Weekend #'s April 18-20 Cap2: 26.2 Rio 22.5 Heaven 21.5 Trans 11.1 pg32

[Ando918]

Exhibitor Relations ‏@ERCboxoffice 47m

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 debuted overseas in 14 markets w/ $47M. UK ($15M) MEX ($11M) GER ($6.2M) OZ ($5.2M)

 

 

Zodiac came out pre Iron Man.  It was part his quality/becoming a reliable rebuilding era that included Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Good Night, Good Luck.  This a period where he was doing more interesting work as an actor vs his current niche as amazingly charismatic star.

 

It hasn't even been 6 full years since Iron Man opened and he's had three Iron Men, The Avengers, two Sherlock Holmes (that did better than anyone thought possible especially with Ritchie directing) and two comedies that have done financially well, and he elevated and pretty much carried Tropic Of Thunder with his well deserved Oscar nom performance.

 

The Soloist came out in 2009 and was a mediocre film - to be polite - that was filmed before Iron Man hit.  It's more Foxx's movie and showcase and it's not a good performance.  It didn't get much an international release.  

 

I think The Judge will be his first test at a drama as a lead with his new found super stardom.  I'm interested to see how it plays and though I love Duvall watching RDJ with Nicholson would have been a blast.

Okay, we'll see.  And when "The Judge" finishes in the 40s domestic - same as Zodiac and The Soloist, hopefully you won't still be arguing that he himself is a megasuperstar.

[Harpospoke]

Thought I would check out some posters for Nolan's next movie.

 

 

 

I don't think directors are as well known as some people think.

[CJohn]

Those posters are not official.

[Harpospoke]

Those posters are not official.

Ahhh...I don't know how to tell on that....fans are getting good.

 

But it's even telling that a fan-made poster decided to list the movies instead of Nolan's name.  Nolan fans are pretty hardcore in their worship of him.

[TalismanRing]

Okay, we'll see.  And when "The Judge" finishes in the 40s domestic - same as Zodiac and The Soloist, hopefully you won't still be arguing that he himself is a megasuperstar.

 

I don't think there's any debate that he's a mega-superstar.  The question is if he's one is smaller dramas.  The question is if the audience wants to see him in that kind of role.  If they don't it doesn't mean they won't spend a billion plus to see him as Iron Man again when they wouldn't pay that much for someone else in the role, or Sherlock Holmes etc.

 

Cary Grant was a mega-superstar - but his audience didn't want to see him in dramas. Jim Carrey was a comedy superstar who's audience wouldn't follow him to Eternal Sunshine - the best film and work he ever did.  Even Tom Cruise in his peak years made more doing Mission Impossibles and War Of The Worlds than  those like Magnolia.  Certain kinds of films are never going to have a huge  audience - and usually not even break $100m unless they come out around Oscar time and get that push.

 

Aside from megasuper stardom I think RDJ needs to branch out again to smaller projects or he'll wind up like Harrison Ford or Depp doing worse and worse stuff for the paycheck and it shows.  Johnny Depp's huge audience that he brought to projects like Charlie & The Chocolate Factory & Alice In Wonderland (ehhh) from Pirates has now started to erode even in in what would normally be his wheel house -  like Dark Shadows.

Edited April 20, 2014 by TalismanRing

[a2k]

Ahhh...I don't know how to tell on that....fans are getting good.

 

But it's even telling that a fan-made poster decided to list the movies instead of Nolan's name.  Nolan fans are pretty hardcore in their worship of him.

 

Hail the Director of the Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception

[Captain Craig]

So I'm going to wait till actuals come in tomorrow but it seems even a $1m correction downward still gives cause for celebration in the CA:TWS camp!!!

[Captain Craig]

*Server hiccup

Edited April 20, 2014 by Captain Craig

[grey ghost]

All the phase 2 solo movies are going to be bigger than every phase 1 solo movie.

 

[dashrendar44]

Spielberg, Cameron, Nolan and Tarantino are probably the only directors whose names alone can sell a movie to a decent-sized audience these days. Scorsese is definitely better known today than ever before, but if his films were only seen by those who know who he is, they would never cross $50m domestic.

 

 

Spielberg and Cameron's names are not put at the forefront (and that was their last movie for each, Cameron's name is not even mention anywhere on the poster)

 

I think Tarantino is the only superstar director whose name rings a bell like an actual superstar actor and can be an actual draw in GA's mind when put on a poster sheet.

