DISNEY - MUSICAL COULD BE BIGGEST MUSICAL OF ALL

MUSICAL COULD BE BIGGEST MUSICAL OF ALL

Disney is expecting a big graduation crowd to gather in theaters this weekend for its High School Musical 3 Senior Year . The original movies, which aired on the Disney channel, set viewer records and touched off mind-blowing sales of CDs and merchandise, and launched a stage show. (A TV reality series based on the franchise failed to catch on.) The new movie, expected to draw a large crowd of young women, faces competition from its polar opposite, the horror flick Saw V , expected to draw a large crowd of young men. (It was not screened for critics.) A third new wide release is Gavin O'Connor's crime drama, Pride & Glory , starring Colin Farrell and Edward Norton. While most box-office analysts are predicting the High School Musical 3 will open with about $30-35 million, the Los Angeles Times' s Projector column forecasts an opening of about $45 million. Analysts are predicting Saw V will wind up with $25-30 million, while Pride & Glory is expected to take in $10-15 million.

24/10/2008