Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: It-Movie.net
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: September 6th, 2019
MPAA Rating: R for disturbing violent content and bloody images throughout, pervasive language, and some crude sexual material.
Source: Original Screenplay
Genre: Horror
Keywords: Killer Clowns, Creature Features, Maine, Child Murderer, Supernatural, IMAX: DMR
Directed By: Andy Muschietti
Written By: Gary Dauberman, Stephen King
Starring: Bill Skarsgård, Jessica Chastain, James Ransone, James McAvoy, Bill Hader
Production Budget: Unknown - Estimated at between $40 million and $50 million
Box Office Potential: $250 million

Even before being released, It was widely expected to be a big enough hit to justify making the sequel. In fact, there were some who thought it would be the biggest September release of all time. However, despite this massive hype, it managed to over-perform with more during its opening weekend than many people thought it would make in total. It: Chapter Two is not expected to match its predecessor at the box office, but, on the high end, it could fall less than 10% and remain above $300 million. On the low end, it could fall more than $100 million and barely crack $200 million domestically. That said, even the low end is still more than enough to be profitable and help 2019 win in the year-over-year competition.

Last minute update: There are still no reviews for the film, which is common for Warner Bros.’ movies. However, it has been screened and the unofficial word on the street is very position with a lot of people praising the film for its atmosphere and scares. A lot are also complaining about its running time, so that could limit its box office potential.

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: WellgoUSA.com/Films/Ne-Zha
Distributor: Well Go USA
Release Date: August 29th, 2019 (Limited Release)
Release Date: September 6th, 2019 (Expands Wide)
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Source: Original Screenplay
Genre: Adventure
Keywords: Exile, Demons, Supernatural, Chinese Mythology, Coming of Age
Directed By: Yang Yu
Written By:
Starring: Yanting Lü
Production Budget: Unknown - Estimated at $50 million
Box Office Potential: $25 million

This is the biggest animated film in Chinese history and the biggest non-English animated film worldwide. The film is based on an important story in Chinese Mythology and it will be the first animated film released wide in several weeks. However, it is still a third-tier animated film that is opening in limited release before expanding wide and that is a risky proposition. Additionally, it is expanding wide the weekend It: Chapter Two opens, and while there’s not a lot of crossover appeal here, It will be so big that this film will get lost as a result.

Last Minute Update: There won’t be any weekend estimates for the film’s limited release by the time this goes live, but the early reviews are encouraging.

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: TheGoldfinchMovie.net
Distributor: Warner Bros.
Release Date: September 13th, 2019
MPAA Rating: R for drug use and language.
Source: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story
Genre: Drama
Keywords: Young Child Dealing with the Death of a Parent, Dysfunctional Family, Child Abuse, Gambling, Addiction, Artists, Forgery, New York, New York City, Terrorism
Directed By: John Crowley
Written By: Peter Straughan, Donna Tartt
Starring: Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard, Finn Wolfhard, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Nicole Kidman
Production Budget: Reported at $40 million
Box Office Potential: $25 million

A young boy witnesses his mother die in a terrorist attack and this has a profound impact on his life, leading him to the world of art forgery and drug abuse. The buzz surrounding the film isn’t good. It’s not bad either, it’s just a smaller film opening right after a likely monster hit and many people fear it will get lost as a result. That said, if the reviews are really good, potentially award-worthy, then it could become a midlevel hit.

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Hustlers.movie
Distributor: STX Entertainment
Release Date: September 13th, 2019
MPAA Rating: R for pervasive sexual material, drug content, language and nudity.
Source: Based on Factual Book/Article
Genre: Black Comedy
Keywords: 2000s, Wall Street, New York City, Strippers / Stripping, Crime Thriller
Directed By: Lorene Scafaria
Written By: Lorene Scafaria, Jessica Pressler
Starring: Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Lizzo, Cardi B
Production Budget: Unknown - Estimated at $20 million to $30 million
Box Office Potential: $55 million

A film inspired by a real story of strippers who took advantage of their Wall Street clients to become rich themselves. There are no early reviews to judge the film, but the buzz is really positive, at least for a September release. It is expected to earn $20 million during its opening weekend, maybe as much as $25 million, which is close to what it likely cost to make. Furthermore, because its target audience is more mature women, it should have better legs than the average film. I don’t expect it to become a monster hit, but it should be very profitable for STX Entertainment. However, I’ve been burned more than a few times this year with midlevel films like this, so I think it is wise to be a little conservative in my predictions.

