If the world doesn’t end tomorrow, there’s a good chance Captain Jack Sparrow will return to theaters and successfully pillage and plunder the box office. Then again, the mighty Thor may try to get in his way, and those feisty Bridesmaids are still drumming up lots of positive buzz. There aren’t many signature box office match-ups to obsess over this week, but those in competition highlight the very best of what the summer blockbuster season is all about. Let’s take a look at what’s new …
What’s The Scoop: Johnny Depp returns as Captain Jack Sparrow in an all new adventure that sees him sent out on a mission to find the lost Fountain of Youth. This time he’ll be joined by some Pirates newbies, like Penelope Cruz , Ian McShane … and a bunch of kick-ass mermaids.
Why It Might Win The Weekend: Pirates of the Caribbean is Disney’s most successful live-action franchise right now, and so it’s expected to stampede out of the gate, swords swinging. The only thing that may get in its way is Thor, which still coughed up a very respectable $34 million last weekend.
My Prediction: Gotta go with Captain Jack. There’s a reason why everyone else stayed away from this weekend with any new major releases, and it’s because Captain Jack Sparrow was returning to theaters to take back what was rightfully his: the top spot at the box office.
My Pick of the Week: While everyone else is seeing Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, why not seek out the smaller limited release, Midnight in Paris, which comes to us from writer-director Woody Allen. The film got marvelous reviews out of Cannes, and folks really seem to love its quirky, fairytale humor and gorgeous French settings. If it’s available in your neck of the woods, go see it.
Now it’s your turn to pick the weekend winner. Sound off below in our poll and in the comments section with your thoughts.
