Boxoffice Numbers for Oct 8 weekend
#26
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My 2 contributions:
1. Perkin: Although I haven't seen it, I highly doubt Serenity was crap. I also highly doubt that you saw the movie. Look at rotten tomatoes and notice all the good reviews? Most of them very good. This movie obviously wasn't crap. Maybe you should see it before you go calling it that.
2. Although the OP said some dumb things, the film bombed. Get over it. Not because nobody is going to the movies or because America is stupid or anything like that. The movie probably didn't look interesting to most people. If anything, blame the advertising.
1. Perkin: Although I haven't seen it, I highly doubt Serenity was crap. I also highly doubt that you saw the movie. Look at rotten tomatoes and notice all the good reviews? Most of them very good. This movie obviously wasn't crap. Maybe you should see it before you go calling it that.
2. Although the OP said some dumb things, the film bombed. Get over it. Not because nobody is going to the movies or because America is stupid or anything like that. The movie probably didn't look interesting to most people. If anything, blame the advertising.
#27
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Originally Posted by das Monkey
but I doubt anyone at Universal seriously expected much more than this. If they did, they're incredibly foolish, because this was an obvious gamble with a small chance of success...This isn't a binary situation where the only options are "flop" and "megahit".
das
das
When will you die hards admit that this movie flopped?!! It will probably make half it's production budget (not counting marketing costs). I mean I loved the show and the movie but at least I'm willing to admit defeat when its obvious.
#28
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I just don't understand Serenity's box office. Other movies with rabid cult followings have performed very well in the past. But apparently this film with such a huge internet fanbase equates to $15 million???
I would have loved to see Joss Whedon's film make over $100 million, even $50 million. It would have sent a message to Hollywood to stop giving us crap. But this kind of gross is usually for a big stinking goose egg of a film.
It would have been nice to see Whedon finally recognized for a film where he had creative control. But now, not only will we never see a Firefly franchise, but Hollywood will decide to make more of the stupid crap I loathe. Bummer.
I would have loved to see Joss Whedon's film make over $100 million, even $50 million. It would have sent a message to Hollywood to stop giving us crap. But this kind of gross is usually for a big stinking goose egg of a film.
It would have been nice to see Whedon finally recognized for a film where he had creative control. But now, not only will we never see a Firefly franchise, but Hollywood will decide to make more of the stupid crap I loathe. Bummer.
#29
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The fanbase is loud but not necessarily "huge".
While I'd love to see sequels, what's most disappointing to me is that this is further reinforcement for the studios not to take chances on quality and to keep churning out uninventive and formulaic tripe. It's not like this is a niche plot that only diehards are going to like. This is a film for anyone, and it's pretty hard to find people who saw Serenity and didn't really enjoy it. And yet it's just not doing business, even with critical support and great word of mouth. As a movie fan of any kind, it's just so unfortunate to see these things happen again and again, and at some point we can't blame the studios for pandering to the audience's fickle nature.
das
While I'd love to see sequels, what's most disappointing to me is that this is further reinforcement for the studios not to take chances on quality and to keep churning out uninventive and formulaic tripe. It's not like this is a niche plot that only diehards are going to like. This is a film for anyone, and it's pretty hard to find people who saw Serenity and didn't really enjoy it. And yet it's just not doing business, even with critical support and great word of mouth. As a movie fan of any kind, it's just so unfortunate to see these things happen again and again, and at some point we can't blame the studios for pandering to the audience's fickle nature.
das
#30
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I will say I don't think Serenity was marketed very well. Promoting it heavily on the Sci-Fi channel is pretty much preaching to the choir. And the movie's poster looks horrible. There is nothing in that poster that would catch my eye and make me want to see it unless I was already an internet fanboy.
#31
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I will always wonder if Serenity was released in April (as originally planned), would its box office be better or worse than being released at the end of September.
Last edited by Patman; 10-08-05 at 11:45 PM.
#32
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I've said this before, but I had to drag some friends to it who nearly refused to go after seeing the TV spots. Of course they loved the film like everyone else and now want to see the series, but it's validation that the marketing campaign was quite poor for non-fans.
das
das
#33
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Originally Posted by moocher
Huh??? Your comments make no sense. You're saying Universal green lit this film fully expecting that it would lose money?!?! That would seem "incredibly foolish" to me. Nah, they knew it was a gamble but I'm sure they expected much more than this just on the fan base alone. The only reason they took the gamble was the relatively small budget but no studio green lights a film unless they feel it has a reasonable chance to make money.
When will you die hards admit that this movie flopped?!! It will probably make half it's production budget (not counting marketing costs). I mean I loved the show and the movie but at least I'm willing to admit defeat when its obvious.
When will you die hards admit that this movie flopped?!! It will probably make half it's production budget (not counting marketing costs). I mean I loved the show and the movie but at least I'm willing to admit defeat when its obvious.
