Here we look at the upcoming month’s offerings.

March 6, 2020

Onward

Premise: From IMDb: “Set in a suburban fantasy world, two teenage elf brothers embark on a quest to discover if there is still magic out there.”
Box Office Prospects: $250 M
Expectations: Excellent. Every original Pixar film, with a few exceptions, has done exceptionally well at the box office, so this one should as well.
Oscar Prospects: Excellent. Few Pixar films haven’t competed for the Best Animated Feature Oscar and being an original production, that will continue to be the case.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

The Way Back

Premise: From IMDb: “A former HS basketball phenom, struggling with alcoholism, is offered a coaching job at his alma mater. As the team starts to win, he may have a reason to confront his old demons. But will it be enough to set him on the road to redemption?”
Box Office Prospects: $80 M
Expectations: Good. Ben Affleck has a solid reputation as a box office draw. Toss in some basketball in the same month as March Madness and you have a recipe for decent business. It’s also good counter-programming to Onward.
Oscar Prospects: Weak. While this is the kind of film that could help an actor towards an Oscar nomination, March releases are notoriously difficult to stick in voters’ minds.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

March 13, 2020

Bloodshot

Premise: From IMDb: “Ray Garrison, a slain soldier, is re-animated with superpowers.”
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Uncertain. A new Vin Diesel action movie. Could do well. Probably won’t.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

I Still Believe

Premise: From IMDb: “The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.”
Box Office Prospects: $15 M
Expectations: Weak. It’s possible that this film could buck recent patterns of Christian-themed movies doing solid box office. It’s not being advertised as a Christian movie, so youngsters might be betrayed by the appearance of Riverdale star KJ Apa starring, but my guess is they aren’t going to be as interested in this one as the maker’s hope.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

My Spy

Premise: From IMDb: “A hardened CIA operative finds himself at the mercy of a precocious 9-year-old girl, having been sent undercover to surveil her family.”
Box Office Prospects: $60 M
Expectations: Uncertain. This was bumped from 2019 and that’s not a good sign, especially releasing in the middle of March. I suspect that the film is testing poorly and is about to become a box office flop, but it could surprise.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

March 20, 2020

A Quiet Place: Part II

Premise: From IMDb: “Following the events at home, the Abbott family now face the terrors of the outside world. Forced to venture into the unknown, they realize that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path.”
Box Office Prospects: $150 M
Expectations: Good. While I doubt it goes as high as the original, it will still do terrific business because the original was hugely popular. We’ll see if the sequel can hold a candle to it.
Oscar Prospects: Unlikely. The first film barely scored an Oscar nomination when it deserved more. Sequels rarely do as well as their predecessors, so I’m guessing nothing happens.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

March 27, 2020

Mulan

Premise: From IMDb: “A young Chinese maiden disguises herself as a male warrior in order to save her father. A live-action feature film based on Disney’s ‘Mulan.’”
Box Office Prospects: $200 M
Expectations: Good. Even the weakest entry of last year’s Disney reimaginings at the box office, Dumbo, topped $100 million. I suspect that this film will appeal more broadly, but not as broadly as Aladdin or Lion King.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Only two Disney live-action adaptations made it to the Oscars this year and both received a single nomination. That doesn’t bode well for this film’s chances.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.