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Ghost in the Shell bombs at the box office

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kswiston

Member
Edge of Tomorrow is based on an even more obscure manga that even less people in America knew or gave a shit about.

Edge of Tomorrow is actually based on a Young Adult/Light novel, and wasn't made into a Manga until a decade later, just before the launch of the film. The Manga doesn't even have the same writer.
 

TDLink

Member
This movie didn't bomb because of white washing or because it was an anime adaptation.

It bombed because it just wasn't that great. I mean it's not a terrible movie. It's ok. But there's nothing remarkable about it. And the action is bland and boring. And that came across in the trailers I think (which weren't very good). Then you have the negative reviews and word of mouth on top of that.

If the movie was better it would have done better, and that has nothing to do with white washing or what the source material is.
 

Jarmel

Banned
It'd be okay if Hollywood didn't adapt supehero comics ever again. Nothing in superhero comics is worth adapting if Watchmen is the best effort they can summon.

Anime is just animation. Animation isn't a genre. It's a medium. Anime encompasses just as many genres as animation does, which encompasses just as many genres as film does, which encompasses just as many genres as publishing.

Ghost in the Shell is sci-fi. Sci-fi specifically inspired in some part by Blade Runner.

There are various narratives people can use this failure as fuel for. The "don't bother with Anime anymore" narrative is probably the least useful.

All of this is true but that said, GitS was probably the best franchise to make a Western movie out of. All the other IPs I can think of won't translate over as well. It's just uphill from here.
 

Hagi

Member
It's not a stretch. American's don't care about anime anymore. That fad mostly died in the early 00's.

You don't need people to care about anime for them to care about your movie. Marketing helps a lot as does not making a shit film. Source material doesn't matter nearly as much as people want it to.

Comics are niche as fuck as well but look at how much their films dominate the box office.
 

commedieu

Banned
White washing combined with other issues led to a bomb. I was excited for the movie. Then saw the white washing, so it became a pass. There's probably at least 2 more people that felt the same way.

But you can't declare white washing wasnt a contributing factor. It's just offensive at this point in history. That's all, just contributing. Not the definitive reason.
 

Maxim726X

Member
Edge of Tomorrow is actually based on a Young Adult/Light novel, and wasn't made into a Manga until a decade later, just before the launch of the film. The Manga doesn't even have the same writer.

Really? I honestly had no idea.

What was the book called?
 

highrider

Banned
Did anyone expect otherwise? It's a live-action movie adaptation of an anime, it WILL be hated by fans of the original, ignored by people who never heard of the original, and only seen by those who are curious or bored.

Yeah, it had an uphill battle from the start. I could have possibly overcome that by being a great product but even then it just doesn't have broad appeal because most people aren't familiar with it. I'm not an anime fan and my only knowledge of gits is the psp game. But it sounds like mediocre movie that also has white washing which is a hot button issue now.
 

oti

Banned
I am okay with this.



lvao30b.gif

I'm so happy this gif exists.
 

jett

D-Member
Live by Night is definitely leading the bomb of the year race if we are comparing budgets to WW gross. $65M budget. $22M worldwide gross.

Monster trucks was $125M budget vs a $65M gross.


Ghost in the Shell won't even rank by the end of the year. It's basically just another Assassins Creed.

Wow AssCrud actually grossed $240M. If Ubisoft had been more judicious with its budget it would've been a real success.
 

TDLink

Member
Ghost in the Shell's opening was only $115k higher than Speed Racer.

That was 9 years ago though and GITS has the benefit of 3D tickets, so really GITS did worse. Also Speed Racer will always have the excuse of having to go up against Iron Man.
 

Firemind

Member
I hated their casting decisions, but I think the movie was just boring af. The small amount of action scenes can't hide it. Also the jackup your brain thing isn't a new concept anymore.
 

kirblar

Member
Edge of Tomorrow is based on an even more obscure manga that even less people in America knew or gave a shit about. GiTS bombed because they couldn't decide if they wanted to be faithful to the anime/manga or Americanize it. Instead they said fuck it and went halfsies doing neither justice and insulting everyone in the process.
X

Americanizing something is absolutely fine.

