Anna Daniels
As to whether or not this sequel will actually happen, we’re sorry to report that at this moment, it doesn’t look good. While Dolittle has received a few positive critical notices praising it as a diverting-if-not-brilliant family film, the majority of critics have been… well, let’s just say unkind. While this means that the movie won’t ride into theaters on a wave of buzz, it will benefit from the fact that as far as competition goes, there is virtually none. No family films opened against it, and none opened the previous week, or the week before that. Dolittle will have that audience largely to itself until Sonic the Hedgehog opens on February 14.
Unfortunately, it’s looking like this isn’t going to help. Trades such as Variety are predicting an anemic opening weekend in the neighborhood of $22 to $25 million for the picture, which cost a whopping $180 million to produce. Unless Dolittle does staggeringly well overseas (which, you know, could happen), Universal is going to end up taking a bath on the film.
It’s unfortunate, because we could all use a little more Downey. Fans should take heart, though: the as-yet untitled Sherlock Holmes 3 will be arriving next year, and if the rumors are true, the actor just might appear in Marvel Studios’ upcoming prequel Black Widow, reprising the role of Tony Stark one last time.
Written by: Looper
