Green Lantern Box Office Prediction Thread - Part 1

[KalMart]

I just get the feeling that some fans are just trying to find reasons other than the bleeding obvious for it's bad box office. The reviews were poor, even the fan reviews I've seen are not glowing, some even down right angry, and if that's the case this film is the issue, not the concept. You can't blame joe average for thinking 'might skip this one'.

Some are saying that joe average is exactly who this movie should appeal to, though....in a straight-forward fun kind of way....that an element of film-snobbery or such is at the heart of GL's criticism.

 

[Mysteryman]

Film snobbery from fans and average moviegoers alike?

 

[KalMart]

Film snobbery from fans and average moviegoers alike?

It can happen.

 

[jmc]

Some are saying that joe average is exactly who this movie should appeal to, though....in a straight-forward fun kind of way....that an element of film-snobbery or such is at the heart of GL's criticism.

Well clearly it's not. If concepts like Thor can be given a pass than the reason for Green Lanterns failing is itself. There's no-more snobbery for this film compared to any other superhero film, sometimes films just don't work.

 

[moviedoors]

It can happen.

Or maybe it was just the execution.

 

[KalMart]

Or maybe it was just the execution.

Either that...or the bad execution.



But then...there's always execution.

 

[Episode29]

This is obviously anecdotal evidence, but my experience was that the normies who I know in my daily life were, for whatever reason, interested in Thor. Many of them made the trip out opening weekend to see it. My sister and her boyfriend, who see maybe 2 movies in theatres a year, made an effort to see it.

On the opposite side of the coin, my friends and family were pretty vocal that they thought GL looked "stupid" and "corny." I literally had to beg my friend to go see it with me for FREE! When I posted on FB that I was headed out to see it, I got a chorus of reply statements saying things like "Why?" and "What a waste of time!" Now, I didn't agree with their sentiments prior to seeing it, but they obviously weren't liking what they seeing in the tv spots/trailers/etc for whatever reason.

Now, my little example means nothing in the broader picture, it's just an interesting consensus among my little microcosm.

 

[The Morningstar]

DareDevil and Ghost Rider were released at the time when there was no high expectations from a comic book movie, it just needed to be entertaining, that is the bar was not raised (as is the case now post TDK, Iron Man.)

So, DD at 45 % and GR at 25 % is actually lower than GL at 25 % (as it is released in 2011, when there is a higher standard for cbms.)

I acknowledge that the GL movie has flaws and it should have been better, but the ratings at RT are not really fair.

Daredevil wasn't just "entertaining" it was actually quite thought provoking and deep. It was just that Tom Rothman butchered the theatrical release and had them cut out a whole sub plot about Matt Murdock as a lawyer and his Catholic upbrining. Basically, they cut out about 30 minutes of character development. The Directors Cut is far superior, and if that was the version that got released and reviewed, I guarantee it would have been more critically acclaimed.

 

[moviedoors]

I really didn't care for the Daredevil director's cut either. I never thought the theatrical cut was that bad, just not all that good. I wish I could remember the new cut better, as I'm at a bit of loss as to what I didn't like so much about it, I just remember that I didn't think any more highly of it in its R rated form.

 

[The Morningstar]

I liked that it showed Murdock as a lawyer more. And his Catholic upbringing. Rothman and co basically just cut out a load of character development, for some strange reason.

 

[chamber-music]

Just read that Green Lantern made only £717,000 this weekend over here in the UK.

Stick a fork in it, this film is done.

Only a miracle can save Green Lantern.....

Damn couldn't even make a million pounds on opening weekend

This is obviously anecdotal evidence, but my experience was that the normies who I know in my daily life were, for whatever reason, interested in Thor. Many of them made the trip out opening weekend to see it. My sister and her boyfriend, who see maybe 2 movies in theatres a year, made an effort to see it.

On the opposite side of the coin, my friends and family were pretty vocal that they thought GL looked "stupid" and "corny." I literally had to beg my friend to go see it with me for FREE! When I posted on FB that I was headed out to see it, I got a chorus of reply statements saying things like "Why?" and "What a waste of time!" Now, I didn't agree with their sentiments prior to seeing it, but they obviously weren't liking what they seeing in the tv spots/trailers/etc for whatever reason.

