BOX OFFICE FORECAST
Written by KingCnote on August 19, 2020
A major new movie has not been released since March. That changes this weekend when Russell Crowe in Unhinged arrives to 2000 theaters in the United States. Ticket sales will be limited at each screening to enforce physical distancing.
Typically, a movie such as Unhinged would open on 3000-plus screens. However, theaters in New York City and Los Angeles remain closed. Others are hesitate to take a chance. There’s no guarantee that moviegoers are ready to return.
How Unhinged does at the box office will determine Hollywood’s next move. Expect more releases if Unhinged performs well. Otherwise, it will be clear that audiences are not yet prepared during a pandemic to sit for two hours with strangers.
The studio chief explained why he’s taking a risk on releasing Unhinged now. Basically, there’s logjam of postponed movies (quote) “The schedule has only became more full. I’m not sticking around to get run over by A Quiet Place 2. There are all these supertankers out there, and my film is a tiny boat. If I don’t move, I’m going to get swamped.” (Variety)