At this point in time last year, only 7 films had passed the $100 million mark.

At the point this year, only 6 films have passed the $100 million mark. Not that much of a dramatic difference.

I don't think the studios are too concerned. Like Smith had better numbers than what most were expecting and it looks like it'll have some legs. Then again, The Longest Yard and Madagascar could've had better numbers, but look what they were opening up after.

However, just looking at upcoming films for this summer, only four of them have guaranteed $100 million plus numbers.

- War of the Worlds
- Fantastic Four
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- The Island

Other than that, it's pretty much "who will surprise us and who will disappoint us?" Face it, this summer has a real shitty selection for mainstream films.

Damn, this just sucks, I absolutely loved Batman, and I want it to do VERY well! I want sequels dammit, if we could get sequels the calibur, or even close, to this movie I would be very happy.

Like Def said, I hope word of mouth helps this movie out.

I am going to see it again maybe tonight or Sunday,

Well, the general concern has happened last year also. This sort of thing isn't a slump that is shruged off easily.

As for Box office block busters. WotW and Fantastic Four are upcoming flicks that are looked at with that sort of game face on. Batman was also suppose to be a power house but it's looking like it will be one WB will come out and say they are happy with.The Island, I don't think it'll slam that 100 mark.

Yeah, but last year didn't have a monster Star Wars hit, right? Or was Shrek 2 released last year. I can't remember.

The big monster BO hits will always help to even out lackluster years.

Last year had a triple slam of Passion of the Christ, Shrek 2, and Spider-man 2.

Don't worry, we'll get our sequels! C'mon the Joker is next!

I agree The Island isn't going to past that 100mil benchmark.

Michael Bay is guaranteed a $100 million film.

As of now, all his films with the exception of the original Bad Boys have grossed over $100 million.

The Island looks like a dumb hokey sci-fi action thriller, but with little competition, The Island will probably secure itself a $100 million gross with no effort at all.

I think that's the nail in the coffen. It has a Gattaca feel to it. I'm really just not sure how folks will react to it. Considering the previews get a from the crowd whenever they've played in theaters I've been in. I'm just not sure what it's going to do.

I have a feeling F4 will have the same thing happen to it that Batman is. a fairly big opening, but just shy of what they were shooting/hoping for.

I'm so sick of hearing about this "slump." What I don't get is, people are buying DVDs by the kazillions, so even a flop can be profitable on DVD - and the studios surely get their cut of that, so they're not hurting for cash. What we're seeing is a new trend where home viewing is eclipsing theatrical viewing, and it's going to be interesting to see where it goes. I'm definitely at the point where I only see 6-7 movies a year at the theater because the experience is so crappy and I can wait 4 months for DVD anyway. I'm bummed about "Batman Begins," but the Monday-morning woe-is-me reports about this "slump" we keep hearing about won't make me sob a bit.

that slunp doesn't help the movie theaters. so we discuss it since it shouldn't be tossed out.

yes, there's a market structure change that the studios are making the best bang from dvd sales. but that doesn't help theaters at all.

That's a good point about the theaters, I hadn't thought about them. Of course, the theaters I've been going to are so crappy I wouldn't be too broken up if they all burned down! It seems like theater owners need to modernize and make the experience more pleasant for most of us...

The problem is that the studio isn't producing films that seem to have any sort of legs behind them. I'm sure other factors come into play, but the theater doesn't make much of anything on the film the first few weeks it's released. By the time the theater starts making a good % of the box office take, most films are already dead by then.

A majority of the theaters in Vegas are pretty much well up to standards. Nice stadium seating and top of the line sound systems are pretty much standard in all the theaters here, but it would be nice for a few theaters out here to use DLP on a regular basis (the Palms played films in digital during CineVegas this past week and a few Century Theaters will only break out the DLP for when a Star Wars film is released).

However, at the rate the theater prices are increasing in Vegas (they've gone from $5.50 to $6.25 in less than a year for matinee), the theaters are going to need to bring more to the audience then just a par presentation.

And it's no wonder why the studios question why less people are going to the movies. Why spend $10 a person to see a movie in a sub-par presentation when you can spend $20 a few months later and see an excellent presentation in your own home theater...

Hollywood needs to stop ignoring DVD sales because consumers haven't. They keep saying it's a disappointing year, well guess what, next year ain't gonna be any better! This is it, the movie theatre experience isn't dead but expectations need to be lowered. $100 million dollar movies are going to be on the decline unless movie theatres do something about it.

The thing that worries me most about the Batman opening is what will this mean for the sequel? I have no doubts there will be one but how much influence will the studio have on the finished product if this one didn't meet box office expectations. Bring on the nipples!

Uh... your all over the place with that comment. So Hollywood needs to wake up and realize dvd sales? They do. They gladly will turn the profit when it comes to dvd sales in saving a production.

Now you also said that Movie Theatres need to do something about it.... Like what can they actually do? If they lower the price of admission you will see a larger amount of quality scaled back in your theatre going experience. Less take in means less workers so the clean up crews will be cut back meaning dirty floors. Less advancements in theatre equipment like sound system and projection means. Higher prices of snacks.

Hollywood(the studios) aren't really to concerned right now about the theatre chains and that's a major issue. The studios are still getting as much, if not more box office cash but the theatre going experience seems like it's about on the edge with chains going under or close to it more often. What needs to be done is a better % deal needs to be struck with the studios and the theatre chains and if not that, The studio should work on helping the chains by not advertising or pushing back the dvd release by an extra month or so. That way there is actually some benefit to going and seeing a movie in the big screen.

