Box Office 2005

[Kevin Roegele]

ok ill explain better. people say spiderman made so much because a spiderman movie had never been made before. they think batman cant make spiderman sized money because batman movies have been made before. what i am saying is, a movie about characters that have already been made into a movie, can be big. people had seen the movie star wars in 1999. people have seen the movie batman in 2005. but noone had seen the story episode one told, and noone has seen the story begins tells.

I understand now, thanks for clearing that up. I only agree with you to a point, though. Audiences will see a new Star Wars movie because Star Wars is story-driven. They want to see the rest of the story, be it episode VI or episode II. Batman is not story-driven. It's more spectacle/action driven. What's the story of Batman Begins? What's the story of any Batman movie? Some new lunatic(s) arrive in Gotham, Batman must defeat them whilst engaging in the obligatory romance.

 

[ultimatefan]

Fair enough.



Actually, it was the incredible mass appeal of the Batman brand that helped a campy ass suckfest like B&R gross over a 100 million at the U.S BO alone. Now, take that brand appeal, add in BB's nothing but positive hype, 6 script reviews (all of them enthusiastically optimistic about the direction this film is headed in), darker and more mature themes, an incredible cast (which includes real actors like Michael Caine, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman) - all of it under the supervision of the man who gave us Insomnia and Memento and its hard not to get excited about this film.



The only real threat to Batman IMO is Episode III. Spielberg's reputation as an infalllible filmmaker has faded away thanks to A.I and The Terminal. Peter Jackson's film opens in late Q4 to pose any serious threat (though it just might gross more than BB, we'll see). The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? Never heard of it. As for Harry Potter vs Batman, when it comes to popularity, I think it is painfully obvious which one has the upper hand.

I´m not sure I agree on everything, I mean, HP IS pretty huge, but... Yeah, the appeal of the character remains huge, in spite of B&R. His cartoons remained successful, the character has recently been at top of the comics sales charts and currently has a successful cartoon on TV.

 

[ultimatefan]

I understand now, thanks for clearing that up. I only agree with you to a point, though. Audiences will see a new Star Wars movie because Star Wars is story-driven. They want to see the rest of the story, be it episode VI or episode II. Batman is not story-driven. It's more spectacle/action driven. What's the story of Batman Begins? What's the story of any Batman movie? Some new lunatic(s) arrive in Gotham, Batman must defeat them whilst engaging in the obligatory romance.

That´s how the OLD franchise worked, BB´s mission is to show it´s different.

 

[Phaser]

What's the story of Batman Begins? What's the story of any Batman movie? Some new lunatic(s) arrive in Gotham, Batman must defeat them whilst engaging in the obligatory romance.

Actually it's Batman who arrives in Gotham in Batman Begins. The freaks are in Gotham already. And the romance is very, very low key, nowhere near the level of Peter Parker and MJ. This story is about the Dark Knight and that alone will tell audiences that this is a very different from the previous films which focused mainly on the villains.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Actually, it was the incredible mass appeal of the Batman brand that helped a campy ass suckfest like B&R gross over a 100 million at the U.S BO alone. Now, take that brand appeal, add in BB's nothing but positive hype, 6 script reviews (all of them enthusiastically optimistic about the direction this film is headed in), darker and more mature themes, an incredible cast (which includes real actors like Michael Caine, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman) - all of it under the supervision of the man who gave us Insomnia and Memento and its hard not to get excited about this film.

You're absolutely right about B&R's box office, I realised that after I posted. Indeed, it was Batman's mass appeal that let Warner Bros spend so much on such a lame duck and release it in the first place.

But the mass audience is still going to have Batman & Robin in their heads, which is why Warner Bros took so long to get this movie into production in the first place.

The only real threat to Batman IMO is Episode III. Spielberg's reputation as an infalllible filmmaker has faded away thanks to A.I and The Terminal. Peter Jackson's film opens in late Q4 to pose any serious threat (though it just might gross more than BB, we'll see). The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? Never heard of it. As for Harry Potter vs Batman, when it comes to popularity, I think it is painfully obvious which one has the upper hand.

Harry Potter vs Batman should be a movie in itself. Anyway, Batman may have over six decades on his side, but nothing is hotter than Potter right now. A new book is coming out this year, which has already had ridiculous advance orders. Harry Potter, as we know, appeals to all age groups, and many families. Batman Begins is going to be darker and more adult, and certainly won't appeal to such a wide age range. It won't be Spider-Man, that's for sure.

Having said that, every previous Batman film has been one of the biggest movies of it's year in terms of both publicity and box office. Batman was the biggest of 1989, Batman Returns only beaten by Aladdin and The Bodyguard (what sort of person would watch The Bodyguard rather than Batman Returns?!) in '92, and Forever was second to Toy Story in '95. In '97, the summer was considered beforehand as a face-off between Batman (and Robin) and The Lost World.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

That´s how the OLD franchise worked, BB´s mission is to show it´s different.

Actually it's Batman who arrives in Gotham in Batman Begins. The freaks are in Gotham already. And the romance is very, very low key, nowhere near the level of Peter Parker and MJ. This story is about the Dark Knight and that alone will tell audiences that this is a very different from the previous films which focused mainly on the villains.

Sorry, I didn't make that clear. When I said:

What's the story of Batman Begins? What's the story of any Batman movie? Some new lunatic(s) arrive in Gotham, Batman must defeat them whilst engaging in the obligatory romance.

