User blog:Ceauntay/Box office preview: Heroes Forever: The New Beginning to demolish Doctor Strange for top spot

In the wake of the 2016 presidential election, American audiences have four new, diverse offerings to choose from as they seek solace or celebration at the multiplex this weekend. Jane Hoop Elementary spin-off Heroes Forever: The New Beginning begins a new journey for our new heroes in Rita Christensen's superhero series taking place thirteen years after the Jane Hoop Elementary series debuting in 4,180 screens with 1,025 Imax theaters. Amy Adams’ sci-fi drama Arrival, which traveled the fall festival circuit from Venice to Toronto with glowing critical reviews, enters approximately 2,200 screens, as does David E. Talbert’s holiday comedy Almost Christmas. EuropaCorp’s horror flick Shut In also debuts at 1,850 locations, rounding out the week’s crop of newcomers invading an already crowded fall slate.

So, can the week’s new arrivals dethrone reigning champion Doctor Strange? Here’s how the Nov. 11-13 weekend box office showdown could play out:

1. Heroes Forever: The New Beginning  - $112 million

Rita Christensen's spin off series is inspired from the blockbuster Jane Hoop Elementary film series based on the novels. They grossed over $7 billion worldwide, making them the second most successful film franchise in history behind only the Marvel films. A spin-off is the first installment in a series of five films, originally planned a trilogy. The film could open anywhere between $90 million or more than $100 million. $112 million would most likely be possible, despite opening in 4,180 locations, and 1,025 IMAX locations, making it the widest ever IMAX release, as well as the second film after Doctor Strange to release in more than 1,000 IMAX screens. This would be the third highest opening weekend in the chronical Jane Hoop Elementary film series just behind 2011's Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush Part 2's $165.4 million and 2010's Jane Hoop Elementary: The Final Rush Part 1's $130.9 million.

2. Doctor Strange - $42 million

The Sorcerer Supreme took in an impressive $85 million across his first three days in domestic release, leading Doctor Strange to a stellar international total of just under $340 million as of Wednesday. Superhero tentpoles tend to drop around 50-60 percent over their sophomore frame, as did compar like 2015’s Ant-Man (56.5 percent), 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past' (64.2 percent), and 2013’s Thor: The Dark World (57.3 percent). But with solid critical backing (and stellar A grade from polled moviegoers on CinemaScore) fueling it, Doctor Strange could wind up falling on the softer side of what genre trends suggest.

3. Trolls - $27 million

Fox’s Trolls enjoyed a healthy opening weekend last Friday, when it debuted to $46.6 million at 4,060 locations. Animated movies typically hold on stronger than their live-action brethren, and, after averaging a rare A grade on CinemaScore, Trolls isn’t going anywhere any time soon. The fantasy film features an all-star voice cast (Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, Gwen Stefani) in a critically-lauded adventure based on the popular line of dolls of the same name. Reading the tea leaves left by similar box office performers (Fox’s Home and Kung Fu Panda 3), Trolls is headed for a dip in the 40-50 percent range.

4. Arrival - $18 million

Amy Adams seldom attracts audiences to the theaters on her name alone, as the actress has registered most of her box office hits as part of an ensemble cast (American Hustle) or a pre-established franchise (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Man of Steel). Arrival is refreshingly new territory for the Oscar-nominee, revolving around a linguist tasked with communicating with extraterrestrials who’ve mysteriously landed at various locations around the world with an indecipherable message for mankind.

Though it’s being marketed as a sci-fi/action hybrid, it’s arguably a far subtler drama that just happens to be set against a backdrop of a tentacle-covered-alien invasion. Subverting expectations might be a good thing when it comes to impressing awards voters (Arrival is predicted by many Oscar pundits to score Adams another nomination with the Academy, as she gives a brilliantly restrained performance), though it isn’t always wise when trying to hold the attention of the general public. Audiences could turn out for the $47 million Arrival on opening weekend, hoping to see the thriller the trailer suggests, but what they’ll end up with (though overwhelmingly praised by movie critics) could spell a big drop next weekend if the film doesn’t fit into the mold of expectation.

5. Almost Christmas - $17 million

''Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween is perhaps the most appropriate barometer for which to gauge the potential box office performance of Almost Christmas'', a seasonal comedy aiming to capitalize on being released to 2,372 theaters in such close proximity to its titular holiday. Though its opening weekend won’t be as large as Boo!’s, the $17 million film’s ensemble cast (Kimberly Elise, Gabrielle Union, Omar Epps, Oscar-winner Mo’Nique) and timely themes will carry it to a number well above its modest production budget in the weeks ahead.