Let's talk Box Office

[trackercowe]

Just wanted to bump this thread, as the box office was decimated this week over Memorial Day weekend. Furiosa opened to only 31 million in its first weekend, even with a reported budget of 168 million.

I am dumbfounded, as it's critically acclaimed and already has an established fanbase (much like Dune). So why is this movie bombing? I saw it on opening night and loved it! It's sad that this might spell the end of Mad Max (if numbers don't pick up). That could mean we won't get the actual sequel to Fury Road in 'Mad Max: Wasteland'.

What exactly is going on? It might end up losing to Garfield by week's end! Why aren't people coming out to the movies these days...

https://x.com/variety/status/1794753...4Xk4ieJPFAQ81A

[Harry Lime]

Marketing for movies have gotten egregiously bad. It's pretty rare for there to be chatter before an opening anymore. I think that studios have not updated to new forms of interaction. They spend a lot on outdated modes, though.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Just wanted to bump this thread, as the box office was decimated this week over Memorial Day weekend. Furiosa opened to only 31 million in its first weekend, even with a reported budget of 168 million.

I am dumbfounded, as it's critically acclaimed and already has an established fanbase (much like Dune). So why is this movie bombing? I saw it on opening night and loved it! It's sad that this might spell the end of Mad Max (if numbers don't pick up). That could mean we won't get the actual sequel to Fury Road in 'Mad Max: Wasteland'.

What exactly is going on? It might end up losing to Garfield by week's end! Why aren't people coming out to the movies these days...

https://x.com/variety/status/1794753...4Xk4ieJPFAQ81A

Have you seen the cost of...well...EVERYTHING these days?

[Sr. Mints]

Cost of living, ease and short time 'til streaming, relative affordability of home theatre setups, sequel/franchise fatigue?

I see 10-20 movies a year in theatres these days, so I'm probably not the one to be answering this.

However, my big thing is my last point: I am really quite sick of sequels and franchises. Disney has diluted the #### out of Star Wars and Marvel; the same actors and actresses seem to be in everything, and the cerebral quality of many of these just isn't there. For those I'll often wait for word of mouth to start trickling out before heading to the theatre.

I'm getting far more enjoyment from low/mid budget B-movie arthouse-type films films, but they get little room to breathe in theatres amongst the big budget pics. If you miss them opening week, it's probably too late.

[rohara66]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Just wanted to bump this thread, as the box office was decimated this week over Memorial Day weekend. Furiosa opened to only 31 million in its first weekend, even with a reported budget of 168 million.

Maybe I'm just a dumb middle aged idiot, that really only watches hockey and the odd streaming services... but I have never heard of Furiosa lol.


Do I live under a rock?

[howard_the_duck]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

Cost of living, ease and short time 'til streaming, relative affordability of home theatre setups, sequel/franchise fatigue?

I see 10-20 movies a year in theatres these days, so I'm probably not the one to be answering this.

However, my big thing is my last point: I am really quite sick of sequels and franchises. Disney has diluted the #### out of Star Wars and Marvel; the same actors and actresses seem to be in everything, and the cerebral quality of many of these just isn't there. For those I'll often wait for word of mouth to start trickling out before heading to the theatre.

I'm getting far more enjoyment from low/mid budget B-movie arthouse-type films films, but they get little room to breathe in theatres amongst the big budget pics. If you miss them opening week, it's probably too late.

This, and the B-movie/arthouse stuff is moving to high-quality series instead. Case in point is The Bear, which is exactly the type of movie I'd be into, but the format has changed with the times.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Just wanted to bump this thread, as the box office was decimated this week over Memorial Day weekend. Furiosa opened to only 31 million in its first weekend, even with a reported budget of 168 million.

I am dumbfounded, as it's critically acclaimed and already has an established fanbase (much like Dune). So why is this movie bombing? I saw it on opening night and loved it! It's sad that this might spell the end of Mad Max (if numbers don't pick up). That could mean we won't get the actual sequel to Fury Road in 'Mad Max: Wasteland'.

What exactly is going on? It might end up losing to Garfield by week's end! Why aren't people coming out to the movies these days...

https://x.com/variety/status/1794753...4Xk4ieJPFAQ81A

I think you answered your own question within your post. Ultimately, 'Furiosa' isn't really the Mad Max movie most people wanted to see.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

Just wanted to bump this thread, as the box office was decimated this week over Memorial Day weekend. Furiosa opened to only 31 million in its first weekend, even with a reported budget of 168 million.

I am dumbfounded, as it's critically acclaimed and already has an established fanbase (much like Dune). So why is this movie bombing? I saw it on opening night and loved it! It's sad that this might spell the end of Mad Max (if numbers don't pick up). That could mean we won't get the actual sequel to Fury Road in 'Mad Max: Wasteland'.

