Fantasy Movie League: Jordan Peele bring Us to theaters


Last week we had Captain Marvel in daily scoring for the second week in a row, yet it was a couple of new films that I thought presented the best chance for a little value. While I played a pair of Friday offerings of Captain Marvel, I looked at the animated film Wonder Park and the alien invasion film Captive State as possible spoilers.

Turns out I was right about Wonder Park, which was the Best Value. But I was way off on Captive State, which fell below even the most modest projections. And because Wonder Park was so strong, playing it six times was the way to go, but only if you wanted a perfect Cineplex. Clearly I must be allergic to those…

This week we get Jordan Peele’s Us in theaters, and it figures to bounce to the top spot with ease. But is it the right anchor? As always, if you think you’re better at the game than me, I encourage you to join me in a Fantasy Life App Blogleague! You can join the league here. Let’s see how this week stacks up.

New at the Box Office:

There are four new entries in the game, but the biggest by far is Us. Peele gave us Get Out in 2017, and it went all the way to the Academy Awards as a Best Picture nominee. Us, his follow up, boasts a ridiculous 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, and the anticipation for it is off the charts. So I’d expect a monster opening. It makes sense that it tops the game at $689 FML Bucks, and Fantasy Movie League projects it at $48.8 million. But they are the lowest. Box Office Pro sees $54 million and Box Office Report is incredibly bullish at $61 million. So there’s a chance it tops the Box Office AND provides the Best Value. But that comes at a price.
Next up we have the indie romance Gloria Bell, starring Julianne Moore. The film will likely have a steady and solid audience, but it’s not going to blow away the Box Office. At a 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s a film that appears to deliver on its promise. It’s just $27 FML Bucks and projected at $2 million by Fantasy Movie League. Box Office Pro doesn’t offer a projection, but their lowest projected film is at $1.1 million, so that’s not promising. Box Office Report meanwhile sees $1.7 million. So this would seem to be a bad bet for value.
Next up is Apollo 11, which uses archival footage to tell the story of this famous space flight. It has an incredible 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but it’s in limited release. It costs $13 FML bucks, but is projected at less than $1 million at the Box Office.
The final new film in the game is a throw back, Cruel Intentions, which returns to celebrate an anniversary. It’s $16 FML Bucks and projected at less than $1 million by Fantasy Movie League. However, Box Office Report sees $1.3 million, meaning it could have low-end value.

The Search for the Best Value:

Captain Marvel has been a marvel atop the Box Office two weeks in a row, but it under performed against projections in its second week in release and faces stiff competition this week from Us. It’s priced at $399 FML Bucks, and projected at $36.4 million by Fantasy Movie League. But Box Office Pro sees $35.3 million and Box Office Report sees just over $34 million. That makes it a tough bet for value.

Wonder Park was the Best Value last week, and animated films typically do fairly well. This one has mixed reviews, though, so it’s hard to tell how it will hold up. It’s priced at $134 FML Bucks, and projected at $10.4 million by Fantasy Movie League. Yet, they’re the highest as Box Office Pro sees $9.8 million and Box Office Report sees $9.3 million. So it might not be a big return on investment.

This Week’s Lineup:

It’s hard to bet against Us as an anchor, so I won’t.

Us
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World x3
Cruel Intentions x4

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