Edited April 20, 2014 by dashrendar44

[Ando918]

I don't think there's any debate that he's a mega-superstar.  The question is if he's one is smaller dramas.  The question is if the audience wants to see him in that kind of role.  If they don't it doesn't mean they won't spend a billion plus to see him as Iron Man again when they wouldn't pay that much for someone else in the role, or Sherlock Holmes etc.

 

Cary Grant was a mega-superstar - but his audience didn't want to see him in dramas. Jim Carrey was a comedy superstar who's audience wouldn't follow him to Eternal Sunshine - the best film and work he ever did.  Even Tom Cruise in his peak years made more doing Mission Impossibles and War Of The Worlds than  those like Magnolia.  Certain kinds of films are never going to have a huge  audience - and usually not even break $100m unless they come out around Oscar time and get that push.

 

Aside from megasuper stardom I think RDJ needs to branch out again to smaller projects or he'll wind up like Harrison Ford or Depp doing worse and worse stuff for the paycheck and it shows.  Johnny Depp's huge audience that he brought to projects like Charlie & The Chocolate Factory & Alice In Wonderland (ehhh) from Pirates has now started to erode even in in what would normally be his wheel house -  like Dark Shadows.

I am in agreement with much of what you say here.  I just don't think he is anywhere near the same league of megastardom and drawpower as the top 5 that I mentioned.  Basically, take a movie like Captain Phillips last year and its success for an October movie.  It made 100 domestic and was basically a political thriller set in Somalia, and based on a true story.  Normally, that kind of adult drama movie makes in the 50s domestic.  I think if Downey Jr. had starred in that kind of movie, it only would have made 50s domestic.  I think The Judge will do similar (40s or 50s domestic), but if a bigger name was starring in it, it could do 90 domestic.

[Fancyarcher]

Dash you're crazy if you think that Spielberg and Cameron aren't box office draw directors.

Edited April 20, 2014 by Fancyarcher

[dashrendar44]

Aside from megasuper stardom I think RDJ needs to branch out again to smaller projects or he'll wind up like Harrison Ford or Depp doing worse and worse stuff for the paycheck and it shows.  Johnny Depp's huge audience that he brought to projects like Charlie & The Chocolate Factory & Alice In Wonderland (ehhh) from Pirates has now started to erode even in in what would normally be his wheel house -  like Dark Shadows.

 

Why does he need to do that? Just check his filmography pre-Iron Man, you'll find those smaller projects. He got nothing to prove anymore. RDJ was a great character actor in small movies that now tastes superstardom in tentpoles, not the reverse.

[dashrendar44]

Dash you're crazy if you think that Spielberg and Cameron aren't box office draw directors.

 

You didn't understand my post. Tarantino's name has always been hip, he's a brand as himself. There are adjectives like "Tarantinesque" that have been invented just because of his invigorating revival style so people now say "I checked the last Tarantino" like a must check because Tarantino. You automatically know what you'll get.(Vintage music, ultraviolence outbursts, ultra-referential tunnel of dialogue and metafilmic directing)

 

Spielberg's name, despite being one of the most popular american director, is not used in popular culture like that because he is more versatile and his career spanned several decades so he is considered like a living legend some might check but not obligatory (some will be appealed by WOTW's Spielberg but will pass on Lincoln and War Horse's Spielberg for hence). Cameron's name doesn't pop up like Tarantino. He's not even mentioned on Avatar's poster at the top unlike Tarantino.

Edited April 20, 2014 by dashrendar44

[Harpospoke]

Cary Grant was a mega-superstar - but his audience didn't want to see him in dramas.

You may be thinking of the movie Suspicion there.  Apparently audiences didn't like the idea of him being a "bad guy".   Even though the studio made Hitchcock change the ending, he was still really scary in that and audiences didn't care for it. But he was quite successful in dramas though.   North by Northwest, Notorious, An Affair to Remember,  and To Catch a Thief spring to mind.   Heck...one of his most famous flops was Bringing Up Baby...now considered one of the greatest comedies of all time. 

Jim Carrey was a comedy superstar who's audience wouldn't follow him to Eternal Sunshine - the best film and work he ever did.

