quote:

Originally posted by Kennywood:
Lastly, although this live-action movie was made primarily with the Chinese market in mind, it apparently bombed BIG TIME there.

I'm not sure that Disney would own up to that and if they did intend it, then it was a mistake from the start. The Asian market likes certain Western made films, but not when they are trying to do their culture for them.

Look at the international co-production of The Great Wall. It made lots of money in China, yet was still not considered a big success. It did rather poorly in Western countries even with Matt Damon fronting. Every year you see the names of a few Asian films that have multi-million dollar box office numbers high on the list and they aren't recognized outside the region.

Its a huge market, but Disney doesn't know it any better than anyone else. I think they thought that Mulan, with an all Asian cast, would be as globally accepted and celebrated as Black Panther was with its primarily black cast.

The difference is that Back Panther was new and stood on its own terms. Mulan is competing against the original beloved musical cartoon and is an Asian folk story done with the sensibilities of the West. It had trouble written all over it before the pandemic. I also think its going to lose a LOT of money.

When you consider how many billions have been lost this year by Hollywood, the TV industry, and theater chains throughout this country, I don't understand how any of them are surviving. You would think that with all of this, there would be 100,000 job layoffs, if not more.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
When you consider how many billions have been lost this year by Hollywood, the TV industry, and theater chains throughout this country, I don't understand how any of them are surviving. You would think that with all of this, there would be 100,000 job layoffs, if not more.

I think billions not earned is a little different than billions lost. Generally speaking Hollywood is flexible, if one venue isn't working they can focus on others. Completed block busters seem to be in a holding pattern. Hopefully that tactic won't end up in them "accidentally" being released on the Internet. Most theaters in my area have been around for years. It is difficult to think they are still paying for the building. Most of them are being creative in their use such as renting it out to groups and showing older films. I went to one last night and business seemed good for a Friday night. I bet Drive In's are seeing a boom as well. Other than some delayed shooting schedules I really don't see the big impact on the TV industry. The fall line up was released, sports is back on and obviously the unbiased (cough! cough!) news media is in full swing.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by mykdude:
I think billions not earned is a little different than billions lost. Generally speaking Hollywood is flexible, if one venue isn't working they can focus on others. Completed block busters seem to be in a holding pattern./QUOTE]

Yes, completely agree. The expensive blockbusters are being held back, the moderate material is being sold to or being released on streaming platforms, what productions are on hold isn't costing them anything. Remember that the industry has insurance for stoppages.

Also I have heard several productions will be going back in November and a couple are already trying it. Deals are being made all over the place for 2021 and some are falling through.

Some people in Hollywood are making out very well, some are not, but its mainly the actors and film craftsmen that are out of work and waiting. The big studios and producers will be fine.

Heard on the radio that this past weekend was the lowest grossing since 1988.

And the new # 1 film worldwide for 2020, in terms of money made, is The Eight Hundred, a Chinese film.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
Heard on the radio that this past weekend was the lowest grossing since 1988.

And the new # 1 film worldwide for 2020, in terms of money made, is The Eight Hundred, a Chinese film.

Wow! I can't remember, did 1988 really suck that bad?!?!

According to Wikipedia, the highest grossing films of 1988 were:

RAIN MAN
WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT
COMING TO AMERICA
CROCODILE DUNDEE 2
TWINS
RAMBO III
A FISH CALLED WANDA
COCKTAIL
BIG
DIE HARD

Notice that DIE HARD was the # 10 film of the year. Lower than I expected !

Yippee Ki-Yay! I've seen every movie on that list and the only one I'd pop in my player right now is Die Hard. Rickman was a delightful villain.

But they are comparing only one weekend and who knows if any of those movies were opening around the same time in 1988. Also those pictures made lots of money, based on smaller ticket prices of course. I don't really believe that statistic, if there really is one. You can't compare anything or anyone not of the same era, even with numbers, because too many changing factors have effected the outcome.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
I don't really believe that statistic, if there really is one. You can't compare anything or anyone not of the same era, even with numbers, because too many changing factors have effected the outcome.

Yeah, I think it is difficult to compare any year in the living memory of most or all of us to the craziness of 2020.

quote:

Originally posted by David R:
Notice that DIE HARD was the # 10 film of the year. Lower than I expected !

For some reason I keep thinking that DIE HARD, like Lethal Weapon, had a respectable run in the theater but really took off in the Video market. I remember seeing it at the base theater when I was stationed in Keflavik Iceland. The others on the list I remember seeing in the theater were Roger Rabbit, Coming to America and Big. The rest I waited for VHS rental.

As expected, they just moved the new James Bond film to April 2021. It was originally supposed to be released in 2019.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
As expected, they just moved the new James Bond film to April 2021. It was originally supposed to be released in 2019.

It will probably be delayed from that date as well, and other studios will follow suit.

Cineworld in the UK, is closing until next year, and laying off their staff. Some other UK cinemas are going weekends only, citing no new films and tiny audiences. Terribly Sad.

Are there any major films being released at all in 2020 ? I heard they moved Wonder Woman to December but I don't see how that is going to happen. I noticed that several recent comic books still list the film as coming out October 2 in their full page ads.

Just like Wonder Woman, Death on the Nile was postponed from its October release to December 18th, but yeah I don't see how any of them can open.

They just announced that "Dune" will not be released in December, but instead will be out in October 2021.

According to Box Office Mojo, the Disney animated "Soul" will not be released in theaters in November, but will instead go to the Disney Plus streaming service.

"The Batman" and the next "Jurassic Park" are moving to 2022. "The Flash" is moving to Nov 2022.

quote:

Originally posted by David R:
They just announced that "Dune" will not be released in December, but instead will be out in October 2021.

It's timeless enough where you wonder about filming a dozen sequel and prequel books. And I'm not sure you can do justice to the Dune story in a single movie. The movie can come later; Duncan Idaho will still be around.
.

Dune is unfilmable to me. I have never seen a good version, just small selected scenes that were decent. I don't think it was the fault of the actors or directors so much as the actual visualization of some parts of the story look silly to me, especially when trying to be faithful. As a reader you can get caught up with the book because lots of ideas are going on, but once it goes to a more standard adaptation it becomes a less than average adventure movie which has now already been told.

And if they try to make it faithful to the other themes, there is no room for it and you wind up with nonsense that loses the audience who don't know the book and doesn't satisfy those that do know what's supposed to be going on.

Plus I saw the trailer and it looked more like "Zoolander in Outer Space".

Coming 2 America, the once highly anticipated Eddie Murphy sequel, has been bought by Amazon and is scheduled to stream in March 2021.

As far as I know Wonder Woman is still suppose to open in theaters for Christmas.

Can't see how. NYC has lost whatever recovery we had. The politicians and news media are making it sound like you will wipe out your whole family if you offer them a drumstick.

Its not funny, but you might as well laugh. Who in their right mind thinks going to see Wonder Woman is a necessity worth the risk? Even if you don't believe the 24/7 hysteria.

The latest information about "WW1984 is that it will be released in theaters on December 25th....for 2 weeks. Then it will be dumped onto HBO Max.

I read someplace that there were rumors circulating that someone made an offer on the most recent James Bond film (which was originally supposed to be released in 2019 and is now delayed to 2021). They offered the Bond producers 500 M for the rights to stream it on some service, rather than have it in theaters. But the producers turned them down, as they feel that they can make 800 M to 1 B on the movie, which is what the last 2 made.