Weekend Box Office Predictions Game: Be Afraid of The Help

August 24, 2011

This upcoming weekend at the box office is looking strikingly similar to the last. Incumbent champ The Help and runner-up Rise of the Planet of the Apes stand poised to feast on studio summer leftovers in the form of Colombiana with Zoe Saldana, Guillermo del Toro's Don't Be Afraid of the Dark with Katie Holmes, and Paul Rudd seeking - what else - laughs in Our Idiot Brother.

In our Weekend Box Office Prophet Game's latest round, you are given the opportunity to predict what these five films will make in North America between Friday, August 26 and Sunday, August 28. The game will automatically average in your prediction with the other players to go against our Prophet prediction.

The Prophet went low in the last round and swept the players 5-0 despite player smhs08 missing each film by an average of less than $2 million per. In order for me to award the Shaun of the Dead on DVD prize to the top individual player, the average player scores need to beat the Prophet on 3 or more of the films.

Player prediction average scores will automatically update below as new predictions are made. This round's entry period closes at 9pm PST on Thursday, August 25. Don't be afraid of the game; take your best shot.

There are currently 37 players up against the Prophet

The entry period for August 26 - 28 has already ended. Follow the weekly results at the Weekend Box Office Prophet main page.

Colombiana
Columbia Pictures is hoping Zoe Saldana's exposure in Star Trek is enough for her to carry a film on her own. It's a tall order, especially given Colombiana, an action film, is being given such a late summer release. Don't expect too much when it opens on 2,500 screens.

All: $13.8 Me: n/a Prophet: $8.5 Actual: $10.4

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
Horror bombed last week at the box office as moviegoers showed little interesting in remakes or scares so way away from Halloween. FilmDistrict must be nervous as they roll out this new film starring Katie Holmes. On only 2,400 screens, Don't Be Afraid of the Dark might want to be afraid of not hitting $10 million.

All: $11.0 Me: n/a Prophet: $12.8 Actual: $8.5

Our Idiot Brother
Paul Rudd gets the lead instead of second fiddle in this new comedy. It's coming into the weekend with essentially no buzz, but is also the only non-guy tilted new release. A meager 2,000 screen count isn't a recipe for big returns.

All: $11.4 Me: n/a Prophet: $4.7 Actual: $7.0

The Help
The Help returns and stands a good chance of winning another weekend facing off against week contenders. It easily won last weekend with $20 million and only a 23% drop from the previous weekend. $15 million might be enough to take the top spot this go around.

All: $14.6 Me: n/a Prophet: $13.3 Actual: $14.5

Rise of the Planet of the Apes
After missing the last round, I've brought back Rise of the Planet of the Apes after it also managed to beat all the newcomers last weekend. Caesar and pals don't stand a chance of topping The Help, but they may beat out one or more of this weekend's rookie fodder.

All: $11.6 Me: n/a Prophet: $8.6 Actual: $8.9