Do you dare to go back?
That's what Warner Bros. is hoping audiences will do this weekend in droves as Mike Flanagan's DOCTOR SLEEP is set to open tomorrow. The Stephen King adaption and sequel to Stanley Kubrick's THE SHINING showcases a grownup Danny Torrance (Ewan McGregor) who is tortured by alcoholism and the trauma of his childhood experiences at the Overlook Hotel. When he meets a young girl named Abra (Kyliegh Curran) with a powerful shine, he must protect her from the evil of the True Knot led by the terrifying Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson). Well if early projections are any indication, DOCTOR SLEEP will also be scaring the money right out of people's wallets.
Early estimates predict the horror film will take home anywhere between $25 to $30 million, easily eclipsing Roland Emmerich's MIDWAY (read Chris Bumbray's review here) and Paul Feig's LAST CHRISTMAS (read Matt Rooney's review here) which are also set to open. DOCTOR SLEEP's only other real competition is TERMINATOR: DARK FATE which opened dismally last week and is set to lose over $100 million. This will mark the fourth Stephen King film adaptation this year with the previous entries being PET SEMATARY, IT: CHAPTER TWO, and IN THE TALL GRASS.
Now I'm no box office analyst but my gut tells me these estimates are low. THE SHINING is a beloved horror film, Stephen King adaptations are hot right now, and this cast is stellar. I could easily see DOCTOR SLEEP making twice the projections this weekend. I know I certainly will be there opening night.
What about you guys? Are you excited for DOCTOR SLEEP? Are you going to check it out in theaters? Sound off in the comments below.