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[xaosslug]

tomatometer:

93% The Martian

73% Goosebumps

92% Bridge of Spies

14% The Last Witch Hunter

51% Hotel Transylvania 2

13% Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension

85% Steve Jobs
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08% Rock The Kasbah
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20% Jem and the Holograms
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n/a Shaandaar

metacritic:

*click pic(s) for source*

Box Office Massacre: ‘Last Witch Hunter,’ ‘Paranormal Activity 6’ and ‘Steve Jobs’ Flop

It was a pre-Halloween massacre at the multiplexes.

Four new films, including “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” and Vin Diesel’s “The Last Witch Hunter,” crowded into theaters this weekend and were swiftly pulverized and left for dead. Another, “Steve Jobs,” expanded after a brisk limited run in a few key cities, only to be given the cold shoulder by the general public.

Their failures allowed a trio of holdovers — “The Martian,” “Goosebumps,” and “Bridge of Spies” — to retain the top three spots on the box office chart.

When the dust settled it was Ridley Scott’s “The Martian” in first place, adding $15.9 million to the Fox release’s impressive $166.4 million domestic haul. Sony’s “Goosebumps” showed some endurance in its second weekend, slipping a mere 35% to end the period with $15.5 million. The family film’s total stands at $43.7 million. And “Bridge of Spies,” the Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks Cold War drama, got a lift as older crowds caught up with the awards-contender. It earned $11.4 million, a mere 26% drop from its opening weekend, bringing its stateside gross to $32.6 million.

But the results for the rest of the bunch were bleak. The glut of new releases was partially attributable to the timing of Halloween. The holiday falls on a Saturday, the busiest day for moviegoing, so studios were hoping to steer clear of what is shaping up to be a dead period by pushing lots of new content into this weekend. The plan backfired spectacularly.

Lionsgate’s “The Last Witch Hunter” cost $70 million to make and only brought in $10.8 million across 3,082 theaters for a fourth place finish. This paltry result came despite Diesel’s recent success with “Furious 7” and his robust social media presence. Any ambitions of launching a new franchise have been extinguished.

The top five was rounded out by “Hotel Transylvania 2,” which made $9 million to push its domestic results to $148.3 million after five weeks.

Paramount’s “Paranormal Activity” sequel whiffed, producing the lowest grossing opening in franchise history. That said, it’s a hard film to assess. The studio partnered with exhibitors like AMC and Cineplex on a move that allows the film to make its home entertainment debut early. The exhibitors will receive a cut of digital revenues in return for allowing the studio to release the latest “Paranormal Activity” electronically 17 days after the movie leaves most theaters. However, many chains balked, worrying that the plan threatened theatrical exclusivity and thus their business models. They refused to show the picture, leaving it to open on 1,656 screens, roughly 1,000 less than the previous film in the horror series.

Perhaps the most frustrating stumble was “Steve Jobs,” a picture that on paper seemed like an awards season breakout in the making. After scoring the best per-screen average two weeks ago and slowly expanding with positive results, “Steve Jobs” failed to stick the landing when it was finally ready to go nationwide. It made a disappointing $7.3 million from 2,443 locations. That barely beat the $6.7 million that Ashton Kutcher’s critically excoriated “Jobs” made in its initial weekend.

The talky drama always faced commercial headwinds — something that caused one studio, Sony, to pass on the project, before producer Scott Rudin found a backer in Universal. But the strong reviews and eye-catching posters seemed to be working. Ultimately the buzz didn’t translate into box office, and making it unlikely that “Steve Jobs” will earn back its $30 million budget and millions more in marketing costs. So far it has made just under $10 million.

The weekend also hosted two low-cost duds in Universal’s “Jem and the Holograms” and Open Road’s “Rock the Kasbah,” which opened to $1.3 million and $1.5 million, respectively. That wasn’t even good enough to crack the top ten and mark the lowest openings for studio films released in at least 2,000 theaters. At least these films won’t result in oceans of red ink. “Jem and the Holograms,” which adapts the 1980s cartoon, has a $5 million budget. “Rock the Kasbah,” which features Bill Murray as a rock promoter in Afghanistan, cost $15 million to make.

What’s particularly alarming is that pre-release tracking had many of these films doing substantially better (“The Last Witch Hunter” was expected to do as much as $17 million, while some estimates had “Steve Jobs” expanding to the tune of $19 million).

In the art house world, Focus Features debuted historical drama “Suffragette” in four locations where it made $77,000 for a per-screen average of $19,250, while Broad Green fielded the Sarah Silverman drama “I Smile Back” in two locations to $16,036, for a per-screen average of $8,018.

