Look up in the sky – it’s a bird, it’s a plane … it’s some green dude played by Ryan Reynolds! Yes, it’s time for summer’s third big superhero movie, and he’s called Green Lantern. Folks have already been treated to two pretty solid comic-book flicks this summer with Thor and X-Men: First Class, and now Green Lantern hits the scene with a little bit of pressure to live up to those that have come before him. But with Green Lantern comes some competition, as Jim Carrey returns to theaters as a guy who inherits a group of penguins in Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Could the little black-and-white creatures freeze Green Lantern out of competition? And what’s this film with Emma Roberts about? Let’s take a closer look …
Green Lantern
What’s The Scoop: Based on the popular DC comic, Ryan Reynolds stars as some regular dude named Hal Jordan whose given a special green ring that automatically makes him part of an interplanetary peace-keeping force called the Green Lanterns …. and, well, there’s bad guys, cool special effects and Blake Lively as the love interest.
Why It Might Win the Weekend: If it’s anything like the other superhero-related summer blockbusters, it will end up in first place. Both Thor and X-Men: First Class opened at the top of the box office, and so expect Green Lantern to follow suit.
Mr. Popper’s Penguins
What’s The Scoop: Jim Carrey plays a businessman who inherits six penguins and then moves them into his swank apartment, effectively turning it into the world’s strangest winter wonderland.
Why It Might Win the Weekend: Hey, kids like penguins. Ever hear of a wickedly popular flick called Happy Feet?
What’s The Scoop: Freddy Highmore and Emma Roberts star as a pair of high schoolers whose complicated and quirky lives intersect in the halls of their school.
Why It Might Win the Weekend: It probably doesn’t have enough steam to take out one of the two films above, but teens finishing up their last days of school may find some relatable and enjoyable content here.
My Prediction: It’s not easy being green, but it should be rather easy for Green Lantern to win this week’s box office.
My Pick of the Week: Skip the superhero movies and seek out the documentary Page One: Inside the New York Times for a unique look at a year in the life of the world’s most recognizable newspaper.
Now it’s your turn to sound off and tell us which film you think will win the weekend box office …
