Birds of Prey BoP Box Office Thread

[Invader Joker]

I think the R rating is fine but I could be wrong. I have to rewatch the trailers because nothing about it screamed: "Aimed at children and teens" so I don't think that would've mattered.

As someone that's 18 years old I can tell you for sure everything about this film screams "teenagers" and especially "teenage girls".

 

[MadVillainy]

Suicide Squad doesn't open to 130m+ if current WB got their hands on it

I've been saying for a while now that WB's marketing game has fallen off a cliff post 2016. Outside of that dumb Doomsday trailer, the marketing for MOS, BvS and SS was great and was evidenced by the big openings.

Say you want about WB, but damn used to have some phenomenal marketing minds.
The MoS teaser is still my favorite teaser or all time. Even if stuff wasn't being made in house, someone or some people knew how to dictate what they want in a trailer.

But with BoP and Shazam, it's not even just trailers. With Shazam and Harley Quinn the characters really lend themselves to do really cool social campaigns or posters or even viral marketing. Deadpool I think was the last movie(s) that did that well.

 

[Mysteryman]

Well, if that's the case, I think that it can be argued they didn't do a good job reaching their target audience.

 

[Sithborg]

I mean, for whatever reason, there were quite a few young girls at my 7 pm show. Not sure if they were fans of the character or the parents were just bad parents. Luckily, it wasn't a super hard R movie.

I just think the marketing team did not know how to market this film.

 

[MadVillainy]

When I get a chance later I gotta rewatch the trailers. Because I Didn't get a teenager vibe from this at all.

I mean, for whatever reason, there were quite a few young girls at my 7 pm show. Not sure if they were fans of the character or the parents were just bad parents. Luckily, it wasn't a super hard R movie.

I just think the marketing team did not know how to market this film.

Eh not really. Kids have been seeing hard R movies like Deadpool, Robocop and Lethal Weapon for years. Doesn't make you a bad parent if you let your kid go

 

[Invader Joker]

Say you want about WB, but damn used to have some phenomenal marketing minds.
The MoS teaser is still my favorite teaser or all time. Even if stuff wasn't being made in house, someone or some people knew how to dictate what they want in a trailer.

But with BoP and Shazam, it's not even just trailers. With Shazam and Harley Quinn the characters really lend themselves to do really cool social campaigns or posters or even viral marketing. Deadpool I think was the last movie(s) that did that well.

They definitely tried that with especially Harley. I really don't think the marketing was bad.

 

[Erzengel]

It still made 4.16 times it's budget, which is great.

It’s still an animated movie. It should be compared to other R Rated CBM that have cost similarly to what BOP did.

 

[Micromind]

I remember it was rumored recently that they were planning to sell off DC assets to pay for some of their debt.

It was just some BS rumor based on the fact that DC Comics was going to cut down on the number of titles published by them and also based on the fact that WB closed down Mad Magazine.

I doubt DC Comics would be sold off like they did with TIME Magazine. It's far too valuable property for them, without DC, they would have to rely on Licensed properties to (like TOHO's Godzilla, Pikachu) to make movies.

 

[SomeOldGuy]

Ghostbusters(2016) got a higher opening weekend at $46 M but then it had higher budget at $144M, which prevented it from breaking even (worldwide: $229M).

Yeah, I think the real lesson here is “don’t spend $97 million (BoP’s reported budget before tax credits) on a Harley Quinn movie.” Somehow they made other female-led actioners like Atomic Blonde and Charlie’s Angels for $30-50 million. I get why you need $100 million for Shazam, with its effects-heavy character and baddie. But Harley? She swings a big mallet.

 

[writer0327]

Well what you're mentioning is different than "No One Asked for This"

There wasn't any hype for this not because no one asked for it. It's because the marketing didn't hit like that.

Making movies people are asking for is built in hype. Marketing takes it to the next level.

 

[MadVillainy]

They definitely tried that with especially Harley. I really don't think the marketing was bad.

They really didn't or at least the push wasn't there.
You can get real creative:
-Do a lot with memes,
-Making a Harley Quinn twitter account where some tweets in character similar to what they did with Ted back in 2011-2012,
-Better, more engaging, more fun more widespread social contests
-You could've done some original comedy videos like remember when Loki went to a kindergarten class I think for Thor II. Robbie would've been great doing that. Or like all the BoP's do group therapy or something for a YT video.
-Parody posters.
All those are more creative than what they did. They did the minimum of what they could've done with a Harley Quinn comedy heavy movie. Harley Quinn is a real character. She has personality. The Deadpool comparisons are overdone, but she is a character similar to DP where his personality allowes you to do more than the standard: posters, trailers, paid social ads

And I know the marketing wasn't good because I'm seeing multiple saying that or if they actually go an see the movie: "It's better than the trailers made it out to be"

 

[MadVillainy]

Making movies people are asking for is built in hype. Marketing takes it to the next level.

But marketing is still the key is the point. You can make people care about anything with marketing.

