'Ted' - a new comedy movie about foul-mouthed beer-swilling teddy bear - is likely to top the U.S. box office this weekend. The movie, created by Family Guy's Seth Macfarlane, should draw enough cinemagoers to topple Pixar's 'Brave', which debuted at No.1 last week.
The lucrative Fourth of July holiday weekend should see most debuting movies perform strongly, with Steven Soderbergh's 'Magic Mike' considered a dark horse for the top spot. Though 'Ted' will appeal to many, it's position come Monday is by no means a foregone conclusion. According to the Hollywood Reporter, opinion is divided as to how much 'Brave' will gross in its second weekend after opening to a stellar $66.3 million. If the movie drops 50 per cent to $33 million, it should allow 'Ted' to sneak the top spot. Warner Bros are predicting an opening of $15-20 million for 'Magic Mike', though acquired the North American rights to the movie for just $7 million. They have also benefitted from a campaign encouraging women to see the movie in groups, taking the most in pre-order ticket sales this week.
Other movies opening include Tyler Perry's latest outing 'Madea's Witness Protection', and DreamWorks and Disney's 'Adult Drama', starring Olivia Wilde and Chris Pine. Witness Protection could continue Perry's good run at the box-office and take around $20 million. An early Oscar contender 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' opened on Wednesday to promising numbers.