Each Thursday we look at what is going to be coming out in theaters this weekend, show you the trailers for the big releases, predict the box office winner and just generally give you enough of a carrot to pull you through the rest of the work week.  After a disappointing opening, Blade Runner 2049 has four new wide releases and two new limited releases looking to retire it from the top of the box office.

Well, you should be able to find SOMETHING to go see this weekend between the five wide releases and two limited releases storming into theaters this weekend.  Four of the Five wide releases are in positive territory on Rotten Tomatoes at time of writing.  Faring the best are Marshall, Chadwick Boseman’s biopic about a young Thurgood Marshall, and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, which stars Luke Wilson as the creator of Wonder Woman (if you don’t know anything about him….he’s not exactly Stan Lee).  Doing surprisingly well in reviews is the Jackie Chan/Pierce Brosnan action film The Foreigner, and there’s a new horror film that’s like Groundhog Day but every day you wake up and get killed on your birthday (fuuuuun) called, wait for it, Happy Death Day.  The other wide release is an animated film called Gnome Alone that was unsurprisingly not subjected to critical scrutiny.

The two limited releases are both films I’ve been anticipating, and unfortunately they’re both at about 60% on Rotten Tomatoes at time of writing.  Breathe is Andy Serkis’s directorial debut starring Andrew Garfield as a young man stricken with polio.  Good-bye Christopher Robin starring Domhnall Gleeson as A.A. Milne looks at the writer’s return from World War I and how his experiences there and his relationship with his son shaped the writing of the Winnie the Pooh books.

Breathe (Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, PG-13, 1hr 57m)

The Foreigner (Jackie Chan, Pierce Brosnan, R, 1hr 54m)

Gnome Alone (Tara Strong, PG, 1hr 37m)

Good-bye Christopher Robin(Domhnall Gleeson, PG, 1hr 47m)

Happy Death Day (Jessica Roethe, R, 1hr 36m)

Professor Marston & The Wonder Women (Luke Wilson, R, 1hr 48m)

How Did We Do Last Week? KT made the easy pick that Blade Runner 2049 would win the weekend, but unfortunately the brilliant sequel to the 1982 science fiction classic underperformed at the box office.  The film, which cost $125 million to make, only pulled in $32.8 million in its opening weekend, and it’ll be up to foreign markets to salvage the film, though WB should definitely push it for awards consideration.  Finishing back in second with $10.6 million was Kate Winslet’s The Mountain Between Us.
(2017 Prediction Record: 36-5; Lifetime prediction record 74-10).

WHO WILL WIN THE WEEKEND?

I want to believe that Blade Runner can hold on another weekend, but with all the new films, plus the regular drop after opening weekend…..I doubt word-of-mouth will keep the film higher than $17 million.  Horror fans have already ruled the box office since Labor Day, and now they have a new, well-reviewed film I have no desire to see.  But never underestimate horror fans at the box office.  I think Happy Death Day will make it nine consecutive weeks in a row for an R-Rated film atop the box office.  We have to be getting close to a record (someone research that!).