Universal Studios (GE)
If it's summer, it must be time for an Adam Sandler comedy.Sandler, who starred in last year's "Click", is back with "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, " a movie in which he and co-star Kevin James of "The King Of Queens" play Brooklyn firefighters who pretend to be gay in order to get domestic partner benefits.
Exhibitor Relations' Bock said the movie probably should do an "automatic $100 million" because of Sandler. But the film's plot has some analysts wondering if the movie can possibly be a hit.
McAlpine said that this movie - as well as Universal's other big summer contenders "Knocked Up," and "Evan Almighty" - need to do well or else there could be even more pressure on Universal's parent, GE, to do something with its NBC Universal division.
"GE/Universal has a lot of stake. They have a tough row to hoe this summer since they are going up against a lot of big name movies," McAlpine said.
To that end, an analyst at Citigroup suggested in April that GE should spin off NBC.
