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tomatometer:

26% Suicide Squad

57% Jason Bourne

63% Bad Moms

75% The Secret Life of Pets

84% Star Trek Beyond

04% Nine Lives (2016)

metacritic:

*click pic(s) for source*

‘Suicide Squad’ Smashes Records With $135.1 Million Debut, ‘Nine Lives’ Dies

“Suicide Squad” smashed records, scoring a colossal $135.1 million debut despite suffering some of the worst reviews of the year.

That sets a new high-water mark for an August launch, lapping “Guardians of the Galaxy’s” $94.3 million bow. It also ranks as a new personal best for star Will Smith, trumping “I Am Legend’s” $77.2 million debut in 2007.

The action spectacle is also resonating with foreign crowds. “Suicide Squad” earned $132 million overseas from 57 territories, bringing its global total to more than $267 million.

“It bested anything that we could have expected,” said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. distribution executive vice president. “The marketing campaign was brilliant and the performances by the cast, starting with Will Smith, Margot Robbie, and Jared Leto were just extraordinary. They’re fun and wicked and fans enjoy it.”

“Suicide Squad” has been one of the most hotly anticipated films of the summer. Buzz on the film has built steadily since Warner Bros. released a teaser trailer at last year’s Comic-Con that highlighted Jared Leto’s grill-sporting Joker and Margot Robbie looking demented in pigtails as Harley Quinn. However, the studio was caught off guard by the fusillade of withering reviews and their were concerns that the poor reception would dampen the opening numbers.

And boy were those reviews awful. The Wall Street Journal’s Joe Morgenstern called the film “…an all-out attack on the whole idea of entertainment,” New York’s David Edelstein branded it “the worst of the worst,” and MTV’s Amy Nicholson dismissed the picture as “two hours of padding.”

Audiences appeared to like the film better than critics, handing the film a B+ CinemaScore. Younger consumers appear to like the film better than older moviegoers, with audiences under the age of 18 giving it an A rating. The question is will “Suicide Squad” show some endurance?

“There’s a major disconnect with between what the critics are saying and what audiences are seeing,” said Goldstein.

“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” the previous entry in DC Comic’s series of interconnected superhero films, was also a critical piñata. It managed to overcome the bad notices to debut to $166 million, but the poor word-of-mouth caught up to the film in its second weekend, pushing receipts down by nearly 70%.

There are signs the hostile reviews are already hobbling “Suicide Squad.” The film dropped sharply on Saturday, falling 41% from its Friday numbers, although it should be said that those grosses include Thursday pre-show results.

The studio has a lot riding on “Suicide Squad.” It spent $175 million making the picture, including tens of millions on reshoots. But the cost isn’t the only concern. DC is struggling to generate the same level of excitement for its stable of Batman, Superman, and other Justice League fixtures that Marvel has managed to stoke for its movies about costumed avengers. It needs more of its films to be beloved as well as financially successful.

Production on the film was reportedly rushed with writer and director David Ayer having less than two months to turn a script around. The film centers on a team of super villains who are recruited for a black ops mission by the U.S. government.

Men accounted for 54% of “Suicide Squad’s” opening weekend audience, with more than half of the audience clocking in under the age of 25. Warner Bros. released the film across 4,255 locations. Imax accounted for 381 of those venues, and the big screen company comprised $11 million of the first weekend gross.

The weekend’s other new release, EuropaCorp’s “Nine Lives,” died a quick death. The story of a ruthless executive (Kevin Spacey) who gets transformed into a cat, coughed up $6.5 million, and managed to score even worse reviews than “Suicide Squad.” Spacey barely promoted the movie, which was the brainchild of former EuropaCorp CEO Christophe Lambert, who originally envisioned the film as a high-concept comedy before repositioning it as a family film. Ousted from the company last February, Lambert died of lung cancer in May. He was 51 years old. “Nine Lives” cost just over $30 million to make.

Last weekend’s champ, “Universal’s Jason Bourne,” dropped 62% in its second frame, topping out at $22 million. That was strong enough for a second place finish and brings the spy sequels domestic haul to $103.4 million.

