Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Aims to Dominate Box Office
The highly anticipated film “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” is gearing up to make a powerful impact at the box office, setting its sights on an impressive $50 to $60 million in its debut weekend.
As the Paramount Pictures production lands in 3,700 theaters across North America this Friday, there is a possibility that initial ticket sales could surpass expectations.
However, the latest adventure of the Autobots is likely to face stiff competition from last weekend’s reigning champion, Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.”
The animated sequel based on the popular comic book franchise debuted to an impressive $120 million and is projected to add another $45 to $55 million in its second weekend, nearly doubling the earnings of its predecessor, 2019’s “Into the Spider-Verse.” Clearly, Spider-Man continues to captivate audiences.
Directed by Steven Caple Jr. (“Creed II”), “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” carries a PG-13 rating and boasts a production budget of $200 million.
In order to justify this substantial investment, the film will need to perform well in domestic theaters and resonate with international audiences.
There is some optimism surrounding the movie, which marks the seventh installment in the “Transformers” franchise.
It is expected to surpass the opening weekends of the previous two entries, namely 2018’s “Bumblebee” ($21.6 million) and 2017’s “The Last Knight” ($44.68 million).
Although both films achieved respectable overall earnings of $127 million and $130 million respectively in North America, the majority of their ticket sales, almost 70%, came from international markets.
During the franchise’s peak popularity, “Transformers” films effortlessly crossed the $1 billion mark, but the series has not achieved that milestone since 2014’s “Age of Extinction” ($1.104 billion).
“Bumblebee,” which had a slightly lower production cost of $135 million, fell short of $500 million, while “The Last Knight” concluded its run with $605 million.
Analysts anticipate that the newest installment will fall somewhere in between its recent predecessors, assuming that global interest in the franchise remains strong.
“Rise of the Beasts” features Anthony Ramos, known for his role in “In the Heights,” and Dominique Fishback, who recently starred in “Swarm.”
The film revolves around Optimus Prime and the Autobots as they confront a formidable threat capable of annihilating the entire planet.
Initial reviews have been mixed, with Variety’s Owen Gleiberman offering a more positive perspective on the film.
“It presents a relatable human story that resonates, and the robots, thanks to a script with moments of engaging dialogue, feel more like fleshed-out characters than they usually do,” Gleiberman commented.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Aims to Dominate Box Office
