You guys are seriously calling into question how much money
Pacific Rim will make at the box office?
Scott Pilgrim was based on a little known book series, revolving around the use of video game, comic book and anime references the majority of people wouldn't even get, containing moderately likable to unlikable characters, and was directed by a great but largely unknown director. It's like a niche of a niche of a niche, and it's marketing wasn't that good to begin with (because they probably didn't know how to market it to a general audience), so of course it didn't do that well in theaters.
Pacific Rim is an original property which is a tribute to old Japanese robot vs. kaiju films the general audience doesn't need to have watched previously in order to enjoy this film, contains a fairly solid plot/likable characters/good character development (from what I know of other people that have read the original draft), and is directed by a fairly known director who has proven his level of creative expertise several times over. The premise of this film is basically giant robots fighting giant monsters, which isn't that hard to sell to a general audience, not to mention its trailer was attached to thousands of screenings of
The Hobbit, which was probably one of the most anticipated films of the year.
Its the difference between selling a new kind of hamburger at a well known fast food restaurant chain versus selling a great tasting gyro at some new but obscure Mediterranean joint. The gyro maybe a really good, but a lot of people aren't going to know about it because the restaurant that sells it isn't that well known, and not too many people know about or even like gyros. The hamburger is going to do better, despite being new, not only because its a well-known chain, but because its still a hamburger, and nearly everybody in the world loves hamburgers.
The Lone Ranger I could see being a more likely candidate because:
1) It's a western. Sadly, they really don't make that much money at the box office nowadays.
2) Like
Speed Racer, its a widely heard of but little known property that people have only heard of through pop culture references in TV series and movies.
3) If what I've heard about its budget is true, there's very little chance its going to make it back. And if it does, just barely.
4) Johnny Depp as Tonto. Many people will probably be turned off by Depp's somewhat stereotypical Indian portrayal.
However, many people will still probably see it due to the fact that it's directed by the director of
Pirates of the Caribbean and stars Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Still, it probably won't be enough to help turn the tide.
