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2008 at the Box Office - Page 83

post #2461 of 2629
11/24/08 at 10:26pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Clearly there's no reasoning with you so I won't bother wasting my time.
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post #2462 of 2629
11/24/08 at 11:20pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G
I liked TDK, but like Steve, prefered Iron Man. TDK had some pacing issues that were over looked because an over rated young actor kicked off in a hotel room after wrapping his part... nothing helps box office like being dead! Maybe the Bond franchise should recruit James Franco to play a troubled double agent in the next one...

Meh ... of those two, Iron Man is overrated in my opinion.

There's nothing really ground breaking about it and the second half of the film is pretty typical "comic book movie climax that's run out of ideas" honestly (Iron Man versus .... evil ... bigger ... Iron Man).

Outside of Spider-Man has James Franco ever proven he can carry a blockbuster film? And is it then fair game to call out all the nerdy 30-40 something fanboys that blew their load over Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and all the Maxim magazine shoutouts (OMG! Brilliant filmmaking!).

The Dark Knight is a good movie and seriously, was there any showing of that film packed with only teenage girls? LOL.

Sure girlfriend went with their boyfriends to see The Dark Knight, the difference is they maybe didn't have to be dragged there like they would to a Star Wars prequel or something like that.

If you want to talk about pacing issues the new Bond film has them in spades.
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post #2463 of 2629
11/25/08 at 1:24am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Deleted. Posted by accident before I was finished.
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post #2464 of 2629
11/25/08 at 1:31am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G
Just saw Bond, it was great. Shame it's sinking at the theater due to soccer mums and school girls going to Twilight and "Generic Animation Movie for Kids", based on what I saw at the theater tonight.

If QoS is sinking then it is doing so because its target audience doesn't think it is good enough to warrant repeat business, not because of soccer moms, school girls, or a "generic animation movie for kids".

Obviously, a Bond movie isn't going to appeal to "soccer moms" or "school girls" so those two demographics have zero impact on the success or failure of Quantum of Solace. The audience demographic for the "generic animation movie for kids" (whichever film that is) is obviously a family one. Hardly the audience that a James Bond flick would be aimed at; therefore, the animated film with the strange name would have no bearing on whether QoS performs well or not.
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post #2465 of 2629
11/25/08 at 2:08am
Thread Starter 

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

From The Hollywood Reporter site...

'Solace' still going strong overseas

'Solace' still going strong overseas
Bond sequel remains No. 1 on the foreign circuit
By Frank Segers

Nov 23, 2008, 01:13 PM ET

Sony/MGM's "Quantum of Solace" extended its winning streak to four weeks as the No. 1 title on the foreign circuit, grossing $40.6 million from 10,400 screens in 72 markets during the weekend to hoist its total overseas boxoffice to $309 million.

The 22nd installment in the James Bond series opened in Australia, where it tallied $7.9 million from 476 screens, which is 44% more than the opening-frame gross of 2006's "Casino Royale," the top overseas grosser of the 007 series.

A Spain opening provided $5.1 million from 509 sites, 36% more than "Casino's" opening in the market. Openings in South Africa and Peru substantially beat "Casino's" respective debut numbers in each territory.

So far, "Quantum" has generated $71.4 million from the U.K., $32.3 million from Germany, $28.8 million from France, $18.7 million from China, $9.5 million from Korea and $8.1 million from Switzerland, making it that market's highest-grossing title this year.

Sony said that as of Thursday, "Quantum" surpassed the total foreign gross of the second-biggest overseas grosser of the Bond series, 2002's "Die Another Day," with Pierce Brosnan, which tallied $271.1 million. "Casino's" total foreign tally was $432.1 million.

The Bond series regularly generates significantly more foreign boxoffice than in North America. "Quantum" grossed $27.4 million on the weekend domestically and has a North America cume of $109.5 million.

At No. 2 overall overseas was Warner Bros.' "Body of Lies," the espionage drama with Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio. It opened at No. 2 in the U.K., grossing $10 million on the weekend from 2,900 locations in 34 markets. Its cume is $32.1 million.

Finishing in third place was DreamWorks Animation/Paramount's "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," which opened at No. 1 in the Netherlands, Sweden, Norway and Denmark and collected $9 million overall from 1,233 spots in 12 markets. Its overseas cume stands at $59 million.

