quote:

Originally posted by Ted Dastick Jr.:

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:

Apparently making back double the budget is not considered to be profitable. For a 200 M film, you need to make 600 to 800 M, otherwise it's not worth the investment

Which I don't understand. If I double ANY investment, I'm making a profit. Like I said, I don't think they consider marketing dollars when talking budget, but I can't imagine that number is more than 25% of the budget number. So even adding 25% onto a budget number, making double should be a good thing, right?

Is it just pure greed, or am I still missing something? They can't expect every movie to be Infinity War.

I have often wondered if studio math on a single project isn't blended into all of the projects for a given year. Meaning the hits also need to make up ground for the misses. Especially given studio consolidation into monopolies over the past few decades. I get that contracts are generally project specific but fine print is what it is and stock holders don't care about a single success.

Movie theaters have wondered where all the customers are. I watched the Indiana Jones movie at a local theater about a month ago and saw crazy prices on the concessions screen. One of those big pretzels and a drink is $24. At Sam's Club the same thing is $3-4.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
You're not missing anything. The studios use creative accounting to keep crying poverty about profits. That's why the writers' and actors' unions are striking now. The fudged numbers keep their members from getting what they deserve.

However as for pure greed, it is my considered opinion that all of them are guilty of pure greed given the chance, and that's why the cost of a trip to the movies is approaching what used to include the before or after meal for us.

Barbie is up to 459 M, only 115 M behind Super Mario Bros. Oppenheimer has hit 228 M. Only 7 movies this year have made it that far. Sound of Freedom is now the #10 film of 2023 and is right behind Indiana Jones.

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

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:

I have often wondered if studio math on a single project isn't blended into all of the projects for a given year. Meaning the hits also need to make up ground for the misses. Especially given studio consolidation into monopolies over the past few decades. I get that contracts are generally project specific but fine print is what it is and stock holders don't care about a single success.

I think you're onto something.

The New Top 10 List of Domestic Releases

1) SUPER MARIO BROS.
2) BARBIE
3) SPIDER-MAN
4) GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 3
5) LITTLE MERMAID
6) OPPENHEIMER
7) ANT MAN 3
8) JOHN WICK 4
9) INDIANA JONES
10) SOUND OF FREEDOM


This list is so surprising. At the beginning of the year, I would have thought Indiana Jones was going to be # 1. It might not even make the Top 10 soon. And who would have thought that Mission Impossible, Fast X and Transformers would not have been in the Top 10 ?

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy C:
The New Top 10 List of Domestic Releases

1) SUPER MARIO BROS.
2) BARBIE
3) SPIDER-MAN
4) GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY 3
5) LITTLE MERMAID
6) OPPENHEIMER
7) ANT MAN 3
8) JOHN WICK 4
9) INDIANA JONES
10) SOUND OF FREEDOM


This list is so surprising. At the beginning of the year, I would have thought Indiana Jones was going to be # 1. It might not even make the Top 10 soon. And who would have thought that Mission Impossible, Fast X and Transformers would not have been in the Top 10 ?

Is there anything slated the rest of this year you think might crack the Top 10? Does The Marvels have a shot?

That is a good question. Has enthusiasm for Marvel waned ? I don't know.

DUNE 2 is coming this fall. But the first one didn't make the Top 10 in 2021.

quote:

Originally posted by Tommy

DUNE 2 is coming this fall. But the first one didn't make the Top 10 in 2021.

Not necessarily. Rumor has it that several films slated for November and December relaeses, including "Dune 2", "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" and "The Color Purple", may be rescheduled for 2024.

The studios don't want to open the big movies without the whole publicity campaign and their stars won't participate while the strikes are still on. Many more people are affected by this stoppage than just unionized writers and actors. There is a whole lot of other businesses that make money servicing people making movies and TV shows.

Either the Studios or the Unions are going to have to blink here, but the longer it goes on the more some people will dig in, and the more others will find exceptions in order to work. This one is starting to be costly to both sides and they seem no closer to a deal.