What exactly is going on? It might end up losing to Garfield by week's end! Why aren't people coming out to the movies these days...

https://x.com/variety/status/1794753...4Xk4ieJPFAQ81A

Also it doesn't help that TV is soooo good nowadays. And way more airtime to build stories.

From my front door to the theatre front door is a 4 min walk and I've only been to 4 movies in the past 4 years. well I do go there for popcorn once a month.

[blankall]

The turnaround to the streaming services doesn't seem that long anymore. There's so many mediocre movies, that I'm willing to wait to see until they hit Crave/Prime/Etc..

I'll still see a sci-fi blockbuster like Dune 2 though. When a movie like Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire gets a lackluster review, I'm waiting for the free stream.

My cable bill is the same as it was pre-streaming services now. So I'm definitely re-allocating funds from going to the movies to paying for streaming services. I'd be a lot less likely to do so if I didn't get 2-3 new theatre level movies on each service every month.

[trackercowe]

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

Have you seen the cost of...well...EVERYTHING these days?

I see movies weekly for $10-$15, including popcorn/pop. It takes some work with Cineclub/Costco/Scene points/gift card offers, but I manage. Cineplex and Landmark both have offers where if you spend X amount on gift cards then you get coupons for admission and snacks.

I see movies weekly (sometimes more than one), and my budget for 2023 was $700 (ballpark). Not bad for seeing 63 movies (by my count). Compare that to the cost of a night out at a hockey game, concert, restaurant, bowling alley, or shooting range and the cost savings are significant.

Most don't go to those efforts... yet others are just downright lazy. Like when Subway recently had a BOGO offer for all of April I literally told people standing in line about the offer, and yet only a few made the effort to download the app and redeem the offer.

[Engine09]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Ultimately, 'Furiosa' isn't really the Mad Max movie most people wanted to see.

I was actually thinking Miller was going to go another direction and feel with Furiosa since it was almost impossible to match Fury Road, I was pleasantly surprised. After a bit of building and setup it was just as intense and I couldn't believe he went for it. I thought it was incredible and that Miller pulled it off. I have no idea what people want, but all the reviews I've seen are very positive.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Also it doesn't help that TV is soooo good nowadays. And way more airtime to build stories.

From my front door to the theatre front door is a 4 min walk and I've only been to 4 movies in the past 4 years. well I do go there for popcorn once a month.

Originally Posted by WhiteTiger

Have you seen the cost of...well...EVERYTHING these days?

I think cost is part of it...but I also think part of it is just that home entertainment is so good nowadays.

Once upon a time going to the movie theatre felt like the best way to watch something.

But you can watch at home on 65" TVs in 4K for relatively low investment with pretty much endless choices or options at your fingertips right now, and really don't have to wait very long until the new movies are available on demand or on streaming either.

I also think movies were something that previous generations really did...I went to a ton of movies when I was 16-30...and I just don't think this generation of people that age are going to movies anymore.

[KTrain]

Deadpool & Wolverine passed the billion dollar mark this weekend. < $50 million more to pass Joker as #1 R rated movie of all time.

[Rhettzky]

On the flip side... Borderlands made 8.8 million on its opening weekend against a 115 million dollar budget.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

On the flip side... Borderlands made 8.8 million on its opening weekend against a 115 million dollar budget.

With the success of TLOU and Fallout you just knew that some studio would push out junk attached to a video game franchise trying to cash in. Kind of a shame as I feel that Borderlands afforded an opportunity to do something similar to Fallout and Cate Blanchett is perfect casting for Lilith but it seems these days that anything with Kevin Hart in it is doomed for failure.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

On the flip side... Borderlands made 8.8 million on its opening weekend against a 115 million dollar budget.

I know nothing of Borderlands, is it another one based on a video game?

[Rhettzky]

Originally Posted by Locke

I know nothing of Borderlands, is it another one based on a video game?

It is. Originally game came out in 2009 and had a couple sequels. Great game series with an interesting story.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Rhettzky

It is. Originally game came out in 2009 and had a couple sequels. Great game series with an interesting story.

It sounds like they just put together the characters and universe while totally omitting the story elements that made the game interesting. Also PG-13 neuters the translation of the cartoonish violence and gore of the game to the big screen. They basically followed the exact blueprint of how not to adapt a video game to big screen with great success.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

It sounds like they just put together the characters and universe while totally omitting the story elements that made the game interesting. Also PG-13 neuters the translation of the cartoonish violence and gore of the game to the big screen. They basically followed the exact blueprint of how not to adapt a video game to big screen with great success.

I'm not a Gamer, but Fallout was good, I like Halo, it can be done.