Here we go with the basic informations for this movie:

Release Date: November 12, 2004 (500+ theatres)
Director: Beeban Kidron
Cast: Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Jacinda Barrett
MPAA Rating: R (for language and some sexual content)

Competition:

The movie goes up against the openings of The Polar Express, After the Sunset and Seed of Chucky- It will expand in its second weekend to 2500+ theatres and will then have to fight off National Treasure and Spongebob Squarepants. In its third weekend it will face Alexander and Christmas with the Kranks, in its fourth Closer starring Julia Roberts.

Trailers:

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal ... large.html

http://www.workingtitlefilms.com//vault ... rge_03.mov

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, here we have the x-th sequel of this year. However, in this case, the box-office performance of the original as well as the fact that it is an adaptation of a novel warrant this sequel. The original, released in April 2001, was a very well-liked chick flick and gave Renee Zellweger her first Oscar nomination back in 2002. Since then Miss Zellweger has garnered two further oscar noms, one for her leading role in the musical Chicago and another one this year for her supporting part in Cold Mountain. She won the latter and cemented her star status in Hollywood. However, the role most viewers will always remember her for is Bridget Jones.

Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason is not some movie sequel out of nowhere just to cash in on the original's success. Before the movie it has been a novel. The author, Helen Fielding, has written two Bridget Jones novels so far and this is the second. Both enjoy huge popularity among female readers.

The original movie, Bridget Jones's Diary opened to $10.7 million and the third spot of the charts back in 2001. The expansion to more theatres in its second weekend, however, propelled it to the top spot of the box-office. Good holds followed and the movie actually never dropped more than 45% during its entire run! The final multiplier was around 6.7 leading to a total gross of $71.5 million. The worldwide gross was around $280 million and the DVD/video returns were BIG as well.

I think it is safe to say that the original was very well-received and it was also critically praised by reviewers. Mostly the reviwers praised Zellweger's performance. The sequel coming out next week uses the release strategy that has already helped Love Actuially last year. It first gets released in around 500 theatres only to get get expanded to 2500+ theatres in its second weekend. I think this will help the movie. The positive WoM will be spread after its semi-limited release only to get a much bigger gross in its second weekend.

Furthermore, this is the only chick flick in a long time and although it will have a lot of competition when it comes out, none of the competition targets the same demographics as Bridget Jones does. I expect Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason to get its first more or less hard hit in its 3rd weekend when Closer comes out because that movie can be called a chick flick as well and we all know that Julia Roberts can attract female audiences very well.

Nonetheless, I suspect Bridget Jones 2 to fare very well at the box-office. Its opening should be much bigger than the original's due to the grown fanbase and the much bigger theatre count which I expect. The legs probably won't be nearly as good as a 6.7 multiplier is practically impossible to repeat for a sequel which will open much bigger anyway. Closer will hurt it somewhat, but I still project a nice run for this movie.

My predictions:

Opening weekend (530 theatres) - $7.6 million

Second Weekend (wide) - $18.7 million

Total gross - $83 million


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

POSTED PREDICTIONS:


Opening weekend (530 theatres):

Jon Lyrik - $6.3 million
Animosity Reigns - $6.9 million
BigMoviePimp - $7 million
SamwiesGamdschie - $7 million
hans - $7.5 million
Dr. Lecter - $7.7 million
micasey300 - $8.9 million
DP07 - $14 million


Opening weekend (wide):

Algren - $14 million
micasey300 - $16 million
BigMoviePimp - $18.2 million
Zingaling - $18.7 million
Dr. Lecter - $18.7 million
Animosity Reigns - $18.9 million
BacktotheFuture - $19.4 million
DP07 - $22 million
hans - $24 million
xiayun - $30 million
RogueCommander - $25 million


Total gross:

Algren - $56 million
BacktotheFuture - $71.2 million
Zingaling - $74.8 million
BigMoviePimp - $78 million
RogueCommander - $80 million
Dr. Lecter - $83 million
micasey300 - $94 million
DP07 - $97 million
hans - $109 million

Opening- $18.7
Total- $74.8

I see big opening for this. 30M.

Opening: $14 Million

Total: $56 Million

I think it will open bigger, but have shorter legs. It should open to at least $25 million I think, but finish with not a great deal more than the original. My prediction is $80 million total.

Well, it will be almost exactly like the Princess Diaries 2 on a small level.

Opening: $24.0
Total: $95.0

May have a good chance at 100 million!

Not sure of total but I think they should have stopped after #1.

Why so? The first movie was a big success in theatres, made over $200 million worldwide, brought Zellweger her first Oscar nomination and was a huge success on VHS and DVD. Furthermore, it was based on a novel which has a novel sequel (also Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason), so a sequel seems just natural, doesn't it?

Opening-19.4 Mil

Final-71.2 Mil

The movie opens in est. 500+ theatres on Friday, November 12th, and will expand the weekend after that!


Therefore, my revised predictions:

Opening weekend (500+ theatres) - $8.1 milion

Total gross - $82 million

Any final predictions?

opening :

500+ 7.5M
2000+ 24M

total - 109M

This weekend: 14m
Next weekend: 22m
Total: 97m

People are very seriously underestimating this weekend. Look at F 9/11. A film like this can easily do 10m even in 500 theaters. The expansion will not have as big of an effect as people think. I'm fact, I won't be suprised if it pushes 20m this weekend.

500 Theater Opening: $8.9
Wide Opening: $16.0
Total: $94.0

Love Actually made $6.9 in 570 theaters. This is much more anticipated.

small opening = 6.9 million ($13000pta)
wide = 18.9

THEATRE COUNT THIS WEEKEND:

530


Reviews:

MetaScore - 48
RT - 24% (Rating 4.4/10)


My final predictions:

Opening weekend (530 theatres) - $7.6 million

2nd weekend (Wide) - $18.7 million

Total gross - $83 million

I have updated the original posting with the predictions.

Keep them coming, there are two days left!

200 WW that is Ok but I knew it made only 71 million in the USA. But now in #2, I wonder how high the budget will be with I imagine all of the stars getting nice raises unless they were roped into an earlier deal.

So #2 might just be giving back the money that #1 made. We shall see.

I just am not a fan of sequals unless they are from very special movies.

I wouldn't call it "only" $71 million considering that it is a British R-rated movie that has opened with $10.6 million and yet made it all the way to $71 million. The movie's budget was $26 million....

Opening (530 theatres) - $7m

Opening (2500+ theatres) - $18.2m

Total gross - $78m

RT 24% . OMG this movie has no WOM and should make less than 10 mil. in its entire run :wink:

I really have no clue about this movie. It seems to be predictable, but on the other side, it might surprise us (in a negative way)...

Right now, I think about $7m (like BigMoviePimp)...

Predictions are updated.


LAST CHANCE TO POST/CHANGE YOURS!

$6.3 million.

Micasey300 predicted $8.9 million for this weekend and will definitely be the closest, even with a not so good multiplier, the weekend gross will be between $8.5 million and $9 million.

Good job!