Doing a faithful translation is absolutely fine.

Trying to both will leave you with a mess.
 

Loudninja

Member
White washing combined with other issues led to a bomb. I was excited for the movie. Then saw the white washing, so it became a pass. There's probably at least 2 more people that felt the same way.

But you can't declare white washing wasnt a contributing factor. It's just offensive at this point in history. That's all, just contributing. Not the definitive reason.
Yep dont get hwy some people are saying this.

The controversy has been around for a long time with this movie.
 

Ninjimbo

Member
You might as well say books and comics aren't worth adapting either. If the story is interesting and you get a studio and people with confidents you can adapt anything.
Sure, except the best stories in anime/manga are pretty much the antithesis of what Hollywood usually makes. You'll never get a live action Mushishi from them and I know they'd butcher it anyway.
 
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=allyouneediskill.htm

Next time, do a 10 second search before posting. The movie, despite the fact that there was almost *no* marketing, made a lot of money. Last I heard there was a sequel in the works.

Who knew that a good movie could succeed?

In what world is a $28 million opening weekend a good number for a Tom Cruise lead?

Remember, we're in a thread where a $19 million is a bomb. Even adjusting for inflation, Edge of Tomorrow didn't do much better.
 

Maxim726X

Member
All You Need is Kill

All You Need is Kill

Damn, I stand corrected.

Were there any major changes between the book and the manga?

In what world is a $28 million opening weekend a good number for a Tom Cruise lead?

Uhh the fact that the movie overcame a shit opening weekend to gross almost 400 million WW is a testament that these movies can work, so I have no idea what point you're trying to make here.

GiTS is not Edge of Tomorrow.
 
This movie didn't bomb because of white washing or because it was an anime adaptation.

It bombed because it just wasn't that great. I mean it's not a terrible movie. It's ok. But there's nothing remarkable about it. And the action is bland and boring. And that came across in the trailers I think (which weren't very good). Then you have the negative reviews and word of mouth on top of that.

If the movie was better it would have done better, and that has nothing to do with white washing or what the source material is.

I said it in the BO thread too, but seeing the trailers in front of every movie I saw since Suicide Squad made it clear there wasn't much to the movie that wasn't already shown.
 
The show should have been called Kublai Khan. The entire idea that they were making a high budget show about fascinating Asian history, hired some great Asian actors, but they needed a white lead to sell it on Netflix. So they ruined the entire show by trying to hamfist some random White Dude into the story about Emperors and Princesses. I'm sure they didn't intend for it to be this way, but if you took out Marco Polo from Marco Polo the show would be 1000% better.
I mean, Marco Polo was a real guy who met the Khan (and worked in his court according to his own stories). Yes, fhe Khan's story was the best part of the show and the only reason I watched it, but describing Marco Polo as a random white dude with no reason to be there seems kind of silly IMO
 

Cyframe

Member
I'm more keyed into social issues than a lot in my circle, and even they were turned off from seeing the film.

I think when you're trying to reach a wider audience with a series, if you don't take into account the core fans and make an authentic attempt with a production, then they're certainly going to give their opinion, and it was a negative one.

Imagine the reception to Ghost in The Shell, if the core fanbase was enthused? The film would have had better goodwill for it.

At the very least, this puts to bed the notion of star power. Star power can't lift a film that by reviewers account isn't great.
 
... Monster Trucks made 65 million?? How?

Didn't the studio basically just say 'well, this movie was a bust' before it was even released? Did they promote that shitstain at all?

Paramount took a 115 million writedown on it in September 2016.

It released in January 2017 in the US.

