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‘Gone Girl’ likely to top box office for second weekend

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Looks like David Fincher’s “Gone Girl” won’t disappear from the box office just yet.

Despite four new releases this weekend, the R-rated thriller will likely add $25 million to its domestic gross, according to people who have seen pre-release audience surveys.

This would put it slightly ahead of the weekend’s newcomers: Courtroom drama “The Judge,” action horror “Dracula Untold,” family film “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” and low-budget thriller “Addicted.”

Fincher’s film, based on the popular book by Gillian Flynn, follows Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) after his wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), goes missing on their fifth anniversary. As secrets of their marriage unfold, police, media and community members try to determine whether Nick killed his wife.

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The film, co-produced by 20th Century Fox and New Regency, opened to $38 million last weekend. It edged out low-budget horror film “Annabelle,” which opened to $37.2 million, by a slight margin.

So far, the psychological thriller has been well received by audiences: It received a B grade from audience polling firm CinemaScore and a 87% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes

As one of the only family films in theaters, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” will likely take the No. 2 spot. The film, which cost about $28 million to make, could pull in $22 million.

Walt Disney Studios expects the adaptation of Judith Viorst’s children’s book to gross between $15 million to $20 million. As of Thursday, the film, which stars Jennifer Garner and Steve Carell, had notched a fresh rating of 66% on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Annabelle” and newcomer “Dracula Untold” will fight it out for No. 3. Both films could gross as much as $18 million.

New Line’s “Annabelle,” which cost about $6.5 million to make, was a hit among audiences and exceeded studio estimates of about $20 million.

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The film follows the haunted doll from “The Conjuring,” which in July 2013 opened to about $41.5 million. It received a B grade from audience polling firm CinemaScore and has a 31% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Dracula Untold,” which stars Luke Evans, tells the origins of the classic monster. The Universal Pictures and Legendary Entertainment release cost about $70 million to make. The studios expect the film to open at $15 million to $20 million.

To promote the film, Universal has been encouraging people to utilize an app called Vivoom. The app allows users to add the same digitally created bats seen in “Dracula” to short videos they film on their cellphones.

The marketing campaign has helped generate buzz. Fandango, the nation’s largest online movie ticket company, said Wednesday that “Dracula Untold” was at the top of the website’s Fanticipation meter with a score of 79 out of 100.

“The Judge” may round out the top five with a softer opening of about $16 million. The Warner Bros. drama, which stars Robert Downey Jr. and Robert Duvall, cost about $50 million to make. The studio estimates it could open to $15 million to $20 million.

Meanwhile, Lionsgate’s “Addicted” will likely pull in less than $10 million. The film, directed by Billie Woodruff, is based on an erotic thriller novel by Zane.

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Sony Classics’ “Whiplash,” starring Miles Teller, Focus Features’ “Kill the Messenger” and The Weinstein Company’s “St. Vincent” will also open in limited release.

For more news on the entertainment industry, follow me @saba_h

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