Overall, box office revenues were down more than 10% from the year-ago period when “Ouija” and “John Wick” topped charts.

*click pic for full list/source*


*click pic for source*

 

[jtb]

Very tepid opening for Steve Jobs.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Very tepid opening for Steve Jobs.

Barely scraped by the opening for Jobs with Kutcher

 

[markofhavoc]

Didn't paranormal only take like 6 million to make, so it's not like it is in the red. Also there is that whole, theatres refusing to play it because they are going in demand in three weeks thing

 

[Bobby Roberts]

There was a lot of talk about Jobs two weeks ago. Weird that when it opens nobody gives a shit anymore. Something got fucked up there somewhere.

 

[Hero_of_the_Day]

Don't the Paranormal Activity movies cost like 5 dollars to make?

Fuck at the rest of those bombs, though. Not shocked at all And Witch and Jem. Witch looked like shit and I had zero clue that Jem was even coming out this weekend.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

 

[harSon]

Del Toro dropping them bombs

 

[PhoncipleBone]

Viewtiful.

 

[WaffleTaco]

Didn't Jobs open to 500,000 in 4 theaters? I honestly thought it would be higher.

 

[G-Fex]

Hahahahahaha! Jem bombed! Outrageous!

 

[Sectorseven]

I feel like people wanted a Steve Jobs movie that was more of a biographical narrative, like the Kutcher film, but with more prestige.

 

[mreddie]

This weekends was a massacre and next weekend, there's jack shit.

 

[Anth0ny]

what the fuck happened this weekend

so many BOMBAS

 

[justjohn]

Don't really think Steve Jobs is as popular with the public as Hollywood likes to think. Or movies about him anyway.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

This weekends was a massacre and next weekend, there's jack shit.

Basically, waiting on Bond. There's a vaccuum here. Sony doesn't seem too keen on filling it with any sort of marketing, though. Or at least not effective marketing.

 

[mreddie]

what the fuck happened this weekend

so many BOMBAS

No one cared about the films and some got little marketing.

 

[AlternativeUlster]

I read from CinemaBlend (I think) that this is the first Paranormal that actually cost the low double digits.

 

[Fudgepuppy]

Every other movie is like bomba-supreme.

 

[hamchan]

Pretty surprised at Steve Jobs.

 

[Charles Foster Kane]

Maybe very few give a fuck about Jobs?

 

[Son Of D]

I'm still surprised Jem was a 2015 film. I always thought it was 2016.

I read from CinemaBlend (I think) that this is the first Paranormal that actually cost the low double digits.

Wonder if there being a 3D version upped the budget slightly.

 

[~Kinggi~]

Surprised at both Martian and Steve Jobs. Guess Ridley gets to keep making expensive movies. Yay.

 

[mreddie]

Basically, waiting on Bond. There's a vaccuum here. Sony doesn't seem too keen on filling it with any sort of marketing, though. Or at least not effective marketing.

I expect a push starting now. There's also Peanuts, I suddenly saw a lot of ads for it since Tuesday.

 

[Oersted]

14 and 13 %. Holy hell lol

 

[Bladenic]

Not a huge showing for Jobs, was kinda expecting more.

 

[Thatonemoor]

Did Jem premiere this weekend? If so then holy shit.

 

[Oersted]

Basically, waiting on Bond. There's a vaccuum here. Sony doesn't seem too keen on filling it with any sort of marketing, though. Or at least not effective marketing.

You can't really escape the marketing here, especially with the Z5 tie in.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

I expect a push starting now. There's also Peanuts, I suddenly saw a lot of ads for it since Tuesday.

I got the soundtrack mailed to me by Sony on Friday - there's two Megan Trainor songs, a Flo Rida... and the rest is a combination of new orchestral/jazzy Christophe Beck stuff, and classic Vince Guaraldi tracks.

There's also a slower reinterpretation of Linus & Lucy that sounds pretty cool.

 

[JB1981]

There was a lot of talk about Jobs two weeks ago. Weird that when it opens nobody gives a shit anymore. Something got fucked up there somewhere.

Think it took too long to come out, the ads aired for way too long before it finally released.

Pretty interesting to see The Martian bounce back to #1 after falling to #2 last week. Word of mouth must be very strong. I smell Oscar. This year's American Sniper.

 

[Sulik2]

Nice to see movie goers actually avoiding bad movies for once. How is Goosebumps doing over seas? I hope it makes money. That was a great family film.

