'MIB3' Looking to Overthrow 'Avengers'

After three weeks at the top of the box office "The Avengers" could potentially be dethroned by "Men in Black 3."

The latest entry in the sci-fi franchise, starring Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin, will bring back the franchise to the big screen for the first in a decade.  According to Variety, "Black" will be opening in 4,248 theaters over the Memorial Day weekend and is expected to top the box office with an estimated $80 to $90 million. Some forecasters predict the film will cross the $100 million mark over the 4 day weekend. The 3D tentpole film is estimated to have cost about $230 million, making it the most expensive in the series. The previous films "Men in Black (1997)" and "Men in Black 2 (2002)" grossed $250 million and $190.4 million respectively with the first film being a runaway hit while the other was a critical disappointment. After a decade without entries in the franchise and with "Battleship's" bomb at the box office last week, prognosticators are still worried about how much business the film brand will generate with younger generations despite Will Smith's star power.

Also opening in wide is the "Chernobyl Diaries," the latest scare-fest from the producers of "Paranormal Activity". The film is about a group of Americans who visit the ill-fated Russian City of title. The studio has actively used the "Normal" branding to promote the film and hope to generate business with its built-in audience from its past horror successes.  Warner Bros., who is distributing the picture, looks to make $12 to $13 million over the four day weekend.

"Battleship" enters its second weekend entering salvage mode after a disastrous $25.5 million domestic opening. The $200 million picture has grossed $31 million in its first week and is estimated to gross a weak $15.3 million over the four day weekend.

Meanwhile "The Avengers" looks to continue doing solid business and surpass "Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace" as the fourth highest grossing film of all time domestically. It is likely to gross an estimated $41.7 million over the four day weekend, which would still put the film at No.2 in the Box Office.  

In the art house market "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" will open nationwide in 1,233 theaters.  Focus Features will release Wes Andersons' latest film "Moonrise Kingdom." The film which opened at Cannes last week to great reviews stars Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand. Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman and Edward Norton. "Kingdom" opens in four theaters in the New York and Los Angeles area and box-office observers, such as boxofficemojo.com, expect solid business.