Regarding The Marvels, supposedly it was to be filmed in the summer of 2021 and then instead it was filmed in mid-2022. The release has been delayed several times, so not sure if that is a bad omen.

I think Slotherhouse will be the next BIG movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ1Vbh7aJPQ

A few films still left that could break the top 10

New Hunger Games
Gran Turismo (another wild card entry)
Strays might surprise us
Wonka
Also paying attention to Creator

Aquaman should easily break into $100M territory but WB's record with sequels is not comforting.

Other films I find interesting
Dumb Money (Game Stop stock fiasco)
Five Nights at Freddy's
Godzilla minus one, if I'm reading the trailer correctly it is based in Japan right after the bombs were dropped in 1945. Almost looks like a great double feature with Oppenheimer.

Mission Impossible will probably pass Creed and Transformers this weekend and move into 11th place domestically, but I don't think it will go higher than that.

Barbie needs another 90 M to pass Super Mario Bros. Not sure if it will do it.

I dunno...unless something drastic happens I think Barbie will take number 1.

At the 20 day mark Barbie is up $46M for the same point as Mario.

Despite good reviews, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has not been a hit. Only made 57 M so far domestically

Barbie is now at 526 M and may pass Super Mario later this summer. Sound of Freedom is now up to # 9 for the year, having passed Indiana Jones.

With anotherv 30+ million dollar weekend wrapping up, "Barbie" is on track to pass it in about 10 days or so in the USA, but it will fall short of the #1 spot in 2023 worldwide grosses, as "Super Mario" is still up by several hundred million in the non-USA markets.

I liked "Barbenheimer" well enough, but I'd say my own top 3 this year so far are "Flash", "Asteroid City", and "Beau is Afraid", in no particular order.

Saw Meg 2 this afternoon. Ridiculous, Stupid and a total mess. It was a great time at the movies.

I waited too, but finally got the chance to see the Wednesday early showing today. There were only about 15 people in the theatre.

It started off with kind of "Abyss" and "Under Siege" vibes and not much of the Megs. I thought the first one was better.

Then it kicked in after about 30 minutes and it turned into more of a "Jurassic World" with Megs. Usually films start off well and peter out before the ending. "Meg 2" started slower and got the humor and better action in the 2nd half.

I very much enjoyed it and the kid was bigger and less annoying. Better than the first one and naturally its open for more. Its domestic total is not on top, but it's doing really well overseas, especially Asia, so #3 may happen. This is one of the very few movies I wanted to go and see this year and it was worth it to me.

quote:

Originally posted by Raven:
I waited too, but finally got the chance to see the Wednesday early showing today. There were only about 15 people in the theatre.

We were the only ones in the theater...maybe that added to my happiness.

They even managed to turn it into a Jason Statham karate action flick!

quote:

Originally posted by mykdude:
They even managed to turn it into a Jason Statham karate action flick!

Yeah, they threw in that Greenpeace extra plot just so he could beat up a bunch of people you never saw again and give the villain a motive.

You know Statham is 56 now. There is going to have to be a newer crowd of action heroes soon because they are all getting on. Really who is in line to be next? The likes of Tom Holland and Timothee Chalamet? The wind could blow them over.

Anyway, I caught the trailer for "Blue Beetle" with "Meg 2", which is coming out this weekend. The prediction is that it will knock "Barbie" out of #1, but that shouldn't take too much now. Still, I wouldn't be too sure.

"Blue Beetle" looked like superhero lite. Kind of a combo between a teenage Spider-Man and Iron Man.

This is all in the trailer, so not my spoilers. Susan Sarandon may have been put in for name recognition, but as a comic book villain she is no more threatening than Helen Mirren was in "Shazam", which is to say not at all. However when Blue Beetle's granny came out blasting with some kind of gatling gun, that's when I really said to myself, I'm done. If "Shazam: Fury of the Gods" tanked, I don't see how this does any better.