In fourth was Summit International's "Twilight," with Kristen Stewart as a teenager smitten with a vampire; it premiered at 1,282 screens in five markets for an estimated $8.1 million. Notable were No. 1 openings in Italy ($4.35 million from 601 sites) and Mexico ($2.65 million from 382 situations).

At No. 5 was Disney's "High School Musical 3: Senior Year," which jacked its overseas cume to $129.3 million (vs. $85 million domestic) thanks to a $4.5 million weekend from 4,700 locations in 35 territories. Fox's "Max Payne" opened in six key markets, bagging $4.4 million from the weekend overall from 2,136 screens in 27 territories. The biggest of its new markets was Germany, where the action title garnered $1.3 million from 400 sites.

Director Clint Eastwood's "Changeling" -- No. 3 in the Paris market -- collected $3 million from 699 screens in four markets for an early overseas cume of $8.6 million. The next major opening for the Warners release, a period drama with Angelina Jolie, is Friday in the U.K.

In other weekend action, Mandate International's "Saw V" made $2.1 million from 1,900 screens (cume: $33 million); Focus Features/Universal's "Burn After Reading," $1.7 million from 1,190 dates ($71 million); Universal's "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," $1.3 million from 930 locations ($81.1 million); and Warners' "Nights in Rodanthe," $1.3 million from 1,288 screens ($30.4 million).

France had a busy weekend for Hollywood as well as local-language productions. At No. 2 in the Paris area was "Two Lovers," director James Gray's romantic drama with Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow, which French distributor Wild Bunch opened to an estimated $1.3 million from 225 locations from the market as a whole.

Disney opened "J' irai dormir a Hollywood," French TV host Antoine de Maximy's film account of his transcoastal U.S. road trip, to $700,000 from 175 locations. Warners released director Jean-Michel Ribes' comedy "Musee haut, musee bas" to $1.2 million from 350 screens.

On the local-language front, No. 1 in France was "Mesrine: L'ennemi public No. 1," starring Vincent Cassel as notorious French gangster Jacques Mesrine; Pathe opened it to $5.2 million from 490 dates. It is the follow-up to "Mesrine: L'instinct de mort," also starring Cassel as Mesrine, which Pathe released late last month; it finished No. 8 this round in Paris in its fifth week, collecting $900,000 from 400 situations throughout France.

Other international cumes: Universal's "Mamma Mia!" $ 422.7 million; Disney's "WALL-E," $264.4 million; Fox's "Babylon A.D.," $17.6 million; Disney's "Beverly Hills Chihuahua," $20 million; Fox's "Choke," $387,330; Miramax/Disney's "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," $21.8 million; Fox's "Krabat," $10.3 million; Disney's "The Accidental Husband," $2.5 million (from Germany and Austria); Fox's 'Mirrors," $37.5 million; DreamWorks/Paramount's "Tropic Thunder," $75 million; and Fox's "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," $46.7 million.
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post #2466 of 2629
11/25/08 at 2:33am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

The funny thing about the "teenage girls go ga-ga over TDK" premise is The Dark Knight isn't a romance film at all.

There's the token Rachel romantic plot line which is pretty much over and done with half way through the movie and doesn't even involve Heath Ledger at all. The plot stops for maybe 30 seconds to acknowledge Rachel's Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)
death
(which I think is actually it's main flaw if any) and then gets right back into the thick of the action.

Titanic and Twilight are clearly romantic films. Hell, even Quatum of Solace is more of a love story than TDK, is it basically not about a spy who's taking the loss of his true love pretty damn bad? LOL, 007 isn't even in the mood to bed the lead Bond girl in this one.

If soccer moms and teenage girls went out to see The Dark Knight, then isn't that a great thing? That's a film much darker and more grim than Quantum of Solace.
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post #2467 of 2629
11/25/08 at 4:58am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
:



No, it's a joke. I hate to break it too you, but Heath Ledger wasn't god, he was a guy who goofed up his pills. People die from the all the time. It's one of those things. Is it a loss? Of course it is. I'm not going to apologize for not being overly sympathitic to drug causulities. And yeah, I've personally known a few in my personal life as well, not just liking some actor in some movies.

I never said he was a GOD, but I do think he was a very good actor. And since his death was ruled a accidental drug overdose, that makes it tragic, imo. And I too have known a few people who have died from drug overdoses, which is perhaps why I reacted to your post.

