New Movies August 19: 'Ben-Hur' Takes On 'War Dogs'

In a sure sign that the summer is starting to wind down, this weekend offers three new movies, none of which is expected to be a big hit. That could lead to an interesting competition for the top spots on the box-office charts, as a long list of hold-overs grapples with the newcomers for superiority in ticket sales.

The first of the week's new wide releases is Ben-Hur, an update of the old story about an ancient Roman charioteer. The 1959 version of the story starring Charlton Heston is a classic example of a mid-20th-century epic historical extravaganza, but this new version is not expected to live up to its predecessor's success. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter) and starring Jack Huston (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies), this one has a production budget of about $100 million, but it's expected to earn well less than $20 million in its opening weekend.

The second new wide release is a war-themed drama/comedy, War Dogs, starring Jonah Hill and Miles Teller. This one could do well with young male audiences, but those moviegoers might also be distracted by last week's number two, Sausage Party. Expect it to bring in $10 to $15 million.

The third new wide release this week is Kubo and the Two Strings, an animated adventure story. This one has plenty of family-oriented competition, but it is likely to do almost as well as the other two new releases.

The low expectations for the new releases leave the door open for last week's top three movies - Suicide Squad, Sausage Party and Pete's Dragon - to stay in the competition, potentially setting up a tight six-way race at the top.