It looks to be a slow weekend at the American box-office as two huge summer films open below expectations.
Still opening in first spot is Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which will bow to 2the lowest weekend gross since the first film - between $70 and $80 million. The Johnny Depp-led production cost over $200 million to produce (before marketing costs) and is expected to do the majority of its business overseas.
Elsewhere Baywatch has a recognisable title and the biggest movie star in the world in the lead role, opposite Zac Efron's abs, The Rock. The $70 million production was slated by critics, but received an audience score of B+, which likely means legs. That said, it was projected to take in $40 million for its opening 5 days, but will likely tap out at around $29 million, which is way below tracking.
The summer is obviously an ultra-competitive, so these films need to open big to have a chance to stay in screens. Baywatch, in particular, is disappointing, as The Rock had been on a serious streak since Hercules' tame open.
Via THR