"Kung Fu Panda 4" kicks off with $3.8 million in Thursday previews, expected to open to over $50 million; "Dune: Part Two" eyes $40 million in second outing; "Imaginary" earns $725,000 in previews, aiming for $10-14 million opening; "Oppenheimer" could make box office history if it wins best picture at the Oscars.
"Kung Fu Panda 4" earns $3.8M in previews, surpassing "How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World," with a projected weekend opening of over $50M. "Imaginary" garners $725K in previews, while "Dune: Part Two" accumulates $6.4M on Thursday night, surpassing its 2021 predecessor's entire domestic run in just one week.
"Imaginary" is a convoluted horror movie for children with practical effects, ridiculous lines, and solid jump scares, making it a joy to watch for those willing to embrace its blend of juvenile scares and self-seriousness. While not a good movie in the traditional sense, it nearly perfects its so-bad-it's-good shtick and is worth catching in theaters for fans of campy horror.
Blumhouse's new horror movie "Imaginary" introduces a sinister stuffed teddy bear named Chauncey, set to be released in theaters on March 8 with subsequent streaming releases on Starz and Peacock. The film follows a family's eerie encounter with the toy, and stars DeWanda Wise, Tom Payne, and Taegen Burns. Rated PG-13, "Imaginary" runs for 1 hour and 44 minutes, offering a chilling experience for horror enthusiasts.
Director Jeff Wadlow's horror movie "Imaginary" follows a family tormented by a vengeful teddy bear, but fails to deliver genuine scares or originality. Despite practical effects for the bear, the film's reliance on familiar tropes and lack of imagination make it feel toothless and formulaic. The protagonist's adult concerns clash with the childlike nature of the bear, resulting in low stakes and a sluggish plot. Overall, "Imaginary" plays it safe and fails to live up to its creative potential.
Blumhouse's latest horror film "Imaginary" follows the success of PG-13 hits like M3gan and Five Nights at Freddy’s by delving into psychological terror through the story of a blended family encountering their greatest fears, with a seemingly innocent stuffed bear named Chauncey at the center of the action. Director Jeff Wadlow crafts carefully calculated chills, making the horror genre more palatable for a younger audience while maintaining an eerie and lilting musical theme. With a game cast led by DeWanda Wise and Betty Buckley, "Imaginary" offers a blend of psychological terror and childhood nostalgia, setting the stage for another successful PG-13 horror outing.
Kung Fu Panda 4 is expected to have a strong domestic opening of $50M+ at 3,900 theaters, while Dune: Part Two is set to cross $100M at the box office. Other releases include the Blumhouse title Imaginary, which may open to $10M-$14M, and Angel Studio's Cabrini, tracking for a mid-single digit to $10M opening. A24's Love Lies Bleeding, starring Kristen Stewart, is also generating buzz and will debut in select theaters this weekend.
"Kung Fu Panda 4" and "Dune: Part Two" are set to compete at the box office, with the former aiming for a $45-50 million opening weekend and the latter projected to add $40-45 million in its second outing. "Kung Fu Panda 4" is expected to benefit from the lack of family films currently in theaters, while "Dune: Part Two" is set to surpass the entire domestic tally of the first film. Additionally, new releases "Imaginary" and "Cabrini" are also vying for attention, with the horror genre showing recent commercial success and the faith-based drama aiming for low-double digits in its opening weekend.
The article defends PG-13 horror films, arguing that they can still be effective in delivering scares without resorting to extreme violence or gore. It challenges the notion that true horror fans must seek out the most depraved content, highlighting examples like "Drag Me to Hell" and "The Ring" as successful PG-13 horror films that rely on atmosphere and imagination to create tension. The upcoming film "Imaginary" from Blumhouse is also praised for its ability to provoke fear with minimal visuals, emphasizing the power of suggestion in horror storytelling.