“Finding Dory” is expected to bring new life to the box office this summer.
The highly anticipated “Finding Nemo” sequel is tracking well and industry insiders expect it to make around $120 million in North America during opening weekend. That would mark the second-largest opening during the summer movie season, right behind Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War,” which made almost $180 million during its opener in early May.
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“Finding Dory” would also set the record for the highest-grossing opening for a Disney-owned Pixar film — beating out the $110 million “Toy Story 3” earned in the summer of 2010.
According to the L.A. Times, Disney and Pixar are expecting at least $100 million from the get-go, which would serve as a much-needed injection of life for cinemas. Outside of “Civil War,” this summer hasn’t seen very many big hits.
“Warcraft” and “Neighbors 2” are bombing domestically, and supposed sure-thing “X-Men: Apocalypse” was brought down with mixed-to-negative reviews. “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows” and “Alice Through the Looking Glass” both failed to reclaim the numbers of their predecessors.
Are audiences finally succumbing to sequel/superhero fatigue? Overall, summer ticket sales are down 22% across the board compared to last year.
One small ray of hope is Warner Bros.’ “The Conjuring 2,” which opened to a solid $40 million. But horror movies have always been low-risk investments for Hollywood. “Finding Dory” will need some positive buzz in advance of its release to ensure that the film tops its $100 million expectations.
“Finding Nemo” was a massive hit when it was released 13 years ago. The film opened to $70 million and ended its worldwide run with $937 million. The sequel will focus on Dory — played by Ellen DeGeneres — the lovable yet forgetful sidekick.
It hits theaters Friday.