It's only the first weekend in May, but Universal Studios is readying The Mummy Returns for a mammoth release to almost 3,400 screens across the country.  The film has been heavily advertised on television (especially during the NBA Playoffs), and Universal created a clever double-dipping ticket promotion by including a ticket coupon  for the new film in the high profit sell-through DVD version of the first of the modern Mummy films (the 1999 release that earned over $413 at the box office worldwide).  Box office prognosticators are forecasting a $45 million opening weekend for The Mummy Returns, which would be in line with the first Mummy film's $43.4 million debut.  That kind of gross would signal a real turnaround from the last weekend in April, which turned out to be Hollywood's lowest box office total of the year.  Anything north of $50 million would immediately start the wheels grinding at Universal for a third film in the series.

 

The Mummy Returns debut was pushed up a week (see 'Studios Jockeying For Position') to provide the film with a three-week cushion before the second summer blockbuster, Pearl Harbor debuts on May 21st.  The first modern Mummy film did about 28% of its total business on its opening weekend.  Sequels, especially those that have been heavily marketed like The Mummy Returns, tend to be even more front-loaded, with committed fans scurrying to see the film during its debut weekend. 

 

Most of the merchandise for the film appears to be in place (see 'Best in Shows').   Chaos Comics, the official comic publisher for the film, has released the first volume in its mini-series--Mummy: Valley of the Gods--which is written by veteran comic scribe Marv Wolfman.  Rather than a straight adaptation of the film, this series is 'inspired' by the film and utilizes the same characters, including the Scorpion King, played in the film by WWF's The Rock (who has his own comic coming from Chaos this month).  Inkworks' Mummy Returns card series is closely based on the film (see 'Inkworks Summer Movie Trifecta').  It includes storyboard cards, special 'sand' textured cards, 'relic' cards that include portions of the costumes worn by stars in the film, and every box includes a special 'Scorpion King' boxtopper card.  The Inkworks cards should be in stores this weekend, and they should be available for reorder for at least a week or two. The Mummy action figures and toys from Jakks Pacific have already been in the mass market for several weeks.

 

Movie merchandise is the most difficult and treacherous category we cover here at ICv2.  Certain items from certain films can perform well for months, but for the vast majority of items in this category, the window of merchandising opportunity is 2-3 weeks or about the amount of time that the average summer blockbuster is able to stay in one of the top three spots on the box office chart.  Retailers have to be nimble.  It's important to gauge how the film is doing and reorder as quickly as possible after the opening weekend (depending of course on how the merchandise is selling in your store).  For The Mummy Returns at least, it appears that the key products will be available for reorder next week, if the activity at the box office and in stores warrants it.