Following his billion-dollar blockbuster Aladdin, Guy Ritchie returns to North American theaters this weekend with The Gentlemen, a comedic crime-caper whose star-studded ensemble cast is led by Matthew McConaughey.
The R-rated pic, however, will be no match for holdover Bad Boys for Life, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, in the battle for male moviegoers.
The Gentlemen is tracking for a North American debut in the $10 million range, while Bad Boys 3 is pacing to earn as much as $25 million to $30 million in its second weekend.
STXfilms acquired U.S. rights to The Gentlemen from Miramax for $7 million in early 2019. The pic stars McConaughey, who plays an American expat living in London who wants to sell off his cannabis empire, alongside Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong and Colin Farrell.
The film, which has received scoring strong reviews, has earned more than $18 million overseas from its first three markets, including the U.K., Ritchie’s home turf.
DreamWorks’ The Turning is also set to open nationwide this weekend via Universal. The horror pic is pacing to bow to $8 million or more.
Inspired by Henry James’ classic novel The Turn of the Screw, The Turning tells the tale of a nanny who travels to the remote countryside in Maine to take care of two orphans. The film, directed by Floria Sigismondi, stars Mackenzie Davis, Finn Wolfhard, Brooklynn Prince and Joely Richardson.
Unlike Bad Boys for Life and The Gentlemen, The Turning hopes to appeal to younger females.
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