Sony’s latest installment in the Ghostbusters franchise, ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire’, is set to dominate the box office this weekend with a projected opening of $41 million to $44 million. The film, which earned $16 million on Friday, including $4.7 million in Thursday previews, has sparked differing opinions among industry insiders regarding its potential box office performance.
While Sony remains optimistic about reaching the $42 million to $44 million mark, rival studios are more conservative, anticipating an opening around $41 million. This places ‘Frozen Empire’ slightly behind the $44 million debut of the previous Ghostbusters film, ‘Afterlife’, released in 2021 amidst the challenges posed by the pandemic.
The new Ghostbusters entry faces obstacles in the form of mixed reviews and a B+ CinemaScore from audiences, compared to the A- score achieved by ‘Afterlife’. Additionally, adverse weather conditions along the east coast pose a challenge to the film’s performance.
‘Frozen Empire’ serves as a direct sequel to ‘Afterlife’, which successfully revitalized the beloved franchise originally created by Ivan Reitman. Directed by series co-scribe Gil Kenan, the movie features a star-studded cast including Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, and a lineup of original Ghostbusters cast members such as Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Ernie Hudson.
The plot revolves around the Spengler family teaming up with the original Ghostbusters to combat a supernatural threat unleashed by the discovery of an ancient artifact, leading to a battle to save the world from a second Ice Age.
Meanwhile, Neon’s horror film ‘Immaculate’, headlined by Sydney Sweeney, is also making its nationwide debut this weekend and is expected to secure the fourth position at the box office with an estimated $5 million in earnings.
