Support NeoGAF

[Memles]

Weekend Box Office - June 10-12, 2005
1. Mr. and Mrs. Smith - $51 Million
2. Madagascar - $17.1 Million
3. Revenge of the Sith - $14.85 Million
4. The Longest Yard - $13.5 Million
5. Shark Boy and Lavagirl in 3D - $12.5 Million

Other Debuts
7. The Honeymooners - $5.8 Million
14. Howl's Moving Castle - $401,000 (36 Theatres)

Notables
6. Cinderella Man - $9.45 Million (49% drop)

It's the highest opening of the year other than Revenge of the Sith, but it's yet to be seen whether or not Batman will take a bite out of its second weekend. A film like Van Helsing opened similarly, but you wonder whether or not the appeal of Pitt/Jolie could actually hurt Batman a fair amount.

Next Week: Batman Begins and the expansion of Howl's Moving Castle.

 

[Willco]

Batman Begins and Mr. and Mrs. Smith are different demographics. Begins is more the Star Wars demo.

 

[Boogie9IGN]

Be afraid of the Batman

 

[GhaleonEB]

ROTS continues to drop hard. No way it will match TPM. Probably won't even hit $400m. Still a monster haul, though.

 

[siege]

Begins is opening on 4000 screens I believe. Should do $80 million easily over the weekend.

 

[Memles]

ROTS continues to drop hard. No way it will match TPM. Probably won't even hit $400m. Still a monster haul, though.

While it is dropping faster than either of its predecessors (Prequels) it only dropped 40% this past weekend, which is fairly good in the box office climate.

And, Wilco, I'm not convinced of that. For Batman to be a real success and truly revive the franchise, it needs more than just the comic book demographic. I think it needs the average joe to think "Hey, Batman!" and go for the action. The reality is that Batman and Mr. and Mrs. Smith are both action films...one of them is summer popcorn blockbuster, the other is psychological thriller action blockbuster, but the reality is that they are, at their core, appealing to people who like to see stuff blown up. And, due to exposure, I think quite a few of those average joes will pick the Smiths.

 

[GhaleonEB]

They are both action movies, and as such will overlap some. Though, I suspect Smith will skew a little older (though with Batman going way back, even that is not certain).

 

[Willco]

And, Wilco, I'm not convinced of that. For Batman to be a real success and truly revive the franchise, it needs more than just the comic book demographic. I think it needs the average joe to think "Hey, Batman!" and go for the action. The reality is that Batman and Mr. and Mrs. Smith are both action films...one of them is summer popcorn blockbuster, the other is psychological thriller action blockbuster, but the reality is that they are, at their core, appealing to people who like to see stuff blown up. And, due to exposure, I think quite a few of those average joes will pick the Smiths.

Not quite. They're both action movies, but they're both targeting different demographics. Again, the demo for Batman is similiar to the kind that saw Star Wars, which is not the demo that made Mr. and Mrs. Smith a success.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

supposedly Mr and MRS smith has a had a troubled history? can someone give me the rundown cause it did seem heavily edited when i saw it.

 

[Memles]

Not quite. They're both action movies, but they're both targeting different demographics. Again, the demo for Batman is similiar to the kind that saw Star Wars, which is not the demo that made Mr. and Mrs. Smith a success.

Fair enough...I think you're underestimating the fact that the average joe moviegoer will more or less have to choose between the two films. I'm not saying that Batman will bomb, or anything of the sort...I simply think that it would do better if not going against a second weekend of a film like Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

 

[Willco]

Fair enough...I think you're underestimating the fact that the average joe moviegoer will more or less have to choose between the two films. I'm not saying that Batman will bomb, or anything of the sort...I simply think that it would do better if not going against a second weekend of a film like Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

I don't think Batman is going to do super huge numbers regardless. It's just a franchise that's seen two shitty films prior to this one and the wound is not quite healed. Batman has never pulled in the more casual date/older crowd, and I doubt Begins will. I predict $80 for its first weekend, though. But I don't think Mr. and Mrs. Smith is going to have much impact on it.

