BRAVE LOOKS CERTAIN TO SLAY VAMPIRE-HUNTER LINCOLN

The latest animated spunky princess is virtually certain to assassinate Abraham Lincoln at the box office over the weekend. According to industry pundits, Disney/Pixar’s Brave is likely to earn $60-65 million in its debut, while the 3-D thriller Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is expected to come away with about $15-20 million. A third newcomer, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley, will be opening in far fewer theaters — around 1,600 –and will probably earn about $7 million, tracking surveys indicate. Opening in just five theaters — three in New York and two in Los Angeles — will be Woody Allen’s To Rome with Love, which will likely challenge the major releases in per-theater receipts. Allen’s last movie, Midnight in Paris, opened in six theaters last year and earned an astounding $100,000 in each. It’s due to open wide on July 6.