It's fine to have an opinion, but is it too hard to have a bit of respect for his family, friends and fans??
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post #2468 of 2629
11/25/08 at 9:36am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete-D
If soccer moms and teenage girls went out to see The Dark Knight, then isn't that a great thing?

Bah. Soccer moms and teenaged girls blight the box office like locusts. They must be annihilated at all costs! *pounds desk*
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post #2469 of 2629
11/25/08 at 10:23am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete-D
Meh ... of those two, Iron Man is overrated in my opinion.

There's nothing really ground breaking about it and the second half of the film is pretty typical "comic book movie climax that's run out of ideas" honestly (Iron Man versus .... evil ... bigger ... Iron Man).

Outside of Spider-Man has James Franco ever proven he can carry a blockbuster film? And is it then fair game to call out all the nerdy 30-40 something fanboys that blew their load over Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and all the Maxim magazine shoutouts (OMG! Brilliant filmmaking!).
I've never understood all the love for Ironman, either. Seemed like a pretty generic comic book film to me. I actually wish I'd waited for the $1 Redbox rental instead of seeing it in the theater.
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post #2470 of 2629
11/25/08 at 10:40am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

I liked Iron Man a good deal but the talk of it as the Best Superhero Film Ever, as I've heard from many people, baffled me. It executes the standard genre formula well and has good performances but it is formulaic and the action scenes are stiff.
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post #2471 of 2629
11/25/08 at 10:42am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete-D
Outside of Spider-Man has James Franco ever proven he can carry a blockbuster film? And is it then fair game to call out all the nerdy 30-40 something fanboys that blew their load over Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and all the Maxim magazine shoutouts (OMG! Brilliant filmmaking!).

That's why I used Franco, another over rated actor. Heath wasn't exactly box office gold pre-death with the few films he starred in. He was, like Franco, a critics darling for the most part. It was post dying that Heath got deified by his fans who were mostly silent when he was alive. I don't remember anyone posting here or anywhere "Man! Casanova with Heath Ledger hits in a week, can't wait! Can I get advanced tickets??" Hell, there was simialr apathy to his big leading role in A KNIGHTS TALE. Seems like since he's died, there's been a lot of retroactive memory fixing going on as far as his importance in the film community resulting in stalker grade idol worship.

Soccer mum thing works like this. They go to whatever kid friendly movie's out there, those films fill the theaters, so other good films (Bond or otherwise) get pushed back and don't make much money. It's not a rocket science, and it's the reason why potentially great films like THE WRESTLER end up playing some crappy art house theater that people think is cool because it's old and crappy. If any of you are actually confused by the economics, then I don't know what to say. Unless people really do love genres like "Rapper/tough guy has to look after 20 kids." These films get made because they put asses into seats, not because they are great films. Huge money makers don't equal quality.

IRON MAN worked for me bacuase the tone was perfect, the story was tight. TDK was a great serious comic book movie, but had some pacing issues. the IMAX gimmick was mostly a gimmick and not worth the fuss, and it seemed to want to do the kitchen sink thing with too many villians, they just made it work. That's all. TDK is still in my top 3-4 of the year.
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post #2472 of 2629
11/25/08 at 10:42am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Can't you love both? For different reasons of course.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G
That's why I used Franco, another over rated actor. Heath wasn't exactly box office gold pre-death with the few films he starred in. He was, like Franco, a critics darling for the most part. It was post dying that Heath got deified by his fans who were mostly silent when he was alive. I don't remember anyone posting here or anywhere "Man! Casanova with Heath Ledger hits in a week, can't wait! Can I get advanced tickets??" Hell, there was simialr apathy to his big leading role in A KNIGHTS TALE. Seems like since he's died, there's been a lot of retroactive memory fixing going on as far as his importance in the film community resulting in stalker grade idol worship.

The problem with this theory though is that the hype started to build BEFORE Ledger's death. When that first trailer and prologue were released December 2007, talk of his performance were at a feverish pitch. People on this site and many others agreed that they were wrong about Ledger and couldn't wait to see the full performance. Hell, I remember reading a quote by Guillermo Del Toro already praising his performance from just the trailer. His death added more awareness to the project to be sure at an earlier stage, but what drew them in was and IS the performance that he gave.. regardless if he was alive with us today or not.

http://www.vh1.com/movies/news/artic...55/story.jhtml

Here's an article quoting Del Toro among others praising Heath Ledger's performance from just the trailer alone. And take into account this was BEFORE his death.
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post #2473 of 2629
11/25/08 at 11:13am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

This thread took a strange turn, whats with the mob mentality? "Call the mods!" WTF?