 

[Odnetnin]

Personally, I'm NOT drawn to Christian Bale as a star or as batman. Everytime I see the movie trailer.. I go meh. The art direction of old/grotty batman also seems a bit off/unpolished.

 

[Willco]

Personally, I'm NOT drawn to Christian Bale as a star or as batman. Everytime I see the movie trailer.. I go meh. The art direction of old/grotty batman also seems a bit off/unpolished.

Well, that's just because you have bad taste, but that's okay.

 

[Odnetnin]

Well, that's just because you have bad taste, but that's okay.

I tried my best to like Equilibrium.

 

[Willco]

I tried my best to like Equilibrium.

I don't care about that, but Batman Begins is class.

 

[Odnetnin]

I don't care about that, but Batman Begins is class.

have you seen it?

I didn't care for what's his face as batman mentor. Seemed to echo Phantom Menace and his role his mentor in that one. :shudders

And Morgan Freeman has been in way too many B-type movies lately. I don't know what happened, he used to be so awesome

 

[Dan]

I don't think Batman is going to do super huge numbers regardless. It's just a franchise that's seen two shitty films prior to this one and the wound is not quite healed. Batman has never pulled in the more casual date/older crowd, and I doubt Begins will. I predict $80 for its first weekend, though. But I don't think Mr. and Mrs. Smith is going to have much impact on it.

You mean $80 million for Wednesday through Sunday, or just the weekend? It's going to have to get some killer word of mouth real quick to do that well over the weekend.

It'll also hurt some that parents will be less likely to bring kids to see this one given the more scary nature.

 

[siege]

have you seen it?

I didn't care for what's his face as batman mentor. Seemed to echo Phantom Menace and his role his mentor in that one. :shudders

And Morgan Freeman has been in way too many B-type movies lately. I don't know what happened, he used to be so awesome

Ok, Liam Neeson is the man, regardless of the role he is playing.

 

[Willco]

have you seen it?

No, I've read the script and seen enough to make that decision. The script was fantastic.

I didn't care for what's his face as batman mentor. Seemed to echo Phantom Menace and his role his mentor in that one. :shudders

:lol Haha, if Ducard is a Jedi, then Batman Begins is another type of movie.

And Morgan Freeman has been in way too many B-type movies lately. I don't know what happened, he used to be so awesome

The guy just won an Oscar.

You mean $80 million for Wednesday through Sunday, or just the weekend? It's going to have to get some killer word of mouth real quick to do that well over the weekend.

Not really. It's on a bazillion screens. It'll get that on saturation alone.

It'll also hurt some that parents will be less likely to bring kids to see this one given the more scary nature.

That never hurt the Burton films and parents were so pissed off that Batman Returns toys were pulled from Happy Meals. This isn't targeted towards kids, anyway.

 

[deadhorse32]

And Morgan Freeman has been in way too many B-type movies lately. I don't know what happened, he used to be so awesome

3 words : Million dollar baby

 

[number386]

14. Howl's Moving Castle - $401,000 (36 Theatres)

Thats not to shabby with only 36 theatres, I wonder how a miyazki film would do with a decent budget advertisment campaign with 1200 theartes *sigh*. Sadly their hasn't been much advertisment to raise awareness. Disney should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Barrage]

Poor,poor Honeymooners. The movie never had a chance from the word go. Shame, because I saw it and it was surprisingly funny. I just find it irritating that certain people on the internet enjoy movies like the Honeymooners flopping for..........alternate reasons.

 

[GhaleonEB]

have you seen it?