STX Entertainment’s “Bad Moms” snagged third place in its second weekend, picking up $14.2 million. The raunchy comedy about a group of mothers who rebel against pressures to be perfect parents has made $51 million since opening, a healthy return on its $20 million budget. Universal’s “The Secret Life of Pets” nabbed fourth place with $11.6 million. The family comedy is one of the year’s biggest hits, having made $319.6 million during its run. Paramout’s “Star Trek Beyond” rounded out the top five, earning $10.2 million to push its stateside gross to $127.9 million after three weeks.

Warner Bros. had something to celebrate besides “Suicide Squad’s” numbers. The studio crossed the $1 billion mark at the domestic box office, powered by hits such as “Central Intelligence,” “The Conjuring 2,” and even the much-loathed “Batman v Superman.” The studio is now the only Hollywood player to reach that milestone for 16 years in a row.

“Suicide Squad” also helped lift the overall box office. Receipts for the weekend will hit roughly $230 million, a nearly 74% jump on the year-ago period when “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation” was in its second weekend. Once dismissed as a dumping ground for movies, August has become an important platform for more off-beat studio fare such as 2015’s “Straight Outta Compton” and 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

“What was formerly the dog days of summer is now a land of opportunity,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst with ComScore.

*click pic for full list/source*


*click pic for full list/source*

 

[Amirnol]

SS is not a 26% movie at all, more like 60%. Pretty decent! Had fun.

 

[HeySeuss]

So it took BvS plus 3 other movies to cross the 1 billion mark? Am I reading that right or they talking strictly the studio's take?

Edit my bad seems that it's 1 billion domestic.

 

[Diprosalic]

The new generations' Transformers is here.

SS is not a 26% movie at all, more like 60%. Pretty decent! Had fun.

60% is not a 6/10, a movie. a 5.9 could get 0% and a movie that's a 6 could get 100%

 

[Black Republican]

make that scrilla suicide squad!

 

[Saucycarpdog]

I hope to god the sequel has a better writer.

 

[illmatic22]

Happy for my boy Will. Gonna see it on Tuesday.

 

[cj_iwakura]

I hope to god the sequel has a better writer.

I hope it even gets one.

 

[TheMan]

wow, i did not realize SS's RT score was that low.

 

[wrowa]

SS is not a 26% movie at all, more like 60%. Pretty decent! Had fun.

That's not how Rotten Tomatoes works.

A score of 26% means that 26% of the critics wrote a favorable review, while 74% didn't like the movie. You can't compare it with something like a game's metascore.

 

[BumRush]

Big week for SS. Legs will be the true story though.

 

[pestul]

Great opening for SS.. but early indicators for Saturday drop offs are not looking good for legs. But yeah, you can't take away from this impressive first weekend.

I expect the actuals to drop to around $130M.

 

[3N16MA]

The following days and weeks will be the real test for SS. WB has proven they can open big but legs have been their problem.

 

[Amirnol]

That's not how Rotten Tomatoes works.

A score of 26% means that 26% of the critics wrote a favorable review, while 74% didn't like the movie. You can't compare it with something like a game's metascore.

It is how many perceive it to work though, which is why I am bringing up the injustice. The bad perception will hurt it in the end, most likely.

 

[Diprosalic]

The following days and weeks will be the real test for SS. WB has proven they can open big but legs have been their problem.

.

 

[BumRush]

Dory isn't reaching $500M, is she?

 

[Phediuk]

lol at the absurd Friday to Saturday drop for Suicide Squad.

70%+ second weekend drop incoming.

 

[demosthenes]

Star trek

Don't think suicide squad is a 26% rt movie.

 

[DeathyBoy]

lol at the absurd Friday to Saturday drop.

70%+ second weekend drop incoming.

Still tops 200 mil by next weekend.

 

[PhoncipleBone]

I hope it even gets one.

A sequel or a writer?

 

[andythinkpad]

SS is not a 26% movie at all, more like 60%. Pretty decent! Had fun.

Well SS is not a movie at all. It's a live cosplay of a third person action game. Decent costume though.

 

[UberTag]

I hope to god the sequel has a better writer.

There's no need for that. This weekend proved that these movies can be abominable and people will still flock to the theater to watch them. Taking the time to make them any good would be a waste of resources. Just copy this film's marketing example and they'll be fine.

 

[Pop-O-Matic]

It is how many perceive it to work though, which is why I am bringing up the injustice. The bad perception will hurt it in the end, most likely.

How the fuck is it an injustice? if anything, RT's system is MORE accurate to the possibility of audiences liking it than a score average like Metacritic.

