When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
#1
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
I seem to recollect through most of my youth that the major summer releases would either start on Memorial Day or the Wednesday before. Now it seems the first weekend in May is when it begins. I am not certain, but I think the first blockbuster to start this trend was Twister back in the summer of 1996. It opened on May 10th, which also happened to coincide with a lot of colleges finishing finals. I remember meeting up with some old high school friends to watch it after we had finished our first year of college.
Is this when it started, or does it date back farther?
Is this when it started, or does it date back farther?
#2
Suspended
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
Summer movie season actually started in December of 2011 this year with Hugo, MI:4, Sherlock Holmes 2, Tintin, and Chipmunks 7 or whatever number it was.
#3
DVD Talk Legend
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
First one I thought of, but some since then have made the first wknd the new standard. Same thing with the first wknd in August suddenly becoming viable with the release of Signs (Sixth Sense didn't open as big).
#4
DVD Talk Legend
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
May has always been the start of summer movie season for me. May - end of July, with August usually reserved for the lesser ones.
#6
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
Iron Man led the way with early releases recently, but you're right in saying Twister opened early. I remember leaving HS in the middle of the day after an AP test to see it.
It's only fair because studios don't want to get into the dilemma of having two big blockbusters on the same weekend, and most people won't see a movie a week after the other, so even back-to-back weekends are rare for four-quadrant films.
What I don't understand is why August is reserved for lesser films. This made a lot of sense back in the day when movies stayed in theaters for months, but not now when most films are out within the month. I wouldn't release a tentpole on Labor Day, but there's room in August, I think.
The Greengrass-helmed Bourne films seemed to do OK in late July/early August.
It's only fair because studios don't want to get into the dilemma of having two big blockbusters on the same weekend, and most people won't see a movie a week after the other, so even back-to-back weekends are rare for four-quadrant films.
What I don't understand is why August is reserved for lesser films. This made a lot of sense back in the day when movies stayed in theaters for months, but not now when most films are out within the month. I wouldn't release a tentpole on Labor Day, but there's room in August, I think.
The Greengrass-helmed Bourne films seemed to do OK in late July/early August.
#7
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Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
I remember The Mummy in 99 and Gladiator in 2000 kicking off Summer with that first week of May release date but can't remember any other movies before those ones.
#9
DVD Talk Hero
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
What I don't understand is why August is reserved for lesser films. This made a lot of sense back in the day when movies stayed in theaters for months, but not now when most films are out within the month. I wouldn't release a tentpole on Labor Day, but there's room in August, I think.
#10
DVD Talk Legend
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
My thought was since the West Coast tends to start school the first week of August is that there's a lot of lost revenue. Kids in high school won't be going to the movies as much then.
#11
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
It'll be April eventually. Captain America 2 has a release date of April 4, 2014.
Based on the huge success of The Hunger Games, we may start seeing more blockbusters in March as well. The Matrix and 300 were also March releases that were big hits. Oz: The Great and Powerful has a March 8, 2013 release date.
Based on the huge success of The Hunger Games, we may start seeing more blockbusters in March as well. The Matrix and 300 were also March releases that were big hits. Oz: The Great and Powerful has a March 8, 2013 release date.
#12
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
I actually did a paper on this back in school around that time. I could have sworn it was something in 1994 or '95 but looking at those years, nothing is popping out at me. Twister might be it.
#14
Banned by request
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
It'll be April eventually. Captain America 2 has a release date of April 4, 2014.
Based on the huge success of The Hunger Games, we may start seeing more blockbusters in March as well. The Matrix and 300 were also March releases that were big hits. Oz: The Great and Powerful has a March 8, 2013 release date.
Based on the huge success of The Hunger Games, we may start seeing more blockbusters in March as well. The Matrix and 300 were also March releases that were big hits. Oz: The Great and Powerful has a March 8, 2013 release date.
#15
DVD Talk Godfather
#16
DVD Talk Legend
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
I grew up on the East Coast and I don't know one person that went on vacation in August. Most friends, family, etc. went in July or during other parts of the year like Thanksgiving and Spring Break.
#17
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
Yeah, I doubt the vacations play a factor, most of America is out of school in July, and that has some huge movies. It's not like everyone goes collectively at once, or stays in like it's the snowstorm of 2009.
#18
DVD Talk Legend
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
Die Hard with a Vengeance opened on May 19, 1995. That might have been the first one before Memorial Day weekend.
Crimson Tide opened a week earlier, but I don't know if I count that one.
Crimson Tide opened a week earlier, but I don't know if I count that one.
#20
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
Actually, I think one might make an argument that Crimson Tide started it on May 12th of 1995. Two weeks before Memorial Day weekend. The next year was when Twister came about. Also, Top Gun opened on May 18th of 1986. However, I think it was limited and went nationwide on Memorial Day. FWIW, I seem to remember Jerry Bruckheimer saying that Top Gun never reached #1 on the weekly tickets sales report, it just managed to hang around for a while.
#23
DVD Talk Legend
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
Thanks to THE HUNGER GAMES, it may be March soon enough. Fine with me - I'd love to see "blockbusters" spread out more throughout the year. Seems silly anymore to have to wait until Summer and/or Christmas for a "big" movie.
#24
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
I notice that movies that come out during the softer periods like March or October tend to become blockbusters by way of maintaining their popularity over a longer time due to less competition. The summer sees one coming out just about every week and Christmas tends to have them all playing simultaneously, which this past year led to a lot falling between the cracks.
#25
DVD Talk Legend
Re: When Did Summer Movie Season Start in Early May?
I notice that movies that come out during the softer periods like March or October tend to become blockbusters by way of maintaining their popularity over a longer time due to less competition. The summer sees one coming out just about every week and Christmas tends to have them all playing simultaneously, which this past year led to a lot falling between the cracks.