‘Ender’s Game’ Expected To Top The Box Office This Weekend

Director Gavin Hood’s adaptation of author Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game is on-track to make approximately $25 million at the box office this weekend.

The flick officially kicks off the start of the holiday movie season. Despite lukewarm reviews from critics, the sci-fi movie starring Harrison Ford and Asa Butterfield is presently predicted to beat both Free Birds and Last Vegas.

Although analysts believe the Ender’s Game adaptation will top the box office with $25 million, this isn’t necessarily a cause for celebration. According to the numbers at Box Office Mojo, the adaptation cost Summit Entertainment approximately $110 million to produce before marketing costs.

The Hollywood Reporter points out that Hollywood’s desire to adapt every young adult novel under the sun hasn’t produced spectacular results. With the exception of Twilight and The Hunger Games, other efforts were essentially ignored by moviegoers.

The website explains that The Host, Beautiful Creatures and Mortal Instruments: City of Bones were all box office disappointments. However, The Inquisitr previously reported that Constantin Film plans to move forward with the Mortal Instruments sequel next year.

The Wrap reports that Ender’s Game made around $1.4 million from Thursday evening and midnight showings. Given that movie’s budget, this definitely isn’t the sort of information the folks at Lionsgate want to hear right now.

“If it’s a quality film, it could sustain itself through the holidays. There’s usually room for a good family picture, but there’s a lot of movies coming into the marketplace and there’s not a lot of space to breathe,” Exhibitor Relations’ Jeff Brock told the website.

Things aren’t looking too good for this weekend’s other new releases. The animated flick Free Birds will likely land in second place with around $19 million in ticket sales. The $50 million effort from Relativity Media stars Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, and Amy Poehler.

The star-studded comedy Last Vegas doesn’t stand much of a chance against Ender’s Game at the box office this weekend. Despite a strong cast that includes Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, and Robert De Niro, analysts predict that Jon Turtletaub’s “geriatric Hangover” won’t make much more than $14 million.

Internationally, director Alan Taylor’s Thor: The Dark World will most likely stomp its competition into the ground. Although the movie doesn’t arrive in the US until November 8, foreign markets began screening the flick on Wednesday. The movie should dominate the box office when it finally arrives in North America.

Do you plan to catch Ender’s Game in theaters this weekend?

[Image via Summit Entertainment / Lionsgate]