....I meant that's what the general public think of the stories in Batman movies. They don't go to see the story.

 

[ultimatefan]

Sorry, I didn't make that clear. When I said:

What's the story of Batman Begins? What's the story of any Batman movie? Some new lunatic(s) arrive in Gotham, Batman must defeat them whilst engaging in the obligatory romance.

....I meant that's what the general public think of the stories in Batman movies. They don't go to see the story.

And that´s the perception the new movie has to change.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

And that´s the perception the new movie has to change.

I don't know. That's the basic story of any superhero movie. At the end of the day, Batman is going to be defending Gotham from supervillains, romancing a girl, etc. The rules of the genre dictate that. Chris Nolan may make Begins have a more complex story and more developed characters, but it's like The Living Daylights or On Her Majesty's Secret Service or Licence to Kill - at the end of the day it's still a Bond movie.

 

[Phaser]

I don't know. That's the basic story of any superhero movie. At the end of the day, Batman is going to be defending Gotham from supervillains, romancing a girl, etc. The rules of the genre dictate that. Chris Nolan may make Begins have a more complex story and more developed characters, but it's like The Living Daylights or On Her Majesty's Secret Service or Licence to Kill - at the end of the day it's still a Bond movie.

The general audience like simplicity. That is why movies like Pulp Fiction and Memento didn't make a buttload of cash at the BO. Tossing in úber-complex themes, plot structure and character or anything new fresh, unique and different is when they start to go "huh?".

 

[ultimatefan]

I don't know. That's the basic story of any superhero movie. At the end of the day, Batman is going to be defending Gotham from supervillains, romancing a girl, etc. The rules of the genre dictate that. Chris Nolan may make Begins have a more complex story and more developed characters, but it's like The Living Daylights or On Her Majesty's Secret Service or Licence to Kill - at the end of the day it's still a Bond movie.

The key here is continuity. The Batman movies threw any continuity to space from a movie to the others. The new superhero movies, like the X-Men and Spider-Man, are going more for the notion of an ongoing story, like in comics. According to Goyer, there´s a basic "roadmap" for three of four Batman movies.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

The key here is continuity. The Batman movies threw any continuity to space from a movie to the others. The new superhero movies, like the X-Men and Spider-Man, are going more for the notion of an ongoing story, like in comics. According to Goyer, there´s a basic "roadmap" for three of four Batman movies.

That is indeed good news, and also a sign of the times. This idea comes from both the Marvel movies, and also the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings series', which are each one big story told in episodes. You can't watch one movie and not see the others, you don't get completion, the whole story.

 

[WarBlade]

well count King Kong out of being the box office champ for 2005 as it opens to late in the year to be worldwide BO king.

Funny. Some recent highest grosses were late in the year:
2001 - November
2002 - December
2003 - December

And am I the only one who thinks Narnia´s popularity is being blown out of proportion?

Actually it's woefully under represented by SHH members IMO. It gets the occasional mention and here I'm sitting thinking, "this is going to be one of the top movie events of 2005 and instead people are saying Batman will top the charts???"

 

[Hunter Rider]

Funny. Some recent highest grosses were late in the year:
2001 - November
2002 - December
2003 - December

if your talking about LOTR then that is wrong as they made the bulk of their money in the next year.In order to be the #1 world wide Box office champ for 2005 you have to be the film with the most money by the end of the year and with a december 14th release date i don't care how good it is it will not make more money in 2 weeks than the likes of ROTS and WOTW make in there entire run

 

[Kmack]

What if Madagascar ended up being the #1 movie of 05

 

[Hunter Rider]

What if Madagascar ended up being the #1 movie of 05

i'd cry

 

[Kmack]

Its just that no one would have thought Shrek 2 would end up being the 3 best selling movie of all time (domestically of course)

Or the #1 movie of 04. I'm still weeping over it

 

[ultimatefan]

Its just that no one would have thought Shrek 2 would end up being the 3 best selling movie of all time (domestically of course)

Or the #1 movie of 04. I'm still weeping over it

It´s shameful. The most undeserving megablockbuster since The Phantom Menace... Oh, and Passion Of The Christ.

 

[WarBlade]

There's nothing shameful in it at all. It's a globally successful film because it has global appeal to everyone from children to their grannies. Plus it's actually a good movie.

 

[ultimatefan]

It´s just okay, IMO. And actually inferior to the first.

 

[Kmack]

It´s shameful. The most undeserving megablockbuster since The Phantom Menace... Oh, and Passion Of The Christ.

I totally agree

 

[Edward Brock]

Guys, will anyone explain to me what's the deal with Meet the Fockers?

Nice opening for White Noise too, go Michael Keaton!!!

 

[BATBOYYY]

i think the four big movies of summer 05 will be in the following order

1 BATMAN BEGINS
2 SROTS
3 WOTW
4 CATCF

these four will be the big movies of summer 05 not to sure if it will be BATMAN BEGINS taking the number 1 spot or ROTS

 

[Galactus]

North America

1. White Noise ($24,1 million)

 

[Phoney Bone]

2. Underestimating the mass-appeal of the character? Mass appeal is not enough, my friend. Mass-appeal didn't help Batman & Robin. And the character certainly had less mass appeal after Batman & Robin.

Actually, Batman and Robin still made a lot at the BO.

 

[Kmack]

Which is sad