I wonder about that one.   Some call it his "best work"...but give me Ace Ventura, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber.   I'm betting that will be how he is remembered and I don't think it's inferior in any way just because it's comedy.   I submit that playing comedy is harder than playing drama.   Comedy actors never seem to have any trouble at all playing drama...but rarely are dramatic actors able to pull off comedy.

[Fancyarcher]

You didn't understand my post. Tarantino's name has always been hip, he's a brand as himself. Spielberg is not because he is versatile (some will be appeal by WOTW's Spielberg but will pass on Lincoln for hence). Cameron's name doesn't pop up like Tarantino. He's not even mention on Avatar's poster at the top unlike Tarantino.

 

Yeah, that doesn't necessarily mean they're not unknown directors though. Spielberg is the most successful director in history, Cameron is second.

 

Besides Spielberg nor Cameron don't necessarily market their own movies, at least as far posters go.

Edited April 20, 2014 by Fancyarcher

[Harpospoke]

Dash you're crazy if you think that Spielberg and Cameron aren't box office draw directors.

You are probably right about Spielberg, but I even wonder about Cameron.   If they put "from the director of Titanic" on the poster, there is a reason for that.   People are fans of Cameron's movies...but I wonder how many really know who he is?    I may try that...just ask people "Do you like James Cameron's movies?" and see how many people actually know who he is.

 

Why does he need to do that? Just check his filmography pre-Iron Man, you'll find those smaller projects. He got nothing to prove anymore. RDJ was a great character actor in small movies that now tastes superstardom in tentpoles, not the reverse.

Good point.   Interesting how RDJ made a career out of playing "substantial roles"....only recently became a big draw at the box office and started making the "fun movies"...and now there are calls for him to prove himself again.    Our memories are short!

[Fancyarcher]

You are probably right about Spielberg, but I even wonder about Cameron.   If they put "from the director of Titanic" on the poster, there is a reason for that.   People are fans of Cameron's movies...but I wonder how many really know who he is?    I may try that...just ask people "Do you like James Cameron's movies?" and see how many people actually know who he is.

 

Good point.   Interesting how RDJ made a career out of playing "substantial roles"....only recently became a big draw at the box office and started making the "fun movies"...and now there are calls for him to prove himself again.    Our memories are short!

 

That may just be the studio, who can sometimes be very ignorant. Cameron's lowest grossing film (not counting Piranha 2) is IMAX documentary Ghosts of the Abyss (which did well given its somewhat limited release). His lowest grossing major film is the Terminator which made 38 million in 1984.

 

Cameron is smart because he spreads his films out. Making each and every one a new experience.

 

As for RDJ, in case your wondering he's doing a movie called The Judge, which sounds like an Oscar baiter.

Edited April 20, 2014 by Fancyarcher

[TalismanRing]

Why does he need to do that? Just check his filmography pre-Iron Man, you'll find those smaller projects. He got nothing to prove anymore. RDJ was a great character actor in small movies that now tastes superstardom in tentpoles, not the reverse.

 

I think mixing it up keeps an actor fresh and sharp and in the end it makes their work better overall.  Also with his stardom now more people will watch those character actor roles and he'll build an  audience for those types of roles when the tent poles dry up or he ages out of them.  It just makes for a healthier longer more diverse career.  There's no reason he can't do a film like The Judge or Chaplin (which he's brilliant in) in between blockbusters. I don't think it's an either/or proposition or a matter of proving himself.

 

Take an actor like Harrison Ford.  Movies like Mosquito Coast didn't make money so he stopped bothering. At his apex he was offered tons of work in high caliber actor driven movies with the best directors but he turned them down in droves because they didn't come attached to the huge paycheck.  When his big movies began to under perform he's was left scrambling for better quality work.  Now I don't think he's great actor, but he's good and can be very good and he certainly should being do more than the shit he's been doing as he waits for a part in a sequel to a film he's done 30 years ago.   

Edited April 20, 2014 by TalismanRing

[dashrendar44]

Yeah, that doesn't necessarily mean they're not unknown directors though. Spielberg is the most successful director in history, Cameron is second.

 

Besides Spielberg nor Cameron don't necessarily market their own movies, at least as far posters go.

 

Like I said in my post, I don't say Spielberg and Cameron are unknown to the audience but that Tarantino acts like the star of his movie on the same level as his lead actors and people now just check his last movies on Tarantino's name.