Joe Wright to Helm 'Pan'

[mclay18]

It really is. It is a bit strange when early October is a good release date, but here you go.

I can understand some people being skeptical of the move from summer to fall because it suggests WB's test screenings aren't going well (and that could be the case like Jupiter Ascending). Having a quiet opening in the fall is better than it dying a quick and painful death in the summer.

I like to look at the bright side of things. Disney was originally going to open The Jungle Book on this date (before moving to April 2016), and WB have essentially swapped release dates with this and Vacation.

And unlike Jupiter Ascending, where Dan Fellman said "Well, The LEGO Movie did well in February 2014 so that's why we're opening it there instead of July." (That excuse turned out BS in the end.) He mentions that the studio anticipates Pan having good word-of-mouth -- and while I'm usually skeptical of statements like these... this movie is opening in October. Not January, February or September -- usual signs that a studio wants to cut their losses and dump a movie.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I can understand some people being skeptical of the move from summer to fall because it suggests WB's test screenings aren't going well (and that could be the case like Jupiter Ascending). Having a quiet opening in the fall is better than it dying a quick and painful death in the summer.

I like to look at the bright side of things. Disney was originally going to open The Jungle Book on this date (before moving to April 2016), and WB have essentially swapped release dates with this and Vacation.

And unlike Jupiter Ascending, where Dan Fellman said "Well, The LEGO Movie did well in February 2014 so that's why we're opening it there instead of July." (That excuse turned out BS in the end.) He mentions that the studio anticipates Pan having good word-of-mouth -- and while I'm usually skeptical of statements like these... this movie is opening in October. Not January, February or September -- usual signs that a studio wants to cut their losses and dump a movie.

Agree. This is one of my most anticipated this year. It is Joe Wright, so I fully expect this to be very good. I don't think they are worried about the quality in terms of box office. It was simply going to drown in July with all the other films. The Rogue Nation move and Ant-Man's second trailer it just looked dire. This is its best shot. If this was Sept or Jan, yeah, I'd call this a dump. But it is clearly not imo.

This also means a chance for me to see it multiple times. Like all through October. t:

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Agree. This is one of my most anticipated this year. It is Joe Wright, so I fully expect this to be very good. I don't think they are worried about the quality in terms of box office. It was simply going to drown in July with all the other films. The Rogue Nation move and Ant-Man's second trailer it just looked dire. This is its best shot. If this was Sept or Jan, yeah, I'd call this a dump. But it is clearly not imo.

This also means a chance for me to see it multiple times. Like all through October. t:

But it's weird that it wasn't any of the movies around it that scared it off. It was that the movie was just having trouble catching heat in general. I'm not sure that would change with the October release.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Maybe enough people just don't give a **** about Peter Pan?

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Maybe enough people just don't give a **** about Peter Pan?

This.

I would like to see someone adapt the sequel book Peter Pan in Scarlet, but other than that, the untold stories label doesn't seem all that interesting as a big budget movie.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

But it's weird that it wasn't any of the movies around it that scared it off. It was that the movie was just having trouble catching heat in general. I'm not sure that would change with the October release.

While I don't disagree with this, it is easier to generate interest close to a good movie if it isn't surrounded by much more popular properties. If this hits in October, with no comp, and good buzz it has a much better chance if it was surrounded by a lot of other stuff.

This is exactly what happened with Kingsman, and it worked out beautifully for it.

Maybe enough people just don't give a **** about Peter Pan?

Don't you start.

 

[mclay18]

But it's weird that it wasn't any of the movies around it that scared it off. It was that the movie was just having trouble catching heat in general. I'm not sure that would change with the October release.

That might be the case, actually. A good related example would be Stardust, a wonderful movie with a decent release date (August 2007) -- but Paramount had no clue how to market it. The marketing made it look generic as hell, and it opened to $9M opening weekend. The word-of-mouth was fantastic (4x multiplier domestic), and it ended up pulling $135M worldwide (against a $70M budget). Maybe if that opened in fall 2007, it would've opened better in addition to strong word of mouth.

It might be the case with Pan. The movie could be a wonderful family film, but if the marketing and buzz aren't there, it saps the earning potential no matter when it's released.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Well they have a couple more months to figure it out. Hopefully they do.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

Sorry Butch but you have to entertain the possibility.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Sorry Butch but you have to entertain the possibility.

Do you entertain the possibility that Snyder is going to royally screw up BvS?

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I entertain every realistic possibility, so yes Darth, I do entertain that possibility.

