A blockbuster fantasy film carries a big blockbuster budget, in this case $150 million (before marketing). That means we’re talking about a movie that needs to make at least $400 million worldwide to be considered even a modest success. That would put it in the same ballpark as something like “Pacific Rim” or “Uncharted.” But both of those movies had larger opening weekends, with “Uncharted” debuting to $44 million last year, ultimately limping its way to $401 million globally. That being the case, “Dungeons & Dragons” has a long, rough road ahead.

The movie would need remarkably long legs to save itself from becoming a flop. Not to mention making enough to justify a sequel, which is surely what Paramount had in mind. This was undoubtedly intended to be a potential franchise-starter. The real problem is competition, as “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” is set to open this week, and it is going to draw huge crowds as the first family-friendly animated film to hit theaters since “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” last December. We’ve also got Ben Affleck’s “Air,” which has been drawing rave reviews from critics since it debuted at SXSW. Plus, just around the corner, we’ve got a pair of horror flicks in “The Pope’s Exorcist” and “Renfield” on the way.

All of this to say, “Honor Among Thieves” may be able to generate positive word of mouth, and that buzz helped push it to do better than many analysts expected. Be that as it may, the circumstances surrounding the release, and the marketplace as it currently exists, suggests that this one won’t have enough juice in the tank to save it from itself. And that’s a shame, given that this one is a true crowd-pleaser, but the realities of the business are what they are.