That movie bombed so hard the shock waves went back in time
 

ferr

Member
The show should have been called Kublai Khan. The entire idea that they were making a high budget show about fascinating Asian history, hired some great Asian actors, but they needed a white lead to sell it on Netflix. So they ruined the entire show by trying to hamfist some random White Dude into the story about Emperors and Princesses. I'm sure they didn't intend for it to be this way, but if you took out Marco Polo from Marco Polo the show would be 1000% better.

So basically they should have made a completely different show
 
so what's the issue with casting? i know i'm asking a really old question but like a quick rundown...i'm guessing the creators didn't mind or care that they got a white lead but the fans wanted an asian cast?

i'll take it to mean that the creators knew that the movie had a better chance at success with whitewash rather than an asian lead or that the lead was never meant to be white?
 
Edge of Tomorrow is actually based on a Young Adult/Light novel, and wasn't made into a Manga until a decade later, just before the launch of the film. The Manga doesn't even have the same writer.

Ah, I always thought the manga was called 'All You Need Is Kill'. I stand corrected.
 

jett

D-Member
Thats not my point though. My point is it is not popular liek the poster i quoted. He said its near naruto, bleach, etc levels. Not even close.

Wel fair enough. I don't know about "most prominent", but GitS '95 is for sure one of the most influential and well-regarded anime productions out there. Back when it came out it was second only to Akira in terms of mainstream awareness.
 
All of this is true but that said, GitS was probably the best franchise to make a Western movie out of.

Nah. They could probably turn out a One Punch Man movie and have it do pretty well. A smartassed/satirical take on superhero bullshit? Deadpool booted that door open already.
 

Abounder

Banned
Don't worry manga/anime fans there is another - Alita: Battle Angel coming 2018

Not a fan of the whitewashing, also doesn't do much for female leads or Scarjo in particular...RIP Black Widow solo movie
 

Hagi

Member
In what world is a $28 million opening weekend a good number for a Tom Cruise lead?

Remember, we're in a thread where a $19 million is a bomb. Even adjusting for inflation, Edge of Tomorrow didn't do much better.

This world? you should probably take a look at his opening weekends..
 
Edge of Tomorrow is actually based on a Young Adult/Light novel, and wasn't made into a Manga until a decade later, just before the launch of the film. The Manga doesn't even have the same writer.
That just proved the point even more

Obscurity of source material doesnt matter, if the movie is decent and well received and not sent out to die with a bad release date

Who had heard of Kingsman? All You Need Is Kill? Guardians of the Galaxy?

It's a nail in the coffin of Hollywood anime bullshit. No one in the American market is trying to watch anything based on an anime. Even putting a white lady at the front of it couldn't fix that problem.
They should make a good movie.
 

Arjayes

Banned
I think if the creator says it's not whitewashing then it's not whitewashing.
Also, DB Goku isn't even from Earth so kinda confused there.
Avatar is set somewhere other than Earth as well... Japanese people made the source material so they have to be Asian?
DiCaprio in Akira would be whitewashing. I think Light Yagami being white in Death Note is whitewashing.

I mean someone correct me if I'm wrong and maybe I misunderstand what whitewashing is. I tend to be ignorant in current American social issues.
 

- J - D -

Member
Nah. They could probably turn out a One Punch Man movie and have it do pretty well. A smartassed/satirical take on superhero bullshit? Deadpool booted that door open already.

Yep. Give it to someone like Edgar Wright and the oddness mixed with the notoriety would propel it all the way to the bank.
 

Arkeband

Banned
That worked because it did the Marvel thing. Strip away everything but the basic concept and story and then make its own thing. I'd barely call it an adaptation though.

Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt doesn't hurt, either.

Though, that movie only made $29 million in its opening weekend, unless they re-released it under Live Die Repeat or whatever that fiasco was.
 

Hydrus

Member
I don't care what anyone says, for someone like myself who never watched the original anime, the movie was solid. Pisses me off that people bitched about having a white actress and shitted on this movie for that alone before it even released. Replace Johansen with a unknown asian actress just to please people and even less people would of watched it. It's no wonder Hollywood doesn't want to make live action movies based on anime or games.
 
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