MEN IN BLACK 3 SET TO DETHRONE AVENGERS

The Memorial Day weekend will likely see The Avengers getting knocked out of first place at the box office, tracking studies indicate. The new champ come Monday, they indicate, will be the 3D sequel Men In Black 3. The movie will not generate anything close to the receipts of The Avengers during Weeks 1 and 2, according to the tracking surveys, but it will likely take in around $80 million through the four-day holiday weekend, about twice what The Avengers will do in its fourth week. Some forecasters estimate that MIB3 may earn as much as $200-250 million worldwide, where star Will Smith can do no wrong. That’s as much as Sony Films reportedly spent to produce the movie, given numerous difficulties ranging from script problems that delayed production, a marketing overhaul, and big pay days for stars Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Also opening this weekend is the horror flick The Chernobyl Diaries, which was not screened for critics. Comments from moviegoers who have seen it in previews have been devastating. It’s expected to earn $10-14 million.