• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Wkd BO 09•01-03•17 - Labor Day WEAKend box office has nothing as Bodyguard 3peats

kswiston

Member
Do you think that some of what led to the massive summer declines is that studios have focused more and more on spreading out releases. We've seen a lot of non-summer records fall as December, February, March, April, etc... have become more viable for big blockbuster releases.

There were certainly some unanticipated failures in the summer, but I wonder if the success in other months offsets the damage of weaker summer results to some extent.

Some of it is that, but Studios also completely abandoned August. Hopefully Wind River can leg past it, but The Nut Job 2 is currently the 5th biggest film to open this past August at all of $25M total.

The last time the Top 5 cut off for August releases was under $35M was back in 1999 (just under $33M for the 13th Warrior). At best, this year's slate of August releases will have the worst cumulative gross since August 1998.
 

berzeli

Banned
Deadline summarised the summer:
Warner Bros. gets bragging rights for leading all major studios at the summer box office with $790M, fueled by DC’s Wonder Woman, Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk and New Line horror film Annabelle: Creation.
...
Sony is the only major studio to see a lift in its summer-to-summer grosses with $595.3M, +25%. ... They knew that their prized franchise Spider-Man was in desperate need of a reboot ... and they launched original, edgy fare at a low cost without throwing the studio’s cash outside the window with Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver
...
20th Century Fox is +4.8% with $397.4M comprised largely of War for the Planet of the Apes ($144.6M), Alien: Covenant ($74.3M), DreamWorks Animation’s Captain Underpants ($73.4M) and Fox Searchlight fare. It could have been bigger for the Pico Blvd. studio.
...
Paramount tried and failed
...
The frugally-spending, public-traded Lionsgate is +18% with just under $180M thanks to a slew of singles and doubles including Hitman’s Bodyguard ($60M), the Tupac Shakur pic All Eyez on Me ($44.9M) timed to the late hip hop artist’s birthday and Amazon’s Judd Apatow produced romantic comedy The Big Sick ($40.9M) which crossed over from arthouses and has an eye on Oscar season.
Click through for the full article.
 

kswiston

Member
Continuing with what I was saying about August, look at this current Top 15 for new releases, and tell me where things were supposed to improve dramatically?

Code:
	TITLE				DIST	DOM GROSS
1	Annabelle: Creation		B (NL)	$88,975,598
2	The Hitman's Bodyguard		LG/S	$54,944,214
3	The Dark Tower			Sony	$47,431,894
4	Kidnap (2017)			Aviron	$29,347,867
5	The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature	ORF	$25,855,476
6	Logan Lucky			BST	$21,451,612
7	Wind River			Wein.	$18,285,511
8	The Glass Castle		LGF	$14,749,759
9	Leap!				Wein.	$11,381,726
10	Birth of the Dragon		BH Tilt	$5,413,090
11	All Saints			Sony	$3,471,923
12	Mayweather vs. McGregor		Fathom	$2,620,183
13	Ingrid Goes West		Neon	$2,315,498
14	Jab Harry Met Sejal		Yash	$1,664,648
15	Good Time			A24	$1,625,641

The Dark Tower could have done better, but nothing else below it on that list was realistically going to pull in more than $50M total. Most had no real shot at $20M.

Here's how the cumulative gross for August releases have looked these past few years. The 2017 total will go up some, but probably not more than $50M.

Code:
	Tot. Gross for Aug Releases	YoY Change
2017	$338.1				-59.2%
2016	$828.9				+51.4%
2015	$547.4				-45.9%
2014	$1,011.6			+20.2%
2013	$841.5				+13.9%
2012	$739.1				+6.5%
2011	$693.7				+7.3%
2010	$646.3				-13.2%

Unlike June and July, where we saw a lot of major films underperform, August is totally a failure on the part of distribution. Theatre chains (and the plummeting value of their shareholders) have a right to be pissed.
 

Hero

Member
Homecoming legged far enough to give it a decent shot at topping BvS, and an outside shot at passing Spider-Man 3 worldwide when China is added in. Chinese presales have been strong so far.



As a tax write-off?

Out of curiosity where is news of Chinese pre-sales for Spider-Man coming from? I said it in the last thread but I really need this to beat BvS globally lol.
 

DJChuy

Member
I used my Moviepass to purchase Homecoming tickets Friday and Saturday. Nice to see my plan is working.

Solid numbers for Annabelle 2. Creeped me out at times.
 

kswiston

Member
Out of curiosity where is news of Chinese pre-sales for Spider-Man coming from? I said it in the last thread but I really need this to beat BvS globally lol.

https://forums.boxofficetheory.com/...ussion-thread/?do=findComment&comment=3167056

With numbers grabbed off Maoyan, which anyone can reference if you can read Chinese text (or want to mess around with Google Translate).

Presales are more than double those of Doctor Strange at the same point. Spider-Man started its presales earlier, so that isn't apples to apples exactly, but it is a good sign. $100M is locked. But you are more concerned about that $115-120M :p
 

kmfdmpig

Member
Some of it is that, but Studios also completely abandoned August. Hopefully Wind River can leg past it, but The Nut Job 2 is currently the 5th biggest film to open this past August at all of $25M total.

