]Rambo is back! But will anyone care?
After enjoying surprising success with “Rocky Balboa” a year ago, Sylvester Stallone revives the other of his iconic movie heroes in “Rambo” which opened in 2,800 theaters today.
The “Rocky” franchise had dormant since 1990 and the low-budgeted “Balboa” managed to earn strong reviews and a domestic gross of $70.3 million.
The character of John Rambo has been absent from the big screen even longer. “Rambo III” grossed just $53 million in 1988 after the franchise had peaked three years earlier when “Rambo: First Blood II” grossed $150 million.
As far as the new “Rambo” flick, I think Stallone’s return as Rocky and Bruce Willis’ successful revival of the “Die Hard” franchise last summer will bode well. It could open in first place with a gross as high as $20 million.

OTHER NEWBIES: Diane Lane, Oscar-nominated for the drama “Unfaithful” several years back, headlines the thriller “Untraceable” which bowed in 2,300 locations today.
Lane has had her share of modest hits and this looks to be another one of them. I give the movie a shot at a $12 million debut. It will likely just edge past the comedy “Meet the Spartans” which would do well to reach the $10 million mark. I don’t give the music drama “How She Move” much of a chance of doing any better than the $7 million range in its debut since it is bowing in just 1,500 locations.

HOLDOVERS: The thriller “Cloverfield” has a decent chance of repeating as number one if it can gross higher than $20 million in its second weekend. I also predict a strong sophomore outing for the Katherine Heigl comedy “27 Dresses” would could add about $14 million to its haul.
Also look for the Jack Nicholson-Morgan Freeman flick “Bucket List” to keep filling seats to the tune of about $10 million over the weekend.

OSCAR BUMP? The legal thriller “Michael Clayton” was a critical fave but has only grossed just under $40 million at the box office. Warner Bros. hopes to take advantage of the movie’s seven Oscar nominations - including best picture and best actor for George Clooney - by re-releasing “Clayton” onto 1,000 screens today.
Similarly, fellow best picture nominee “No Country or Old Men,” which earned eight Oscar nods this week, expanded today into 1,500 theaters to try and build on it’s domestic gross of $50 million.

LIMITED BOWS: Some movies need to be handled with care - specialty films that can’t just be thrust upon the masses in one fell swoop.
The idea is to slowly roll them out and build strong word-of-mouth. Of course, if no buzz is built, the flick dies on the vine and hopes for a strong life on DVD.
National Geographic Films releases the rock-and-roll documentary “U2 3D” in 60 locations. Among the other movies poking their heads into theaters today: “The Air I Breathe” in seven LA and New York City theaters and “Trailer Park Boys: The Movie” in three LA and NYC theaters.