‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ Looks To Remain Box Office Champ

The apparently thick-shelled Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot is positioned for another first place finish at the box office this weekend, holding off newcomers Let’s Be Cops, The Giver and The Expendables 3. The film, which Variety reports has made $117 million since its release last weekend, is being projected by Paramount Pictures to bring in another high $20 million-plus this weekend. The budget of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles was reportedly $125 million, so this weekend will push the kiddie-friendly action film into the black.

As reported in The Inquisitr, Paramount announced the a sequel to Ninja Turtles–as the advertising campaign is calling it — was already underway for a June 3, 2016 release.

The film, which has received less-than-favorable reviews, continues to hold strong for the late summer box office run. Most schools around the country are already back in session, but the Ninja Turtles seem to be sticking around like the smell of old pizza. Rotten Tomatoes still has Ninja Turtles scored at only 19 percent fresh, yet the film continues to defy critics and make money. The pattern follows another Michael Bay franchise with Transformers, which was also widely panned by critics but still managed to rake in over a billion dollars worldwide, due in part to a huge tie-in with China. The climax of Transformers: Age of Extinction was filmed in Hong Kong.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles follows the story of a local TV features reporter (Megan Fox) as she uncovers a nefarious plot to decimate New York with biological weapons. The only ones who can save the city are four mutated teenaged turtles who know the art of ninjitsu, hence the title.

Also opening this week are Let’s Be Cops, starring Jake Johnson and Damon Wayans, Jr. (both from TV’s New Girl), The Giver, starring Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep and Brenton Thwaites and based off Lois Lowery’s classic young adult novel, and The Expendables 3, the third film in the ridiculously entertaining franchise featuring Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dolph Lundgren, Wesley Snipes, Bruce Willis, and about 300 other action stars from the 80s and 90s. Oh, and Rhonda Rousey. Mel Gibson also stars as the film’s protagonist. Rotten Tomatoes has Let’s Be Cops at 11 percent fresh, The Giver at 30 percent, and The Expendables 3 at 35 percent.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy continues to hold strong in its third weekend with over$334 million dollars earned worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Studios project Guardians to pull another $20 million this weekend to finish second to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.