Dwayne Johnson's action movie "Skyscraper" is projected not to reach the blockbuster ceiling in the U.S. and Canada.
Produced by Universal Pictures and Legendary Entertainment, this $125-million movie is expected to gross $35-million in the U.S. this weekend. This is the assessment of those who have watched the film during its pre-release screening. If this happens, "Skyscraper" will be in a tight race with Sony Pictures' animated movie series "Hotel Transylvania."
Both films will be in tough competition for a top spot with Marvel Studios and Disney's "Ant-Man and the Wasp." With an opening gross of $75.8-million last weekend, this Paul Rudd-Evangeline Lilly superhero movies has been in the topmost spot since it debuted.
Other reviews also cited that what makes "Skyscraper" less appealing to the viewers is the fact that it is being likened that of the all-time hit movie "Die Hard." Accordingly, "Die Hard" gained lots of imitators especially in its great characters, suspense action scenes and heroic theme. Although "Skyscraper" is filled with top-notch action scenes and amazing characters, still it cannot allegedly be at par with the box office "Die Hard."
Also, many critics said that the "Skyscraper" gave more character to the building (where the character of Dwayne Johnson works as a security consultant) than that of the lead character.
In the movie, Johnson plays the role of an American Veteran who works as a security consultant despite his prosthetic leg. The movie evolved on the plot wherein the role of Johnson has to save his family from a flaring 240-story building.
Written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber (director of "Central Intelligence"), the "Skyscraper" opens in China's cinemas on July 20, a date supposedly reserved only for Chinese productions. They call this a so-called blackout date.
Johnson is a big draw in China. To recall, his recent movie "Rampage" scored $156-million in China.