 

[Micromind]

Yeah, I think the real lesson here is “don’t spend $97 million (BoP’s reported budget before tax credits) on a Harley Quinn movie.” Somehow they made other female-led actioners like Atomic Blonde and Charlie’s Angels for $30-50 million. I get why you need $100 million for Shazam, with its effects-heavy character and baddie. But Harley? She swings a big mallet.

Tomb Raider had $94M budget, which is higher than that of BoP, and it had even lower opening week at $24M. But it managed to do well at Overseas market and reached at worldwide total of $274 M. So, each movie has it's own quirks. Let's see what happens here.

Edit: The movie's also getting a sequel.

 

[Micromind]

No China release for Birds of Prey, which places it in league with other DC movies that didn't get China release (The dark Knight, Suicide Squad, Joker)

 

[Invader Joker]

I did notice the music for this went a lot less viral than the Suicide Squad music.

I've seen youtubers that get more views in a day than those songs that have been out for like 2 weeks now on youtube. Meanwhile the Suicide Squad songs were GIGANTIC.

 

[Micromind]

I did notice the music for this went a lot less viral than the Suicide Squad music.

I've seen youtubers that get more views in a day than those songs that have been out for like 2 weeks now on youtube. Meanwhile the Suicide Squad songs were GIGANTIC.

That's because a section of people actively avoided anything associated with this movie, this was deemed as movie aimed at Teenage girls, just like Shazam was deemed as a movie for Kids.

(and Joker for Incels, whatever that means, a perception created by mainstream media).

 

[Rorschach2012]

I think this movie has one of the worst titles of all time. Not exaggerating. A really dumb, try-hard title.

Should’ve called it “Harley Quinn” because that’s what it ****ing was. “Batman” was called “Batman” even though it had supporting characters like Joker and Alfred. The movie wasn’t titled “Joker and the Gothic Misadventures of one Batman”, it was called “Batman”.

A sequel/spinoff focusing on the Birds of Prey could’ve had “BOP” in the title. This didn’t need it, and overly complicated things.

 

[Rorschach2012]

That's because a section of people actively avoided anything associated with this movie, this was deemed as movie aimed at Teenage girls, just like Shazam was deemed as a movie for Kids.

(and Joker for Incels, whatever that means, a perception created by mainstream media).

I haven’t read this whole thread, but no one can blame the audience for this movie failing. No one. That’s all on the studio and the marketing. 100%.

 

[MadVillainy]

I think this movie has one of the worst titles of all time. Not exaggerating. A really dumb, try-hard title.

Should’ve called it “Harley Quinn” because that’s what it ****ing was. “Batman” was called “Batman” even though it had supporting characters like Joker and Alfred. The movie wasn’t titled “Joker and the Gothic Misadventures of one Batman”, it was called “Batman”.

A sequel/spinoff focusing on the Birds of Prey could’ve had “BOP” in the title. This didn’t need it, and overly complicated things.

"Try Hard" is what I felt looking at a lot of this movie.

Anywho, yeah they should've called it Harley Quinn and the Birds of Prey or just The Adventures of Harley Quinn or something. DOn't think that wouldn't have made the movie do much better. But still

 

[Micromind]

I haven’t read this whole thread, but no one can blame the audience for this movie failing. No one. That’s all on the studio and the marketing. 100%.

The Target audience (female demographic) didn't show-up to see this in as many numbers as they did for Captain Marvel. Just watch them go to see Black Widow movie 10 times.

 

[Invader Joker]

That's because a section of people actively avoided anything associated with this movie, this was deemed as movie aimed at Teenage girls, just like Shazam was deemed as a movie for Kids.

(and Joker for Incels, whatever that means, a perception created by mainstream media).

If anything, the music reinforces the fact that this movie is for teenage girls.

But even then I'm still surprised at the low view numbers those songs are pulling in. Interesting indeed.

 

[Silver Surfer]

I thought I would be surprised by this flopping, but I'm not. They made a very good movie, but they made it for the wrong target audience. Instead of teenage girls, they should have targeted teenage boys and single men.

Make this the Magic Mike version of a super hero movie. Sexify the s*** out of it. You have one of the most sexiest women in the world as your lead, lean into it.

 

[Micromind]

I fear that due to BoP's failure, WB might cut down the screen-time of Harley Quinn in James Gunn's The Suicide Squad. It would be real shame if they did something like that.

 

[Invader Joker]

I thought I would be surprised by this flopping, but I'm not. They made a very good movie, but they made it for the wrong target audience. Instead of teenage girls, they should have targeted teenage boys and single men.

Make this the Magic Mike version of a super hero movie. Sexify the s*** out of it. You have one of the most sexiest women in the world as your lead, lean into it.

I really don't know if that'd have worked because I think horny men would rather... ya know, stay home and on their computers if they wanted to watch sexy women.

I think they should've just given everyone better designs, not necessarily more sexy, just cooler.

 

[Erzengel]

The Target audience (female demographic) didn't show-up to see this in as many numbers as they did for Captain Marvel. Just watch them go to see Black Widow movie 10 times.

Or Wonder Woman?