I never really liked Heath Ledger before TDK, he didn't make much of an impression on me. And when he was cast as the Joker I was surprised and disappointed, no not Heath Ledger! But seeing him in the film I must admit he was the best thing about it.

Loved Iron Man, Downey Jr was so charismatic in the part, a direct contrast to Bale's brooding superhero. More please.

I enjoyed Hellboy 2. Ron Perlman was great as usual, shame it didn't do that well at the box office.

Hancock was fun up to a point where they introduced a twist to the story and than I lost interest in it.

And the greatest hero of them all is still going strong after 46 years and 6 different actors, no not Doctor Who... Bond... James Bond.

And as usual thanks for the box office updates Terry.
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post #2474 of 2629
11/25/08 at 12:14pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

steve ur sig's screencap of bond is mesmerizing gotta luv those bond chix.

anyways... thanks terry, as always, for the box office report. we need to collect them all and publish them somehow =P.

what's expected to dominate thanksgiving holiday openings? there was a little film called harry potter, but that's next summer now.
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post #2475 of 2629
11/25/08 at 12:26pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G
That's why I used Franco, another over rated actor. Heath wasn't exactly box office gold pre-death with the few films he starred in. He was, like Franco, a critics darling for the most part. It was post dying that Heath got deified by his fans who were mostly silent when he was alive. I don't remember anyone posting here or anywhere "Man! Casanova with Heath Ledger hits in a week, can't wait! Can I get advanced tickets??" Hell, there was simialr apathy to his big leading role in A KNIGHTS TALE. Seems like since he's died, there's been a lot of retroactive memory fixing going on as far as his importance in the film community resulting in stalker grade idol worship.

Soccer mum thing works like this. They go to whatever kid friendly movie's out there, those films fill the theaters, so other good films (Bond or otherwise) get pushed back and don't make much money. It's not a rocket science, and it's the reason why potentially great films like THE WRESTLER end up playing some crappy art house theater that people think is cool because it's old and crappy. If any of you are actually confused by the economics, then I don't know what to say. Unless people really do love genres like "Rapper/tough guy has to look after 20 kids." These films get made because they put asses into seats, not because they are great films. Huge money makers don't equal quality.

IRON MAN worked for me bacuase the tone was perfect, the story was tight. TDK was a great serious comic book movie, but had some pacing issues. the IMAX gimmick was mostly a gimmick and not worth the fuss, and it seemed to want to do the kitchen sink thing with too many villians, they just made it work. That's all. TDK is still in my top 3-4 of the year.

If Chris Nolan and the makers of TDK wanted to cash in big time on a heart throb/female appeal for the Joker, they would've cast Johnny Depp or Leonardo DiCaprio, plain and simple. And certainly someone else for Rachel Dawes other than Maggie Gylennhal.

As you said yourself, Heath Ledger wasn't exactly a bankable choice, and don't think the suits at Warner Bros. were all that thrilled with it at the time it happened.

The new Bond film isn't that great, honestly, if anything the TDK should be applauded for getting such a dark and well done story out to the "masses".

Yes the movie got some extra publicity from Heath's unfortunate passing, but so what? Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood will run 2000 stories on Brad Pitt's work out regimine, that doesn't make Troy or Fight Club $500 hundred million dollars.

People went to The Dark Knight because of its extremely good word of mouth, and went several times to see it. It's BATMAN too ... jeezus, people forget how big this character has been over the years as if this was type of new thing that needed Heath Ledger to get attention. The character is part of Western mythology at this point, lets face it (and the Joker too) ... the second movie to such a well received predecessor was always going to bring out the line ups around theaters.
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post #2476 of 2629
11/25/08 at 1:37pm
Thread Starter 

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Steve, Jedi, you're both very welcome.

This Thanksgiving weekend is expected to soften the percentage hit that "Twilight" may have faced without the aid of the holiday. Still, the movie is expected to repeat at the nation's top box office draw, while "Four Christmases", "Bolt", and 'Quantum' all battle for the #2 slot.

