The Road to Perdition B.O. Demands

[Jedieb]

I just read the following on www.the-numbers.com:

One reason for the limited release was the reluctance of some theater owners to agree Dreamworks' distribution terms. An industry insider tells The Numbers that Dreamworks were asking some theaters for 90% of the box office take for the first 4 weeks in release. That's even more than the 70% Fox is believed to have earned from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones earlier in the Summer, and the more adult audience for Perdition doesn't have the same kind of built-in pop-corn sales to make it attractive to the theater owners.

Holy crap, that's highway robbery! IF it's true, theater owners must be soiling themselves. If a movie like TRtP can think it can make those demands, then what about sequel happy B.O. sequels like Spidey 2, TTT, or HP2? How are theaters suppose to make money? I'm going to have to take out a mortgage just to buy a bag of popcorn.o_O

[JMK]

Can theaters afford not to have these massive hits on their screens? Despite the insane demands? Geez, 90% is ridiculous!

[JonathanLB]

The theaters should simply not play most movies unless they get 50% of the total gross. In the case of something as sure as Star Wars, 70% is more reasonable, but beyond 70% and it's approaching ridiculous. Plus, that is Star Wars. A franchise with 5 movies in the top 15 highest grossing of all time where not one of them has failed to do excellent business.

Road to Perdition is just another ambitious drama, something we get tens of per year, and none of them should command more than 50%.

[ReaperFett]

RTP would make less than then showing some smaller "cult" style films

[Marcus Telcontar]

That's just plain wrong. I didnt think theatre chains made all that much money..... do they?

Less theatres = less box office. Dreamworks are morons

[Jedi Master Carr]

That is crazy, 90% for any movie is too much no wonder it was on so few screens, those Dreamworks people are crazy.

[Jedieb]

I think the theaters that refused Dreamworks' did the right thing. The industry has been going through hard times these last few years. There are too many seats to fill out there. I think the number is around 35,000 when 25,000 would do quite nicely. A major chain declared bankruptcy awhile ago and some of the others aren't doing too well either. They have to draw a line in the sand. reaper's on the right track. It's going to get to the point where a theater can make more money from a moderate $50M sleeper than a front loaded blockbuster. Especially if the 'opens big, drop fasts' trend continues. The 70% that Lucasfilm got has been around for some time now. Other films have gotten that figure. But if anyone should be trying to change it it should be theater owners, not the studios. With the way that many films have been making more and more of their money early (The Mummy Returns, Rush Hour2), they've been getting less and less because films are having shorter runs.

[Jedi Master Carr]

They should try to change it some, I mean obviosly certain film will get its way, EP 3, Spiderman 2, HP2 maybe and maybe even TTT(though there the theaters know it will have a long run so they might not care as much) because at least they know it will get people into the theater and they will see posters trailers, etc which might get them to come back to see something else but still, the studios shouldn't be pushing every potetial blockbuster on these standards because some could easily bomb and cost the theaters money.

[Marcus Telcontar]

It wont happen with TTT, because most theatres signed up to get all three for the same deal. And the deal was pretty good if I remember, cause no one knew if FOTR would flop or do okay. That would mean the theatres signed up for two other potential bombs if FOTR bombed.

Well, now with hindsight, the theatres that signed up for all three, they win very big, cause they took the risks. I think they got a bigger cut of the takings in return as well. I think, please dont quote me. Just watch, theatre owners will be promoting the hell out of TTT cause they know it's goign to make big dollars and that they will get a lot of them.

The biggest probelm is that movies are just so seriously expensive. Look at the costs these 'blockbusters' take to make. When there is a suggestion Pearl Harbour could not break even witha 199 million B.O. take, then you sort of know why the studios are upping the charges.

[JMK]

Geez, Pearl Harbor is going to be a laughing stock for years and years!

[Marcus Telcontar]

Rightfully so. Could have been soooooo much better. Pearl Harbour really just emphasises what is wrong with Hollywood.

[JMK]

I've been told Independance Day does that the best. :)

[Admiral Lebron]

ID4 was good. A very enjoyable film.

[JMK]

I know, I like it alot and take offence to bad comments about it. If I ever meet Ewan MacGregor, I'm going to ask him what he hates so much about it. He said that ID4 is the movie he hates the most in the world!

[Marcus Telcontar]

Then you can take offence to me cause I think... ID4 is CRAP! It's awful! It's an insult to our intelligence!

It had a woeful plot, awful music and rotten acting. The only good thing was seeing the wanton destruction.

[JMK]

Aw come on Marcus, it was a silly action movie that entertained for 2 hours!

