Opening this weekend, Maze Runner: Scorch Trials is expected to lead the box office ticket totals. According to Variety, the film will beat out fellow premiere Black Mass.
“Fox’s ‘Maze Runner’ sequel will likely end up in first place, pulling in approximately $35 million across 3,790 locations, while Warner Bros.’ ‘Black Mass’ is eyeing a debut of $22 million from roughly 3,188 venues.”
But fans of the series could get more than just a viewing of the sequel to the Maze Runner this weekend, as many theaters are running double features for the expected blockbuster.
Maze Runner: Scorch Trials, starring Dylan O’Brien as Thomas, will run after its Maze Runner predecessor at Regal and AMC Theatres starting on Thursday. AMC advertised the double feature with a single run-time, 4 hours and 20 minutes, for a single ticketprice. Those prices varied by theater.
The PG-13 movie received an early 49 percent approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes, based on a small sample of 78 reviews. That number is expected to move fast, as over 37,000 users have indicated they “want to see” this weekend’s premiere.
Some differences are expected in the second installment, as Inquisitr reported when the trailer was first released. It is expected to be a darker story, with far more at stake in the second set of “trials.”
If you’re still not sure what to expect from Maze Runner: Scorch Trials, an early review from the LA Times sums up the movie with a callback to another recent box-office smash.
“The first “Maze Runner” film was a wilderness saga refitted with robotic monsters. “The Scorch Trials” is a “Mad Max” film on foot.”
It remains to be seen if a Mad Max: Fury Road comparison is premature. The aforementioned summer hit raked in over $300 million worldwide, providing quite the competition for this weekend’s opening.
Regardless of its level of success, Maze Runner: Scorch Trials is set to provide moviegoers with an exciting ride from start to finish.
And if you do your research, you might find yourself enjoying a double feature alongside the original. Maybe you’ll luck out and run into the guy who wrote the books.
[Photo Credit: FoxMovies.com]