It’ll be worth noting, too, how Spider-Man 3: The IMAX Experience version compares to the regular big screen spectacle. If the numbers hit right, expect to see even more acceleration towards IMAX, IMAX 3D, Real D-3D, and other digitally projected presentations at theaters near you.
Hype versus reality, especially for the upcoming May 4th opening weekend, will have an effect on the rest of the summer. Once Spider-Man 3 numbers are in, expect box office commentators to forecast what that means for Hollywood and the theater business. The media already says the summer is going to be off the charts, but is that what you say? Is it realistic to predict ‘the biggest summer of all’ when the first movie hasn’t even opened yet?
One thing’s for certain about the May 4th weekend: few are taking a chance on getting stuck in the Spidey web. Warner Bros. has stepped in to offer a bit of smart counter-programming with the long-awaited romantic drama Lucky You, featuring Eric Bana as a pro poker player who gambles on a high-stakes Las Vegas tournament, and Drew Barrymore’s aspiring singer. The film is directed by Curtis Hanson, the man behind L.A. Confidential and 8 Mile, and with Bana, Barrymore, and co-star Robert Duvall, it may be a lucky gamble. As Ratatouille director Brad Bird mentioned at ShoWest, you "can't live on sequels alone, man. You've got to get some fiber in your diet.”
A couple of other studios are betting that Spider-Man 3 can’t hog all the box office fortunes on the first summer weekend. Lionsgate is opening a film from actress-turned-director Sarah Polley entitled Away from Her, a heartfelt drama co-starring veterans Julie Christie and Olympia Dukakis, in Los Angeles and New York. Fox Searchlight is releasing the well-reviewed romantic charmer Waitress featuring former Felicity star Keri Russell, two days in advance of Spider-Man 3 (or technically, 1.5 days, before all those midnight screenings). Would any of these alternative choices be something you’ll want to check out instead? Or would you consider seeing any of these films if SP3 sells out? Or are you all in for America’s favorite webslinger? Leave a comment and let us know!