I didn't care for what's his face as batman mentor. Seemed to echo Phantom Menace and his role his mentor in that one. :shudders

And Morgan Freeman has been in way too many B-type movies lately. I don't know what happened, he used to be so awesome

All I'm gonna say is, commercials don't show you everything. Don't judge a book, etc. ;p

 

[gofreak]

There's adultery in Mr & Mrs Smith? :confused

 

[Willco]

There's adultery in Mr & Mrs Smith? :confused

The popular speculation is that Jolie broke up Pitt and Aniston's marriage.

 

[gofreak]

The popular speculation is that Jolie broke up Pitt and Aniston's marriage.

Right right right, my bad

Pitt & Jolie are pretty hot together. That's a Hollywood coupling I could bless!

 

[Mike Works]

Batman Begins and Mr. and Mrs. Smith are different demographics.

Not really.

 

[Odnetnin]

All I'm gonna say is, commercials don't show you everything. Don't judge a book, etc. ;p

I know. Thanks. You know what's scary. I'm a bit of a movie buff but I'm more interested in Fantastic 4 than I am in Batman Begins.

The former just looks SO fun.

/awaits trout slap

 

[Willco]

Not really.

Yeah, really. I can tell you from internal marketing that Batman Begins is aimed at young males around the same age FOX targeted Star Wars with. Mr. and Mrs. Smith is ironically aimed at the same demographic that director Doug Liman's other hit, The Bourne Identity, really clicked with -- which is not only older than Batman Begins, but both male and female.

GhaleonEB is right that it'll somewhat overlap because they're both action movies and thus, it might draw away some younger males, but it's not going to take away business. It's the reason why Warner Bros. moved the release date closer to Mr. and Mrs. Smith and farther away from War of the Worlds, as it's not really worried about Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but rather more worried that War of the Worlds will take their viewers. And they're hoping that Batman will be frontloaded enough to weather Spielberg's flick and come out with a decent box office haul.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

7. The Honeymooners - $5.8 Million

"Mmmm Mmmm, whats up now, bitch?"

 

[Memles]

Thats not to shabby with only 36 theatres, I wonder how a miyazki film would do with a decent budget advertisment campaign with 1200 theartes *sigh*. Sadly their hasn't been much advertisment to raise awareness. Disney should be ashamed of themselves.

I think it is very clear that Disney simply doesn't have enough faith in the films to succeed.

 

[Willco]

I heard the only reason why Disney is even handling the Miyazaki films because some of the elite at Pixar forced them to do so, 'tis true?

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

I heard the only reason why Disney is even handling the Miyazaki films because some of the elite at Pixar forced them to do so, 'tis true?

They may have good intentions but they may be hurting the films more than helping them.

Anyway, summer 2007 for Mr. & Mrs. Smith 2 then.

 

[Memles]

I heard the only reason why Disney is even handling the Miyazaki films because some of the elite at Pixar forced them to do so, 'tis true?

Well, I think there are a lot of reasons.

- Yes, John Lasseter was responsible for getting Spirited Away a theatrical release by producing and directing the English dub. But, I'm doubting that was the only reason.

- Disney doesn't want to see someone else get their hands on it...they'd rather mismanage them themselves instead of someone else profiting.

 

[WrathOfOtaibah]

It's the highest opening of the year other than Revenge of the Sith

Wrong. The Longest Yard brought in $60 million.

 

[Bog]

Yeah, even Madagascar made more its opening weekend. How bad is your memory?

 

[Willco]

Maybe he meant biggest opening weekend that's not a holiday?

 

[Bog]

Yes, I'm sure that's what he meant.

 

[Dan]

I heard the only reason why Disney is even handling the Miyazaki films because some of the elite at Pixar forced them to do so, 'tis true?

Disney made the deal with Ghibli (in 1996) and then someone at Disney found out that Lasseter was a huge fan and asked him to help with Spirited Away, which was several years later. No one at Pixar has any power to make Disney do anything with regard to the Ghibli films.

Why Disney does such a halfassed job at marketing these films is anyone's guess. Whether it's some diabolical scheme to keep any other studio from having the films or whether it's a belief that mainstream America won't jump to see them, who knows.

