Eric Prime

$1 It’ll work one of these days. I just know it

August 25 They Listen: This sounds like some corny horror movie, so...The Invitation numbers? Yeah, let’s go with that. 6/22 (3.67x)

August 18 Blue Beetle: I’ve seen so many people around here throwing 200M+ predictions and I am just completely lost and confused. Blue Beetle’s a B-list character at best, and unlike Black Adam, isn’t played by the world’s biggest movie star. And while Marvel can pull off B-listers, even Z-listers making big bucks, DC still doesn’t have the cultural cache to pull this off. A Harley Quinn movie bombed, but we're expecting this to make big bucks, no sweat? And again, this has the same problem as Shazam and The Flash where the universe is getting rebooted, so who cares anymore? But at least those have a previous movie or big superheroes behind them. Just throwing it out there that when this does moderate numbers that I told you so. 28/85 (3.04x) Untitled Please Don’t Destroy Project: I have no clue who these people are, and I live with boomer parents who watch SNL unironically. And if I don’t know them, I don’t think Joe Schmoe from Idaho will either. 3/8 (2.67x)

August 11 Challengers: These mid-size films don’t make money anymore and I doubt Luca made a crowdpleaser. I would say Logan Lucky numbers, but even that’s probably too generous in this day and age. 6/18 (3x) Gran Turismo: Who the hell cares about Gran Turismo in 2023? Sorry Neill, but you’ll always be a one-hit wonder. 12/34 (2.83x) Haunted Mansion: Still not entirely sure that an August date works for an obvious Halloween movie (yes I know it's here because it’ll be on Disney+ in time for Halloween), but the cast is fun sans the problematic figures, and the original ride has a very dedicated fanbase. It won’t rock the boat, but it will still find moderate numbers for Disney at around Jungle Cruise’s numbers. And this is likely way cheaper than Jungle Cruise, so it’ll be a solid success at the box office and become the big Halloween option on Disney+. A win-win. 35/115 (3.29x) Last Voyage of the Demeter: Andre Ovredal’s a decent horror director and there’s probably some fun horror elements that will be in the trailer that will make this an...okay success. Nothing grand, but a good way to end the summer horror season like Ovredal's Scary Stories did back in 2019. 25/60 (2.4x)

August 4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem: This movie feels like it was made just for me. A property I love reimagined by Seth Rogen with the director working on stuff like Gravity Falls and Mitchells vs. Machines? It’s the coolest thing ever! Still, I’m not really sure if TMNT is that hot a property at the moment. Out of the Shadows crashed and burned, the 2012 series was banished to early Sunday mornings at the end of its run, the new Rise of the TMNT series flopped with only two seasons. I feel like kids today don’t really care and the 80s nostalgia novelty won't boost it as strong as the 2014 movie did. Super Pets numbers sound about right. 25/90 (3.6x) The Meg 2: The Trench: Like Shazam, The Meg feels like one of those big hits that nobody talks about anymore. But at least Shazam is attached to a big franchise with a dedicated fandom. There’s not much mileage you can really do with this concept after the first movie, and I doubt there’s any real exciting money shots in the trailer, so expect a big fall from this one. Probably about half of the last film. 27/70 (2.59x)

M3GAN Greater Philadelphia Area Seat Report T-4 and Counting Sellouts Showings Seats Sold Total Seats Perct Sold TOTALS 0 36 124 6237 1.99% Total Seats Sold Today: 13 Comp 0.176x of The Conjuring 3 T-4 (1.73M) 0.144x of Halloween Kills T-4 (701K) 0.186x of Scream T-4 (650K) 0.109x of Halloween Ends T-4 (589K)

Non-existent. Even if M3GAN doesn't do it, Knock at the Cabin has a good shot and Magic Mike is damn near certain.

lol did you make this? This is golden.

