WWE and Fox join forces for movies: You've have got to be frickin' kidding me.
#1
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
WWE and Fox join forces for movies: You've have got to be frickin' kidding me.
I really wish this was a joke.
It sounds to true to be that way. 20th Century Fox, proprietor of 60% of all genre turds produced in Hollywood today, aligning itself with an organization devoted to having grunting, roided-out angry men beat the shit out of each other and exploit anything that isn't famous. Yes, it's true, Vince McMahon and Tom Rothman: the Dynamic Duo of Shlock Hell.
Also, this John Cena movie. Three words for the director: WHAT THE FUCK. Renny Harlin! He's not Scorsese or Kubrick, and he was responsible for Cutthroat Island and Deep Blue Sea, but he really does not deserve this bad of work. And I can just see than the powers that be were probably more thoughtful of The Covenant and Driven than giving this guy the job for Die Hard 2 and The Long Kiss Goodnight.
The horror...the horror.
World Wrestling Entertainment has signed a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox that gives the studio rights to distribute movies headlined by the company's pro wrestlers.
Beginning next year, WWE Films plans to develop, finance and produce at least one theatrical release and up to four direct-to-video titles annually, with Fox receiving a distribution fee should it release the films in theaters, on home video or digitally. It's similar to the pact comicbook giant Marvel Entertainment has with Paramount and Universal on the upcoming Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk.
Going forward, though, WWE will focus on making movies across all genres that appeal to a broader audience and land a PG-13 rating, vs. the hard R it had been going after with its previous pics.
First pic out of the multi-year deal with Fox is 12 Rounds, an actioner toplined by John Cena that will be released in 2009 under the Fox Atomic label. Production on the movie, with Renny Harlin at the helm, begins this month in New Orleans.
WWE is looking to spend around $20 million for theatrical releases while direct-to-DVD titles would be made for around $3 million to $5 million.
The wrestling organization has had mixed success since forming its film division in 2002, releasing three pics, See No Evil, featuring Glen "Kane" Jacobs; The Marine, also with Cena; and The Condemned, with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Beginning next year, WWE Films plans to develop, finance and produce at least one theatrical release and up to four direct-to-video titles annually, with Fox receiving a distribution fee should it release the films in theaters, on home video or digitally. It's similar to the pact comicbook giant Marvel Entertainment has with Paramount and Universal on the upcoming Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk.
Going forward, though, WWE will focus on making movies across all genres that appeal to a broader audience and land a PG-13 rating, vs. the hard R it had been going after with its previous pics.
First pic out of the multi-year deal with Fox is 12 Rounds, an actioner toplined by John Cena that will be released in 2009 under the Fox Atomic label. Production on the movie, with Renny Harlin at the helm, begins this month in New Orleans.
WWE is looking to spend around $20 million for theatrical releases while direct-to-DVD titles would be made for around $3 million to $5 million.
The wrestling organization has had mixed success since forming its film division in 2002, releasing three pics, See No Evil, featuring Glen "Kane" Jacobs; The Marine, also with Cena; and The Condemned, with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Also, this John Cena movie. Three words for the director: WHAT THE FUCK. Renny Harlin! He's not Scorsese or Kubrick, and he was responsible for Cutthroat Island and Deep Blue Sea, but he really does not deserve this bad of work. And I can just see than the powers that be were probably more thoughtful of The Covenant and Driven than giving this guy the job for Die Hard 2 and The Long Kiss Goodnight.
The horror...the horror.
#3
DVD Talk Godfather
They're low budget titles and there are enough wrestling fans for them to make a profit. Not really a big deal to me.
But I know you hate Fox so I understand.
But I know you hate Fox so I understand.
#5
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Originally Posted by Zen Peckinpah
I really wish this was a joke.
It sounds to true to be that way. 20th Century Fox, proprietor of 60% of all genre turds produced in Hollywood today, aligning itself with an organization devoted to having grunting, roided-out angry men beat the shit out of each other and exploit anything that isn't famous. Yes, it's true, Vince McMahon and Tom Rothman: the Dynamic Duo of Shlock Hell.
Also, this John Cena movie. Three words for the director: WHAT THE ----. Renny Harlin! He's not Scorsese or Kubrick, and he was responsible for Cutthroat Island and Deep Blue Sea, but he really does not deserve this bad of work. And I can just see than the powers that be were probably more thoughtful of The Covenant and Driven than giving this guy the job for Die Hard 2 and The Long Kiss Goodnight.
The horror...the horror.
It sounds to true to be that way. 20th Century Fox, proprietor of 60% of all genre turds produced in Hollywood today, aligning itself with an organization devoted to having grunting, roided-out angry men beat the shit out of each other and exploit anything that isn't famous. Yes, it's true, Vince McMahon and Tom Rothman: the Dynamic Duo of Shlock Hell.