"Australia" and "Transporter 3" should also get off to solid starts, while Madagascar 2 will likely see a solid percentage hold thanks to the holiday. Even though a 'Harry Potter' film would've generated an even bigger performance this weekend, the studios should still see very solid results regardless.

As for TDK, Ledger's death did increase the hype to the point where many felt they had to see it on opening weekend, but as Chuck pointed out, the rest of the film's gross had more to do with it being a great movie and generating phenomenal word-of-mouth.
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post #2477 of 2629
11/25/08 at 2:10pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Christou
And the greatest hero of them all is still going strong after 46 years and 6 different actors, no not Doctor Who... Bond... James Bond.
I think what's helped the Bond franchise is that with Daniel Craig, they really haven't been "Bond" films. Aside from the name of a couple characters, they've jettisoned nearly all of the kitschy trademarks of the franchise. The character is now more like a British Jason Bourne, with the films' box office performing in a like manner to the Bourne films. Losing some of the cheesiness seems to have expanded the audience (at least in the U.S.).

As generic spy thrillers, they're pretty good (at least CR...haven't seen QS yet). But I'm not sure they're really "Bond" films in the traditional sense.



.
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post #2478 of 2629
11/25/08 at 2:18pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Malcolm R
I think what's helped the Bond franchise is that with Daniel Craig, they really haven't been "Bond" films. Aside from the name of a couple characters, they've jettisoned nearly all of the kitschy trademarks of the franchise. The character is now more like a British Jason Bourne, with the films' box office performing in a like manner to the Bourne films. Losing some of the cheesiness seems to have expanded the audience (at least in the U.S.).

As generic spy thrillers, they're pretty good (at least CR...haven't seen QS yet). But I'm not sure they're really "Bond" films in the traditional sense.



.

I'll be honest, I think the GoldenEye video game many years ago on the N64 really helped create a legion of new, younger fans of the Bond franchise who have subsequently become fans of the movies and now may even be the core bread & butter audience for the franchise.

Kinda interesting how that worked out.

I think you can still do Bond with girls, cars, and jokes and still get away with it, you just can't push it too far (Die Another Day was getting there). GoldenEye the movie also got it right.
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post #2479 of 2629
11/25/08 at 2:55pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete-D
As you said yourself, Heath Ledger wasn't exactly a bankable choice, and don't think the suits at Warner Bros. were all that thrilled with it at the time it happened.

Yes the movie got some extra publicity from Heath's unfortunate passing, but so what? Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood will run 2000 stories on Brad Pitt's work out regimine, that doesn't make Troy or Fight Club $500 hundred million dollars.

Lots were very skeptical about how would Heath do in this before they saw footage. Then guys like Del Toro started to come out and say how good he was... how is this any different then being a "critics darling?" A guy who makes comic book movies, liked the comic book movie and comic nerds got excited. It was when Heath died and the reports about him being "haunted" by the role, then the way to quick comparisons to Brandon Lee that the TDK phenom hit a fever pitch. Anyone who thinks else wise is frankly being naive. TDK was always going to be a big hit, because of word of mouth from the first one. It was Heath that resulted in the sold out for 2 weeks before opening ticket sales and the panic to go see it and the added repeat business and I don't think it's unreasonable to think it helped push it way over the 400 Million mark. It was also no doubt helped by it in fact being a pretty good movie, and that people who saw it and liked it in standard theaters, went back for the IMAX.

Obviously you can't compare a TROY or FIGHT CLUB with TDK, totally different movies, and TDK already has a fan base built into it. I bet though, that if Brad Pitt died fro a drug overdose making FIGHT CLUB and it was reported he was deeply troubled by it, the box office would of been significantly different. We'll never know though, just like we'll never know how TDK would of done if Heath survived. I offer this last point... how many movies come out where an actor is talked about being amazing and career defining in it, and they make 500 million because people can't wait to see it? Mickey Rourk is getting billed this way for THE WRESTLER, which is previewing to standing room only crowds all over the place. Should we expect a 500 million return on this one, since thats all it took for TDK, with Heaths death having nothing to do with it?

I can understand people not liking the idea of TDK being a death movie, or that people went to see it who otherwise wouldn't of in order to see the role that killed Heath Ledger (as it was very amply discribed), it's sadly human behaviour. We're empathetic beings who are drawn to others emotionally who are suffering/suffered a crisis since we can identify with it, learn from it, without actually experiancing it. It's part of how we evolved emotionally. Not sure why I'm the bad guy for bringing it up.