I really want to push my WB/Disney countdowns coming in the new year, so might as well use this thread to push some of the films on those lists and recommend some to y'all. December 2022 Warner Bros I Am Legend - 6/10 The Bodyguard - 4/10 The Jazz Singer - 5/10 - Was largely into the basic barebones of the story and Al Jolson is great in the part...but the blackface. 😬 Made even worse that it's an integral part of the story and it condones that Jakie's blackface performance is a good thing. That the only way he can find success is to perform as a Black man. That the only way to assimilate and fit into this world is to hide your Jewish lifestyle and perform and mock the Black man. It's just vile, even with the "it was a different time" excuse. Little Caesar - 7/10 - Very bare-bones and rudimentary direction-wise, but it's still a solid plot and Edward G. Robinson works well in the lead role The Public Enemy - 8/10 - Better than Little Caesar in every possible way, and much of it is because of James Cagney's Tom Powers, who is a fascinating epitome of all things greedy and cruel, with incredible sunken eyes that are haunting to look at. The ending's an all-timer too. Christmas Vacation - 6/10 Gremlins - 9/10 Christmas in Connecticut - 7/10 - Follows the Hallmark Christmas movie format to a tee. Not a bad thing, because it's a pretty sweet romance and witty with its screwball humor. Eyes Wide Shut - 9/10 I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang - 10/10 - I honestly had no idea I would love this as much as I did. Despite its Great Depression release, it's a film that is highly critical of the prison system, the abuse given towards war veterans, and is largely anti-authority in a way that is shocking to see from a 1932 film. It really shows what we lost when the Hays Code was enforced. 42nd Street - 7/10 - Not a masterpiece, but a witty and fun look at the entertainment biz with some Busby Berkeley magic at the end. Not a fan of all the Philadelphia slamming however 😕 Gold Diggers of 1933 - 10/10 - You got screwball laughs, hard-hitting commentary about the Great Depression and the faults of the government at that time, and some incredible moments of splendor from Busby. And unlike most Busby features where the plot isn't all that great, but it's only a means to an end for some incredible visuals at the end, the story here is really strong and fun and all the "talky" bits are frequently hilarious. It's fantastic stuff. Footlight Parade - 8/10 - Plot's not the best, and the "Shanghai Lil" segment is pure cringe, but it's pretty funny, very engaging, has that amazing Human Waterfall sequence, and it's all carried by James Cagney's excellent performance. He really could do everything. Disney The Santa Clause - 5/10 The Preacher's Wife - 7/10 - I miss Whitney. Pocahontas - 3/10 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 7/10 The Vanishing Prairie - 5/10 - Pretty basic and overlong, but I guess still adequate enough as a 50s nature documentary 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - 9/10 - It's absolutely gorgeous, with tons of cool underwater footage and special effects, and it features a murder's row of great performers, with James Mason in particular as the standout as the cold and calculated Captain Nemo. Really loved this one. Atlantis: The Lost Empire - 6/10 - This really should not have been sub-90 minutes. Just adding in a half-hour probably could have made this awesome, but now everything is undercooked and lukewarm, with only the ensemble cast standing out. Princess Mononoke - 10/10 Avatar: The Way of Water - 8/10 The Muppet Christmas Carol - 9/10 - Watched the extended edition, which...yeah, it really does make the whole piece better. Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas - 2/10 Belle's Magical World - 1/10 - I watched both of these sequels with my best friend as part of "Bad Movie Night". And um...yeah, these were rough. Belle's Magical World is up there as WOAT material tbh Disenchanted - 4/10 Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier - 6/10 - It's super cheesy and aged super poorly for all the obvious reasons (though not as bad as you might think), so it's not for everybody. But I liked the corniness, the pretty wilderness landscapes and even the guy playing Davy. He plays Davy as being so laid-back despite all his insane and crazy accomplishments that it's actually kind of funny. Don't know if that was the intention, but I got a smile out of it. Lady and the Tramp - 10/10 - Saw it earlier in 2022, but it really clicked with me way more on this rewatch in terms of the characters and themes and plot details. It's also soooooooooooooooo cute! The Nightmare Before Christmas - 8/10 - People have to stop gaslighting people into saying this is a Halloween movie lol

Or maybe, and this is crazy, people have opinions that are different than yours? Ever thought of that?

July 28 The Marvels: This has literally nothing going for it. Captain Marvel was a total no1curr that coasted off Endgame hype. Monica Rambeau was barely utilized in WandaVision (still very bitter and mad about that), and nobody watched Ms. Marvel. Therefore, the excitement for those new characters is basically nonexistent. The tea is that Nia DaCosta has something wild and crazy coming with this movie, but these days, I expect little from Marvel when they give a director “free rein”. If anything, it just makes the movie more unappealing to people. Maybe a trailer will convince me otherwise, but this will drop big time from Captain Marvel, even with a clear August. Sorry Marvel fans, but you’re not top dog anymore. And honestly, this is probably for the best of everybody. 80/220 (2.75x)

