So far these sci-fi and action films have not performed that well in 2017 at the U.S. box office:


XXX:Return of Xander Cage (did great overseas)

Ghost in the Shell

Power Rangers

Smurfs 3

Resident Evil 6 (did VERY well overseas)

Underworld 5

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tommy C,

Add "King Arthur" to the list, and I am guessing that "Baywatch" this weekend won't be a hit.

A few months ago, they had "CHiPs", and that bombed-- made only 18 million

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
Add "King Arthur" to the list, and I am guessing that "Baywatch" this weekend won't be a hit.

A few months ago, they had "CHiPs", and that bombed-- made only 18 million

Oh don't be so sure. Its a holiday weekend, Dwayne Johnson is the star and its a beach. Early reviews are positive for campy fun.

More over, the other new movie is Pirates of the Caribbean Dead Men Tell No Tales, which is not supposed to be good at all. Don't get me wrong, it may still make a lot of money because lousy movies of franchise titles still make money, but will it beat Baywatch? Johnson is the biggest star in Hollywood right now. I wouldn't bet against him.

So this s why I don't make movies,

Pirates is 1st, Guardians second and Baywatch is limping in at 3rd. Oh well, just goes to show that even if the last horrible Pirates, people will still watch it.

Pirates made 77 M in the U.S. but that is much less than the first 4 films, so it was a disappointment

And Baywatch flopped, less than 20 M made

I am looking at the list of upcoming releases, in terms of "blockbuster" films

JUNE has The Mummy with Tom Cruise, Disney's Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, and Transformers 5

JULY has Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the next Planet of the Apes

Does it seem like 2017 has less huge summer films than previous years ?

I don't see Mummy doing well, at least not compared to other Cruise starring vehicles. Cars 3 is another sequel no one was asking for, but it's Pixar so there is always a wildcard aspect of the studio. The kids still like Gru. And Tranfsormers? Sheesh, they make a ton of money and are terrible at the same time.

Spidey will do well, but... I think people are in general a little tired of the character. However him being attached to the MCU (and having Iron Man) will drive this one higher than if it were yet another Sony attempt. Apes will do pretty good overall. That series seems to get better with each film, though I'm not looking forward to Harrelson being in it.

quote:

Originally posted by David R:
I am looking at the list of upcoming releases, in terms of "blockbuster" films

JUNE has The Mummy with Tom Cruise, Disney's Cars 3, Despicable Me 3, and Transformers 5

JULY has Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the next Planet of the Apes

Does it seem like 2017 has less huge summer films than previous years ?

I looked at the list and I am out on all of them unless my daughter really wants to see Despicable Me3. For whatever reason, I can watch each one of the Despicable films ONCE and tend to enjoy them.

The Mummy trailer actually looks like a tired retread of all the better special effects that came before in Fraiser's Mummy series. Only this time, wait for the big surprise, the Mummy is a wicked female.

Whoopie, that and A List actors Cruise and Crowe doing a B list horror movie will sell it.

And maybe it will, at least on the international market. I personally think it has bomb written all over it, but I seem to be more interested in quality films, regardless of genre, than the average mass audiences, so I am frequently mistaken.

Looks like the Mummy didn't do that great, only 32 M this weekend, far less than Wonder Woman

It did well overseas (174 M) which seems to be the case with most Tom Cruise films over the past 10 years. He's more popular worldwide than in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Pirates of the Caribbean 5 is sinking quickly (only 135 M in the U.S.), as is the latest Aliens film (71 M)

May be some hope for humanity yet (we USA 'Muricans anyway), as the latest steaming pile "Transformers" to be dumped on screens nationwide doesn't seem to doing that well at the box office domestically. The absolute worst franchise of all-time, shame on anyone even remotely associated with it, but especially Anthony Hopkins, who loses his "Sir" for the rest of this post for stooping to accept this role.

I would think if someone put up a Kickstarter with the backer reward being that Anthony Hopkins gets the pledge money to match what he was paid here so he doesn't have to take roles like this, that project would be funded, and quickly. Fava beans and chianti must be expensive.

Even Shia knew to get free of this drek, and he's not known for his decision making acumen. That's strike two for you on these, Marky Mark. Maybe it's time to go back to rapping.

The only hit this summer--at the U.S. box office--seems to be Wonder Woman

I'm not counting Guardians 2 and Fast and Furious 8 as they came out in April and very early May

Transformers, Pirates 5, Cars 3, all seem to be under performing

Aliens and Mummy flopped domestically

This message has been edited. Last edited by: David R,

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Whoopie, that and A List actors Cruise and Crowe doing a B list horror movie will sell it.
And maybe it will, at least on the international market.

