User blog:Ceauntay/Box Office Preview: 'Sonic X: The Final Stand' Races 'Thor', 'Priest' and 'Bridesmaid'

'''The 3D animated film is expected to break new box office records. Chris Hemsworth's "Thor" will pass $100 million."

20th Century Fox's Sonic X: The Final Stand brings back the original characters to the big screen for the last time with the fifth installment hitting theaters this weekend, and is looking for huge numbers.

This film has been poised to open with at least $130 million in its weekend debut, setting it a new record for being the biggest weekend opening of 2011 finally overtaking Warner Bros. ''Scooby-Doo! The Movie with $114 million a month ago, and also the biggest weekend opening for a Sonic X film overtaking Sonic X: Return to Soleanna'' with $105 million last year.

In other records, it will also break another record for being the biggest weekend opening for an animated film overtaking Dreamwork's Shrek the Third with $122 million in 2007, the biggest weekend opening for a 3D film overtaking Alice in Wonderland with $116 million, and the biggest opening for a film released from 20th Century Fox overtaking Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith with $108 million in 2005. But it will be far behind Spider-Man 3 with $151 million for becoming the biggest opening of the month of May. Overseas, the film opens in 90 foreign markets.

In its second frame, Thor, with a cume of $75.6 million through Tuesday, is sure to jump the $100 million mark domestically this weekend. Overseas, the superhero film has already cleared $200 million.

Bridesmaids — conjuring up plenty of comparisons to The Hangover — stars Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy and Wendi McLendon-Covey (Jon Hamm also makes an appearance). Comparisons are difficult, and while Sex and the City also was a female-driven, R-rated comedy, it was based on a blockbuster television franchise. “Whenever someone does something different, it’s good for the business,” a rival studio exec said. Universal is suggesting that Bridesmaids will gross in the low teens, although many box office observers believe it will clear $15 million and even do as much as $17 million (Universal comedy Baby Mama, rated PG-13 and released in April 2008, opened to $17.5 million). Either way, Bridesmaids will only come in No. 2 or No. 3 for the weekend, behind Paramount and Marvel Studios’ Thor — which is all but guaranteed to stay at No. 1 in its second outing — and possibly Universal’s Fast Five.

The other new entry at the domestic box office this weekend is Sony/Screen Gems’ Paul Bettany starrer Priest 3D, the $60 million adaptation of the popular Korean graphic novel series by Min-Woo Hyung. Priest is projected to open to $10 million to $12 million, with Sony already looking at the international box office to drive the supernatural actioner. Last weekend, Priest saw good numbers in Russia and Spain. Directed by Scott Stewart, Priest was produced by Michael De Luca, Joshua Donen and Mitchell Peck. A slew of specialty films debut Friday in limited runs, including Will Ferrell drama Everything Must Go from Roadside Attractions and The First Grader, from National Geographic Entertainment. Wrekin Hill also launches Hesher.