That's why we're not calling it a flop. I call things like The Alamo and Pluto Nash flops. Those are movies that are in the red, and will always be. This film is in hazier territory...not a total flop, but not a success either. These things are just not black and white, and these numbers don't really justify calling this an out and out flop.
#34
DVD Talk Legend
The reason for Serenity's drop is simple... cult-following films are ALWAYS heavily frontloaded. Most of the fans go opening weekend, inflating the box office unnaturally. Same thing with something like Jay & Silent Bob Strike Back.
#37
Originally Posted by Matthew Chmiel
Tell that to those crazy Oscar people.
*Titanic excluded.
*Titanic excluded.
#38
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Originally Posted by das Monkey
I've said this before, but I had to drag some friends to it who nearly refused to go after seeing the TV spots. Of course they loved the film like everyone else and now want to see the series, but it's validation that the marketing campaign was quite poor for non-fans.
das
das
Also, agreed, the poster was horrible.
#39
Retired
Originally Posted by Jackskeleton
Yeah, it really isn't a matter of flopping, just a matter of expandable income I suppose. Gas to get to the theatre and general prices (oh yeah, that's the best excuse) Simply put.... there's no real big hits this time of year.
The word of mouth has been great, and I still have little desire to see it as I hate scifi. Seems to be the general theme around my college. People I know that are Scifi fans that have seen loved it and are talking it up, the others I know who aren't into scifi like me still don't want to see it as the trailer didn't interest them.
#40
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Originally Posted by moocher
Huh??? Your comments make no sense. You're saying Universal green lit this film fully expecting that it would lose money?!?!
#41
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Originally Posted by jaeufraser
Throw in comparable international sales and DVD sales to match, you have an overall gross nearer to 100 million.
I fully expect it to surpass that number, but I'm just keeping things in perspective.
#42
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Originally Posted by moocher
On this we can agree. Universal seemed unsure of how to market it. They did a lot of "preaching to the choir" by tieing it to JW and his TV shows. It's Mon morning QB'ing but I believe they should have marketed it as a straight-up action movie and distanced it's relationship to JW, Buffy, and Firefly. I think the general public felt that if they hadn't watched Firefly (or Buffy for that matter since they seemed to mention Buffy in a lot of spots), they would be lost.
Also, agreed, the poster was horrible.
Also, agreed, the poster was horrible.
#43
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WEEKEND
1 Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit $16,100,000
2 Flightplan $10,788,000
$60,940,000
3 In Her Shoes $10,025,000
4 Two for the Money $8,380,000
5 The Gospel $8,000,000
6 Tim Burton's Corpse Bride $6,540,000
$42,145,000
7 Waiting $5,700,000
8 History of Violence $5,125,000
$16,697,000
9 Serenity $4,925,000
$17,594,000
10 Into the Blue $4,800,000
$13,873,000
1 Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit $16,100,000
2 Flightplan $10,788,000
$60,940,000
3 In Her Shoes $10,025,000
4 Two for the Money $8,380,000
5 The Gospel $8,000,000
6 Tim Burton's Corpse Bride $6,540,000
$42,145,000
7 Waiting $5,700,000
8 History of Violence $5,125,000
$16,697,000
9 Serenity $4,925,000
$17,594,000
10 Into the Blue $4,800,000
$13,873,000
#44
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The Gospel could have easily been #2 this week, if not #1, if it had been in more theaters.
#46
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Originally Posted by DRG
9 Serenity $4,925,000
Well, that's more than the last Star Trek movie made in its second weekend...
Star Trek: Nemesis $4,415,081
Well, that's more than the last Star Trek movie made in its second weekend...
Star Trek: Nemesis $4,415,081
#47
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Originally Posted by William Fuld
The Gospel could have easily been #2 this week, if not #1, if it had been in more theaters.
#48
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If the SERENITY DVD sales match FIREFLY, we are only talking about 10mil in sales.
#49
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Originally Posted by Terrell
I was going to say the same thing. Where are people getting these overblown, astronomical DVD sales numbers from. DVD is very profitable, but it's not as profitable as some are claiming. Like you said, if it matches Firefly numbers, we're talking 10 million bucks. That's still not enough to help gain a sequel. People are acting like the DVD will make them 100 million.
You guys make a good point. DVD sales is not going to salvage this. Universal is almost a lock to lose money on Serenity.
#50
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Originally Posted by DRG
9 Serenity $4,925,000
Well, that's more than the last Star Trek movie made in its second weekend...
Star Trek: Nemesis $4,415,081
Well, that's more than the last Star Trek movie made in its second weekend...
Star Trek: Nemesis $4,415,081
But NEMESIS did open bigger, in a better time of year, and had TWO TOWERS breathing down its neck.