Winter Storm Nemo Is Already Wreaking Havoc On Hollywood

Kirsten AcunaFeb 9, 2013, 03:17 IST

"Identity Thief"Winter storm Nemo hasn't even come down in full force yet, but its effects are already taking a toll on Hollywood. From awards shows to the box office, here's who's affected this weekend in Hollywood:

The New York City Mayor's office has suspended all filming permits for Saturday.
Weather could delay travel to the BAFTA awards in London Sunday. More than 4,000 flight cancellations have been reported.
AMC, Regal, and National Amusements are shutting down movie theaters from New York up to the Boston area.

That last note could put a dent in what has already been a slow start to the box-office year. Out this weekend are Melissa McCarthy's "Identity Thief" featuring Jason Bateman and Rooney Mara's "Side Effects." The former is already getting awful reviews sitting on Rotten Tomatoes with a 26 percent rating. Though it's anticipated to earn between $20 and $25 million this weekend, a weak Friday start could make way for the positively reviewed Steven Soderbergh directed film to inch its way to number one. "Identity Thief" will clearly have the edge as it's opening in 3,141 theaters compared to "Side Effects" 2,605. Remember, Soderbergh's previous early 2012 release, "Magic Mike," debuted to $39.1 million thanks to star power from Channing Tatum and the "Fifty Shades of Grey" craze of last year. Right now, "Side Effects" has the added boost of Oscar-nominated Bradley Cooper and Rooney Mara ("The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"). From the looks of the trailers, it doesn't look like Cooper's in the film for long, but he's been prominent in the movie marketing, a smart move since his "Silver Linings Playbook" is still going strong at theaters after 12 weeks. Despite what has been a difficult-to-grasp plot from trailers, both Cooper and Rooney Mara's allure along with an 85 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes may bode well for "Side Effects." Nemo's expected to bring ticket sales down as much as ten percent on McCarthy's first stand-alone film. Coupled with poor word-of-mouth, "Identity Thief" could prove an upset.

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Winter Storm Nemo Is Already Wreaking Havoc On Hollywood