July 21 Barbie: Alright. We’re finally here. Mama Gerwig vs. Papa Nolan. And I hate to say it, but Mommy’s probably winning here. Every BTS photo and video has gone crazy viral, and the teaser was a big hit. There’s already tons of Minions-style memes about going to see the film ironically and meme power is what gets people in the seats these days. And I have faith Greta delivered a gangbuster of a crowdpleaser, so this should be a very strong film for the end of summer, boy or girl. I was gunning for 300M, but as time passes, that’s probably super unlikely. But still, one of the biggest for the year and a much-needed win for Margot Robbie. 65/225 (3.46x) Oppenheimer: The big problem is that this isn’t a nostalgic toy commercial and these kinds of adult dramas simply don’t have any appeal to today's adult audiences who would happily stream the movie at home. But there’s still the appeal of the IMAX sequences and they are at least pushing this as a cinematic event that is best viewed on the big screen. So it will still obviously do more than the average prestige drama title post-COVID. I think Nope numbers sound about right, which I guess still shows this is a strong investment for Universal when this delivers big business on PVOD and Peacock. 37/130 (3.51x)

July 14 Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One: I'm sorry to burst people's bubbles, but TGM isn’t gonna make this movie make a bajillion dollars. I know there's the hope that this film will ride the TGM goodwill, but let's be realistic here. Mission: Impossible’s gone on long enough where people know what they’re getting into. Not much room for growth. And this new film, while looking super good and fun and interesting, doesn’t offer anything new for people who don’t care about this franchise. But an increase from Fallout should happen and Paramount and Cruise are both already putting their all in the advertising with more than a year-long campaign. People know this is coming and it will be big, though not as big as people probably want. 80/260 (3.25x)

July 7 Insidious: Fear the Dark: With the return of the family from the first two movies (though I don’t think Lin Shaye is in this? That’s weird), there’s some intrigue, arguably even nostalgic memories, among the horror fandom for this new entry. The Last Key made about 67M, and I think those numbers feel right. Though it is a bit reliant on the film’s quality, and we won’t know how good Patrick Wilson is as a director until we see the movie. 28/65 (2.32x)

M3GAN Greater Philadelphia Area Seat Report T-5 and Counting Sellouts Showings Seats Sold Total Seats Perct Sold TOTALS 0 36 111 6237 1.78% Total Seats Sold Today: 8 Comp 0.209x of The Conjuring 3 T-5 (2.05M) 0.145x of Halloween Kills T-5 (702K) 0.182x of Scream T-5 (637K) 0.107x of Halloween Ends T-5 (580K)

Just saw her Dick Clark's performance (KILLED IT) and I got a laugh after seeing this. Disney really are geniuses

@Blankments @WrathOfHan Let's go 13x: Shazam! Fury of the Gods: Minions: The Rise of Gru, DC League of Super Pets, Don't Worry Darling, See How They Run, Ticket to Paradise, Till, The Banshees of Inisherin, Black Adam, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Strange World, The Fabelmans, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Round 2, Avatar: The Way of Water Round 2 6x: Avatar: The Way of Water: Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Bones and All, Strange World, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Round 2 Puss in Boots: The Last Wish: The Bad Guys, Lightyear, Marcel the Shell, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Minions: The Rise of Gru, DC League of Super Pets Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, The Menu, Strange World, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Round 2, Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: The Way of Water Round 2 Oppenheimer: Nope, Jaws, Avatar, The Fabelmans, Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: The Way of Water Round 2 5x: Creed III: Till, Black Adam, Bones and All, Avatar: The Way of Water, Avatar: The Way of Water Round 2 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Dog, Uncharted, The Guide, RRR, Avatar: The Way of Water Round 2 4x: I Wanna Dance with Somebody: The Woman King, Don't Worry Darling, Bros, Bones and All M3GAN: Dawn of the Dead 3D, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Bones and All, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Round 2 3x: Empire of Light: See How They Run, The Banshees of Inisherin, Armageddon Time Women Talking: Till, Bones and All, Armageddon Time House Party: Dawn of the Dead 3D, Black Adam, Violent Night Plane: Dawn of the Dead 3D, Black Adam, Violent Night Knock at the Cabin: Don't Worry Darling, The Fabelmans, Violent Night John Wick: Chapter 4: Bullet Train, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Round 2 The Super Mario Bros. Movie: Black Adam, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Strange World 2x: The Whale: The Menu, The Fabelmans A Man Called Otto: The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fabelmans The Son: The Banshees of Inisherin, Armageddon Time Magic Mike's Last Dance: Bones and All, The Menu The Flash: Uncharted, The Batman Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1: Top Gun: Maverick, Avatar: The Way of Water Round 2 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Lightyear, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom: Uncharted, The Batman 1x: And the ones I got in the double digit that came out this year? Well... Black Adam - 14 times Nope - 10 times And uh...that's it. I guess I was lucky? Or maybe it's because I watch less movies than you? I dunno.

I believe that's the only Hollywood movie to make more in Japan than in America, unless I'm missing something that tanked in America but inexplicably was popular in Japan.