Will the success of X3 help the budget for F4-2?

[adamcz]

Since both films are Marvel adaptations handled by Fox, I wonder if the suits over there believe that the success or failure of one is an indication of the potential for the other. It is very clear that the market for superhero films is eager for whatever the studios can bring them.

The first film got a relatively small budget, and I'm sure somebody here has figured out exactly what it is; boxofficemojo puts it at $100 mil. I'm sure the sequel was naturally going to get a stronger budget - perhaps a 25% increase - but will Fox now feel comfortable giving the film an X3-type budget right away?

The Galactus/Surfer storyline that we've heard rumors about is just begging for a large FX budget, and I've personally been worried that if they try to scrape by with 110 million or so, we'll be left with some corny scenes. Has X3 saved us?

 

[Kelly]

I certainly hope it helps to up the budget...its definitely needed with the possibility of both SS and Galactus coming in...

 

[Ahura Mazda]

Since both films are Marvel adaptations handled by Fox, I wonder if the suits over there believe that the success or failure of one is an indication of the potential for the other. It is very clear that the market for superhero films is eager for whatever the studios can bring them.

The first film got a relatively small budget, and I'm sure somebody here has figured out exactly what it is; boxofficemojo puts it at $100 mil. I'm sure the sequel was naturally going to get a stronger budget - perhaps a 25% increase - but will Fox now feel comfortable giving the film an X3-type budget right away?

The Galactus/Surfer storyline that we've heard rumors about is just begging for a large FX budget, and I've personally been worried that if they try to scrape by with 110 million or so, we'll be left with some corny scenes. Has X3 saved us?

I love it that now $110 is a small budget when just 5 years ago it was a tremendous amount.

In any case, with the kind of story that would include the SS and possibly the big G, you my need more which then becomes a big bet for the studios to make. You realise this means an investment of over $40 million if they go in at $150 assuming they only lever up 70%.

 

[Malus]

X3's monster success certainly can't hurt the chances of expanding FF2's budget. My hope is that it will make Fox sit up and take special care with these films, both in budget and crafting.

 

[Carp Man]

Does more money mean better movie ? Lets say the spend $ 210 million like they did on X 3, will that translate into better movie ? Or more boxoffice ? Last I saw estimate was $ 130 million, they we're going to spend on the sequel. They spent $ 75 million in 2000 on 1st X-Men film, $ 110 million in 03 for X-2, and $ 210 million for X-3. So they spent $ 35 million more for the sequel, and $ 100 million more for this one. And indeed it seems that extra $ 100 million is paying off, or is it a better movie ? Money spent, or quality of product ? Or combonation of both ? I saw X 3, and it blew me away. Excelent story, action sequences, dialog, spx the whole 9 yards. Now would Fox put out that much money on a FF sequel, if they thought they would get that type of movie ?

'X-Men' Marvels with Memorial Record
by Brandon Gray
May 29, 2006


Mutants cured the box office blahs as X-Men: The Last Stand evolved into a Memorial Day weekend juggernaut.

Storming over 8,700 screens at 3,690 locations, X-Men: The Last Stand exploded with an estimated $120.1 million over the four-day holiday weekend, clawing past the previous Memorial opening benchmark, The Lost World: Jurassic Park's $90.2 million from 1997.

Twentieth Century Fox's third entry in the Marvel Comics franchise drew a colossal $103.1 million from Friday to Sunday, ranking as the fourth highest-grossing weekend ever. Its $45.5 million opening day, which included $5.9 million from midnight screenings, marked the second-biggest single day, behind Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith's $50 million.

The previous mutant mash, X2: X-Men United, drew $85.6 million out of the gate at 3,741 venues on course to $214.9 million, while the first X-Men kicked off with $54.5 million at 3,025 sites on its way to $157.3 million. Both beastly debuts were on non-holiday frames and carried production budgets significantly lower than X-Men: The Last Stand's reported $165 million to $200 million plus.


http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=2078&p=.htm

Ok. Where's the person who said X 3 would bomb overseas ? How's $ 83.673 million sound ?

 

[adamcz]

More money means better action and effects. Whether or not the story is good is a seperate discussion.

But let's assume they come up with a great plot involving Galactus and SS. I don't want any cardboard puppets hanging from strings - know what I mean? I want a CG or partialy CG Surfer flying through the sky, and a Galactus that's imposing enough for the audience to believe he could devour a planet.

Remember Thing wore the controversial costume because CG was decidedly too expensive. Now that a look has been established for Thing, I'm all for keeping it, but when new characters are introduced, I'd like them to look right.

 

[Kelly]

More money means better action and effects. Whether or not the story is good is a seperate discussion.

But let's assume they come up with a great plot involving Galactus and SS. I don't want any cardboard puppets hanging from strings - know what I mean? I want a CG or partialy CG Surfer flying through the sky, and a Galactus that's imposing enough for the audience to believe he could devour a planet.

Remember Thing wore the controversial costume because CG was decidedly too expensive. Now that a look has been established for Thing, I'm all for keeping it, but when new characters are introduced, I'd like them to look right.

As confirmed by Michael Chiklis and Tim Story, the costume was used because that was the only way Michael would play Thing.

 

[Carp Man]

As confirmed by Michael Chiklis and Tim Story, the costume was used because that was the only way Michael would play Thing.

Correct. Chicklis said no cgi for The Thing.

 

[adamcz]

Ok, I stand corrected...


...but I still want a huge budget!

