Here we look at the upcoming month’s offerings.

April 1, 2022

The Contractor

Premise: From IMDb: “After being involuntarily discharged from the Marines, James Harper (Pine) joins a paramilitary organization in order to support his family in the only way he knows how.”
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Weak. There’s no evidence to support this type of film or this actor (Chris Pine) is enough of a box office draw to overcome the familiarity and low key nature of the film itself.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Morbius

Premise: From IMDb: “Biochemist Michael Morbius tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, but he inadvertently infects himself with a form of vampirism instead”
Box Office Prospects: $185 M
Expectations: Good. Sony’s attempt to spread its Marvel influence beyond its Spider-Man films has been fairly successful. That may be put to the ultimate test with this film.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

April 8, 2022

Ambulance

Premise: From IMDb: “Two robbers steal an ambulance after their heist goes awry.”
Box Office Prospects: $45 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Heist films can be popular, especially ones with casts like this, but they haven’t been as successful in the last several years as they used to be.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Premise: From IMDb: “Sequel to the 2020 live-action feature film ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’.”
Box Office Prospects: $135 M
Expectations: Good. The first film was a surprise success and this sequel will probably capitalize on it to keep on an even level with its predecessor.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

April 15, 2022

Father Stu

Premise: From IMDb: “Follows the life of Father Stuart Long, a boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption.”
Box Office Prospects: $25 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Boxing dramas are hit or miss at the box office in recent years, but this looks more like a redemptive storyline. It’s hard to parse and I’m sure audiences aren’t likely to just turn up.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Premise: From IMDb: “The third installment of the ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ series which follows the adventures of Newt Scamander.”
Box Office Prospects: $160 M
Expectations: Good. After the exceptional debut of the first film, the second managed to take a huge decrease. Now with more manageable expectations, this third film will test whether the Harry Potter universe can succeed without the Harry Potter character.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. The first film scored two nominations as well as the franchise’s first Oscar. The second film didn’t even rate a single nomination. The law of diminishing returns suggests they shouldn’t hold out hope for this film, but the chances are still decent, depending on the competition.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

April 22, 2022

The Bad Guys

Premise: From IMDb: “Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, Mr. Shark and Ms. Tarantula hatch a plot to pull off the ultimate heist.”
Box Office Prospects: $105 M
Expectations: Good. During the pandemic, animated films performed decently well, but have yet to fully rebound. This film could boost that possibility.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

The Northman

Premise: From IMDb: “From acclaimed director Robert Eggers, The Northman is an epic revenge thriller that explores how far a Viking prince will go to seek justice for his murdered father.”
Box Office Prospects: $40 M
Expectations: Uncertain. For those who’ve seen the director’s prior films, expecting a huge box office take ia stretch. However, this time, he has a much more famous cast and it appears to be a more broadly appealing subject matter than his prior film.
Oscar Prospects: Uncertain. Robert Eggers’ first film wasn’t nominated. His second got a Cinematography nomination. This one could as well or it could get blanked. We’ll have to see how it performs with critics and audiences.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.

The Unberable Weight of a Massive Talent (Limited)

Premise: From IMDb: “A cash-strapped Nicolas Cage agrees to make a paid appearance at a billionaire super fan’s birthday party, but is really an informant for the CIA since the billionaire fan is a drug kingpin and gets cast in a Tarantino movie.”
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: Uncertain. Certain actors, playing themselves, or at least well worn character archetypes they usually play, can do somewhat well at the box office. Nicolas Cage may have faded as a box office draw, but he could still draw reasonable business.
Oscar Prospects: Unlikely. If Pig couldn’t bring Cage an Oscar nomination, I doubt he’ll get one for playing himself.
Cinema Sight Preview: See my preview of this title here.