The Reporter bullet-points the box office:
* Real Steel has recorded a foreign gross total of $57.5 million, $5.8 million more than its domestic cume.
* Sony’s The Smurfs, the No. 1 film on the foreign circuit from Aug. 14 through Oct. 2, has surpassed the $400 million mark in offshore box office ($403.5 million) ...
* Rise of the Planet of the Apes held on to the No. 1 Japan spot for the second consecutive round, grossing $3.76 million from 628 locations in the market. The sequel’s total foreign gross was hoisted to $257.8 million ...
* No. 4 was The Lion King 3D reissue, which drew $5.2 million in its tenth weekend offshore from 31 territories with about half the international market yet to play ... Foreign gross total stands at $37.5 million...
What becomes clear as we move deeper into the 21st century? Audiences desire animation as a stand-alone (Tangled, Cars, Lion King, Despicable Me, Kung Fu Panda, etc.) And audiences expect and like animation to be stirred into their live-action offerings (Real Steel, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Transformers, and on and on.)
Speaking of on, there is this old chestnut, coming in a new 3D package later this month:
The Three Musketeers has been done up, down and sideways over the years -- 1921, 1929, 1935, 1939, 1948, 1972, 1973 just to name a few calendar dates for American versions. And of course Mickey, Donald and Goofy in 2004.
The latest incarnation has gotten minimal love from critics, and yet ...
... No. 2 on the weekend Germany’s Constantin Films’ production of Musketeers ... Foreign cume so far comes in at $49 million. ...
I don't know if this version ends up making money or not. As reviewers note, it appears to be charging after the Pirates of the Caribbean crowd. But whether it goes into the black or not, the main reason it got made was to rev up the visual effects, utilize the 3D, and have at it.
Let us face today's movie reality plainly: One of the major drivers for getting features made in the 21st century marketplace is c.g. effects.
(Box Office Mojo discusses the original release date of 3D Musketeers here. I have no idea what the epic cost. Probably somewhere around $80-$100 million. I can't imagine that the actors cost a whole lot, and they shot a lot of the feature in German locations, as producer Jeremy Bolt explains here.)
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6 comments:
I find it sad when stuff like Smurfs and Real Steel keep winning and winning. The trend I am seeing is "loud, boisterous, and fast." For animated movies, it has to be full of dizzying chase scenes, explosions, and wisecracks. For live action, it has to be CG stuff, punching, or sword clanging. I think audiences want to see more "brains," but they are forced to see what they are offered.
It's pretty sad indeed.
I find it encouraging that Steve quietly refers "Real Steel" as "animation". Considering that the academy disagrees. Bravo!
"loud, boisterous, and fast." For animated movies, it has to be full of dizzying chase scenes, explosions, and wisecracks. For live action, it has to be CG stuff, punching, or sword clanging. I think audiences want to see more "brains," but they are forced to see what they are offered.
False. There are good movies out there that people don't care to go see. Either, they are thought to be 'boring' or, they are not well promoted. The problem is you have to sift through a lot of crap to find a jewel.
Also, in this day and age, people judge a book by it's cover, or should I say, by it's trailer.
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Well, the marketing on these films is obviously the draw. Nothing else. Certainly not the awful fx, nor story. Marketing wins again.
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