Will 'Blade Runner' Conquer the Box Office?
by EG
So far this fall, Stephen King's It has been the only legitimate hit movie. This weekend, Blade Runner 2049, the long-awaited sequel to 1982's Blade Runner comes to theaters in an attempt to be the next blockbuster. The film is almost guaranteed to have a successful debut, given the star power in its cast (Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford headline), but will it have legs? Its predecessor has become a classic for sci-fi fans over the past few decades, but its dark tone and opaque storytelling limited its appeal to a mass audience. We'll find out this weekend if things have changed since 1982.
The long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott's 1982 cult classic Blade Runner will have no trouble racing to the top of the box-office chart in its debut, but can the sci-fi epic succeed in launching a new franchise?
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, the R-rated Blade Runner 2049 is projected to open to $45 million or more in North America. It is also rolling out in almost every international market this weekend, save for China, Japan and South Korea, and could easily clear $100 million globally by Sunday.
Alcon Entertainment developed and holds worldwide rights to the big-budget sequel, starring Ryan Gosling opposite Harrison Ford, who reprises his role as Rick Deckard. Warner Bros. is handling Blade Runner 2049 domestically, while Sony, which co-financed the $150 million movie, has international duties.
Blade Runner 2049, with a hefty running time of 163 minutes, currently sports an enviable 94 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The supporting cast includes Dave Bautista, Robin Wright and Ana de Armas.
Elsewhere, Lionsgate and Hasbro's animated family film My Little Pony is projected to launch in the $12 million-$15 million range. The voice cast includes Emily Blunt, Kristin Chenoweth, Michael Pena, Uzo Aduba, Live Schrieber, Taye Diggs and Sia.
Read the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
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