 

[Son Of D]

Basically, waiting on Bond. There's a vaccuum here. Sony doesn't seem too keen on filling it with any sort of marketing, though. Or at least not effective marketing.

Marketing for Spectre has picked up a bit in the UK. Been seeing Xperia Z5 ads that tie in with Bond a lot as well as a few other product tie ins. Although it makes sense to market the shit out of Bond here.

That and I have no idea if the Z5 has even released in America yet since Sony are quite slow there with their phones there.

 

[Matt_]

What a bunch of shit all around
Not surprised that witch hunter was dire, although I would have thought that Diesel would be able to get it to at least 15M. I'll probably still try and catch it at some point, love stupid fantasy fare like that

Pan is now 10M behind where Jupiter Ascending's gross was at 3 weekends

Oddly Bond is being released tomorrow on the UK and not on Friday. I guess they want to make the most out of half term

 

[mreddie]

I got the soundtrack mailed to me by Sony on Friday - there's two Megan Trainor songs, a Flo Rida... and the rest is a combination of new orchestral/jazzy Christophe Beck stuff, and classic Vince Guaraldi tracks.

There's also a slower reinterpretation of Linus & Lucy that sounds pretty cool.

Not shocked with Trainor and Flo Rida? Ugh, nice to hear Beck being jazzy still.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

and in the midst of all these new bombs, we still got Pan heading for Biggest Bomb of 2015 status and The Walk struggling to make $10 million despite all its IMAX/3D surcharges.

Save us Spectre

 

[JB1981]

and in the midst of all these new bombs, we still got Pan heading for Biggest Bomb of 2015 status and The Walk struggling to make $10 million despite all its IMAX/3D surcharges.

Save us Spectre

Spectre just isn't doing it for me

 

[Ninja Scooter]

The Jem movie came out 10 years too late. 80s kids are out. 90s kids are the new marketable demo.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Not shocked with Trainor and Flo Rida? Ugh, nice to hear Beck being jazzy still.

I think I was happy that it was only the three modern pop songs. After all the trailers I was expecting it to be like, half & half.

 

[Dominator]

Holy shit not what I was expecting. PA did respectable I guess for the amount of theaters and 3D only. And the budget was nickels.

Wish Jobs would have cracked top 5 at least

My favorite film of the year.

 

[jtb]

and in the midst of all these new bombs, we still got Pan heading for Biggest Bomb of 2015 status and The Walk struggling to make $10 million despite all its IMAX/3D surcharges.

Save us Spectre

The limited release strategies for both the Walk and Steve Jobs seem to be big mistakes, especially considering there were huge ad blitzes for both of them (timed with the limited release, not the expansion).

 

[my name is ed]

perfect haha

 

[JABEE]

I don't even know what Jem is.

Was it a stylized reboot of To Kill a Mockingbird?

 

[DMczaf]

The Jem movie came out 10 years too late. 80s kids are out. 90s kids are the new marketable demo.

It's our time!

Give me my WMAC Masters movie!!

 

[Draconian]

I feel like people wanted a Steve Jobs movie that was more of a biographical narrative, like the Kutcher film, but with more prestige.

I dunno about this. I don't think it's widely known that the movie focuses on three different product launches. I just think that people don't care. It's a shame too because it's well made and has great performances.

 

[Sectorseven]

The Jem movie came out 10 years too late. 80s kids are out. 90s kids are the new marketable demo.

Most of the 90s shows have been tapped already, or they were adaptations to begin with.

Gargoyles could be decent, I guess.

 

[JABEE]

Most of the 90s shows have been tapped already, or they were adaptations to begin with.

Gargoyles could be decent, I guess.

I'm waiting for Elisha Cuthbert Are You Afraid of the Dark? Reboot.

 

[hodayathink]

That and I have no idea if the Z5 has even released in America yet since Sony are quite slow there with their phones there.

It hasn't, and there hasn't been any announcement as to whether or not it ever will be. At this point, you have to assume it's just not coming, no matter how ridiculous that sounds.

 

[jett]

I thought Steve Jobs was going to do better, seem like it's a solid movie.

 

[mollipen]

The Jem movie came out 10 years too late. 80s kids are out. 90s kids are the new marketable demo.

I don't think that was the problem. The problem was the movie comes off as something just trying to capitalize on the name while offering little to fans, and either way it looked like trash.

 

[JB1981]

The limited release strategies for both the Walk and Steve Jobs seem to be big mistakes, especially considering there were huge ad blitzes for both of them (timed with the limited release, not the expansion).

Yes exactly what I was trying to say above but you said it better