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: AdAstraMovie.com/
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Release Date: September 20th, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some violence and bloody images, and for brief strong language.
Source: Original Screenplay
Genre: Thriller/Suspense
Keywords: IMAX: DMR, Space Program, Missing Person, Rescue, Scientific Experiment Gone Awry
Directed By: James Gray
Written By: James Gray, Ethan Gross
Starring: Brad Pitt
Production Budget: Reported at $80 million
Box Office Potential: $65 million

Brad Pitt plays an astronaut traveling to the outer reaches of the solar system to look for his father, played by Tommy Lee Jones, who is also an astronaut who disappeared during an experiment that could now threaten all life on Earth. The film’s early reviews were strong enough that it looked like it would be an Awards Season contender. They have since cooled, but at 76% positive, they are still positive enough to help boost the film’s box office chances and it could become a surprise $100 million hit, if audiences connect with the film. That said, if the film were able to earn some serious Awards Season buzz, then I would be a lot more bullish about its box office chances.

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: FocusFeatures.com/Downton-Abbey
Distributor: Focus Features
Release Date: September 20th, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic elements, some suggestive material, and language.
Source: Based on TV
Genre: Drama
Keywords: United Kingdom, 1900s, Upstairs / Downstairs, Maid
Directed By: Michael Engler
Written By: Julian Fellowes, Julian Fellowes
Starring: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern
Production Budget: Unknown - Estimated at $15 million to $25 million
Box Office Potential: $30 million

The TV series Downton Abbey exploded in popularity well beyond its usual target audience and maintained that popularity for five seasons, so I’m not entirely surprised it is getting a movie. That said, the show ended four years ago and it is hard to tell how well its popularity has held up. Furthermore, it is also hard to tell how many of its fans will be willing to pay money to see it in the theaters when they are used to watching it on TV for free. Finally, it is the smallest of the three films opening this weekend and while three wide releases isn’t too much competition, it is enough that Downton Abbey could slip between the cracks.

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Rambo.movie
Distributor: Lionsgate
Release Date: September 20th, 2019
MPAA Rating: R for strong graphic violence, grisly images, drug use and language.
Source: Based on Fiction Book/Short Story
Genre: Action
Keywords: Ex-soldier, Delayed Sequel, One Last Job, The Past Catching up with You, Revenge, Arizona, Mexico
Directed By: Adrian Grunberg
Written By: Sylvester Stallone, Matt Cirulnick
Starring: Sylvester Stallone
Production Budget: Unknown - Estimated at $40 million to $60 million
Box Office Potential: $60 million

Rambo: Last Blood was expected to be a solid midlevel hit, but not the biggest film of the weekend. However, its buzz could be is growing at just at the right time and now many think it will open in first place this week. That said, it is an action film and part of a franchise, so it will likely have the shortest legs of the three films that open this week. It should do well enough to earn a profit and it might even do well enough to justify a sixth installment in the franchise. On the other hand, it might be time to let this character rest.

Trailer: Click to Play
Official Site: Dreamworks.com/Movies/Abominable
Distributor: Universal
Release Date: September 27th, 2019
MPAA Rating: PG for some action and mild rude humor.
Source: Original Screenplay
Genre: Adventure
Keywords: 3-D, Yeti, China, Road Trip, Fugitive / On the Run
Directed By: Jill Culton
Written By: Jill Culton
Starring: Chloe Bennet, Albert Tsai, Tenzing Norgay Trainor, Joseph Izzo
Production Budget: Unknown - Estimated at $80 million to $100 million
Box Office Potential: $85 million

Over the past decade or so, there have been several animated films that were released the last weekend of September, opened well, and went on to earn $100 million, and many more that came reasonably close to that milestone. There have been so many such films than when another is announced, I immediately pencil in a bottom level of $75 million and raise that based on other factors as the release date nears. In this case, the film is aimed at an under-served market. Asian-Americans see more movies per capita than any other ethnicity in the United States, but there are few films aimed at them that come out each year. On the other hand, it is clear that this film is not aimed at Asian-Americans as much as it is aimed at Mainland China and that might put off audiences here, so I don’t think it will get to $100 million domestically. It should do well enough to earn a profit early in its home market run, on the other hand.