[Jedi Master Carr]

I thought ID4 was a fun movie its not the greatest movie in the world and was nothing more than a very good summer popcorn film sure it ripped off a lot of movies but hey I can think of a tond of films that have done that;)

[JMK]

It ripped Star Wars off quite a bit IMO.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Entertained???? It bored me mainly! too often I just thought "Now that was tupid" or "that was sickening" or "Gawd, when does this thing END???"

[Jedi Master Carr]

Yeah and War of the Worlds, Alien, Predator (the aliens look like a combination of the two), Top Gun, and The Posiedon Adventure. Really that doesn't bother me a lot as most films have ripped things off, unintentionally or intententionally from Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, to William Shakespear it happens because nothing is entirely original.

[JonathanLB]

I really take offense at that. Do you know who did the music for ID4? One of the greatest composers of our time. Jerry Goldsmith. I don't care how cliched and silly ID4 may have been, the music was absolutely awesome. It's a wonderful soundtrack and I even have a copy myself. He is a GREAT composer, on part with Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, and the other greats today.

I thought ID4 was very good fun, nothing more. A very strong blockbuster, though, and it gets 3.5 stars from me. Quite entertaining and good for a few viewings. I loved that movie when it first came out.

As for Pearl Harbor, well yeah the love triangle was pretty bothersome and I can see that people had problems with it, but to be honest, I gave it 4 stars (low four stars). I really enjoyed it. I thought it was very well done for the most part. I still should see it another time, but I remember in high school we were talking about that movie because it got trashed by critics and we all thought it rocked, a bunch of other big movie buffs too. I know that movie has its fans, and I'm one of them.

Its box office performance was pretty freakin' sad though. WTF? Can't even crawl to $200M.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I am sorry to say Jon you are wrong their David Arnold did the soundtract he is the same one who did the score for Stargate. I know because I have the CD right in front of me. Also I liked the movie too, I was never bored by it, the one thing I can't ever believe is how much money it made, over 800 million and for a while there it was second behind Jurassic Park WW until Titantic came along. Not sure why unless peopled liked seeing American building blown up

[Marcus Telcontar]

[QUOTE]Not sure why unless peopled liked seeing American building blown up[/QUOTE

Yes. The buildings being wiped out were a highlight and one hell of a special effect. But blowing up Americam buildings aint really a good thing to see now, is it?

[Jedi Master Carr]

No but I have heard that in certain parts of the world some people got enjoyed it, and not just the middle east I think in parts of Europe they liked it too, not sure how it would go over now.

[Marcus Telcontar]

Australia's enjoyed it. But sort of aint that enjoyable now

[Sanis Prent]

And no...theaters make damn near nothing on the movies they show. I believe that 80% of the box office take goes back to the studios. What's remaining can maybe pay the utility bills.

The theater I work at is bankrupt. Now, partially due to bad management, but also due to this kind of fleecing.

[ReaperFett]

Excluding the virus and alcoholic saving the day ending, it was enjoyable enough. Bill Pullman did a good job.



Not sure why unless peopled liked seeing American building blown up
I enjoyed it in the same way I enjoyed Armageddon's Paris strike, the top of the Nakatomi towers going or the Death Star blowing up. It isnt WHERE I am bothered about. I just liked the big loud things :)


Actually, on that point, that's the other problem I had with the film. The other countries. We dont see them do anything except "I say old chap, the Yanks are planning a counter offensive!" or the Germans, who look like in their panic to survive had turned into WW2 look :)

They should IMO have either shown them having problems (Armageddon did this, and barely touched anything), or just cut them out the story. No matter, the accents were awful :)

[Sanis Prent]

(Blows the US Cavalry trumpet)

Yank: Ah yes. I love the smell of Europe in the morning.

Bloke: Whot? Where've you been?

Yank: Well, been having a bit of breakfast.

[ReaperFett]

eh?

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Fett...of all people, you should know :)

[ReaperFett]

Whatcha talkin' bout Sanis? :)

[Sanis Prent]

Why don't you ask an executive transvestite :)

[ReaperFett]

You're confusing at times :)

[Sanis Prent]

(Sigh)

Its an Eddie Izzard skit. Do I have to draw a picture? :lol

[Marcus Telcontar]

yes please

[ReaperFett]

THat'll be from one I havent seen then :)

[Sanis Prent]

The one where he talks about England sending ice cream trucks against german panzers, and the americans arriving at the last minute to save the day.

[ReaperFett]

THis would be his US shows, right? :)

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Yes...from '97, I believe.

[ReaperFett]

got a tour name?

[Taataani Meorrrei]

Wish I did...can't remember it.

[ReaperFett]

Well, I believe theres one Video of his I dont have, compared to 4 I do. It'll be that one or bust :)