Box Office: Disney’s ‘Haunted Mansion’ Eyes $30 Million Debut, ‘Barbenheimer’ to Remain on Top - Variety

Disney’s remake of “Haunted Mansion” opens on Friday in theaters, where it’ll face an opponent that’s much scarier than the threatening ghosts that populate the world of the supernatural comedy.

That foe would be the collective force of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer,” which have spent the past week putting box office projections to shame. “Barbenheimer,” as the inextricably linked movies have been nicknamed, will loom large over North American charts as Disney’s new family film aims for third place.

“Haunted Mansion” is projected to gross $25 million to $30 million from 3,700 North American theaters over the weekend. That’s not a bad result for a kid-centric tentpole, especially in the wake of “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” — except for its pesky price tag. Disney spent $150 million to produce the film and tens of millions on promotional efforts, leaving “Haunted Mansion” with a high threshold to reach profitability.

Justin Simien directed “Haunted Mansion,” which stars LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish and Owen Wilson. It is not to be confused with the 2003 film “The Haunted Mansion,” which featured Eddie Murphy as well as an article in the title. As a not-so-exact point of reference, the original ” The Haunted Mansion” debuted in a vastly different theatrical landscape to $24 million, not adjusted for inflation. It was not exactly a critical darling but managed to gross $180 million on its $90 million budget.

The reboot, which also garnered mixed reviews, is inspired by the Walt Disney theme park ride. The story follows a single mother and her son, who move into a mansion, only to find out that it’s haunted. (Don’t say the title didn’t warn you!) To ward off the spirits, they hire an eclectic team of a former paranormal investigator, priest, psychic and professor. Dan Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jared Leto round out the cast.

Another spooky movie, A24’s violent thriller “Talk to Me,” should generate $4 million to $5 million when it opens in approximately 2,300 theaters across the U.S. It’s the feature film debut of Australian YouTube stars Danny and Michael Philippou. A24 nabbed the film at Sundance and then screened it at San Diego Comic-Con to generate hype ahead of opening weekend. The plot follows a friend group who discovers how to conjure spirits, which is all fun and games until one of them unleashes a horrifying supernatural force.

Reviews and word-of-mouth could help “Talk to Me” break out at the box office. The Washington Post positively reviewed the film, writing, “There’s nothing revolutionary about the premise of naive idiots attempting to get closer to death. But it’s the ingenious combination of horror and human connection that makes ‘Talk to Me,’ well, something to talk about.”

“Barbie” will claim the top spot again with anywhere from $65 million to $85 million (or more…possibly much more) in its second weekend of release. Meanwhile, “Oppenheimer” is looking to add $35 million to $45 million in its sophomore outing. What’s remarkable here is that those results would have been impressive to start, much less after a week in theaters. It’s a much-needed jolt for cinemas after disappointing turnouts for earlier summer tentpoles like “The Flash,” “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One.”

Already, “Barbie” has crossed $200 million in North America and “Oppenheimer” has surpassed $100 million. Keep the box office milestones coming.

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