...at least???

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Originally posted by WOMBLE:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Whoopie, that and A List actors Cruise and Crowe doing a B list horror movie will sell it.
And maybe it will, at least on the international market.

...at least???

No offense intended , as a Yank when I say domestic box office I'm not counting international money.

Many of the supposedly big movies now are only being propped up by the international market, and in particular the Chinese/Asian block. If you took only the US box office receipts, they would not make back anywhere near production costs, but English language films are heavily promoted globally. They can do poorly in country and still be a smash overseas, as it were. Certain actors and even certain themes are guaranteed to do well internationally, even when the film is not very good. Audiences just have different ideas based on various cultures. Nothing wrong in recognizing that, the studios do, it happens to be true.

And that's part of the problem, too many bad films make money and keep coming back for more.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Many of the supposedly big movies now are only being propped up by the international market, and in particular the Chinese/Asian block.

Really not too sure what you are saying here. For as long as I can remember, films have been made with a view to worldwide distribution and sales. This has not been done as an after-thought or to 'prop-up' the 'domestic' income from the film but as the main driving force and thinking behind the movie. The US market is only part of the story not the whole picture in itself

Just out of interest, can you give examples of what you consider to be quality films ?

A lot of "worldwide" blockbusters never played in China, due to their stringent restrictions on content. Their emergence as a major consumer of Western films is a fairly recent event. This is a big part of why, with Star Wars, for instance, we just saw two Chinese actors land major roles in "Rogue One" and another being prominently featured in the early buzz for "The Last Jedi".

quote:

Originally posted by chesspieceface:
A lot of "worldwide" blockbusters never played in China, due to their stringent restrictions on content. Their emergence as a major consumer of Western films is a fairly recent event. This is a big part of why, with Star Wars, for instance, we just saw two Chinese actors land major roles in "Rogue One" and another being prominently featured in the early buzz for "The Last Jedi".

Exactly, I am speaking of recent events. Damon did The Great Wall and it was huge in Asia with Chinese money, flop in US. New Ghostbusters lost a lot of international market money because it was banned in China. Look at all the press premieres in every big capital of the world and all the international film festivals that everyone goes to for new films.

Much of film investment is from overseas, indeed there really is no overseas anymore. Films are being made with the broadest of markets in mind. Nothing wrong with that.

As for quality films, my opinion is only good for me. I don't like the serializations or franchise titles that can't be appreciated unless you saw every one of the last seven movies. That kind of takes out Marvel and DC and Star Wars for me. I also am not so evolved that I only like small art films. I like horror and comedy and action/adventure and I was never so picky as I am now for some reason, maybe because most new movies look the same as older, better movies.

I am binge watching DVDs of cable shows when I find the time. The last movie I saw was Kong and I was disappointed with the dreadful plot and even the lack of great looking monsters. You asked Kevin so that's a bit, but I won't bore you with anymore of MHOs.

Heh, "Ghostbusters" was never going to fly in China as they frown on the depiction of ghosts or spirits in the movies allowed to play there. We, on the other hand, ain't afraid of no ghosts.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:

quote:

Originally posted by WOMBLE:

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
Whoopie, that and A List actors Cruise and Crowe doing a B list horror movie will sell it.
And maybe it will, at least on the international market.

...at least???

No offense intended , as a Yank when I say domestic box office I'm not counting international money.

No offence taken , it's just a lot of click-bait news sites say films like 'The Mummy' and 'Pirates 5' are flops, where the truth is far from that. These 'Blockbuster' films are designed to make big money internationally, and that's what they have done, and are likely to be profitable even before DVD/TV sales.

It will be interesting to see if Christopher Nolan's 'Dunkirk' and Luc Besson's 'Valerian' are successful.

Yes, but there was a time when a Tom Cruise film would make 200-300 M alone in the U.S., and his recent films, aside from the Mission Impossible ones, have not done that at all. Mummy has made less than 100 M, and I think the last Jack Reacher film made less than 50 M. That was unheard of for him in the 1990s and early 2000s

I saw Cars 3 with the family this weekend, and we were the only ones in the theater for the 1 PM show. That film hasn't done that great, either, a far cry from Cars 1 and 2 which were big hits. Franchise fatigue, maybe.