Weekend Preview 2015: 'The Green Inferno' and Selena Gomez's 'Hotel Transylvania 2'
This weekend three new films will be released in wide release while a slew of Indie films will be in limited release. Among the films include an animated film, a comedy and a horror.
Weekend Highlights
"The Green Inferno": Eli Roth is back after a six-year absence from the director's chair. His new movie, starring Lorenza Izzo, Ariel Levy and Aaron Burns, tells the story of a group of student activists who travel to the Amazon to save the rain forest. However, they soon discover that they are not alone when they are kidnapped. The film is being released by High Top Releasing a year after Open Road dropped it and failed to release it last year. The movie originally premiered at the Toronto Film festival in the Midnight Madness slate where it scored raves. However, recent reviews have been mixed and not as favorable. "The Green Inferno" is slated for release in 1,500 theaters and should engage audiences who liked Roth's other films.
"Hotel Transylvania 2": Three years after the original film, the cast is back in a film that tells the story of Dracula and his friends who try to bring out the monster in his half human, half vampire grandson in order to keep Mavis from leaving the hotel. The sequel stars Selena Gomez, Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Kevin James and Steve Buscemi. Sony hopes to obtain the same returns as it did with the first film, which made over $140 million domestically and currently holds the record as the highest grossing Sony animated film. The studio is releasing "Hotel Transylvania 2" is 3,600 theaters and is projecting the movie to open with $37 million.
Other Releases
Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro are back in a new comedy by Nancy Meyers entitled "The Intern." Warner Bros. is releasing the film in 3,150 and expects it to open in the mid-teens.
Meanwhile, Universal will expand "Everest" nationwide after a successful IMAX run. The film is slated to open with at least $22 million and could be yet another big hit for the studio.
Opening in limited release, Broad Green will release "99 Homes," the film which premiered at the Toronto and Venice Film Festival last year to rave reviews. Starring Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon, Broad Green hopes to create Oscar buzz for the feature.
A24 will also release "Mississippi Grind" with Ben Mendelsohn and Ryan Reynolds. The movie premiered at Toronto and is currently on Direct TV. While it has scored rave reviews, A24 will most likely try to create awards buzz for Mendelsohn.
Roadside Attractions" will also release the LGBT drama "Stonewall," which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival but scored terrible reviews.
Other releases this year week include Café Pictures' "10 Days in a Madhouse," The Film Arcade's "Ashby" and Cinedigm Entertainment's "A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story."
Drafthouse has "The Keeping Room" while Well Go USA will take out "Lost in Hong Kong." "Me You and Five Bucks" will be released by Indican 2 and "The Reflektor Tapes" will get released by Arts Alliance America.