The last time the Top 5 cut off for August releases was under $35M was back in 1999 (just under $33M for the 13th Warrior). At best, this year's slate of August releases will have the worst cumulative gross since August 1998.

Yeah, August has been a bit of a wasteland. I wonder if some of that is a recognition that many schools start earlier than they had years ago. When I grew up it seemed like the beginning of Sept. was back to school time, but now it's the beginning of August in many parts of the country. Seeing studios shift what they consider "summer" from June, July, August to May, June, July makes sense to me, although I wonder if we're heading to even more of a spread throughout the year (with still a focus on the May-July period).
 

Hero

Member
https://forums.boxofficetheory.com/...ussion-thread/?do=findComment&comment=3167056

With numbers grabbed off Maoyan, which anyone can reference if you can read Chinese text (or want to mess around with Google Translate).

Presales are more than double those of Doctor Strange at the same point. Spider-Man started its presales earlier, so that isn't apples to apples exactly, but it is a good sign. $100M is locked. But you are more concerned about that $115-120M :p

As long as Spidey has any decent legs in China I think I'm in the clear. China is generally a fan of Spider-Man, right? And they love RDJ/Iron Man too?
 

berzeli

Banned
XXX: Return of Xander Cage is Paramount's only successful movie this year. Sony is looking pretty good right now.
Para also had Rings which did fine.
But there is a reason why I'm calling it Paramount Doom Watch™.

Sony is doing ok, which is about the best they can hope for right now. Though their international numbers have been pretty good; e.g. Resident Evil, Smurfs.

Life was a disappointment.
Rough Night failed.
The Dark Tower wasn't a financial disaster but failed to launch a new franchise

And they have nothing of note until Jumanji in December.
There is Flatliners which isn't looking to set the world on fire.
Only The Brave might find an audience, but is unlikely to break out.
SPC has Call Me by Your Name which probably won't do Moonlight numbers but one can hope.

Funny how all Sony's dark drama/horror-ish films which failed (or are looking to fail) had Nordic directors, hell Arcel (Dark Tower) and Arden Oplev (Flatliners) even worked together on the original Girl With the Dragon Tattoo which was their major international break.
 

Slayven

Member
Bronson is the reason there will be a The Last Witch Hunter 2.

1374069050405969733.png
 

kswiston

Member
Irma gonna have an impact

Even if it hits the US, probably not a huge impact. Last I checked, it was a week away from any potential US targets. Assuming that it doesn't get downgraded before then, It might hit Florida part way through next weekend. It could also just stay out to sea.
 

Cipherr

Member
Homecoming should hit $330m DOM and $850m+ WW.

The most successful failure ever.

So happy for it. I loved it, and hated the way people and these Youtubers *cough* Grace Randolph *cough* were calling its performance mediocre to bad, and saying it would be behind all the other Spiderman films.....

Now its looking like it will be within a stone's throw of the number 1 spider man film in a firm second place which is fucking GREAT considering they tanked the franchise's reputation for so many years before this film. It won't end far from BvS and has a chance to pass it, and will be the #1 Superhero gross of the year so far Worldwide until JL and Thor 3. I would love to see someone call that a failure.
 

AndyVirus

Member
Scott Mendelson of Forbes

Chris Nolan's Dunkirk earned another $4.125 million (+4%) over the Fri-Sun weekend for a likely $5m holiday haul and $179.6m 36-day domestic total. The $100m Warner Bros./Time Warner Inc. release earned $30.1m in its first weekend in China (counting online ticketing fees), setting the stage for a possible $60-$65m. We'll see if the film gets past $500m worldwide, but it will certainly be (unadjusted for inflation) the first or second-biggest World War II movie ever just ahead or behind Saving Private Ryan ($480m in 1998).

Does he seriously for one second think it might not topple SPR? Especially since he quotes a possible 30-35m more in China alone.

But then this is the guy that said "barring a fluke in either direction, it's looking like a final domestic gross of around $265m to $285m" for Homecoming.
 
So happy for it. I loved it, and hated the way people and these Youtubers *cough* Grace Randolph *cough* were calling its performance mediocre to bad, and saying it would be behind all the other Spiderman films.....

Now its looking like it will be within a stone's throw of the number 1 spider man film in a firm second place which is fucking GREAT considering they tanked the franchise's reputation for so many years before this film. It won't end far from BvS and has a chance to pass it, and will be the #1 Superhero gross of the year so far Worldwide until JL and Thor 3. I would love to see someone call that a failure.

Hint: those calling Homecoming a failure are the same but opposite people who called BvS and Suicide Squad failures.

It's all carny nonsense.
 

overcast

Member
Pretty funny that August was so dead that these films that opened low saw increases. Wind River and Logan Lucky doing better than they should honestly.
 

Grizzlyjin

Supersonic, idiotic, disconnecting, not respecting, who would really ever wanna go and top that
Para also had Rings which did fine.
But there is a reason why I'm calling it Paramount Doom Watch™.

