Mel Gibson’s Flight Risk is experiencing a rough take-off after taking to the skies with $950K in Thursday previews. The action-thriller starring Mark Wahlberg is Gibson’s first directorial effort since his World War II docudrama Hacksaw Ridge, so it’s quite the occasion. It remains unclear if Flight Risk has what it takes to climb to the top of the box office charts this weekend. Still, analysts say the movie could earn $9M-$11M, a fair chunk of change.

Mel Gibson directs Flight Risk from a script by Jared Rosenberg. The film finds Mark Wahlberg “playing a pilot transporting an Air Marshall (Michelle Dockery), accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar, and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.”

Flight Risk booked a plan for 3,100 theaters, of which 660 are Premium Large Format screens and 273 Motion Seat screens (4DX, DBOX, MX4D). Reviews are steadily pouring in, with most critics, including JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols, saying the movie is a rough ride that crashes and burns. Still, Tyler says Flight Risk proves Gibson is capable of not taking himself too seriously behind the camera and making a feature that’s not a three-hour epic. Tyler also points out that Mark Wahlberg’s return to a villainous role is something to behold. Check out Tyler’s complete Flight Risk review here.

If any movie could overtake Flight Risk at the box office, it’s Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, which could earn $8M—$9M in its sixth week. One thing keeping Mufasa in the running is that the film is not available on PVOD. Many films have jumped to digital platforms while still in theaters, like Wicked, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and more. By keeping Mufasa strictly in cinemas, Disney is pouncing on every dollar for the live-action CGI hybrid.

Elsewhere, Steven Soderbergh’s ghost thriller Presence could open in 1,750 theaters at $2M-$3M. Previews have Presence scaring up $385K, making the film’s success less predictable.

Are you interested in seeing Mel Gibson’s Flight Risk in theaters this weekend? Does Mufasa: The Lion King have what it takes to reach the top of the box office several weeks after its release? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.

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