The big question going into this weekend’s movie openings is whether Watchmen can hang on to the top spot.
Zack Snyder’s hyper-faithful adaptation of the Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons graphic novel will be challenged by newcomers The Last House on the Left, a remake of Wes Craven’s 1972 genre classic, and Disney’s Race to Witch Mountain, a reimagining of the 1975 franchise-starter about kids with powers.
Witch Mountain, which stars Dwayne Johnson, will open on 3,187 screens, while Last House will show on just over 2,400. A third new release, the Fox Searchlight comedy Miss March, opens on 1,742 screens.
Directed by Andy Fickman (Anaconda, She’s the Man) , Escape to Witch Mountain has been getting positive reviews for its well-executed action set pieces, good humor and Dwayne Johnson’s (the artist formerly known as The Rock) charming screen persona. The film’s impressive visual effects were handled by Furious FX, Proof and RotoFactory. Disney fans who grew up in the 1970s will be happy to know that original Witch Mountain child stars Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards make cameo appearances in this franchise reboot. Also along for the ride are Watchmen actress Carla Gugina who stars as an astrophysicist and always-reliable director/actor Gary Marshall who plays a UFO expert.
All three new releases offer a stark contrast to Watchmen‘s dense, R-rated and lengthy superhero epic, which debuted to a gross of $55 million last weekend.
Meanwhile, Cinematical reports Focus Features’ Coraline will be easier to catch in 3-D, with many 3-D capable screens picking the film up again now that the limited run of Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience has finished.
