CadetMahoney
Member
This broke my neck.
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Ghost in the Shell bombs at the box office
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This broke my neck.
More horrifying (but true) words have never been said.
Bobby Roberts
Banned
This is not the lesson to be learned, either.
It's been discussed in this week's Box-Office thread (and a little in the previous week's as well) but the notion that the source material really matters all that much to the general audience is typically very overinflated.
This movie didn't land. The reason it didn't land has very little to do with the fact it was adapted from Anime/Manga.
SuperStiltzkin
Member
Baby steps.
I highly doubt anyone is going "oh it's based on an anime? I'm not seeing that shit." No one really gives a shit what a thing is adapted from. Most people probably don't even know that Arrival was based on a short story.
I also highly doubt whitewashing was the reason people didn't go see it either though. It's a combination of the controversy, the bad marketing, vague trailers, and middling reviews.
sixteen-bit
Member
FTFY
moltonasty
Member
Is white-washing the real reason though? Maybe, just maybe, people thought it didn't look like an appealing movie?
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Within that community it is very well known, probably average outside of it.
however even an amazing straight up shot for shot remake with Japanese actors wouldn't have done well enough to justify the budget.
In the end they didn't know what the hell to do with it besides looking good.
Manmademan
Member
TDLink
Member
This is the wrong takeaway.
leatherhat
Member
Maybe now they won't ruin Akira.
But they will.
But they will.
smokeymicpot
Beat EviLore at pool.
It didn't land because it didn't look interesting for the mainstream market. At least in my opinion that is. The only reason why I say they won't do anime live action because this isn't the first bomb they had. In a few years they will try again and will probably be different.
CommandThrower
Member
Is that surprising? It's Ghost in the Shell. A property like Ghost in the Shell doesn't translate to big box office money in the eyes of the average popcorn eating movie goer. Not in America, at least.
Well about 95% of the conversation about the movie pre-release wouldn't have been dominated by "Hollywood is pulling racist shit again," so you'd think that would be an improvement in their marketing
funkystudent
Member
It was always going to bomb. There didnt seem to be a lot of interest.
I dont think the casting controversies mattered.
I dont think the casting controversies mattered.
Poor GRIMES
Banned
I agree. However, the go-to excuse for not casting an Asian actress is the claim that the movie would have made back its budget and probably wouldn't have bombed if ScarJo led the film. In this case, the film bombed, so the quality of the film is blamed and not ScarJo herself...
So it's kind of funny that they never gave an Asian actress an opportunity in the casting department when star power alone does not equal success.
Not even an appealing anime.
cryptosporidium
Member
If I were a casual moviegoer peeking in, the marketing for this would've confused me and the reviews would've dissuaded me further from going.
I suppose in the end in this specific circumstance Asian American actor hopefuls should be relieved they weren't leading this because it would've stalled their careers before it even really began.
I suppose in the end in this specific circumstance Asian American actor hopefuls should be relieved they weren't leading this because it would've stalled their careers before it even really began.
See the original, because it is excellent. I don't know that an order really matters.
Actuals for GitS came int at $18.6m, a small dip from estimates (per Kswiss from the BO thread). What a spectacular flop. Been a while since we saw a belly flop so hard the water burst into flames on impact like this.
adamantypants
Member
Yet it will be the only takeaway for Paramount
Movie's concept is not known by the masses, it might as well be an original concept (and the audience that does know it was fickle and not especially happy going in). Movie itself was pretty bad so it didn't gather positive word-of-mouth. Of course it bombed, the whitewashing thing didn't help either.
NOLA_Gaffer
Banned
My brother-in-law asked if the wife and I wanted to see it with him and my sister over the weekend but I declined, largely because we were busy at the time, but I wasn't overly interested either.
For me it's not the "whitewashing" (which I think is an overreaction in itself anyway) but that the original film does such a good job in telling its story that a live action adaption wasn't necessary in the first place.
For me it's not the "whitewashing" (which I think is an overreaction in itself anyway) but that the original film does such a good job in telling its story that a live action adaption wasn't necessary in the first place.
Angelus Errare
Banned
Well thank god they didn't hire a no name Asian actress or the movie would have bombed. With Scarlett people know her name will put butts in seats.
Hari Seldon
Member
Gaf has a waaaaay overestimated view on how popular anime is in the US. Especially when you leave the west coast.
ElBoxyBrown
Banned
Asian American's acting careers are always stalling. We never give them a chance to do anything. They can't be in bad movies and they can't be in good movies.
Yeah! I mean, like, there you go. Have your cake and eat it too. Same with Cowboy Bebop.
Why the fuck are you going after these Japanese-set animes, HW?
Budget doesn't count marketing, not all box office money goes to studio. Twice the budget is often used as a benchmark.
Razgriz-Specter
Member
Typically doesn't include advertisements/marketing which itself is millions.
Manmademan
Member
therealjay
Neo Member
Whitewashing wasn't this movies problem.
The problem is it's based on some obscure anime no one in America gives a shit about.
I mean let's be real here. The only way something like this is going to be successful is cutting that budget in half and being really creative.
The problem is it's based on some obscure anime no one in America gives a shit about.
I mean let's be real here. The only way something like this is going to be successful is cutting that budget in half and being really creative.
Trailers were just too vague, generic, and uninteresting. The premise and focus of the film was just weird and unclear. The effects and action sequences they teased were pretty by-the-numbers (though the stripper pole fight did seem interesting).
Mainstream audiences does not give 2 fucks about whitewashing. It's weird to see people try and pin the film's failure on that.
Mainstream audiences does not give 2 fucks about whitewashing. It's weird to see people try and pin the film's failure on that.
Alright gang, no more anime movies
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