I don't really have anything else to offer on this, I'll agree to disagree and not request any mod interference or anyone "banned" because they don't agree with me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Malcolm R
I think what's helped the Bond franchise is that with Daniel Craig, they really haven't been "Bond" films. Aside from the name of a couple characters, they've jettisoned nearly all of the kitschy trademarks of the franchise. The character is now more like a British Jason Bourne, with the films' box office performing in a like manner to the Bourne films. Losing some of the cheesiness seems to have expanded the audience (at least in the U.S.).

As generic spy thrillers, they're pretty good (at least CR...haven't seen QS yet). But I'm not sure they're really "Bond" films in the traditional sense.

That's what I like about the new Bond films. They aren't like the last 15 plus years of Bond films. They play it straight with no winking to the camera and skip hitting the same beats (wacky gadgets in the labs...). Bond is still a bit super human in ability, but he's human emotionally. I'm currently reading the Flemming book for Casino Royale, and I totally see Craig as the Bond in the book (aside from physical description). Bond get's shit scared and makes all types of mistakes in this book, which is something you'd never see Roger Moore, or really any of the screen Bonds show (been awile since I watched all the old ones).

So I think the argument could be made that the Bourne films play like the way the Bond series should of post Connery and Lazenby.

As far as QoS being a bad Bond film, compared to what? MOONRAKER? LICENSE TO KILL? Hows QoS doing compared to those?
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post #2480 of 2629
11/25/08 at 3:07pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

I worked as a projectionist at the Cinemark in Ft Collins, CO.
We all had guesses as to what would be the biggest film of 2008. Most of us swayed toward Indy 4 and Dark Knight. This was before Heaths death.
Just thought I'd tell you, the first time I saw the Dark Knight trailer (before I Am Legend) the whole audience broke out into applause. I honestly don't think his death had to do with box office, as much as his performance.
The only other movies I've heard applause for the trailer were Indy 4 and the new Harry Potter.
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post #2481 of 2629
11/25/08 at 3:13pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Let's assume for a moment that TDK and The Wrestler are of equally high quality. Even if you take Ledger's death out of the picture, TDK still had several things going for it that The Wrestler does not. TDK was a comic book movie featuring an amazingly popular character, and it was the direct followup to a movie that a large number of people loved in theaters or on DVD. It also had a much more effective marketing campaign and wider release. Surely, those factors played a very significant role in TDK's massive opening weekend and subsequent success.
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post #2482 of 2629
11/25/08 at 5:38pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tarkin The Ewok
Let's assume for a moment that TDK and The Wrestler are of equally high quality.
I agree with the rest of your points. But I am certainly assuming The Wrestler will be of equal quality or better than TDK. And TDK is spectacular.
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post #2483 of 2629
11/25/08 at 6:50pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Russell G. --

My point is though that if Nolan's team were all bean counters, they could've just cast Johnny Depp as the Joker in the first place and had the same box office result more than likely.

Fate in a sad way kind of intervened to even those scales, but lets face it, either way it was shaping up to be the must see movie of the summer/year.

Whether it would've made $500 million with or without that situation, who knows. I do feel it's fair to point out though

1.) This is an extremely dark movie. It makes even 1992's Batman Returns look like a kids film by comparison, and when that movie came out there was huge controversy over how dark and violent it was (McDonalds, one of the main sponsors complained very loudly to Warner Bros.).

2.) Heath Ledger controversy or not ... this is not a romantic film ala Twilight or Titanic. So the whole premise that the theater was packed with swooning teenage girls is a bit misleading. It's probably more accurate to say the audience was still primarily male, although in this case the girlfriend/sister/spouse didn't have to be dragged to the theater.


3.) The role of the Joker was iconic long before Heath Ledger. Some guy named Jack Nicholson
and all that. A lot of people wanted to see the new interpretation of the Joker just on that basis alone. He is one of the most famous movie/comic/print villains in modern history. Spider-Man, Superman, Iron Man, etc. don't have anything on that.

