Box office roundup – April 20, 2014 – "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" three-peats
1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier – $26.6 million [3rd week; $201.5 million] For the third straight week, Captain America held off all changers to retain its box office title. That’s a feat no other Marvel Studios film save “Marvel’s The Avengers” has been able to accomplish.
Amazingly by Friday – its 15th day of release, “Winter Soldier” had already surpassed the total of its predecessor, “Captain America: The First Avenger” ($176.7 million) and seems to have plenty of life left. Next weekend comes the female-focused “The Other Woman” and Paul Walker’s “Brick Mansion,” so we could be in for a monthlong domination of Captain America’s latest.
2. Rio 2 – $22.5 million [2nd weekend; $75.36 million] The animated feature landed in second place yet again. And while it was close early, Cap once again pulled away in the end.
3. Heaven is for Real – $21.5 million [debuted Wednesday, $28.5 million in total] A smart release date to tap into the religious base during the Easter holiday celebration and simple, effective marketing with a clearly stated premise helped this drama be a strong contender in its debut week.
4. Transcendence – $11.1 million [debut week] Johnny Depp’s woeful box office slump continues. Including this poorly-received sci-fi thriller, his last four films, “The Lone Ranger,” “Dark Shadows” and “The Rum Diary” failed to open above $30 million. Depp is starting to veer into Nicholas Cage territory where audiences are leery of any new project and with each subsequent bomb, Depp’s goodwill with moviegoers plummets.
5. Haunted House 2 – $9.1 million [debut week] I was kinda surprised we got two installments out of this parody film, but thankfully this so-so performance should prevent a third. The first film, by comparison, grossed $18 million it’s opening weekend off a $2.6 million budget.
‘Cap 2’ has become an absolute monster at the box office, making nearly 27 million in it’s 3rd weekend is truly impressive. I think it’s almost a guarantee now that it will reach 250 million domestic and if it continues to display legs like this weekend, a 270 million final domestic take might not be out the question. I also think a 700 plus million worldwide take is a sure thing now. You’re right about Depp’s film career lately, it’s really starting to sink and even a another ‘Pirates’ film which is wearing out it’s welcome may not be enough to shake that bad streak now. However there is one role that will absolutely demolish this bad streak for Depp, ‘Dr.Strange’. I read the other day where someone said if the role of ‘Dr. Strange’ is indeed offered to Depp he should absolutely jump on it and I agree, the MCU brand is just so damn powerful right now and they’re just getting stronger. ‘Dr. Strange’ could potentially do for Depp what ‘Iron Man’ did for RDJ, give him stability in a franchise once again and re-ignite his star.
Depp would be a great choice for Doc Strange. I may have to do a casting call on that soon. I’m thinking it hits $800 worldwide Fred.
He would indeed, and I know there was talk about him in the role before which Marvel said was in the past. But seeing that RDJ, Hemsworth, Evans, Johanasson and Jackson will all be gone after “Avengers 3′, it’s reasonable that Marvel would want some strong leads to carry on and be strong replacements. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Chadwick Boseman as ‘Black Panther’ and Depp as ‘Dr. Strange’, I think those two characters would be Marvel’s two strongest new links to the future. Along with Ruffalo as ‘Hulk’, Renner as’ Hawkeye’, Mackie as ‘Falcon’, Stan as ‘Bucky’, Bettany as ‘Vision’, ‘Olson as ‘Scarlet Witch’, ‘Johnson as ‘Quicksilver’ and Rudd as ‘Ant-Man’ and possibly Lily as ‘Wasp’, you have a very strong interchangeable line up there. Not to mention the possible inclusion of ‘Ms. Marvel’ as well, the MCU has a very bright future in my honest opinion as long as they stay on course and continue making good choices. And currently at almost 590 million worldwide ‘Cap 2’ does indeed have a shot at reaching 800 million worldwide in the end, surpassing 700 million worldwide is now a forgone conclusion to me, it’s just a matter of time.
He could be a Perfect strange. He looks the part, he gets to something serious with an air of lightness to it, and maybe it will be like coming home in scissorshands considering what he would be fighting on screen. He wouldnt have to get in overly superb shape, and strange has some of the best costumes from the blue mage to the updated famous style to the more modern one when he was with the new avengers over the past year. Depp do it now. However I would want him to work on his voice. He will need to not sound like himself or a more amercan jack sparrow.
Or hell get Leo to do it. im good either way.
The more I think about it, the more I really like Depp in the role. ;-)