Yes, home theatre experiences are now almost as equal to going out and that plays a big factor in which films folks go and see opposed to which ones they stay home and wait for.

This probably isn't the thread for this but since there is talk of a summer movie slump I'll bring it up. If studies want to decrease cost and increase profitability, why don't they just lower the amount actors are paid? For example, I don't know exactly what Tom's getting for WOTWs, but I'm sure it's in excess of $20 million. Will this movie really do any better because it has Tom Cruise? I've never gone to see a movie because of an actor. IMO the writer and director make the films. Lets point to Spiderman, couldn't Toby and Kirsten really be replaced by thousands of other actors?

Bankable actors attract better talent, and more money to front the film. The production values suffer if they can't get the "bankable" talent.

The thing is that the Hollywood Studios only care about themselves and not how it affects the industry as a whole. They're shooting themselves in the foot on the theatrical screen and tv screen because they rely too heavily on the home video market. If they had not tried to release a home video product so soon after first airing, maybe theater grosses and tv ratings would be higher.

1. Batman Begins WB $46,935,000 - 3,858 - $12,165 $71,087,000 $120 / - 1
2. Mr. and Mrs. Smith Fox $27,300,000 -45.8% 3,451 +27 $7,910 $97,961,000 $110 / - 2
3. Madagascar DW $11,100,000 -35.4% 3,533 -396 $3,141 $147,195,000 - / - 4
4. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith Fox $9,700,000 -34.7% 2,923 -399 $3,318 $347,802,000 $113 / - 5
5. The Longest Yard Par. $8,000,000 -42.4% 3,312 -342 $2,415 $131,905,000 $82 / - 4
6. The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl (3D) Dim. $6,633,000 -47.3% 2,655 - $2,498 $23,955,000 - / - 2
7. The Perfect Man Uni. $5,478,000 - 2,087 - $2,624 $5,478,000 - / - 1
8. Cinderella Man Uni. $5,233,000 -46.2% 2,610 -210 $2,004 $43,554,000 $88 / - 3
9. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants WB $3,170,000 -44.5% 2,206 -377 $1,436 $30,203,000 $25 / - 3
10. The Honeymooners Par. $2,570,000 -53.6% 1,912 - $1,344 $9,473,000 $25 / - 2
11. Crash Lions $1,250,000 -33.4% 651 -257 $1,920 $46,375,000 $6.50 / - 7
12. Monster-in-Law NL $1,125,000 -57.1% 1,165 -784 $965 $78,697,000 $43 / - 6
13. Howl's Moving Castle BV $802,000 +87.4% 202 +166 $3,970 $1,420,000 - / - 2
14. High Tension Lions $600,000 -68.4% 1,209 -114 $496 $3,200,000 - / - 2

- 20 Layer Cake SPC $177,000 -30.2% 145 -51 $1,220 $1,842,000 - / - 6

3rd highest opening weekend for Batman (uninflated), 1st highest for first 5 days. Despite all the hype that it'd be #1 with $60 - $65m, the film opened very much in line with other batmans - it's always been about the legs with the series. And considering it's take on Wednesday and Thursday, it's hard to really consider the #s to be a disappointment.

But it better keep jogging right along, I need those sequels... dammit.

[cough]uhmm, I guess I wasn't too far off...[/cough] I was talking about the 5-day gross as well, so yeah.

batman begins reminds me of terminator 3 box office performance. terminator 3 was a word of mouth $150 million costing movie. no one wanted to see terminator 3 because of no cameron. after batman and robin the public has lost interest in batman and x-men and spiderman are in. Batman begins like terminator 3 will get good word of mouth and hopefully make 150 million at least. i may actually see the movie again which is unusual for me to just support the film and good filmaking.

Well, the same could be argued about the prequels. After TPM, the public lost interest in Star Wars. But AOTC made 310 million and made more on opening weekend than TPM. Certainly less than TPM, but it and the prequels have performed exactly like the original three films did at the box office. I know, comparing Batman to Star Wars is not exactly a fair comparison.

So I'm not sure all of this could be attributed Batman & Robin. That was almost a decade ago. I'd argue that already having 4 Batman films was the reason people just weren't as excited. With Spider-Man, that was the first time he had ever been brought to the big screen. Not so with Batman.

No, I don't think that would work. Look at Tom Cruise's films...now look at their box office. Do you really think it's mere coincidence that nearly all of them have grossed north of 100 million dollars? And do you really think casting is so irrelevant that "anyone" could play these roles?

It's not a magic science, but it's obvious that stars do help in box office. Let's take The Longest Yard for instance...it's on course to 150 million or so. Take Adam Sandler out of the equation, that probably wouldn't be the case. Yes, you can find examples of star films failing, or of non star films succeeding, but in general it does work. And you're not paying the actors for their work...you're paying for them as a product, as a marketing tool. And people like Tom Cruise, Will Smith, Julia Roberts, Jim Carrey...they're worth it. Heck just look at last week, Mr and Mrs Smith...no way that movie opens to 50 million dollars without the hype surrouding its two leads.

Besides, the problem here isn't studio profits, its theater profits. And the reason lowering the actor's pay wouldn't work, is because those salaries are based on demand...if WB offers Tommy only 5 million to do movies in the future, wouldn't you imagine he just won't accept? And the highest bidder will then get him.

As for Batman's opening...a bit soft, and probably a bit disapointing to WB. Let's see how it holds up next week to get a better picture. The T3 comparison seems spot on now.