March 2006 Forecast
By Marty Doskins
March 3, 2006
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Here's my March 2006 top ten.
1. Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
The original Ice Age did huge numbers at the box office and had an outstanding performance when it was released for the home video market. With the original voice cast back, expect it to do as well, if not better, than the first film. As with most animated features, the characters appeal to the younger audiences, but the filmmakers throw in enough grown-up humor to keep parents from getting bored. Having parents and other family members more willing to take the kids to the movies adds up to box office success.
2. Inside Man
Denzel Washington teams up again with director Spike Lee for this heist film. Lee has always been fairly successful with his film efforts and Denzel's no slouch, either. Plus, bringing in Clive Owen and Jodie Foster to the cast adds even more to a broader audience. This film should do well all across the country.
3. Failure to Launch
This romantic comedy with Matthew McConaughey and Sarah Jessica Parker has all the makings of a success. Having the lead still living at home with his parents allows the screenwriters to throw in some elements that differ from the typical romantic comedy. I think people see that and will be drawn to this film.
4. The Hills Have Eyes
Horror remake = *cha-ching*.
5. 16 Blocks
Bruce Willis as an action lead is definitely a way to go if a studio wants to hear those cash registers ringing. People love to see Bruce as the "right place at the wrong time" guy. And it really doesn't matter who he's teamed up with, Bruce will find a way to make it work for his fans.
6. V for Vendetta
This is another Alan Moore created comic book brought to the big screen. This time there are a lot of familiar faces teaming up with Mr. Moore to bring positive results. That is, familiar faces if you are familiar with the Matrix trilogy. The Wachowski Brothers, James McTeigue, and Hugo Weaving are all involved, which should help this film pull in people from that genre interest.
7. The Shaggy Dog
Tim Allen is fitting right in with his roles at Walt Disney. He continues his collaboration with this remake of the Fred MacMurray classic. Allen is a likeable character on-screen, both in movies and television. His name is all it takes to bring in kids and their parents to spend, spend, spend.
8. ATL
The recent success of the film Roll Bounce should help out this movie about the Atlanta hip-hop roller-skating scene. Sounds like a pretty narrow focus of a film, but it has worked before and should work this time.
9. She's the Man
I'm pretty shaky on this one. It could really bomb and not make the top ten. Amanda Bynes doesn't look too convincing as a guy, but we've seen worse attempts at this type of role-reversal film.
10. Aquamarine
It's a movie about a mermaid in a backyard pool. This film will definitely appeal to the Radio Disney crowd. There's lots of advertising for this film there as well as on Saturday morning network time. It won't appeal to the general audiences, but the younger crowd always gets their parents' wallets opened somehow.