Neither “Ted” nor “Magic Mike” blew the lid off box office records Thursday night, but both parlayed strong marketing campaigns and solid reviews into impressive midnight performances.
Seth MacFarlane’s “Ted,” which is banking on a strong pull with the young male “Family Guy” audience, kicked things off with $2.6 million from 1090 screens, indicative that the edgy teddy bear comedy will click this weekend.
Gawk-friendly “Magic Mike” had a decent night in its own right, attracting $2.1 million from a primarily-female audience. The well-reviewed “Mike” features Channing Tatum, along with fellow female favorites Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer and Joe Manganiello, as male strippers.
Though both look sure to avoid flop-caliber totals this weekend, neither is expected to be an absolute smash. The success benchmark is likely a gross in the $20-25 million range.
One particular point of interest for industry analysts is how the “date crowd” will spend its money Saturday night. Both “Ted” and “Mike” clearly skew in favor of one sex, and the latter, in particular, seems unlikely to cull from the other (males, in its case). How that will affect either film’s trajectory, if at all, remains to be seen.
