Box Office Prediction: Eddie Murphy ... Rising?

So, I kind of can't believe Anna Nicole Smith died. I'm not exactly sure why this celeb death has stunned us more than most: Was it because she was so young, or because her life had grown so increasingly bizarre lately? Let's give her a moment of silence. ( ) And now let's move on and get to the predictions -- because Anna Nicole would want it that way.

Norbit: There's a poster for this movie at the subway stop near my apartment, and underneath the tagline "Have you ever made a really big mistake?" someone has thoughtfully scrawled, "Eddie Murphy did. This movie." Oooh, now that's a little bit harsh, though admittedly kinda funny (gotta love graffiti humor) -- and understandable, considering that Murphy just earned an Oscar nomination for Dreamgirls, and now he's wearing a pink bikini and showing off his stomach rolls.

But let's be fair. Whatever your take on this type of comedy, Murphy loves donning a fat suit and playing multiple characters, and he's made a nice chunk of change doing it: The Nutty Professor movies have earned a combined total of $250 million. The man must know what he's doing. As to the box office prospects of this movie, in which Murphy plays 1) wimpy geek Norbit, 2) Norbit's obese monster of a wife, Rasputia, and 3) Mr. Wong, who adopted Norbit as a baby, it remains to be seen whether it'll reap returns like The Nutty Professor ... or more like Pluto Nash.
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Hannibal Rising: Once upon a time, Anthony Hopkins looked like Gaspard Ulliel, apparently. The guy must've gained quite a few pounds from eating all those people, eh? This Silence of the Lambs prequel (it's actually a pre-prequel, since Red Dragon was also a prequel -- though Hannibal was a sequel, and now I need to go lie down) delves into the psychology of why Hannibal Lecter became who he was, and it's not just because his name conveniently rhymed with "cannibal." Ulliel isn't the star that Hopkins is, obviously, so don't expect this to be a massive hit. But Hannibal himself still carries some weight, and let's not forget that horror-type movies sell, so the curiosity factor alone could drive this movie to near the top.
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Got your picks ready? Mine follow (and if you need a little guidance, see last week's results). Post predictions by Saturday at 2pm, if you would be so kind. And have a good one.

1. Norbit
2. Hannibal Rising
3. The Messengers
4. Because I Said So
5. Epic Movie

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