Weekend Movie Preview: 'Dunkirk' Heads to Battle With 'Atomic Blonde,' 'The Emoji Movie'

Crime thrillers, talking emojis and Al Gore shake up the theater for the last weekend in July.

Author:
Kinsey Grant
Publish date:
Jul 28, 2017 11:53 AM EDT

Crime thrillers, talking emojis and Al Gore shake up the theater for the last weekend in July.

Time Warner Inc (TWX) and Christopher Nolan World War II film "Dunkirk" opened to $50.3 million last weekend, stunning critics. But two very different flicks are gunning for the top spot this weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Sony Corp's (SNE) - Get Sony Corp. Report Sony Pictures Animation will release its "The Emoji Movie" featuring talking versions of the emoticons that have taken over Apple Inc (AAPL) - Get Apple Inc. Report iPhone keyboards. Sony expects $20 million for the animated film's first weekend, a conservative bet against analysts tracking it to open in the $25 million to $27 million range. The film cost $50 million to make.

For the less-PG set, Comcast's (CMCSA) - Get Comcast Corporation Class A Report Focus Features period action-thriller "Atomic Blonde" takes on 1989 Germany at the hands of a very lethal Charlize Theron. The film cost $30 million to produce and is tracking to open between $20 million and $22 million. But analysts comparing the movie to 2014's "Lucy" with Scarlett Johansson think it could easily overperform.

The specialty front is also readied for a busy weekend, with heavy period crime "Detroit" and Al Gore's much-anticipated climate change film "An Inconvenient Sequel" hitting select theaters before nationwide releases next week. Gore's upping the ante the second time around, partnering with Snap Inc (SNAP) - Get Snap, Inc. Class A Report , Viacom's (VIAB) - Get Viacom Inc. Class B Report Paramount and Participant to offer moviegoers under 18 free tickets.

Scroll to Continue