Well, that was fast.
Usually, I am one that keeps mucho up-to-date on all things related to the box office. I don't tend to post many stories about that here as peeps don't seem to care nearly as much as I do about such things. I get that some of the most classic flicks of our genre made zero bucks at the box office – and also that some of the worst have made bucko bucks – but all the same, it's something I keep a close eye on.
Anyhow, it turns out in a noon post from Deadline, they have already received a whiff of what the Tom Cruise-led THE MUMMY reboot is set to make this weekend.
And it isn't pretty.
Turns out based on last night's showings ($2.6M) and today's projected gross ($11.5M-$12.5M), THE MUMMY will end up snagging about an opening between $29.6 million-$32 million at 4,034 theaters. Again that's based off a first day that’s between $11.5M-$12.5M.
Now while an opening weekend haul of $30-ish million may not seem like a small chunk of change, remember that this new reboot of The Mummy cost around $125M-$130M, with some sources claiming the budget (with Tom Cruise's paycheck) is closer to $195M.
Tag to that a $30M opening weekend for the flick would mark it as the LOWEST entry in The Mummy franchise, which kicked off with Stephen Sommers' reboot scoring an opening of $43.3M back in 1999. That flick's sequel THE MUMMY RETURNS then scored an opening of $68.1M, with the third film in the series, THE MUMMY: TOMB OF JET LI gathering up a solid $40.4M opening.
Hell, even The Rock's THE SCORPION KING spin-off snagged an opening of $36M.
Again, if these numbers carry through the weekend (and they should) THE MUMMY will make less than The Scorpion King, meaning Universal may need to start re-thinking their Dark Universe flicks.
My advice?
Cut out these big name A-list actors – and their HUGE-GANTIC paydays – and let the classic monsters be their own marketing. I wanted a bit more on this yesterday, but the gist of my issue seems to spread to the mass public as well with Deadline reporting – per one "rival marketing executive" – that:
“Nobody wanted to see Tom Cruise in this movie.”
What do you think of this news? Are you surprised? Do you still plan on seeing the movie this weekend if you haven't already? Let us know any and all of your thoughts on the Tom Cruise Mummy flick on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Instagram!
THE MUMMY is now in theaters nationwide.
Rachel Weisz co-starred in THE MUMMY (1999).