 

[Dash_Riprock]

Reading WB's PR next week is gonna be hilarious.

 

[zsynqx]

Suicide Squad already grossed more than Star Trek Beyond, makes me sick.

 

[cj_iwakura]

A sequel or a writer?

Either!

 

[DeathyBoy]

Suicide Squad already grossed more than Star Trek Beyond, makes me sick.

It'll kill you when WW out grosses STB.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Ouch at that Jason Bourne drop. Gonna be interesting if there will be a sequel again with Damon and Greengrass.

 

[alfredofroylan]

Suicide Squad already grossed more than Star Trek Beyond, makes me sick.

It did more in 1 weekend than GB in 4 weeks. I wouldn't be surprise if some executives on Sony and Paramount are looking into some superhero licenses.

 

[J_Viper]

How do people still not understand how RT works? How long has that site been active for?

I'm hoping SS drops big next weekend. WB needs to learn from this.

 

[3N16MA]

Dory isn't reaching $500M, is she?

I don't see it. Pets really hit it harder than expected.

 

[UberTag]

Ouch at that Jason Bourne drop. Gonna be interesting if there will be a sequel again with Damon and Greengrass.

Bourne deserved to fall even further than that. Movie was a mess. I can't recall the last film I've watched with such an atrocious screenplay.

 

[FairyD]

What was Spacey thinking with that cat movie?

 

[Ridley327]

Jesus Christ, Nine Lives cost $30 million. Spacey must've been looking into getting renovations done at the Old Vic or something.

Also, I am practically salivating at Jeff Goldstein's PR for next week. It's going to be goooooooooood.

 

[Calm waterfall]

Suicide Squad Worldwide: $267,105,000

 

[jett]

“There’s a major disconnect with between what the critics are saying and what audiences are seeing,” said Goldstein.

Lol, he said the same thing with BvS didn't he.

 

[cj_iwakura]

What was Spacey thinking with that cat movie?

Presumably people paid him.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

It did more in 1 weekend than GB in 4 weeks. I wouldn't be surprise if some executives on Sony and Paramount are looking into some superhero licenses.

GB wasn't a superhero movie?

 

[Dash_Riprock]

What was Spacey thinking with that cat movie?

$$$

 

[Ridley327]

It did more in 1 weekend than GB in 4 weeks. I wouldn't be surprise if some executives on Sony and Paramount are looking into some superhero licenses.

Sony already has one. Well, two if you want to get technical, but I don't think anyone can even remember what the MIB comic was like without having to go on Wikipedia.

 

[illmatic22]

Always makes me chuckle when people think reviewers are out to get their favorite movies.

 

[bort]

BvS estimate was at 170.1 million and then dropped to 166 million in the actuals

If this has the same 33% drop on sunday actuals then it will be at 130 million

 

[alfredofroylan]

Sony already has one. Well, two if you want to get technical, but I don't think anyone can even remember what the MIB comic was like without having to go on Wikipedia.

I didn't even know it was based on a comic until years later. BTW I wonder what happened with that "Image comics" cinematic offer from a couple of years ago.

GB wasn't a superhero movie?

Uh... no.

 

[Calm waterfall]

Lol, he said the same thing with BvS didn't he.

BvS made $872,662,631, so he has a point? No i am not saying that the numbers are satisfying for the WB but 873 million is nothing to sneeze at, especially a movie that is hammered by critics.

 

[sirap]

BvS made $872,662,631, so he has a point? No i am not saying that the numbers are satisfying for the WB but 873 million is nothing to sneeze at, especially a movie that is hammered by critics.

Something something Batman something something iconic + chrisevanslaugh.jpg.

Looking forward to seeing how well SS holds. Audience here seemed to love it.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

Bourne deserved to fall even further than that. Movie was a mess. I can't recall the last film I've watched with such an atrocious screenplay.

Sadly, I agree.

 

[Anth0ny]

Looking forward to seeing how well SS holds. Audience here seemed to love it.

it didn't even hold well from friday to saturday

next weekend is going to be a fucking bloodbath

 

[SuperBanana]

Star Trek. That was a really fun movie. Don't bomb!

 

[FTF]

Dory isn't reaching $500M, is she?

No, but it'll still most likely gross $1b ww.

 

[ElBoxyBrown]

Uh... no.

Sony treated it like it was.