Ep3

[BUFFJEDI]

I hear all the talk about episode 3 being the Least money maker of the bunch.What I cannot understand is why.

I personally think it could (barring They do not tamper with it's numbers as they are AOTC).

I am so looking foreward to this one more than any other.I like the darker tones.I want to see Anikin become vader (and all that implies. I want to see the ASS kicking's that's going to go down.I want to see Boba Fett Revenge his father's death(yeah he will kill mace) and have a good role in ep 3.

And after AOTC I think most of the General public is really looking foreward to it.

you know the onl real complait I have heard about AOTC (from non Die hard fans) is that it left you hanging,they wanted to know know. so that leads me to believe they will be back.Also the crtics, for the most part will be easier on ep3 as they were on ep2 compared to ep1.


But than agian I was wrong Thus far about ep2,so you never know.

[CMJ]

I think the dark nature will hurt repeat viewings.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I think it won't hurt repeat views with the fanbase heck they might go even more considering its the last SW movie. But it will hurt with the average moviegoer and the dark tone might keep a lot of kids from going, it should still clear 300 maybe even 350 but it will probably make less than AOTC.

[BUFFJEDI]

What about TITANIC? yeah It was a freak of box-office nature But that film dark,Death,mayhem,death,love,death. and It had plenty of repeaters.

[CMJ]

"Titanic" had a tragic ending...but c'mon it's a different type of beast all together.

[BUFFJEDI]

is it really that different. (NOT trying to be difficult)(you know I'm slow) I do not think that ep3 will be all that much different. it will deal with anikin's going to the darkside,but will also deal with his extreme devotion to Padme.there will be death and distruction but there will also be the tender side to the story due to baby luke and leia.But than agian the real BAD guy in Titanic was the Iceburg.:D Now don't get me wrong I do hope that ep3 is DARK!!!!I mean pitch black dark.

[dbn]

I don't know how well Ep. III will do, but I am sure it will do better than most)

We know in Ep. III that the bad guys will win, and that it is going to set it as a very dark movie, and other things as well.

For me, how strange will it be when we hear people cheering when we see Vader in his full glory! Being in the theaters back in 77' people booed him when he was first seen, so it will be fun to see and hear both reactions when he is first seen.

[JonathanLB]

I am pretty sure Episode III will be my all-time favorite Star Wars film, and not just for a few months after release, but well into the future. I just see it as being the most emotionally impacting. I literally think it could be a devastating film for the fans. We understand all that is going on and it'll be quite sad, really. I still like Anakin after Episode II. Yeah, he has his problems and he's a pretty arrogant young man, but he also is mostly good, so seeing everything in the galaxy go wrong will be quite powerful. On the other hand, it'll be all the more meaningful given it's the last Star Wars film.

I won't see it less times because of its darkness, but I absolutely expect that repeat viewings will be down across the board. I know I'll be the exception. Even it'll be tough for me to sit through over and over for that reason, no matter how great it is. I still cannot wait though.

The prequel trilogy was always somewhat of a risky experiment if you think about it. Lucas says he likes risky films, well he always said the prequels would be largely about a love story and a lot of political intrigue. True enough, we've had a lot of politics in the first two films, and I personally think that is excellent because it works very well in the movies, but many critics have complained that there is too much political "nonsense" and not enough actually happening. Lucas knew all along the risks of making these films, and that they would definitely not appeal to some of the audiences, but I think they add an immeasurable amount to the saga and the entire six-part story I will literally see as one singular "movie," or motion picture experience. It's just going to be very cool and there won't be any use for saying, "So and so movie is better than so and so other," because you'll simply enjoy the entire saga and like a few parts better than others, but that doesn't matter, it's still one story.

I just can't wait to sit down with all 6 films and see them in one entire, very long day. That will really be one of the best days ever.

[JMK]

It sure will.

But the darkness of Episode 3 will definetly hurt repeat viewings. The best marketing angle that Fox can use is that's its going to be the last Star Wars movie ever.

[JonathanLB]

I agree with that for sure. They really, really need to push that. LAST. STAR. WARS. MOVIE. EVER. Come on guys, push that angle next time, jeez, do something right for once, lol.

I kind of wish they would make up an advertising campaign that started well before the film's release, something like 4 weeks early, and it basically urged people to go back and rent or buy the past 5 Star Wars films (showing a few little scenes from each, just a very quick montage), then go see Episode III in theaters starting May (whatever)! That would be quite effective, "Go see the last ever Star Wars film in theaters starting May (?)! This is the last to see a new Star Wars movie in theaters, do not miss it." Something like that would be very effective.

If you can't get repeat viewings, at least you can try to get everyone into theaters for one viewing, hehe.