My post isn't even doubting Pan's quality as a film though so your question is a tad out of the blue. I feel WB would have dumped it in January or February if they felt it was a really bad film, they just did that this year with M. Night Wachowskis latest fiasco. I'm on the film's side, I hope it is great and does phenomenally at the box office.

The problem I saw was that the trailer was weak and worst of all didn't have many strong obvious hooks or at least the hooks weren't presented in a particularly good and fresh way.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I entertain every realistic possibility, so yes Darth, I do entertain that possibility.

My post isn't even doubting Pan's quality as a film though so your question is a tad out of the blue. I feel WB would have dumped it in January or February if they felt it was a really bad film, they just did that this year with M. Night Wachowskis latest fiasco. I'm on the film's side, I hope it is great and does phenomenally at the box office.

The problem I saw was that the trailer was weak and worst of all didn't have many strong obvious hooks or at least the hooks weren't presented in a particularly good and fresh way.

I know you do, I just needed a reason to use that gif.

I understand what you are saying about this film. It has been my fear for awhile, though I personally adore the trailer. But I think this move at least shows some acknowledgment by WB on that front. Peter Pan isn't the easiest sell these days. So hopefully they get their butts in gear, and don't rest on the movie being good to sell tickets. Not with this price tag.

 

[Marvolo]

Quoting myself cause I have zero shame:

It should be a Christmas film, but it wouldn't do well if it opened a week after Star Wars TFA. And November has Mockingjay Part 2. Late summer or September or October was it's best bet.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

You and your gifs Darth.

Yeah no matter what it's a difficult sale but the trailer kinda screams fall or winter film more than summer film anyway. I'm keeping my fingers crossed WB finds a way to market Peter Pan to a modern audience. Joe Wright is such a solid director and deserves a big hit.

 

[Marvolo]

I was planning on seeing this over Ant-man, but now that this is out of the way I guess I can watch Ant-man in a bargain time.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

You and your gifs Darth.

Yeah no matter what it's a difficult sale but the trailer kinda screams fall or winter film more than summer film anyway. I'm keeping my fingers crossed WB finds a way to market Peter Pan to a modern audience. Joe Wright is such a solid director and deserves a big hit.

I can't help myself.

You are so right about it being a fall or winter film. It reminds me of the first time I saw a trailer for POA. It coming out in May just felt wrong.

And yeah, I am really hoping this movie rocks, and WB pulls this off.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Quoting myself cause I have zero shame:

I was planning on seeing this over Ant-man, but now that this is out of the way I guess I can watch Ant-man in a bargain time.

I was going to catch both anyways. Now I will get to catch Pan multiple times. October is usually a rather slow month anyways. So lots of Rooney.

 

[Uskok]

Don't you start.

 

[mclay18]

WB is taking their sweet time updating their Pan site to reflect the date and composer changes.

EDIT: The official site has been amended to reflect the new release date and composer.

 

[DarkKnight88]

WB is taking their sweet time updating their Pan site to reflect the date and composer changes. Still says July 24.

I missed the composer changes. When did that happen?

 

[mclay18]

I missed the composer changes. When did that happen?

Rope of Silicon got the one-sheet artwork for Pan last week (which listed Powell as composer and added William Hoy as an editor), and a few of the Film Score Monthly members have close ties with the production.

Marianelli was let go after executives screened a cut of the film with his demo cues. They said it "was too European" and too dark, even after Marianelli simplified his score in an effort to placate the WB execs. None of it was recorded.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Rope of Silicon got the one-sheet artwork for Pan last week (which listed Powell as composer and added William Hoy as an editor), and a few of the Film Score Monthly members have close ties with the production.

Marianelli was let go after executives screened a cut of the film with his demo cues. They said it "was too European" and too dark, even after Marianelli simplified his score in an effort to placate the WB execs. None of it was recorded.

 

[DarkKnight88]

I hope "too European" isn't code for "make more generic".

 

[mclay18]

The people who worked on the film said that Marianelli's score was more old-school and harmonically straightforward than his Brothers Grimm score.

Powell's output is anything but generic though.

 

[Rowsdower!]

Rope of Silicon got the one-sheet artwork for Pan last week (which listed Powell as composer and added William Hoy as an editor), and a few of the Film Score Monthly members have close ties with the production.

Marianelli was let go after executives screened a cut of the film with his demo cues. They said it "was too European" and too dark, even after Marianelli simplified his score in an effort to placate the WB execs. None of it was recorded.

This reminds me of when Wolfgang Peterson fired the composer for Troy and hired James Horner to throw together a horrible score in a weekend.