What does Wolverine's opening weekend success reveal about online piracy?

[SpandexFan]

Almost $100 million in the opening weekend for a movie that is basically X-Men IV. How many franchises that have run that long still have that much financial success? Furthermore, it was not that good of a movie. People who saw the stolen version online would probably have good reason to avoid it at the theaters, yet it still made a pretty penny. What does this reveal about online piracy? Doesn't seem like it takes away much from the box office numbers?

 

[matrix_ghost]

Almost $100 million in the opening weekend for a movie that is basically X-Men IV. How many franchises that have run that long still have that much financial success? Furthermore, it was not that good of a movie. People who saw the stolen version online would probably have good reason to avoid it at the theaters, yet it still made a pretty penny. What does this reveal about online piracy? Doesn't seem like it takes away much from the box office numbers?

IMO absolutely nothing. There are reports that the movie was downloaded thousands of time. THose who saw the leaked workprint were divided in their opinion. Many thought the movie to be mediocre.

That didn't stop the movie opening very well. So honestly that IMO would say to me that piracy didn't affect the movie AT ALL.

 

[Nivek]

I would say that Online Piracy is a non-issue in this case. Hell, I'm one to say even negative word of mouth doesn't make a dent in this films case.

 

[KenK]

The character was too big to not succeed commercially.

 

[Poetic Chaos]

I think piracy really only affects the music industry. The GA knows nothing about torrents and the majority probably don't have a fast enough connection to bother downloading 700MB-1.2G movies.

 

[TNC9852002]

Yeah, I had a feeling from the beginning that there wouldn't really be a significant impact. This may be me pulling numbers out of thin air, but I think with the leak, the movie still lost around $9-$11m of its opening weekend numbers.

 

[EdRyder]

For the record, Wolverine certainly wasn't the first film leaked online prior to release.
Attack of the Clones, American Gangster and a few others were leaked online as well before they were released in theaters.(Theres a great many leak myths as well )

 

[ABleedingCorpse]

Movie piracy isn't much of an issue. So maybe a few thousand people see it online. More than likey the majority of people who downloaded the film went to see it in theaters anyways. I downloaded RZ's Halloween workpring when it came out and I went out and paid to see that movie 3 times, and suspect that's the case too with other downloaders. They aren't so patient to wait, they'll do whatever to see it, but in the deepest of hearts, they truely want to see it on the big screen.

 

[TNC9852002]

From my understanding, hundreds of thousands or maybe many a million or so people downloaded the movie..

But of course, they weren't all necessarily downloaded from any particular country or location. They were from all over.

 

[Crook]

The "dangers" of movie piracy has always been a joke. Especially when applied to big blockbusters such as this.

 

[Timstuff]

If the bad word of mouth that the leak generated wasn't enough to stop this stupid movie from making 160 million dollars in its opening weekend, then clearly piracy is next to irrelevant to a movie's success.

 

[vanson]

it will earn its money...

 

[TheComicbookKid]

Most of the people who illegally download/buy illegal copies movies would never have gone to see it anyway.

There is a growing number of people that do illegally download as mainstream but I think legal internet downloading will eventually win them back.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I wouldn't call 85mil almost 100mil.

 

[Nirvana]

Who wants to watch a movie on a computer screen any ways?

 

[FaT_tONle]

We will only know the effects after several weeks.

 

[The Apatow Crew]

Who wants to watch a movie on a computer screen any ways?

People who never leave their houses.










And oh it was 87 million not 85 million.

 

[Project862006]

i have always said this time and time again and that is not everybody downloads movies online via torrents.On top of that there are people who download movies who refused to download it because they were willing to wait to see it on the big screen.There are also people who don't even go on the internet to even look up movie information.Then there are people who did download it and liked it and went to the theaters to see it in its full glory.

 

[Ghostvirus]

I usually download the movie if I like it when I see it in the theatre. I then watch it up until it comes out on DVD. I did this with No Country. Just wanted to say that before the righteous high horse people come in here, & start preaching there stuff.

 

[TheVileOne]

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2009&wknd=18&p=.htm

Actuals say it was $85 million, not $87 million.

Honestly compared to X2 and X3, its not that impressive. It was barely higher than X2 6 years ago when tickets were cheaper.

I dunno really. I think this weekend the movie is going to fall terribly over 60-70% and sure the movie had a big first weekend, but it won't really hold up.

X-men 3 had a huge opening despite bad buzz and reviews. And yet it dropped in the second weekend dramatically. It still made $234 million US, but in the end it barely did better than the second movie. And it cost over twice as much.

I think that Wolverine was lower was a reflection how badly and far the franchise is fallen. I feel the X-men movies have squandered a lot of the fans and audience it has built.

 

[BMM]

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2009&wknd=18&p=.htm

Actuals say it was $85 million, not $87 million.

Honestly compared to X2 and X3, its not that impressive. It was barely higher than X3 6 years ago when tickets were cheaper.

I'm confused. Barely higher than The Last Stand? It made less than X2 and The Last Stand.

 

[Timstuff]

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2009&wknd=18&p=.htm

Actuals say it was $85 million, not $87 million.

Honestly compared to X2 and X3, its not that impressive. It was barely higher than X3 6 years ago when tickets were cheaper.

I dunno really. I think this weekend the movie is going to fall terribly over 60-70% and sure the movie had a big first weekend, but it won't really hold up.

X-men 3 had a huge opening despite bad buzz and reviews. And yet it dropped in the second weekend dramatically. It still made $234 million US, but in the end it barely did better than the second movie. And it cost over twice as much.

I think that Wolverine was lower was a reflection how badly and far the franchise is fallen. I feel the X-men movies have squandered a lot of the fans and audience it has built.

X3 didn't have BAD reviews... They were mixed, but not "bad." Wolverine however is being panned by critics, with only a 37% cumulative rating as opposed to X3's 56%. And I'm glad you pointed out that tickets were cheaper when X3 came out, because that definitely is not something to be ignored.

If there's any justice in this world, then Wolverine's second week drop off will be WAY bigger than X3's. And with Star Trek coming out this week, which is already getting incredibly positive reviews, I think it just might.

 

[Project862006]

i disagree had the work print not been leaked and the reviews from that it would of probably made much more.Even wit bad reviews from work print that was leaked it still made almost 90 million opening weekend.When most people were predicting 50 -60 million opening weekend.It didn't affect the gross tragically but it did take some viewers away to make it a bigger hit.

 

[EdRyder]

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/?yr=2009&wknd=18&p=.htm

Actuals say it was $85 million, not $87 million.

Honestly compared to X2 and X3, its not that impressive. It was barely higher than X3 6 years ago when tickets were cheaper.

Theres a related article on Origins take at BOM here.
X2 Pulled in 85.6 (adjusted for inflation about $100 mil)And X3 did $102 opening weekend.

Comparatively, Ang Lees Hulk (Another genre film with a leaked wp) did $62 million.(adjusted for inflation would be about $82-83 today)

 

[redhawk23]

i think people were desperate to see anything, hence fast and furious, i'd like to see a company just release some like rediculously great movie in the middle of april, just to blind side everyone, it would make like a billion just because there would be nothing else to see.