Pants

Like I said...TWICE: In other words I'm hoping the message is

wlmowery

I think you need the Das Boot version of the Bible to get the script included....

jaeufraser

Save for an incorrect cast listing and some missing stage direction, my Bible is pretty spot on for the script. They did mislable the director's name. They kept calling him God instead of Mel.

Stu 17

Real news:

On the htf someone mentioned that Variety is reporting that the movie will be released on 2000 screens. Much more than anyone really expected.

chanster

Yes, it will open on 2,000 screens. Guess that shoots holes in the whole "WHY IS THIS MOVIE BEING CENSORED" crap that was flying a few months ago.

theneobez

2000, excellent. Great news in my opinion.

adamblast

Are they still releasing it without subtitles?

Last I heard they were waffling on that issue...

Such a widespread release makes me wonder if they aren't trying to mainstream the movie too much.

Tarnower

Entertainment Tonight showed a preview clip the other day. The clip had subtitles.

Frank TJ Mackey

Below is from the Reuters news service. Apparently those that mentioned it before are correct...2,000 screens.

Mel Gibson's controversial new film, "The Passion of Christ," which at first had a hard time finding a distributor, will be independently released on about 2,000 screens in the United States next month, a Gibson spokesman said on Wednesday.

A release on 2,000 screens is similar to what a major studio release would receive.

Tarnower

I have a feeling this is going to gross well over $100 million. It will sweep up across ages. Young and old alike will be drawn to it. And I don't think the subtitles will be a factor. This is the first major film about this subject since, I think, "Last Temptation of Christ" (which was ultimately, and unfairly, stoned by most Christians). Hell (oops!), Christian filmgoers made the "Left Behind" movie a surprise at the box office. And there was something else from about five years ago that came out of left field to take Hollywood by surprise. It had a strong Christian theme. Don't recall the title or premise.

Frank TJ Mackey

I don't think it'll do much box office at all. It has no big star to attract the masses. The content is R-rated and controversial.

I am really surprised it isn't being released in about 300 or 400 theatres.

I'm sure Gibson gave most of his paycheck away to get this pet project made though.

Should be something to see and then talk about though.

I need to break out the Criterion of "Last Temptation" so I can compare the two.

Tarnower

I forgot that is rated R and contains graphic violence. That will keep young kids away. You're right. While I concede that it probably won't be a blockbuster, I still think the picture will perform better than executives think it will, especially if it gets uniformly excellent reviews. So far all reviews I've read on it are rapturous.

PalmerJoss

I think it'll pull in around $100 mil. I remember back in 1995 before Braveheart came out people didn't expect it to do much business, but it did. I think Mel has an audience for this, and the "controversy" surrounding the film can only help the films box office.

ConanDestroyer

What was the budget of this movie?

Stu 17

I think you guys are short changing how much this movie will make. I think word of mouth will be incredible, especially the first Sunday after Ash Wednesday when people are talking at Church.

And without seeing it, I think this movie has the potential for high replayabilty. I'll probably see it at least twice in the theaters, and definately own the DVD.

Stu 17

New Trailer, Also posted in a New Trailer thread:

http://movies.yahoo.com/movies/featu...thechrist.html

Artman

I believe it's somewhere in the 25-35 mill range. Mostly Mel's money I think.

Verbal Gorilla

I posted this in the trailer thread, but was this movie renamed to "The Passion of the Christ"?

Stu 17

Yea it was renamed. There is another movie called the Passion coming out in 2004.

Verbal Gorilla

I know it was renamed from "Passion" to "The Passion of Christ", but in the new trailer, the end title is "The Passion of the Christ". Not a big deal, but just wondering if they again changed the name...

DodgingCars

I think the name change has always been The Passion of the Christ.

jaeufraser

No, originally the film was to be called The Passion, but due to some legal obstacles became The Passion of The Christ. I seem to recall it was The Passion of Christ initially before adding the "The" to the name, but I can't be sure on that one.

jekbrown

hate to break it to anyone, but I doubt that area 2000 years ago was all that visually stimulating. Prolly looked very boring, bland and "cheap". If the film looks that way, i salute the film maker... last thing I need to see is another example histo-tainment which totally hollywoodifies what older civilizations environments really looked like.

j

B.A.

Yep, I read that Mel funded the $25 million dollar budget out of his own pocket. After all of the bills are paid, a nice profit will be made from this film - maybe he will give all of it charity.

Kicker_of_Elves

No doubt he'd win Time's Man of The Year award for that move.



If he did do something like that...