2008 at the Box Office - Page 77

JediFonger · 10-13-2008, 09:00 AM

thanks terry for the interesting records of fox performance. alvin is the only over 200mil hit for a pure fox production. i'm pretty sure the other studios have a lot more 200+ hits on their 5 year records too. does this mean fox is under-performing and is in danger of being requisitioned by som1 else especially given the current market conditions? doesn't look like they're making $ compared to the rest. are they?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray H

Alvin and the Chipmunks made over 217 million dollars domestically? Jesus Christ.

and uh... isn't that Disney chiuahua movie a form of terrorism for families?

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Originally Posted by JoshuaB.

War and/or terrorism and talking chihuahuas...don't people know that the best films in the Fall are in the arthouses?

Malcolm R · 10-13-2008, 12:45 PM

I'm a little surprised that everyone else is so surprised that "Body of Lies" bombed. I'm not sure in what universe this was ever going to be a hit. From what I've seen, it just looks like yet another in the seemingly endless parade of geo-political thrillers set in the Middle East that no one wants to see regardless of who the stars/director are (and Russell Crowe turns off quite a few people). Plus, I saw hardly any advertising for this film anywhere. There was a trailer in front of "The Dark Knight"? Either my theater didn't show it, or it was completely forgettable.

I'm kind of mystified that people seemed to think this was going to be a huge hit.

Brent M · 10-13-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Malcolm R

I'm a little surprised that everyone else is so surprised that "Body of Lies" bombed. I'm not sure in what universe this was ever going to be a hit. From what I've seen, it just looks like yet another in the seemingly endless parade of geo-political thrillers set in the Middle East that no one wants to see regardless of who the stars/director are (and Russell Crowe turns off quite a few people). Plus, I saw hardly any advertising for this film anywhere. There was a trailer in front of "The Dark Knight"? Either my theater didn't show it, or it was completely forgettable.

I'm kind of mystified that people seemed to think this was going to be a huge hit.

I don't think anyone expected it to be TDK or Iron Man, but it surely should have done better than a $13 million #3 opening with that kind of star power behind it. Getting beat by a low rent horror movie and Beverly Hills Chihuahua in its' second week has to be absolutely embarrassing to everyone involved with Body of Lies.

Robert Crawford · 10-13-2008, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent M

I don't think anyone expected it to be TDK or Iron Man, but it surely should have done better than a $13 million #3 opening with that kind of star power behind it. Getting beat by a low rent horror movie and Beverly Hills Chihuahua in its' second week has to be absolutely embarrassing to everyone involved with Body of Lies.

I think its a subject matter that many people are just not interested in seeing at their local movie complex.

TerryRL · 10-13-2008, 03:09 PM

Jedi, you're very welcome.

Fox isn't in any immediate danger, but they have had a very tough year. As you know one major hit can turn things around and Fox's '09 slate looks very strong. Next year they have potential smashes with "Dragonball", "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", 'Night at the Museum II', "The A-Team", 'Ice Age 3', and the highly anticipated James Cameron flick "Avatar".

The studio is also hoping to get the often delayed remake of "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" off the ground as well sometime during the next couple of years. The brass at Fox is also extremely confident that 'Wolverine' will be a huge hit next summer, there is the great hope that 'X-Men Origins' could be the next huge franchise for the studio. 'Magneto' will hit theaters in 2010, while films focusing on the beginnings of Gambit and Deadpool are being talked about.

Tarkin The Ewok · 10-14-2008, 05:48 PM

Those last two sound like riskier propositions. Wolverine and Magneto had big roles in the three X-Men films, so audiences already know who they are. Gambit is probably best known from the FOX cartoon series in the 1990s. Deadpool, however, is not well known at all by the general public. I only know that the character exists because I see the name in comic book reviews. There needs to be a decent marketing effort for those two to succeed.

DavidPla · 10-14-2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarkin The Ewok

Those last two sound like riskier propositions. Wolverine and Magneto had big roles in the three X-Men films, so audiences already know who they are. Gambit is probably best known from the FOX cartoon series in the 1990s. Deadpool, however, is not well known at all by the general public. I only know that the character exists because I see the name in comic book reviews. There needs to be a decent marketing effort for those two to succeed.

I'd even add that the Magneto movie will be a tough sell as well. Wolverine is arguably one of the most popular comic book heroes let alone THE most popular X-Men character so the film should do very well. But Magneto.. I don't know. Depends how they do it.

Zack Gibbs · 10-14-2008, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarkin The Ewok

Those last two sound like riskier propositions. Wolverine and Magneto had big roles in the three X-Men films, so audiences already know who they are. Gambit is probably best known from the FOX cartoon series in the 1990s. Deadpool, however, is not well known at all by the general public. I only know that the character exists because I see the name in comic book reviews. There needs to be a decent marketing effort for those two to succeed.

Gambit (Taylor Kitsch from Friday Night Lights) and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) both appear in the upcoming Wolverine movie, they're planning them as future spinoffs .

Jon Paul Gottier · 10-14-2008, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck Mayer

-"Be Kind, Rewind" (New Line)
-"Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo" (New Line)
-"Jumper" (Fox)
-"Pride & Glory" (New Line)
-"Iron Man" (Paramount)
-"Speed Racer" (WB)
-"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (Lucasfilm/Paramount)
-"Sex & the City" (New Line)
-"Kung Fu Panda" (DreamWorks/Paramount)
-"The Incredible Hulk" (Universal)
-"Get Smart" (WB)
-"Wall-E" (Disney/Pixar)
-"Hancock" (Sony)
-"HB II a.k.a Hellboy II: The Golden Army" (Universal)
-"The Dark Knight[/b]" (WB)
-"Blindness" (Miramax)
-"The Pineapple Express" (Sony)
-"Where the Wild Things Are" (WB)
-"James Bond 22"
-"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (WB)
-"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" (Paramount) FINCHER
-"Revolutionary Road" (DreamWorks/Paramount)
-"Star Trek XI" (Paramount) ???
Most excited for

I think TDK will do mid-200's. I agree Indy will be stronger overseas, and probably a little stronger domestically.

I'm excited for Hellboy, because GdT is worth getting excited over, even if I was only so-so on the first film. Any film by Fincher is VERY welcome. It won't make much money, but who cares.

Thanks for the initial rundown, Terry. As always

You should add The Wrestler (Darren Arinofosky starring Mickey Rourke), JCVD (Mabrouk El Mechri starring Jean Claude Van Damme), and Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle) to your list. All three films are mentioned in Oscar nominations.

JediFonger · 10-16-2008, 01:05 AM

1. what's to be expected of this weekend's "What Just Happened" and "Max Payne"? i'm assuming it'll be either of those 2 in the top 2 spots @ the box office. i just can't imagine the chihuahuas having another weekend on the top spot.

2. next weekend will see saw v and hs musical 3 duke it out. i have a feeling both will make a lot of moola and compete for the record for October 2008. u can't underestimate the 2 mainstays of cinema right now: screaming teen girl fans of zach effin' and people who enjoy horror (especially so near to halloween).

Zack Gibbs · 10-16-2008, 01:24 AM

Is "What Just Happened" is even getting a wide release?