2006 at the Box Office (1 Viewer)

[Cory S.]

After having read The Da Vinci Code over the weekend and realizing the enormous success and popularity of the novel and reading up on the controversy, I think the film has a serious shot at challegning Dead Man's Chest for top grosser next year.

As much as I want to believe Superman Returns or Cars will be the top grossers, to me, it's between Dead Man's Chest and Da Vinic Code.

It will be huge. Write it down....

 

[Gregory Vaughan]

I'm more cautious about The Da Vinci code. I don't think it can just ride on the book's coat tails. The book was mostly about ideas, so I'm not sure people who read the book are itching to see a film version, and the whole phenomenon got discussed to death. Given the people involved it seems like it should be a really good film, but I think it's a tricky one to get right. The box office for this film will be very sensitive to reviews (unlike the book), and it could easily be a disappointment (I'm assuming it has a pretty big budget).

 

[Cory S.]

It could go either way. Depends on the media blitz leading up to it. If it's anywhere near what Gibson's The Passion was, we could see huge numbers.

I still believe it will be huge. Not 300 million huge, but could be close. Still, at the end of the day, it was good quest tale that's been told before...just more intriguing.

 

[Kevin Grey]

I'm curious about DaVinci Code's performance too. No doubt it will be big but its a story that has been so heavily covered in the media that it holds few surprises even for those who haven't read the book.

And I'm not sure that it holds a lot of lot of extra appeal in visual form unlike adaptations of Harry Potter or LOTR. Though actually seeing the artwork should be pretty cool.


I see it as the anti-Passion. One of the reasons for the Passion's success was that it got people in the theater who otherwise don't typically go. Some of the segment will be staunchly opposed to DaVinci Code, sight unseen.

I'd guess closer to $200 million for it than $300 million.

Re: Dead Men's Chest- I think it definitely could go over $300 million but this could be a potential victim of overly inflated expectations. The first movie was almost better than it had any right to be and the material was certainly there for a mess of epic proportions if not handled right. If they don't hit the recipe exactly right this time out then I can see audience reaction going from love to hate rather quickly. If it doesn't meet audience expectations then it could drop quickly and leave Disney panicked about PotC 3 the following year.

 

[Chris_T]

Regarding PotC-DMC. I think it may go the route of the more traditional sequel earning less than the original. I'm seeing a gross in the $250 million range. As for the top grosser, I think it will be between Superman Returns and The DaVinci Code. I think both will flirt with the $300 million barrier.

May looks way too cluttered with tentpole movies. Couldn't the studios have spaced these movies out better? And then they bitch & moan about BO revenues being down.

 

[Galen_V]

I think that The DaVinci Code will be the biggest money earner worldwide by the end of the year, but will be No. 3 domestically behind Cars and Dead Man's Chest. I'll admit that I'm not super excited for Cars, but I'm still going to see it since it's a Pixar movie. I mean, Shrek 2 wasn't a very good movie but it still made $441 million dollars domestically. My only reservation is that I think the media will start picking up on this grumbling and make people think that it's a flop; if that doesn't happen though I think it has a great chance to do as well, if not better than, Finding Nemo.

Speaking of bad press, if Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston keep up a healthy image between now and June I think The Break-Up will be huge hit, so that'll be my "sleeper".

Also, do you know if Borat is going to be released in the U.S. Terry?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

An adaptation of a comic book = "fresh ideas"?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

My point remains: not all "basic sci-fi action flicks" make money...

 

[TerryRL]

Galen, the status of "Borat" is very much up in the air. Its set to be released in the UK later this year, but currently there are no plans to release this one in the states. Worse case scenario is that the movie goes straight-to-DVD.

If this one is to get a U.S. theatrical release, it may not happen until early next year. That's all I know about it, I hope it was of some help to you.

 

[Josh.C]

Colin,

Sin City is definitely "fresh", yes its based off a comic book, but I was referring more to the way it was filmed. Really nothing to compare it to. Yes, we have plenty of comic book movie adaptations out there, but none like Sin City.

 

[Claire Panke]

Snakes on a Plane, How to Eat Fried Worms, Food Fight - what a yummy trio!

I'm always surprised by several films' performances and I expect 2006 will be the same.

Having seen the trailer for DaVinci Code on the big screen , I must say it looks like a box office winner. (I ain't excited but the folks in my office are.)

 

[Robert Anthony]

Sounds rather Matrix-y. And that's my worry, as well. No one really expected anything out of Pirates, and as such, when it ended up being a really good movie, people were shocked as hell. But now theres' expectation, and a fair amount of it.

I'm still looking forward to it, though

 

[Tino]

WEEKEND ACTUALS
1. The Chronicles of Narnia $33,712,024
2. King Kong $31,826,925
3. Fun with Dick and Jane $21,025,463
4. Cheaper by the Dozen 2 $18,857,703
5. Rumor Has It $11,790,273

 

[TerryRL]

Looks like Universal will be releasing "The Bourne Ultimatum" in 2007. WB also announced that "Ocean's Thirteen" will be going into production later this year, it is also set for a 2007 launch.

A lack of sequels is one of the reasons being attributed to 2005's lower-than-expected showing at the box office. After all, the top two grossers of the year were sequels ('Revenge of the Sith' and 'The Goblet of Fire') and some of this year's most anticipated films are sequels as well (POTC: DMC, X3, M:I-3, etc.).

2007 is going to be loaded with sequels.

 

[Tim Glover]

Ocean's 13???? puleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze. :b

 

[Chris Atkins]

I think I agree that DaVinci Code will win the Box Office in 2006. Not only does it have a built in box office, but it has almost no competition for its audience in the three weeks after its release. I think those two factors give it an edge.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

DaVinci Code is missing the major summer target audience...teenage boys. I don't see it winning the year without some of that money.

 

[Chris Atkins]

But it will probably pull in a lot of people that don't normally attend the movies too...older folks who read more books than see movies.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

I agree...but they see a movie once. Teenage boys might hit it a few times. It'll be a hit, but a Bourne Supremacy-type hit. That was an adult film that pulled in adults. I think it'll make more than that...but not $300M numbers.

 

[Chris Atkins]

Also, don't forget the no competition thing. I don't see a lot of movies that would pull away its audience (or any audience) for at least three weeks. That could be a huge advantage in a crowded summer.