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wm lopez 06-10-08 05:44 AM

Movie Box-Office King
 
Who is today's movie box-office king?
I remember Steve McQueen in the late 60's.
Burt Reynolds holds the record for 5 years straight.
Eddie Murphy was for a while in the 80's and then Tom Cruise took over.
But who is it today?
I don't think it's Will Smith or Jim Carey not anymore.

GatorDeb 06-10-08 05:55 AM

Brad Pitt?
George Clooney?

fumanstan 06-10-08 07:17 AM

Pitt and Clooney aren't really box office draws. I'd say Will Smith.

RichC2 06-10-08 07:27 AM

It's a tough call these days since most actors take a break from the schtick and do independent productions.

That said, Adam Sandler, Will Smith, Spielberg, Bruckheimer, and Pixar.

NitroJMS 06-10-08 07:41 AM

Tom Hanks is normally one of the safest bets when it comes to casting a lead even though some of this latest things haven't been blockbusters like his 90's work (The Terminal, Charlie Wilson's War).

Johnny Depp has had a pretty amazing string of hits thanks to Pirates as of late.

After that I'd have to say Tom Cruise, Adam Sandler (who consistently draws $100 million for most of his comedies), Leonardo Dicaprio (balancing arty and commercial thanks to Scorcese), and Will Ferrell/The Frat Pack combined.

I do have to agree that Brad Pitt isn't much of a draw anymore, if ever. He had some strong hits in the mid-90's with Interview with a Vampire, Se7en, and Twelve Monkeys, but in 2 of them, he was the secondary draw to Tom Cruise or Bruce Willis. Nearly everything after that (including Fight Club) tanked until he made Ocean's 11, where he again was a supporting character. Outside of the Ocean's series, his only real hit was Mr. and Mrs. Smith and you could also argue that was a draw based on tabloid curiousity more than anything else. Angelina Jolie similarly has had few hits, but is more the work of People magazine not ignoring her. The majority of her films in which she was the top bill have been box office poison (Beyond Borders, Alexander, Taking Lives, Original Sin, A Mighty Heart, Tomb Raider II).

Drexl 06-10-08 07:42 AM

I say it's Will Smith, and the reason is because he can be in a movie that probably wouldn't have done well otherwise and make it a hit. Do you really think Hitch or The Pursuit of Happyness would have done so well with someone else in the lead? Even I am Legend probably wouldn't have been as big of a hit.

Charlie Goose 06-10-08 09:04 AM

No question, it's Will Smith.

There isn't anyone that can open a movie like him.

Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, Denzel Washington, Adam Sandler, and even Tom Cruise are still up there, but they've had box office disappointments.

We'll see how well Johnny Depp can do without being a pirate, but his movies have never really drawn well. Matt Damon could be a contender too, let's see how he does without Bourne.

superdeluxe 06-10-08 09:05 AM


Originally Posted by wm lopez
But who is it today?
I don't think it's Will Smith or Jim Carey not anymore.

Its Shia LeBouf. But this has more to do with the movies, than him.

sauce07 06-10-08 09:13 AM


Originally Posted by superdeluxe
Its Shia LeBouf. But this has more to do with the movies, than him.

In Entertainment Weekly this week they have an article on the next A list. I was shocked to see that Shia's last 5 movies have grossed over 1.1 billion worldwide. The man may not be the main draw but people are seeing him.

Mr. Cinema 06-10-08 09:26 AM

Safest bet for a box office smash today? Will Smith is the easy answer to that question.

Tom Hanks and Harrison Ford have alot of blockbusters on their resume.

Rad14 06-10-08 01:22 PM

Wonder if any of them will last as long as a box office champ as John Wayne?

superdeluxe 06-10-08 04:34 PM


Originally Posted by sauce07
In Entertainment Weekly this week they have an article on the next A list. I was shocked to see that Shia's last 5 movies have grossed over 1.1 billion worldwide. The man may not be the main draw but people are seeing him.


His future is looking good, with Transformers 2, and a potential Indiana Jones spinoff (Prospects better if Ford is involved).

Brack 06-11-08 01:30 AM

It's definitely Will Smith.

wm lopez 06-11-08 06:15 AM

In the past they were able to tell us who was.
I thought you guys would know a website.

kurupt 06-11-08 06:42 AM

I think I read last year that if you add up the grosses of all the "top" actors' films, Sam Jackson films have made more than any other actor. Of course this doesn't mean that Sam Jackson himself is a box-office drawl in any way (tiny part in Jurassic Park and supporting roles in the Star Wars prequels...), but interesting in the "Shia LeBouf films have grossed $1.1 billion" way.

DJLinus 06-11-08 07:33 AM


Originally Posted by sauce07
In Entertainment Weekly this week they have an article on the next A list. I was shocked to see that Shia's last 5 movies have grossed over 1.1 billion worldwide. The man may not be the main draw but people are seeing him.

The other people that EW picked are:

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Amy Adams
Seth Rogen
Ellen Page
Robert Downey, Jr.
Katherine Heigl
James McAvoy
Anne Hathaway
Michael Cera

And those on the "wait list":

Columbus Short
Danny McBride
Jennifer Hudson
Channing Tatum
Jim Sturgess

http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/0,,20205050,00.html

My Other Self 06-11-08 10:49 AM

Will Smith, still, even after all these years. I know I'm one of them.. I see anything he's in.

Shia LaBeouf is right up there. Same thing, I'll see anything he's in. He's a stellar actor.

Jericho 06-11-08 11:10 AM

What about the hit making machine, Orlando Bloom? Seems like he's more Shia LeBouf (in successful films, not making films successful because of him) than say a Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise.

But I'd agree that it's Will Smith right now. Adam Sandler has an audience for his type of films, but its limited in scope (can't do serious stuff like Reign on Me or Spanglish) and the boxoffice takes aren't huge.

The Bus 06-11-08 11:25 AM


Originally Posted by wm lopez
I don't think it's Will Smith

Oh, but it is. I Am Legend opened at $77 million and Hancock will be one of the biggest movies of the year.

The Bus 06-11-08 11:25 AM


Originally Posted by Jericho
What about the hit making machine, Orlando Bloom?

Elizabethtown

The Bus 06-11-08 11:26 AM


Originally Posted by wm lopez
In the past they were able to tell us who was.
I thought you guys would know a website.

:lol:

islandclaws 06-11-08 11:37 AM

Like it or not, Will Smith is easily the biggest star right now. He can open a picture to huge numbers regardless of genre. Not many actors can pull in huge numbers for comedy, horror, drama or action like he can. Hancock will make lots of money purely based on him starring in it. Otherwise it wouldn't be a tentpole flick.

Shannon Nutt 06-11-08 11:39 AM

No contest - Will Smith puts asses in the seats.

Although I contest the OP that it was Eddie Murphy in the 80s - I say it was Harrison Ford.

RoboDad 06-11-08 12:57 PM

Last year, Newsweek named Will Smith "The most powerful actor on the planet". Given that I am noticeably more likely to see a movie with him attached to it than I otherwise would be, I'd have to agree with that assessment.

jmu878 06-11-08 02:08 PM


Originally Posted by mcfly
Will Smith, still, even after all these years. I know I'm one of them.. I see anything he's in.

Shia LaBeouf is right up there. Same thing, I'll see anything he's in. He's a stellar actor.

stellar actor??? that just made my day. :lol:


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