Top 6 Movies of Winter 2015 at the Box Office
We are just weeks from the start of November, which is the traditional start of our "Top 5 of Winter" contest. This year, we are doing a Top 6, not a top 5. I urge you... do not pick 3 or 4 or 5 film... pick 6. If you pick 7 or more, you will be eliminated. If you pick less than 6 you will similarly be DQ'd. Your picks should reflect the 6 films you think will make the most money at the domestic boxoffice. International returns are not relevant for this contest.
And, as most of you know from the controversy over the summer, we are going to employ a new set of rules concerning the time the contest will run. Here is the rule.
Any film released between Nov 1 and Jan 31 is eligible for the contest. We will close the contest when it is clear that we know what the Top 5 boxoffice champs will be (a panel of 12 distinguished Hollywood scholars will determine the close of the contest... either that or I will do it on my own with input from the masses). If a film is still in contention for the top 5 and is still drawing reasonable boxoffice returns, we will keep the contest open even if it means the contest does not close until March, though I think that is pretty darn unlikely. Is everybody clear on that?
So, with all that spelled out, here are the contenders along with their release dates and a little blurb about why they are a contender:
- Spectre - Nov 6th - the latest James Bond film and likely Daniel Craig's last appearance as 007.
- The Peanuts Movie - Nov 6th - Lots of Peanuts TV shows, but this is the first movie. Same studio as the guys who brought you Ice Age.
- Hunger Games: Mockingjay 2 - Nov 20th - The first three films in this franchise did ok boxoffice so they reluctantly decided to make a 4th
- The Night Before - Nov 20th - Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Anthony Mackie (Falcon from Avengers 2) in a raunchy comedy attempting to be the Bad Santa of this year.
- The Good Dinosaur - Nov 25th - Pixar does 2 movies in one year! This film was originally scheduled for summer 2014, but was moved back. Is that a bad sign?
- In the Heart of the Sea - Dec 11th - Ron Howard's epic sea adventure based on the real story behind the Moby Dick legend. Originally scheduled for a spring 2015 release, it was moved because the studio thinks it has boxoffice and awards potential that would be squandered in the spring.
- Star Wars: Force Awakens - Dec 18th - This might make a couple bucks at the boxoffice.
- Sisters - Dec 18th - Tina Fey and Amy Pohler are arguably the funniest women in America. They play sisters who are opposites who throw one last party in their childhood home.
- Alvin and the Chipmunks 4 - Dec 23rd - If the title doesn't tell you what this is about, I don't know how I can help you.
- Joy - Dec 25th - Jennifer Lawrence teams up with director David O Russell (Silver Linings, American Hustle) for a film about the woman who invented the miracle mop.
- The Hateful Eight - Jan 8th - Quentin Tarantino film about 8 strangers in the old west trapped under the same roof in a blizzard. Some of them are not what they seem.
- The Revenant - Jan 8th - Alejandro Inarratu's follow-up to Birdman, starring Dicaprio as a fur trader who wants revenge after he is left for dead in the wilderness by his partner, Tom Hardy.
- Ride Along 2 - Jan 15th - Ice Cube and Kevin Hart back together. The original made $155 million.
- 13 Hours: Benghazi - Jan 15th - This winter's American Sniper? Michael Bay directs the story of the 6-man team sent to defend the US embassy when it is attacked in Bengazi, Libya.
- Kung Fu Panda 3 - Jan 29th - The follow up to Kung Fu Panda 2
You may notice that this list contains 15 films. I just did not have room for an "other" film in the poll. So, if you want to vote for a film not on this list, simply vote for 5 films in the poll and then post your "other" vote somewhere in this thread. All "other" votes must be in by the poll deadline of Oct 31st. Among the films that are reasonable "other" choices are: Creed with Sly Stallone as Rocky; the comedy Daddy's Home with Will Farrell and Mark Whalberg; Will Smith in the anti-NFL film Concussion; the Point Break remake; The Big Short, the film about the financial collapse of 2007 with Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, and Steve Carrell; Victor Frankenstein with Daniel Radcliffe; and Dirty Grandpa with Robert DeNiro and Zach Effron.
Ok folks, start doing your research. I'll give you a hint... I suspect Star Wars may do ok at the boxoffice.
-Jason "Your votes must be entered by Saturday, Oct 31st" Evans
I took five in Jason's poll
In addition to the five I logged above -- Spectre, Hunger Games: Mockingjay 2, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, The Good Dinosaur & Kung Fu Panda 3 -- I'm going with The Big Short as my 6th.
It's probably a bad choice, as will be one of the two kid's movies, but I don't see anything better to bet on than these six.