 

[Willco]

Disney made the deal with Ghibli (in 1996) and then someone at Disney found out that Lasseter was a huge fan and asked him to help with Spirited Away, which was several years later. No one at Pixar has any power to make Disney do anything with regard to the Ghibli films.

Well, obviously, they can exert some pressure due to their dominance of the animation market and Disney's reliance on them. But I found it hard to believe that Pixar top brass would jeopardize their working relationship with Disney over anime.

Why Disney does such a halfassed job at marketing these films is anyone's guess. Whether it's some diabolical scheme to keep any other studio from having the films or whether it's a belief that mainstream America won't jump to see them, who knows.

Eisner Mode: IT'S A NICHE MARKET FOR NERDS, JUST SHOW IT IN FIVE THEATRES AND WILL RAKE IN THE DVD CASH.

 

[GhaleonEB]

We all may have missed what the X-factor could be for the Smiths: Female audiences.

Produced for $110M, Mr. & Mrs. Smith boasted broad appeal and successfully attracted different audience groups with an entertaining product that offered huge stars and was clearly different from anything in the marketplace. Studio research indicated that females made up 56% of the crowd while 57% were 25 and older.

I doubt Batman will prove to be as much of a date movie - the two could co-exist better than I thought. (Got the info from Boxofficeguru.com .)

 

[Willco]

We all may have missed what the X-factor could be for the Smiths: Female audiences.

No we didn't, I specifically said that. That's what they were targeting the entire time.

I doubt Batman will prove to be as much of a date movie - the two could co-exist better than I thought. (Got the info from Boxofficeguru.com .)

Wow, imagine that! What I've been saying ALL ALONG.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

WB should just release some pics of American Psycho and pass them off as Batman media. That will draw the ladies! And the gays!

 

[DMczaf]

"I remember when I was in shape..."

 

[Link1110]

7. The Honeymooners - $5.8 Million

Oh well, that movie was a travesty anyway.

 

[Shinobi]

Personally, I'm NOT drawn to Christian Bale as a star or as batman. Everytime I see the movie trailer.. I go meh. The art direction of old/grotty batman also seems a bit off/unpolished.

I know. Thanks. You know what's scary. I'm a bit of a movie buff but I'm more interested in Fantastic 4 than I am in Batman Begins.

The former just looks SO fun.

:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

And I thought it was pretty obvious to anyone with a working brain that Mr and Mrs Smith's demo included a large chunk of the 18-35 year old female audience, which Batman Begins probably won't have. I mean I figured this out weeks ago, which is why I knew it would do as well as it did.

 

[samus4ever]

Wrong. The Longest Yard brought in $60 million.

wrong.

it made $47,606,480 for the weekend.

then it made $58,613,241 for the 4 day holiday.

so. Mr. And Mrs Smith is actually the 2nd biggest opening of the year.

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=weekend&id=longestyard05.htm

 

[advancegrant]

I saw Howls Moving Castle this weekend - great film, a few more locations and some great word of mouth should do it some good!

 

[NintendosBooger]

Batman Begins will be butter.

I don't expect it to break box office records or even outclass the first installment in terms of sales (inflation considered), but I do expect it to return legitimacy and a solid foundation to the franchise.

Question: does Batman Begins adhere to the continuity established by the other movies, or are they "starting over"? If the latter, I'm going to be really excited. I wouldn't mind one bit if Joker made a reappearance in a future installment. I never agreed that he should have died in the first flick any way.

 

[nfreakct]

I'm pretty sure Howl's Moving Castle moves into wide release next week, by wide more extensive than the Spirited Away post-Oscar release, so at least +200 theatres showing it.

Which is the most anyone could ask for really, you're not going to see a +2000 theatre anime film showing anytime soon.

Edit: I should rectify my statements, Disney is at least expanding beyond 200 theatres next week (so a more gradual wide release plan typical of small films). At any rate, all major markets and just about all secondary markets should get it.