Does Paramount even have any big sure fire hits coming soon? Mission Impossible in 2018...umm, maybe Bumblebee but who knows with how The Last Knight collapsed. Star Trek time travel story sounds iffy as heck, even with Pine and Hemsworth riding high at the moment. Beyond was sent to die despite a really solid RT score. Uhhhhhh World War Z 2? Top Gun? I could see both of those being too late and getting slept on.
 
Can't believe I am going to the theaters to see a movie in Nov

As much as the comic bookness of GOTG2 broke your mind, Slayven, I feel that Ragnarok will break it further for going balls deep into Kirby and Simonson stuff.
Sure, it won't have Krugarr, but I expect a whole lot of crazy nerdiness from it.

These are all just warming you up for Black Panther is all.
 

Busty

Banned
Deadline summarised the summer:

Click through for the full article.

Given how Sony had Marvel do all the heavy lifting on Homecoming (and didn't try and hide the fact) it just makes their misses like Dark Tower and Rough Night all the more glaring.

While Baby Driver and Emoji Movie both did well neither was the home run (so to speak) that the studio needed. As far as I'm concerned this summer has only papered over the cracks and they are still in as much trouble as Paramount are.., well, nearly.

Outside of King Arthur, WB's been solid.

The House, which I actually quite liked, was also a bomb but I imagine there's more than enough hits to mop up that red ink and it wasn't too expensive, relatively speaking.

Does Paramount even have any big sure fire hits coming soon? Mission Impossible in 2018...umm, maybe Bumblebee but who knows with how The Last Knight collapsed. Star Trek time travel story sounds iffy as heck, even with Pine and Hemsworth riding high at the moment. Beyond was sent to die despite a really solid RT score. Uhhhhhh World War Z 2? Top Gun? I could see both of those being too late and getting slept on.

Given how much they lost on Beyond and the fact that Trek isn't a film franchise with big licensing revenues I doubt we'll see another Abrams Trek film from Paramount. Especially with original rights holder CBS making a tv show.

If I were Paramount I'd be trying to recreate the success Lionsgate had with the YA market and try and find the next Twilight or Hunger Games (easier said than done I grant you) rather than pumping big money into tired shit like Top Gun 2 or a WWZ sequel even if Fincher is directing.
 

ZeroX03

Banned
Went to see Logan Lucky here but apparently it bombed so hard most theaters pulled it after a week. Ended up seeing American Made blind. What an odd movie that was. Tom Cruise plays corrupt but likable pilot who constantly fails upwards? It was weird, man. Liman is an odd duck director.
 

kswiston

Member
Here are the people who posted predictions for IT next weekend:

Code:
USERNAME			PREDICTION (millions USD)
The Driver			$250.00
Biggest-Geek-Ever		$101.20
AdventureRacing			$95.00
Busty 				$90.00
snap				$87.00
pestul				$85.50
Schlorgan			$85.00
Ignatz Mouse			$85.00
Freeza Under the Shower		$85.00
Cvie				$84.00
BronsonLee			$84.00
WhiteRabbitEXE			$83.50
Bobby Roberts			$83.00
PhonicipleBone			$82.50
Sgt. Kabukiman			$82.00
BumRush				$82.00
Caode				$82.00
Jigorath			$81.00
Miles X				$80.00
Saucycarpdog			$80.00
overcast			$79.00
CaviarMeths			$78.50
vinnygambini			$78.20
LordOfLore			$78.00
hodayathink			$77.00
GhaleonEB			$77.00
Kenzodielocke			$76.20
milanbaros			$76.00
What did he mean by this?	$76.00
FTF				$76.00
Random Human			$76.00
Phamit				$73.50
LFMartins86			$73.00
berzeli				$72.00
gamz				$72.00
Penguin				$71.80
Prompto				$71.40
AndyVirus			$71.00
Gentleman Jack			$70.30
catmincer			$69.00
Lifeline			$69.00
Famassu				$67.85
Slayven				$64.00
Chamber				$58.00
tonka				$55.00
ryutaro's mama			$0.000001

I saw 46 of you, including a couple of joke answers. Let me know if you posted as part of the contest and are not in the list above.

Not counting the $1 and $250M predictions, The Box Office GAF average was $77.81M.

Thanks to those who spread their guesses out.

Here's how I will determine who wins the prizes:

1) More than one winner: In the few cases where there were two identical predictions, the person who posted their guess first will get first dibs of the two games up for grabs, and the other person will get the remaining game. In cases where there are 3 or more identical predictions, I will let a RNG choose the two winners, and then use the "posted first" method above to decide who gets first dibs on choosing a game.

2) One winner, but more than one runner-up: The winner will get first dibs on the game of their choice. I will let a RNG pick the runner up from the pool of identical answers.

Again, the games up for grabs are Soma and Killing Floor 2, both on PC/Steam.

If you win, but have one or both of those, let me know. It will make things easier. Ditto if you don't have a PC that will run those (I don't think either is particularly demanding though), or just hate PC gaming. Or hey, maybe you hate gaming in general now. This is the OT!

You'll still have bragging rights for winning.
 
Top Bottom