31, 2014 Open Road
 $6,500,000 $18,000,000
Saw (2014 re-issue) Oct 31, 2014 Lionsgate
 $6,000,000 $10,000,000
Ouija Oct 24, 2014 Universal
 $24,000,000 $53,000,000
Fury (2014) Oct 17, 2014 Sony / Columbia
 $25,000,000 $93,000,000
The Book of Life (2014) Oct 17, 2014 Fox
 $14,000,000 $42,000,000
The Best of Me Oct 17, 2014 Relativity Media
 $11,000,000 $34,000,000
The Judge Oct 10, 2014 Warner Bros.
 $22,000,000 $83,000,000
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day Oct 10, 2014 Disney
 $21,000,000 $74,000,000
Dracula Untold Oct 10, 2014 Universal
 $8,000,000 $19,000,000
Annabelle Oct 3, 2014 Warner Bros. / New Line
 $20,000,000 $45,000,000
Gone Girl Oct 3, 2014 Fox
 $25,000,000 $90,000,000
Left Behind (2014) Oct 3, 2014 Freestyle Releasing
 $13,000,000 $35,000,000
The Equalizer Sep 26, 2014 Sony / Columbia
 $35,000,000 $110,000,000
The Boxtrolls Sep 26, 2014 Focus
 $14,000,000 $59,000,000
The Maze Runner Sep 19, 2014 Fox
 $28,000,000 $73,000,000
Tusk Sep 19, 2014 A24
 $4,000,000 $8,000,000
This Is Where I Leave You Sep 19, 2014 Warner Bros.
 $13,000,000 $39,000,000
A Walk Among the Tombstones Sep 19, 2014 Universal
 $18,000,000 $51,000,000
Dolphin Tale 2 Sep 12, 2014 Warner Bros.
 $15,000,000 $54,000,000
No Good Deed (2014) Sep 12, 2014 Sony / Screen Gems
 $17,000,000 $40,000,000

Phil Contrino, Daniel Garris and Shawn Robbins contributed to this article.

Tags: predictions, Nightcrawler

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