On domestic shores, The Nun II is already running away with it at the box office, and the ninth installment in horror’s biggest-ever franchise is going to handily defeat any and all comers with a debut of at least $30 million, even if that marks a drastic fall compared to its predecessor.
However, things are shaping up much differently and exceedingly more interestingly on a global scale, with breakout Bollywood sensation Jawan standing a very good chance of debuting as the world’s number one hit this weekend. Described by critic Scott Mendelsohn as “What if Michael Moore directed a Bollywood remake of The Dark Knight Rises?”, that soundbite alone should be more than enough to pique interest.
Starring Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan – who already propelled Pathaan to huge heights at the box office earlier this year – Jawan follows a man driven by a personal vendetta to right the wrongs of modern society, all while keeping true to a promise he made years ago, even if there are plenty of enemies and opponents to overcome along the way.
Having already secured the highest-grossing opening day for any Bollywood film ever by earning $15.5 million on Thursday alone, the blockbuster action thriller is going to finish either second or third in the United States depending on how audiences take to My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, and by the time the dust settles on Sunday it could have banked $90 million all told.
As a result, it’s not out of the question that The Nun II will win the domestic battle but lose the worldwide war, which would be a remarkable achievement given its advantage as the latest entry in a $2 billion saga.