New Movies February 19: Race, Risen and The Witch

Deadpool was the undisputed king of last weekend's box office, and the film will probably dominate this weekend, too. The three new wide releases are not likely to mount much of a challenge to the defending champion and will likely to be in a battle for position elsewhere in the top five.

The first of the new wide releases this week is Race, a biopic about African American runner Jesse Owens. This one has drama and historical significance, two qualities that might make for a good movie but that rarely spell blockbuster success at the box office. It stars Canadian actor Stephan James as Owens.

The second new wide release is Risen, a Biblical drama starring Joseph Fiennes as a Roman soldier who experiences the resurrection of Christ. This one may draw the faith-based crowd and could be a solid contender for second place in the box office race.

The final new wide release is The Witch, a pyschological horror film about spooky happenings in colonial New England. This one is getting excellent critical reviews, but it could be just a bit too cerebral to be a mainstream hit.

The biggest question of the weekend is how well Deadpool will hold up. It's certainly got plenty of buzz working in its favor, but its extreme violence and subversive, profane humor excludes large swaths of its potential audience, making its long-term fate uncertain.