HOLLYWOOD - And the Apes shall inherit the box office.The long-gestating reinterpretation of Planet of the Apes, courtesy of director Tim Burton, should reign supreme this weekend.
Such is the anticipation surrounding this return trip to a simian-dominated society that no other new films will open in wide release Friday. Instead, Planet of the Apes' sole competition comes in the form of Jurassic Park III's flesh-devouring spinosaurus and those poor souls it considers dinner. Barring some unforeseen disaster, Apes should enjoy one of the summer's biggest openings, perhaps in the $50 million range.
Burton's vision of the classic sci-fi political allegory will doubtless appeal to fans of the original film and admirers of the maverick director. If anyone knows how to revive a once-stagnant series--such as Batman--it's Burton.
Of course, whether audiences will appreciate the differences between the two Apes could prove substantial in the long-term success of Burton's $100 million endeavor. Unlike the original, Burton's Apes does not take place on earth and consequently features a new surprise ending. But is Mark Wahlberg--stepping in for Charlton Heston--man enough to persuade those damned dirty apes to take their stinkin' paws off the stranded astronaut?
Time also will tell whether Apes can generate as large a profit that as the 1968 original, which cost under $6 million to produce and earned $26 million in the United States alone.
While its chills and spills may not measure up to its Steven Spielberg-directed predecessors, Joe Johnston's Jurassic Park III nevertheless proved its worth commercially during its first eight days in release. Through Wednesday, Jurassic Park III has earned $97.7 million, with $100 million a likely prospect by Thursday. In comparison, 1997's The Lost World: Jurassic Park made a record-breaking $92.7 million in its first four days, but it had the benefit of a Memorial Day weekend launch.