Paramount’s highly anticipated musical reboot of Mean Girls is set to invigorate the box office after a dry spell caused by recent strikes, according to industry experts. The film is expected to generate a substantial revenue of around $30 million over the four-day MLK weekend, with its strong appeal among women driving ticket sales.
Meanwhile, Amazon MGM Studios’ action-packed R-rated film, The Beekeeper, starring renowned actor Jason Statham, is also anticipated to make a mark at the box office during the same weekend. It is predicted to earn approximately $16 million, appealing especially to male and multicultural audiences.
The year hasn’t started off on a strong note for the box office, with the first week of 2024 lagging 8% behind the same period in 2023. However, with last year’s MLK weekend witnessing substantial revenue from films like Avatar: The Way of Water and M3GAN, industry insiders are hopeful that the upcoming releases will help bridge the gap.
To create buzz and anticipation, Paramount has organized early previews of Mean Girls at 450 Dolby and PLF theaters. These exclusive screenings, titled “On Wednesdays We Wear Pink Early Access Screening,” are expected to drive even more viewers to the theaters.
Mean Girls, rated PG-13, boasts an impressive lineup of talent. Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., the film is written by Tina Fey and currently holds a commendable 75% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on reviews from critics.
It is worth mentioning that the original Mean Girls movie, released in 2004, opened to a solid $24.4 million and went on to gross $86 million domestically and an impressive $130.1 million worldwide, making it a cult classic.
While Mean Girls and The Beekeeper steal the limelight, Sony-TriStar is set to release Legendary Pictures’ The Book of Clarence. With an expected low-single-digit take over four days across 2,100 theaters, the film offers a fresh twist on the Biblical epic genre and features notable actor LaKeith Stanfield. Written and directed by Jeymes Samuel, the movie has already garnered considerable interest.
Overall, the upcoming MLK weekend is set to be an exciting one for movie enthusiasts, with Mean Girls, The Beekeeper, and The Book of Clarence vying for audience attention and bringing much-needed vigor to the box office.