[Jedieb]

If I were handling the advertising I'd focus on JMK's angle and "The Birth of Darth Vader." Play up the fact that you're going to see the birth of one of movie's greatest villians. I'd have that Vader mask on every poster and cardback in sight.

[CMJ]

I'm sure it will be Eb...the Vader mask will be on everything.

[flagg]

I'm going totally spoiler free for Episode III. I don't even want to see Vader's picture before I see the film.
I honestly believe that Episode III will be both the best and the most successful Star Wars film ever. My prediction as of now is $500 million, easy.
My predictions for TPM and AOTC before their release were $400 million and $360 million respectively, so I'm not known to be overly optimistic :)

[Doc Milo]

I think one of the best things they can do is 12 months before Ep3 comes out, re-release TPM. Then six months before ep3 comes out, re-release AotC. Then ep3 comes out. And perhaps after the ep3 run is over, re-release the OT -- or have one very special event where for like $50 bucks you can go to the theater for a day and watch all six movies (with a 15 minute or so intermission between each, or something...)

[Jedieb]

I think we might one day see all 6 released in the same fashion the SE's were. Myabe the summer of 06. That would be pretty cool. I don't think they'd make huge amounts of money, but it would be a treat for us. They'd have to wait a few years for some nostalgia to set in if they wanted serious money.

[JonathanLB]

Well they are going to re-release all six films in theaters at the same time, roughly, sometime after Episode III. I'm not so sure it would be as soon as 2006, though. I'm thinking more like early 2007, ala the SE's, but I could be wrong. It's just that I know Lucas wants to totally redo the OT again, he wants to add entirely new scenes that help bridge the gap between the trilogies and really complete the saga. Then there are other special effects things he will probably change even more so than before, so I believe that redoing all six films will take a while (and I happen to believe that he will add a bit to TPM, or re-release it in its DVD format, which is already different, then he'll change AOTC a tiny bit maybe, and *maybe* Episode III will get something a bit different, though I see that as much less likely).

I guess it depends on what you mean by "that much money," because I think they will add a significant amount on re-release. I think that if all six were re-released, they'd probably add an average of $50 to $60 million each, which is a HUGE amount as far as I'm concerned. Ticket sales won't be the same as with the Special Editions, seeing as the movies had been out of theaters for so long, but I think you might have something like an extra $65 million for TPM, $70 million for AOTC, $40 million for Episode III (it would have just come out a year or two prior...), $80 million for ANH, $55 million for ESB, and maybe $45 million for ROTJ. Something around there. I'm assuming TPM comes out first, so that's why it makes slightly more even though fans prefer ESB.

It would just be so cool to have all of the six Star Wars films come back out and add enough to their box office totals to keep them competitive for another 5-10 years without a re-release.

For instance, just look at ROTJ right now. If you added exactly $50 million, it moves up past Jurassic Park and would claim about 6th place behind Spider-Man, TPM, E.T., ANH, and Titanic. If TPM had another $50 million, it would unquestionably be out of range of Spider-Man, then it would also pass E.T. very easily (and we won't mention ANH because that would get a re-release anyway).

With one re-release, ANH could come fairly close to Titanic, or at least probably less than $75 million away.

I am starting to respect Flagg's box office predictions here, haha, so if he says Episode III is going to make $500 million, hmm... I am curious to see how it pans out. I would personally be a pessimist and say Episode III makes about $375 million (more than AOTC because of inflation only...).

[darth_mcbain]

I was thinking that maybe GL would want to tie the movies together effects-wise, and scale back on the effects in Ep. III. Considering how so many movies today are effects driven, that might hurt it at the BO, but I could see Lucas doing it - I don't think he really cares about breaking records or anything - he just wants to tell the story the way it is supposed to be told. That plus the fact that it will be very dark may be the reasons he was thinking of when he said it wouldn't do too well.

[JMK]

I think we're going to have to wait 3 years for Episode 3, with no re-releases, then GL will re-work the OT into the "Ultimate Edition", maybe in '06-'08, then the release all 6 movies back to theaters and then the DVD in late '08. Geez, that's such a long way off...

[JonathanLB]

I hope I live that long! Haha, j/k ;)

Why would Lucas have less effects in Episode III?! He never chooses how many effects go into any Star Wars film. The story dictates that. He didn't say, "Gee, well we really need even more effects in Episode II." He just used effects and CG when he needed to do so, which is the same as in the original trilogy. Only now he has CG to use, whereas before it was much more difficult.

If anything, I think it'd be a great idea to go back to the original trilogy, specifically ANH, and redo some more shots. Mainly, just the battle of Yavin needs more work. The SE changes rock, but a few of the other old shots look out of place now. All of that can be fixed pretty easily...