Now, my little example means nothing in the broader picture, it's just an interesting consensus among my little microcosm.

My friends were the same. They thought GL looked a bit goofy. If you can't convince the non-comic reading audience to see the film you will struggle

 

[Saitou Hajime]

I liked that it showed Murdock as a lawyer more. And his Catholic upbringing. Rothman and co basically just cut out a load of character development, for some strange reason.

The main thing the DC fixed is that now the climax of the movie made sense. A lot of people were confused by the whole "the word's out on the Kingpin" bit at the end, mainly because the suits excised a whole subplot integral to it.

 

[FreeRadical]

Damn couldn't even make a million pounds on opening weekend

Actually I made a mistake, that's for Friday. It actually made £3million this weekend in the UK.

 

[ddddeeee]

Actually I made a mistake, that's for Friday. It actually made £3million this weekend in the UK.

Which is barely half of Thor and X-Men and they both had previews.

 

[FreeRadical]

Which is barely half of Thor and X-Men and they both had previews.

Yeah, the international box office even though it's hasn't been released everywhere, is only $17million so far. The public must be really put off by the film, every TV ad break I have seen over the past week was Green Lantern.

 

[Showtime]

Some are saying that joe average is exactly who this movie should appeal to, though....in a straight-forward fun kind of way....that an element of film-snobbery or such is at the heart of GL's criticism.

I've seen this a lot and I disagree, this movie was made for fans. The studio was hoping the action and look of the film would bring the general public in.

 

[Doctor Jones]

There's no such thing as film snobbery when it comes to comic book films; unless your some elitist pretentious movie snob (and there are; but I haven't seen it yet for CBM's). It's how the film looks and how good the film. I don't get the sudden quick to claim name calling of why it wasn't a success or that the person who liked it is calling out other people for their dislike.

The film sucked. Everything could have worked if it was good but it didn't. WB botched the film in the marketing and int he money department. And the final product suffered all by itself. Put these two together and you have a disaster. It doesn't matter how much you liked the film, it's all here. The consensus is that this film failed.

 

[Tacit Ronin]

I've seen this a lot and I disagree, this movie was made for fans. The studio was hoping the action and look of the film would bring the general public in.

I just can't imagine this. You don't make a 200 million blockbuster for 1% of your potential audience.

 

[The Morningstar]

I just can't imagine this. You don't make a 200 million blockbuster for 1% of your potential audience.

Exactly. There has to be a balance between pleasing the fans, and making it enjoyable/accessable for non fans.

In my opinion it did neither. I'm a GL fan. I think it's a total disservice to the GL mythology. And also it fails on fundamental film making levels.

And it pisses me off. My thoughts on this film were; Hyped, then the first trailer hit and it lowered my expectations. Then the Wonder-Con footage came out, starting to get enthusiastic again. Then the second and third trailers hit, HYPED. Then i started to notice the ever increasing desperation of the marketing, plus the strangely overlong embargo... and my enthusiasm wained again.

Then I finally saw the film? Blegh. The lead up to the film was more of a rollercoaster ride than the film itself.

 

[Showtime]

I just can't imagine this. You don't make a 200 million blockbuster for 1% of your potential audience.

Intentional or not, that is what they did. They probably didn't sit there and say, "Let's make this movie for my friends at the comicbook store.", but the movie itself actual caters more to fans. At least that is my opinion.

 

[S.A.A.D.]

We get it, you didn't like the movie.

There is no need to beat a horse that is already deceased.

 

[Showtime]

We get it, you didn't like the movie.

There is no need to beat a horse that is already deceased.

Me...

 

[The Morningstar]

He's talking to me. I'm just sharing my opinion, loudly and frequently sure, but that's because i'm so utterly disappointed and pissed off.

 

[S.A.A.D.]

This might sound crazy, but what if WB deliberately went crazy with the money and knew that the movie wouldn't end up making much money? What if they liked the mythology of GL so much that they were like screw it and were like well Nolan's next Batman can help out with covering the money that went into the GL movie.

That would be a sick plan. A guy can wish, right?

 

[S.A.A.D.]

Me...

No not you, I was talking to TheMorningStar.