Cinema Projector: ’21 Jump Street ‘Could Open Over $ 30 Million | Company City
“21 Jump Street” is put in school on box office competition this weekend.
The comedy, starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill as two inane cops on a secret mission to dismantle a high school drug ring, is expected to debut with between $ 30 million and $ 35 million in ticket sales, according to those who have seen. the public before the release. surveys. Sony Pictures, the studio that distributes the film, is forecasting a smoother opening of around $ 25 million.
No other new film hits theaters in wide nationwide release this weekend, although Jason Segel-Ed Helms’ comedy-drama “Jeff, Who Lives At Home” and “Casa de Mi Padre” in Spanish by Will Ferrell will star in about 60 of the country’s films. main markets.
“21 Jump Street”, inspired by the ’80s television series that spawned Johnny Depp’s career, was co-funded by Sony and MGM for around $ 42 million. Sony hosted around 350 screenings to spread word of mouth about the film ahead of its opening, and it premiered at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas earlier this week.
So far, the photo has received overwhelmingly positive reviews: on Thursday morning it had a fresh 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The film was a passionate project for Hill, who produced the film. Five years ago, at age 23, he teamed up with producer Neil Moritz to direct the film, but the actor was unable to shoot the film in the years that followed as his acting career resumed with roles in pictures such as “Superbad” and “Forget Sarah Marshall.”
Hill has since proven he has dramatic acting skills as well – scoring an Oscar nomination for his supporting role in last year’s “Moneyball” – but his co-star Tatum has yet to show the audience. that he has a funny bone. “21 Jump Street” marks Tatum’s first major comedic role, which was a box office draw earlier this year in the romantic hit “The Vow”.
“21 Jump Street” will also open overseas in the UK and Australia this weekend.
“Jeff, Who Lives At Home” is the latest film by brothers Mark and Jay Duplass, known as founding members of the independent film movement called “mumblecore”. After starting to make a very low-budget documentary-style film series with naturalistic dialogues, the Duplass brothers teamed up with Fox Searchlight on the 2010 indie film “Cyrus” starring Hill and John C. Reilly. The film only raised $ 7.5 million at the box office when it ended its airing.
Paramount’s specialty label Vantage co-funded “Jeff” with independent production finance company Indian Paintbrush, and the studio is releasing the film in 250 theaters this weekend. The film stars Segel as an idealistic 30-something who still lives in his mother’s basement, waiting for a sign on the direction his life should take.
“Casa de Mi Padre,” meanwhile, stars Ferrell as a member of a Mexican ranch family caught up in a war on drugs. The parody comedy was developed by actor Gary Sanchez Productions and was funded by Nala Films for $ 6 million. Aimed at Latin audiences, the film is distributed by Pantelion Films, Lionsgate’s joint venture with Mexican media company Televisa. Founded in 2010, Pantelion is yet to release a big box office hit: its biggest hit was last year’s “From Prada to Nada”, which grossed just $ 3 million.
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– Amy Kaufman
Photo: Jonah Hill, left, and Channing Tatum featured in “21 Jump Street”. Credit: Sony Pictures