Based on Friday's North American box office numbers, Universal Pictures' Lucy is set to earn between $42M to $44M in its opening weekend. The sci-fi actioner stars Scarlett Johansson ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier") and was directed by Luc Besson ("Léon: The Professional"). This will be the best opening weekend for a film starring Scarlett Johansson that wasn't produced by Marvel Studios. It will also be the best opening weekend for a film directed by Luc Besson. His previous best was $17M for The Fifth Element. However, the film was not well received by audiences as they only gave it a 'C+' CinemaScore.
Paramount and MGM's Hercules will finish in second with $28M to $30M. It stars Dwayne Johnson in the title role. If the numbers stay about the same this will be the 8th best opening for a movie starring The Rock, just ahead of Journey 2: The Mysterious Island ($27M opening). This will also mark the 3th best opening for a Brett Ratner-directed film just behind his original Rush Hour film, which opened to $33M in 1998. Audiences seemed to enjoy the film more than Lucy as they gave it a 'B+' CinemaScore.
In its third weekend, 20th Century Fox's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes will come in third with $16M to $17M. The film is $30M shy of the coveted $200M domestic mark.
1). Lucy (UNI), 3,173 theaters / $15.4M to $17M Fri.
Total est. cume: $42.8M to $44.5M / Wk 1
2). Hercules (MGM/PAR), 3,595 theaters / $11M Fri.
Total est. cume: $28.3M to $30M+ / Wk 1
3). Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (FOX), 3,668 theaters (-301) / $4.75 Fri.
3-day cume: $16M to $17M+ (-55%) / Total cume: $173M / Wk 3
4). The Purge: Anarchy (UNI), 2,856 theaters (+50) / $3.3M Fri.
3-day cume: $10.3M (-65%) / Total cume: $51.9M / Wk 2
5). Planes: Fire & Rescue (DIS), 3,839 theaters (+13) / $2.5M Fri.
3-day cume: $8.2M to $9M (-51%) / Total cume: $35.5M / Wk 2
6). Sex Tape (SONY), 3,062 theaters (0) / $1.98M
3-day cume: $5.8M (-60%) / Total cume: $26.8M / Wk 2
7). Transformers: Age Of Extinction (PAR), 2,476 theaters (-748) / $1.3M Fri.
3-day cume: $4.8M (-51%) / Total cume: $236.6M / Wk 5
8). And So It Goes (CLARIUS), 1,762 theaters / $1.3M Fri.
3-day cume: $4M+ / Wk 1
9). Tammy (WB), 2,562 theaters (-840) / $1M Fri.
3-day cume: $3.4M (-54%) / Total cume: $78.2M / Wk 4
10). 22 Jump Street (SONY), 1,613 theaters (-616) / $767K Fri.
3-day cume: $2.59M (-45%) / Total cume: $185.7M / Wk 7
From La Femme Nikita and The Professional to The Fifth Element, writer/director Luc Besson has created some of the toughest, most memorable female action heroes in cinematic history. Now, Besson directs Scarlett Johansson in Lucy, an action-thriller that tracks a woman accidentally caught in a dark deal who turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic. Lucy also stars Academy Award® winner Morgan Freeman and is produced by Virginie Besson-Silla for EuropaCorp. Universal Pictures will distribute the movie worldwide, except for France, Benelux and China.