New Movies April 8: Melissa McCarthy v Batman and Superman

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice struggled at the box office last week, but since there were no new movies that appealed to mainstream audiences, the superhero film had no trouble staying at number one. That might not be so easy this weekend, as two new movies with the potential to cut into the defending champion's audience hit the screens.

Batman v Superman earned $51 million last weekend, a huge 69% drop from its big $166-million opening weekend. If it experiences another 45-50% drop-off this weekend, which is entirely possible, its earnings could fall within the reach of its competitors.

The first of the week's wide releases is The Boss, a comedy starring Melissa McCarthy as a disgraced former executive and Kristen Bell as the former assistant who helps her claw her way back to the top. The last time that McCarthy carried a film on her own was in 2013's Tammy, and that one opened to $21.5 million. If The Boss can come close to or exceed that mark, it could be a threat to Batman v Superman.

The week's other new wide release is Hardcore Henry, a quirky action movie in which the lead character is depicted entirely from a first-person camera perspective. The gimmick seems potentially off-putting, but critics say it works. Although the movie won't be a contender for first place, it will potentially draw viewers away from the competing superhero movie.