OWEN WILSON - TYLER PERRY VS. DR. SEUSS

Tyler Perry's signature character Madea returns -- albeit briefly -- in Perry's latest film, Meet the Browns, but she is not expected to give Perry his fourth No. 1 weekend. Madea may be big, but not elephant big, and an elephant in the shape of Dr. Seuss's Horton will likely be sitting at the top of the box office with about $25-30 million by the time the last Easter bonnet leaves the theater, according to most box-office forecasters. Nevertheless several have noted that Perry, whose latest film is expected to earn around $20 million, has been underestimated before. Josh Friedman, who writes a weekly box-office analysis for the Los Angeles Times, said today (Friday) that Meet the Browns could beat Horton Hears a Who! if Perry's "fans turn out in force." Friedman observed, "Perry's movies typically outperform the tracking surveys, and the hunch here is that another surprise is in store, thanks to the filmmaker's fervent following among churchgoers and African American women." Also opening wide is the comedy Drillbit Taylor, starring Owen Wilson as a soldier of fortune hired to protect three teenage boys from their high-school tormenters. It's expected to attract mostly teens and tweens and take in $12-15 million.

21/03/2008