The most important thing is the film was good to begin with. You can cast teen heart throbs and add in love stories all you want (ahem, Episode II) ... if the movie itself isn't very good to begin with, you're not going to generate that type of audience. If Episode I was a well written, crowd pleasing film, you're talking $500+ million there too ... but you have to have a good script first.
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post #2484 of 2629
11/26/08 at 12:59am
Thread Starter 

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

TPM did sell about 10 million more tickets than TDK did (84.8 million vs. 74.8 million). I do agree that had TPM been a better received movie it probably would've sold over 100 million admissions, but nearly 85 million tickets is nothing to scoff at. That would translate to $600.6 million domestically in today's marketplace.
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post #2485 of 2629
11/26/08 at 6:53am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Russel, did you see Brokeback Mountain?

--
H
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post #2486 of 2629
11/26/08 at 9:48am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Holadem
Russel, did you see Brokeback Mountain?

--
H
Not yet, I heard it was dull, still want to though. I'm sure I'll eventually get to it.

I think this weeks box office will continue with Twilight. in number one, and that transporter film in the top 3. I think AUSTRALIA is a bit of a tough sell, I'd be (pleasantly) surprised if it's in the top 5.
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post #2487 of 2629
11/26/08 at 11:54am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
It was when Heath died and the reports about him being "haunted" by the role, then the way to quick comparisons to Brandon Lee that the TDK phenom hit a fever pitch. Anyone who thinks else wise is frankly being naive.

IMHO, anyone who sticks to only one possible outcome, to me, is being naive.

I assume by your condescending remark that you, yourself, had researched every possibility in regards to the box office haul of TDK that you came to this obvious conclusion. Please provide us with your extensive research instead of your personal opinion.

One of my favorite quotes that I have posted in my office is:

Quote:
Failure to recognize possibilities is the most dangerous and common mistake one can make.
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post #2488 of 2629
11/26/08 at 12:14pm

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brett_B
IMHO, anyone who sticks to only one possible outcome, to me, is being naive.

I assume by your condescending remark that you, yourself, had researched every possibility in regards to the box office haul of TDK that you came to this obvious conclusion. Please provide us with your extensive research instead of your personal opinion.

One of my favorite quotes that I have posted in my office is:

Of course not, am I to presume that you've so thoroughly done said research into all the factors to make you so expert at stating your opinion? I just look at the parameters to TDK being a hit, and the only thing different about TDK from previous block busters of this magnitude is.... Heath dying.

I believe I repeatedly stated that we'll never really know since we have no way of seeing what TDK would do if Heath lived, and never admitted such conceit. The only reason I keep banging on about such a moot point is because I find it hard to believe that people like you are so vehomitly denying to admit that Heath dying did in fact play a part. Maybe read your dime store placard stapled to your wall before quoting it...

I also don't understand why your taking this so personally. It's something no one will ever know, no matter how closely you "research" the numbers. It's always going to be about personal formed opinions. And I do think it naive to say that Heaths passing had NOTHING or little to do with the numbers as some of you are so desperate to imply by mentioning all the other factors that I never denied came into play, or worse yet, implying that I think TDK is a romance movie similar to TITANIC or some other hogwash I never actually stated.
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post #2489 of 2629
11/29/08 at 11:37am
Thread Starter 

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Friday Estimates

#1 "Four Christmases" $13.2 million ($28.2 million)
#2 "Twilight" $11.0 million ($104.4 million) 69% Friday-to-Friday drop
#3 "Bolt" $10.9 million ($51.2 million) 55% Friday-to-Friday increase
#4 "Quantum of Solace" $8.2 million ($130.8 million) 3% Friday-to-Friday drop
#5 "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" $5.8 million ($150.6 million) 54% Friday-to-Friday increase
#6 "Australia" $5.7 million ($10.9 million)
#7 "Transporter 3" $4.8 million ($11.0 million)
#8 "Role Models" $2.1 million ($54.7 million) 12% Friday-to-Friday drop
#9 "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" $630K ($4.1 million) 37% Friday-to-Friday increase
#10 "Milk" $500K ($990K)
#11 "Slumdog Millionaire" $485K ($2.7 million) 96% Friday-to-Friday increase
#12 "Changeling" $449K ($33.1 million) 44% Friday-to-Friday drop
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post #2490 of 2629
11/30/08 at 5:54am

Re: 2008 at the Box Office

Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell G
Not yet, I heard it was dull, still want to though. I'm sure I'll eventually get to it.

It is dull, but the performances are very good.
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