Is the hype for Star Wars hurting every other movie this season?

[The Panda]

I think this is worth discussing.

 

My point:  Ever since The Force Awakens third trailer released, started selling tickets, and kicking it's marketing campaign into gear there hasn't been a movie that's even been able to perform to modest expectations (with a possible exception of Creed)

 

October was a complete bust minus the Martian (came out pre-Star Wars), but that happened last year so no big deal right?

 

Well, Spectre also underperformed and Peanuts has done well but it's been a smaller hit.

 

Mockingjay Part 2, the Hunger Games finale, is a disappointing at a pretty spectacular level.

 

And now Pixar's the Good Dinosaur could potentially be their weakest box office performance since Cars 2.  This is a movie that was supposed to be a sure-fire smash after Inside Out's success and the Dino craze JW caused.

 

So my question is, has Star Wars monopolized on the hype, or are all of these disappointments simply coincidences from over expectations?

 

Now, there's legitimate reasons for many of these disappointments, but maybe not to the level they are disappointing on.  And certainly it's strange how it's been a string of weak performances.

 

I think there's a high probability that the unprecedented hype Star Wars has right now is killing the hype for other movies and leading to weaker performances.  People aren't getting excited for the new Bond, Hunger Games, or Pixar flick because Star Wars is right around the corner.  

 

It's not that people are saving their money for Star Wars, but that they don't care about any other movie coming out this season because all of the eyes are on Star Wars.  

 

Add in a hectic world situation taking away the focus of people, that people just aren't caring to show up to see anything right now.  

[Avatree]

I don't think the failures or underperformances of any recent movies have anything to do with Star Wars. I see no reason to think why they would be related.

 

 

Incidentally, it's thinking like this that will lead to people calling Star Wars an underperformer or failing to meet expectations...

Edited November 26, 2015 by treeroy

[Maxmoser3]

Not really. October really just had The Martian, holdovers, and Goosebumps originally as popularity. November has had Spectre and was expected to drop off from Skyfall but not this much(it's doing good $$$ worldwide), Peanuts will probably do fine around 150 million domestic. Mocking Jay 2 just wasn't what was going to set fire to box office. The Good Dinosaur will do successful in terms of legs and such, same with Creed. Now films such as In The Heart Of The Sea and Alvin 4 and Point Break are in fact going to die quickly against Star Wars. Star Wars will probably destroy 60% of movies against its path(from December 18th to whenever) will be holding on for quite some time.

[acetabulum7]

I think it hurt Spectre and MJ2 a bit. I mean $50M in pre-ticket sales and all the massive hype everywhere has to count for something.

 

Spectre might not even hit $200M, which is a huge drop from the previous entry, and MJ2 might not hit $300M despite being a franchise finale. Pretty disappointing numbers that I don't think most of us predicted.

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

No, it's not Mayweather/Pacquiao, general audiences can afford to buy tickets to more than one movie if they're interested, especially when they're weeks/months apart. 

[The Panda]

Btw, I'm not saying it's the sole reason for each case, but I'm saying I believe it has had an effect on each movie in terms of anticipation building which would lead to box office gross.

 

No Star Wars hype and I see all of these movies opening and doing a bit better.

[MovieMan89]

The simple version:

 

Yes SW is eating up most of the hype and causing other would be blockbusters this Holiday to seem like much smaller movies to the GA. However, said movies also had plenty of their own factors that led to not so spectacular performances as well. 

[Tau Ceti]

I don't buy the argument that SW is literally causing people to skip movies they would normally see. Who looks in their wallet four weeks away from Star Wars, sees ten bucks, and says: "you know what, I can't spend this on a movie right now because I gotta save it for The Force Awakens." Perhaps there are some people who budget their movies that way but I have yet to meet them.

 

In one respect I can agree however: scheduling. By pushing movies out of the December slate, TFA definitely contributed to the crowding in October and November. So I think that knock on effect is real.

[Chewy]

yep

[John Marston]

no

 

 

 

 

there have been other gigantic hits and anticipated movies you know

 

Spectre did not have the reviews, hype, or marketing Skyfall did

 

 

Hunger Games already showed signs of franchise fatigue last year and this is just continuing it 

 

 

Good Dinosaur looked more childish compared to other Pixar films. Should still play well over the holidays. 

 

 

 

[department store basement]

24 minutes ago, Tau Ceti said:

By pushing movies out of the December slate, TFA definitely contributed to the crowding in October and November.

 

Uhh...what exactly did Star Wars "push out"?

 

It's custom that there are only three to four movies in the holiday season that people expect to make boatloads of money, and usually only one is released in December.

 

In 2010, there was Deathly Hallows 1 and Tangled (November) and Tron Legacy (December). There was Megamind (also November) as well which was highly anticipated initially but had all of its thunder stolen by Tangled.

 

In 2011, there was Breaking Dawn 1 (November) and Sherlock Holmes 2 and Mission Impossible 4 (December). This is the only exception.

 

In 2012, there was Wreck-It Ralph, Skyfall, and Breaking Dawn 2 (November) and Hobbit 1 (December).

 

In 2013, there was Thor 2, Catching Fire, and Frozen (November) and Hobbit 2 (December).

 

In 2014, there was Big Hero 6, Interstellar, and Mockingjay 1 (November) and Hobbit 3 (December).

