The Wall Street Journal weighs in on the box office prospects for Pixar's Ratatouille:
Pixar has a track record of generating family-friendly hits, and the new movie has gotten positive reviews. Still, there are signs that getting the word out on the new film is more of a struggle than usual. In a move seen in Hollywood as an admission that Pixar has a challenge on its hands in a competitive summer, Disney recently held more than 800 sneak-preview screenings of the film on a Saturday night. Such tactics are usually reserved for films that studios believe need an extra boost. "It's not an easy film to sum up," says director Brad Bird. "Disney decided that the best advertisement for the film was the film itself." The sneaks may have helped. Firms that track potential moviegoers reported a jump in awareness and interest in the movie. So, despite the fonder wishes of Jim Hill's executive correspondent at the Mouse House (whoever it is), Brad Bird's latest might perform pretty well.
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9 comments:
Bottom line: The film is original, funny, and truly entertaining. Word will get out, and people will pack the theaters as they do with all Pixar films.
I remember "Iron Giant" had a sneak preview. I went to it. I hope Disney gets more mileage out of sneaks than Warner Brothers did.
Ratatouille is Brad's best film yet.
It deserves to outgross the rest of Hollywood's films this year ...combined.
You couldn't do a worse job than WB did promoting IG if you hand painted signs and heldd the premiere in someone's garage. They buried that film.
Anyway, that's two films ago and IG survives today as a very, very good movie.
Don't look back, just enjoy the present.
And btw--how about leaving it at talking about a great film being great and leaving off the tired additions of "-SOOOO much better than those other crap films"? I think this film, like all great ones, can stand up quite alone without having to be raised up by invoking other movies that aren't as good.
"Ratatouille" is the best film I have seen in years, and one of my all time animated favorites already. I will pay to see it again.
It should open well in a summer of sequels and will have legs, not to mention perform well overseas.
That said Jim Hill strikes again today at http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_hill/archive/2007/06/28/toon-thursday-why-did-disney-struggle-to-come-up-with-a-ratatouille-marketing-campaign-because-the-mouse-wasn-t-supposed-to-release-this-particular-pixar-film.aspx
I used to love his site but it is turning into a rag and makes one wonder about his love for animation... plummering on its week of release the kind of wonderful and daring films movie lovers have been asking for. Not to mention the article showcases Jim's lack of understanding for international marketing among other things.
That said what matters is that an original, smart, funny and incredibly well crafted animated film is coming out tomorrow! I hope it does great, to me it's alerady a classic and Disney/Pixar can count on my $12.
jim hill knows nothing about animation, or even anything about the Disney theme parks--other than being escorted from them.
I've said it once and I'll say it again: Jim Hill is a embittered jackass. I'm betting his his exec source has a name that rhymes with "Worrill" or "Mainton".
Box Office Mojo has a prediction of 55 Mil for the opening.
Box Office Guru puts it at 57 M.
Rufus.
ouch.
in this age of opening weekend rules. I would love to see Ratatouille do better than Cars did with its opening. I saw the film a couple of weeks ago and its definitely the best animated film I've seen this year.
With Shreks record breaking openings, I hope this film gets its audience.
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