Also, this John Cena movie. Three words for the director: WHAT THE ----. Renny Harlin! He's not Scorsese or Kubrick, and he was responsible for Cutthroat Island and Deep Blue Sea, but he really does not deserve this bad of work. And I can just see than the powers that be were probably more thoughtful of The Covenant and Driven than giving this guy the job for Die Hard 2 and The Long Kiss Goodnight.
The horror...the horror.
whats the big deal..... people still watch the meet the spartans movies..you must live in Cuba
#6
DVD Talk Godfather
It doesn't surprise me that this is happening, and it doesn't surprise me that it is with Fox. I would say more, but I know there's fans of wrestling on this board.
#7
DVD Talk Hero
?? The Condemned and The Marine already came out, it's no surprise. Renny isn't a good director and generally makes schlocky movies that occasionally entertain - this is right up his alley.
#8
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by devilshalo
You do realize that you are not forced to watch these movies?
Is it any different than Sony's Screengems? Michaael Bay's Platinum Films? Dark Castle?
Is it any different than Sony's Screengems? Michaael Bay's Platinum Films? Dark Castle?
No hard feelings or anything. Perhaps I should rephrase myself on Fox: I mainly dislike them for how they run ideas and franchises into the ground, but Fox Searchlight actually has a clue of what to do...look at Juno and Once.
#9
DVD Talk Special Edition
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For what it's worth, I don't think wrestling fans made up the majority of the audiences (whether theatrical or DVD) for these films.
One generic schlock horror and two generic action (with a third on the way) have a way of finding audiences the same way that generic comedies and generic kid flicks do. To blame wrestling fans for blindly supporting bad movies is ignoring the tastes of the movie-going public in general.
One generic schlock horror and two generic action (with a third on the way) have a way of finding audiences the same way that generic comedies and generic kid flicks do. To blame wrestling fans for blindly supporting bad movies is ignoring the tastes of the movie-going public in general.
#10
DVD Talk Limited Edition
I'm looking forward to their upcoming projects. See No Evil was terrible, but I actually enjoyed the Marine and Condemned. Yes, I am a wrestling fan, but I am equally a fan of cheesy action films. They remind me of the Golan Globus era of 80's action.
#12
DVD Talk Legend
Someday the power at fox will change hands and they might actually care about making good movies.
#16
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by GuessWho
i fail to see how this impacts the OP's life in any way, shape or form.
Honestly, there's no impact on my life, just something to roll my eyes at vehemently.
#17
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by raven56706
Condemned wasnt that bad....
#20
DVD Talk Godfather
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These are low budget films that eventually make a profit because there's wrestling fans and all that jazz.
Yeah, How dare Fox try to make some money
And I have to disclose that I am owned by news corp.
ALL HAIL RUPERT!
Yeah, How dare Fox try to make some money
And I have to disclose that I am owned by news corp.
ALL HAIL RUPERT!
#21
DVD Talk Legend
Re: WWE and Fox join forces for movies: You've have got to be frickin' kidding me.
Could they be the next successful studio since it seems they are branching out of just wrestler based action movies or they just got lucky with the Call?
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...ios-movie-ever
Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, WWE Studios thriller The Call grossed an impressive $6.2 million on Friday night, en route to a projected $16-$17 million opening weekend (numbers via The Hollywood Reporter).
Assuming the movie, with Oscar winner Halle Berry as a troubled 911 operator, continues to perform well, it should come in at No. 2 at the U.S. box office behind Disney blockbuster Oz the Great and Powerful.
This marks WWE Studios' best opening weekend for a film to date, easily overtaking the $7 million made by 2006's The Marine.
Assuming the movie, with Oscar winner Halle Berry as a troubled 911 operator, continues to perform well, it should come in at No. 2 at the U.S. box office behind Disney blockbuster Oz the Great and Powerful.
This marks WWE Studios' best opening weekend for a film to date, easily overtaking the $7 million made by 2006's The Marine.
#22
Moderator
Re: WWE and Fox join forces for movies: You've have got to be frickin' kidding me.
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#24
DVD Talk Legend
Re: WWE and Fox join forces for movies: You've have got to be frickin' kidding me.
Dead Man Down cost $30M to produce and will gross less than $15M domestically once all is said and done. The Call, on the other hand, was made for $13M and has already made $20M in the first week of its release.
WWE also has No One Lives with Luke Evans which has been sitting on a shelf somewhere with Fox alongside Leprechaun: Origins with Lionsgate due later this year. This is in addition to all of the direct-to-video and made-for-television shit (which there's surprisingly quite a lot of) on deck for this year too.
WWE also has No One Lives with Luke Evans which has been sitting on a shelf somewhere with Fox alongside Leprechaun: Origins with Lionsgate due later this year. This is in addition to all of the direct-to-video and made-for-television shit (which there's surprisingly quite a lot of) on deck for this year too.