Freddie Mercury is set to put an end to Michael Myers’ reign of terror, as Fox’s big budget music drama is set to storm into first with a debut that could near $40 million. Meanwhile, Disney hopes to counterprogram for family audiences with their critically panned fantasy adventure The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. Additionally, Paramount will open their new comedy Nobody’s Fool.

Bohemian Rhapsody is a project that has been plagued with trouble since its inception. Originally announced all the way back in 2010, and with Sacha Baron Cohen originally set to take on the lead role, the project went through a number of stars and directors dipping in and out for various reasons. This trouble didn’t stop once shooting began, however, as controversial director Bryan Singer (who has been accused of sexual assault and misconduct involving minors on multiple occasions) was fired just two weeks before principal photography wrapped, with the studio citing his failure to show up to set as the reason for his replacement. He still retains sole directorial credit, however, despite Dexter Fletcher filling in for a brief time.

However, audiences have shown time and time again that they simply don’t care about behind the scenes drama, as long as the end product is something they want to see, and that certainly seems to be the case with Bohemian Rhapsody. Pre-sales have been running ahead of A Star Is Born, though that isn’t terribly surprising considering Queen has more of a built in fanbase. This does raise the question as to how front-loaded the film is going to be, however, as reviews have been decidedly mixed, which may alienate those who aren’t already Queen fans. Tracking is currently showing an opening between $35-40 million, which would be a very solid start for the $52 million production.

Next up is The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, which is Disney’s latest attempt to turn a fairy tale into a live action property. The picture carries a hefty production budget of around $130 million, yet has been panned by critics with just 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. This harkens back to other Disney flops such as A Wrinkle in Time and Alice Through the Looking Glass, and tracking hasn’t been particularly hopeful, targeting around $24 million for the weekend. It certainly raises the question as to whether or not audiences want to watch something Christmas related when Halloween was just yesterday, or if they should have waited til closer to the holiday in question before release.

The final major release of the weekend is Paramount’s Nobody’s Fool, starring Tiffany Haddish, who has had several hits lately such as Girls Trip and Night School. If this film can wind up being a hit, it would certainly cement her status as one of the few consistent draws in comedy at the moment. Right now, tracking is in the mid teens, but don’t be surprised if it winds up a bit higher.

In the specialty market, Suspiria is expanding into around 300 locations, while Beautiful Boy is expanding into around 500. Suspiria was initially planned to go nationwide this weekend, but Amazon decided to take things slower – which may be wise.

Predictions

Bohemian Rhapsody – $37.5 million The Nutcracker and the Four Realms – $18 million Halloween – $16 million Nobody’s Fool – $15.5 million A Star Is Born – $9.7 million