 

This year is no different with Spectre, Mockingjay 2, and Good Dinosaur (November) and Star Wars (December).

 

If anything Star Wars just filled the "big December blockbuster" position.

 

I do believe however that the hype for it is stealing all the thunder from the other big movies this year. When I went to see Crimson Peak last month there were around 4 other people there, and the whole room was so quiet that I fell asleep in the middle of the movie. Not only that, nobody was there in the ticket line. A week later I saw Spectre the Thursday night when it opened, and while there were around 20 other people in the theater they seemed very unenthusiastic. Where were all the Bond superfans? And once again nobody was there in the ticket line. Yet Star Wars tickets seem to be selling at an extremely rapid pace. People want to spend their limited money and time for movies on just Star Wars.

[Klingo]

Yes, Star Wars is also hurting movies in 2016.  Thats how powerful it is.  Because people will be flocking to watch Star Wars many times and not new movies of 2016.

[Klingo]

And don't forget Momentum.  Star Wars took all the money away from that film.  It only made 69 dollars.  Or pounds I think in UK.

[The Panda]

11 minutes ago, department store basement said:

 

Uhh...what exactly did Star Wars "push out"?

 

It's custom that there are only three to four movies in the holiday season that people expect to make boatloads of money, and usually only one is released in December.

 

In 2010, there was Deathly Hallows 1 and Tangled (November) and Tron Legacy (December). There was Megamind (also November) as well which was highly anticipated initially but had all of its thunder stolen by Tangled.

 

In 2011, there was Breaking Dawn 1 (November) and Sherlock Holmes 2 and Mission Impossible 4 (December). This is the only exception.

 

In 2012, there was Wreck-It Ralph, Skyfall, and Breaking Dawn 2 (November) and Hobbit 1 (December).

 

In 2013, there was Thor 2, Catching Fire, and Frozen (November) and Hobbit 2 (December).

 

In 2014, there was Big Hero 6, Interstellar, and Mockingjay 1 (November) and Hobbit 3 (December).

 

This year is no different with Spectre, Mockingjay 2, and Good Dinosaur (November) and Star Wars (December).

 

If anything Star Wars just filled the "big December blockbuster" position.

 

I do believe however that the hype for it is stealing all the thunder from the other big movies this year. When I went to see Crimson Peak last month there were around 4 other people there, and the whole room was so quiet that I fell asleep in the middle of the movie. Not only that, nobody was there in the ticket line. A week later I saw Spectre the Thursday night when it opened, and while there were around 20 other people in the theater they seemed very unenthusiastic. Where were all the Bond superfans? And once again nobody was there in the ticket line. Yet Star Wars tickets seem to be selling at an extremely rapid pace. People want to spend their limited money and time for movies on just Star Wars.

 

That might be a better way to put it.  People didn't care as much about Bond or Hunger Games because they're pumped for Star Wars.

[MovieMan89]

1 hour ago, Tau Ceti said:

I don't buy the argument that SW is literally causing people to skip movies they would normally see. Who looks in their wallet four weeks away from Star Wars, sees ten bucks, and says: "you know what, I can't spend this on a movie right now because I gotta save it for The Force Awakens." Perhaps there are some people who budget their movies that way but I have yet to meet them.

Nobody is using that logic. However, SW is making films that under normal circumstances might seem like mini-event movies (Spectre, MJ2) feel pedestrian and nothing special in comparison to SW. So it is taking from their hype in that sense.

Edited November 27, 2015 by MovieMan89

[Ryan Reynolds]

it shouldn't, I mean it should hurt some movies two weeks before release but not in November, but it may prevent movie goers that just go to the cinema once a year from skipping a movie they may see otherwise

[The Futurist]

Yep, it does, it s really a fair argument whatever other arguments you use to explain why other movies are underperforming.

 

Star Wars is THE franchise in America and JJ & Dinsey s team  are all about nostalgia and the OT.

 

Force Awakens kinda cast a shadow over everything but obviously it s impossible to measure the exact size of that shadow.

[The Panda]

Just now, Ryan Reynolds said:

it shouldn't, I mean it should hurt some movies two weeks before release but not in November, but it may prevent movie goers that just go to the cinema once a year from skipping a movie they may see otherwise

 

We're not talking about people choosing to not see a movie two months prior to save for Star Wars.  My argument is that because all of the hype is for Star Wars, people were less hyped for the other event movies and payed less attention.  They cared less about them because Star Wars marketing was kicking into full gear and that's all they cared about.

 

Because of that there was less hype built up for films like MJ2 so instead of them being, "We have to go see that film!" It was more, "Oh yeah, that's coming out too."  Which would lead less people feeling motivated to go and buy tickets for the movie.  

 

Without a 4 quadrant film like Star Wars you might have had a larger amount of people more hyped for a variety of films that didn't have the type of appeal it has.  

 

Just think about it, are people really talking about anything other than Star Wars when it comes to film right now?  

[filmlover]

1 hour ago, MovieMan89 said:

The simple version:

 

Yes SW is eating up most of the hype and causing other would be blockbusters this Holiday to seem like much smaller movies to the GA. However, said movies also had plenty of their own factors that led to not so spectacular performances as well. 

Pretty much. As much as Star Wars is making everything else seem small, it's not like a bunch of these movies were hurdle-free in the first place.

[department store basement]

What exactly does "4 quadrant movie" mean? I've never heard that term used before. Are the axes gender and age?