Weekend Box Office Predictions Game: The Debt and More Horror vs. The Help

September 01, 2011

The Help looks for the three-peat at the holiday box office this weekend while newcomers The Debt (opened on Wednesday), Apollo 18 and Shark Night 3D try to do what a handful of films have failed to do for half a month.

In this new round of our Weekend Box Office Prophet Game, you can use your interactive tool below to predict what these four films, along with Colombiana, will make at the box office this Labor Day weekend from Friday, September 2 through Sunday, September 4. Note that we are not including Monday in the game.

Once entered, your predictions are automatically averaged in with the other players to go up against our Prophet predictions for each of the five films. Should the players beat The Prophet on three or more of the films, the top individual player will take home whatever is in the prize pot. If The Prophet wins three or more, then the prize will roll into the next round and possibly be joined by another.

The Prophet eeked out a 3-2 win in the last round as 18 players average less than a $2 million miss per film. The prize, Shaun of the Dead on DVD, rolls into this round. This prize will be joined by another in the next round if The Prophet is victorious again.

Player prediction average scores will automatically update below as new predictions are entered. This round's entry period closes at 9pm PST on Thursday, September 1, less than 12 hours from now. Avoid the sharks, go find help if you need it, and get those predictions in.

There are currently 32 players up against the Prophet

The entry period for September 2 - 4 has already ended. Follow the weekly results at the Weekend Box Office Prophet main page.

The Debt
The Debt has been well reviewed on Rotten Tomatoes with a 77% approval rating. It opened on Wednesday so already has a head start on the Labor Day weekend. With only 1,786, don't expect huge returns from the thriller starring Sam Worthington and Helen Mirren.
All: $11.5   Me: n/a   Prophet: $6.8   Actual: $9.9
Shark Night
Horror and 3D films have had a rough go of it in the month of August. It's going to be tough for Shark Night 3D to make much of a splash, despite the tie-in with Labor Day weekend and beaches. The $10 million line will be a struggle for these fish to reach. Opens on 2,400 screens.
All: $11.4   Me: n/a   Prophet: $7.1   Actual: $8.4
Apollo 18
Part horror, part thriller, Apollo 18 may have an outside chance of giving The Help a run for its money. In the end, I'm giving the edge to The Help which should benefit most from the holiday weekend. Apollo 18 opens on 2,750 screens.
All: $15.1   Me: n/a   Prophet: $10.2   Actual: $8.7
The Help
Can The Help win its third weekend in a row? I think so. All the women out there who haven't had a chance to see it yet will certainly take advantage of the three-day weekend to do so. Last weekendm its third, it made $14.5 million. I don't expect too much of a drop from there.
All: $12.7   Me: n/a   Prophet: $12.5   Actual: $14.6
Colombiana
Colombiana opened to $10.4 million last weekend, under estimates but still managing to top $10 million despite the effects of Hurricane Irene. It's not likely to top $10 million this weekend, but could possibly eek out a win over one of the three newcomers should one of them bomb.
All: $8.0   Me: n/a   Prophet: $6.5   Actual: $7.5

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