 

[GL's Light]

I expect FF 2 to have a budget in the region of $ 120-130 million. That should be plenty to fully realize the necessary FX, if they spend the money wisely. Remember that the Star Wars prequels had budgets in the range of $ 115 million - so a hell of a lot can be accomplished within that budget range, especially when you don't have to pay out huge salaries. FF 2 should have salaries far lower than the X-Men sequels, leaving plenty of moolah for the FX.

 

[adamcz]

Good point. It seems like with comic films, the money is better spent on effects than name actors. I don't think the crowd that loves these movies demands household names in the same way that the crowd that goes to see chick flicks does.

 

[TheDarkestAngel]

You have to take into consideration the huge salaries paid to each of the X-Men stars. I don't think the F4 actors are getting quite as much. I do think however that if Fox/Marvel want the F4 franchise to be successful they are going to have to go all out with this film. They are going to have many movies to live up to, Spiderman, Superman and of course the great numbers put up by X-men.

 

[iceberg325]

I think theyll have a much bigger budget but not because xmen is doing so well. They are 2 different movies. Itll get a bigger budget because the first movie's budget was $87,500,000. The movie grossed $329,495,569 worldwide. Thats reason enough to make a bigger sequel.

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

F4 is actually more marketable than the X-Men in my opinion. It can reach more demographics, so FOX would be wise to invest more this time around.

 

[GL's Light]

The budget should be increased, but not by a huge amount. Even if FF 2 is a great film, the box office is unlikely to increase by more than a third from the first film. Pumping the budget up as high as $ 200 million would probably shortcircuit any chance of further sequels. FF 2 should have a budget of no more than $ 130-140 million. That should be sufficient to craft great FX and action set pieces to draw audiences in, but not so much that the film won't be able to make enough to get a greenlight for FF 3.

 

[Carp Man]

The budget should be increased, but not by a huge amount. Even if FF 2 is a great film, the box office is unlikely to increase by more than a third from the first film. Pumping the budget up as high as $ 200 million would probably shortcircuit any chance of further sequels. FF 2 should have a budget of no more than $ 130-140 million. That should be sufficient to craft great FX and action set pieces to draw audiences in, but not so much that the film won't be able to make enough to get a greenlight for FF 3.

1/3 rd more ? That's another $ 109 million in boxoffice sales. So you spend $ 200 million, and get back $ 439 million. $ 239 million profit ? Sounds like a good deal to me. $ 230 million profit 1st movie. $ 239 million profit 2nd movie. $ 469 million profit total. I would say that would guarantee a 3rd movie, with mabey a $ 250 million budget.

 

[GL's Light]

1/3 rd more ? That's another $ 109 million in boxoffice sales. So you spend $ 200 million, and get back $ 449 million. $ 249 million profit ? Sounds like a good deal to me.

Well, a third more isn't guaranteed. It's more of a best case scenario, so you need some wiggle room in there. Also, a potential FF 3 would need an even bigger budget than FF 2, so you need to leave room for growth there, too.

 

[Carp Man]

Well, a third more isn't guaranteed. It's more of a best case scenario, so you need some wiggle room in there. Also, a potential FF 3 would need an even bigger budget than FF 2, so you need to leave room for growth there, too.

Best case scenario is, spend 200 million, make 439 million, then spend 250 million on a 3rd movie. And if you make 1/3rd more, thats 144.8 million profit. I'll still take that deal. So you would spend 550 million on all 3 movies, and make 1.1 billion.

 

[GL's Light]

Best case scenario is, spend 200 million, make 439 million, then spend 250 million on a 3rd movie. And if you make 1/3rd more, thats 144.8 million profit. I'll still take that deal.

I think Fox will opt for the wiggle room.

 

[Carp Man]

I think Fox will opt for the wiggle room.

Let''s take X-Men as an example. 1st movie 75 million spent. 2nd movie, 110 million spent. 3rd movie 210 million spent. 395 million spent on 3 movies. 940.2 million made, and X3 has just started. FF I see going in the same direction. Only way to go is up.

 

[GL's Light]

Let''s take X-Men as an example. 1st movie 75 million spent. 2nd movie, 110 million spent. 3rd movie 210 million spent. 395 million spent on 3 movies. 940.2 million made, and X3 has just started. FF I see going in the same direction. Only way to go is up.

If FF 2 gets the same percentage budget increase as X2 it would have a budget of around $ 145 million. Considering that the FF films carry far lower salaries than the X-Men franchise, that would buy a hell of a lot of eye candy.

 

[Warhammer]

I hope ths SFX are better because the Mister Fantastic effects from the first movie were horrible.

 

[Carp Man]

If FF 2 gets the same percentage budget increase as X2 it would have a budget of around $ 145 million. Considering that the FF films carry far lower salaries than the X-Men franchise, that would buy a hell of a lot of eye candy.

Well if SS, and Galactus are going to have a big roll in this movie, they had better be prepaired to shell out some serious bucks for the spx. They shelled out an extra 20 million for spx for 1st movie. The original budget was about 80 million.

 

[Carp Man]

I hope ths SFX are better because the Mister Fantastic effects from the first movie were horrible.

I had no problem what so ever with any of the effects, but I have heard that they are going to turn the stretching effects over to another company, so we'll see.

 

[GL's Light]

Well if SS, and Galactus are going to have a big roll in this movie, they had better be prepaired to shell out some serious bucks for the spx. They shelled out an extra 20 million for spx for 1st movie. The original budget was about 80 million.

Sounds like SS will be in FF 2, with the Big G arriving in FF 3.