“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” earned a respectable $1.65 million at the Thursday previews, on its way to an estimated $18 million opening weekend.
Steven Soderbergh’s heist comedy, “Logan Lucky,” earned $525,000 at the box office on Thursday night.
Recent tracking suggested that “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson, will open in the $17-$20 million range, with Lionsgate projecting a $15 million opening.
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“The Hitman’s Bodyguard” features Reynolds as a federal agent tasked with guarding the life of Darius Kincaid, a top hitman who just happens to be his mortal enemy (Jackson). After locking horns, they reluctantly work together to stop a power-hungry Eastern European dictator (Gary Oldman) with the help of Darius’ equally infamous wife, Sonia (Salma Hayek). Patrick Hughes directed the film from a script by Tom O’Connor. Producers are David Ellison, Mark Gill, Dana Goldberg, Matthew O’Toole, John Thompson, and Les Weldon. Its budget was $30 million.
“Logan Lucky,” distributed by Bleecker Street and starring Channing Tatum, Adam Driver and Daniel Craig, is tracking for an opening of $7-$9 million from 2,500 screens against a reported budget of $29 million.
READ MORESee Logan Lucky's latest POWER MOVE. PowerRank: 465 | ||
“Logan Lucky” stars Tatum and Driver as two down-on-their-luck brothers who, along with fugitive career thief Joe Bang (Craig), hatch a plan to steal $14 million from Charlotte Motor Speedway during the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the NASCAR schedule. The film also stars Seth McFarlane, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, Katherine Waterston, and Hilary Swank. Tatum is producing with Reid Carolin, Mark Johnson, and Gregory Jacobs.
Reviews for both films are polar opposites: “Logan Lucky” is rated “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 93 percent, while “Hitman’s Bodyguard” only hit a score of 38 percent on the Tomatometer.
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