Is there an untapped demand for adult blockbusters/dramas?

[Joel M]

Also those kind of movies especially when they have big budgets pretty much have to prove with their success that their genre is financially viable in a way that comedies, animations or any other kind of tentpoles don't have to. If a wannabe fairy-tale blockbuster like Jack the Giant Slayer or a superhero movie like Fantastic Four mega flops the industry reaction will be "well, it sounded like a hit on paper we'll get em next time". If Gravity, Interstellar, Revenant mega floped that would have probably meant no space or western original movies with substantial budgets for a decade or so.

[Valonqar]

3 minutes ago, Joel M said:

Also those kind of movies especially when they have big budgets pretty much have to prove with their success that their genre is financially viable in a way that comedies, animations or any other kind of tentpoles don't have to. If a wannabe fairy-tale blockbuster like Jack the Giant Slayer or a superhero movie like Fantastic Four mega flops the industry reaction will be "well, it sounded like a hit on paper we'll get em next time". If Gravity, Interstellar, Revenant mega floped that would have probably meant no space or western original movies with substantial budgets for a decade or so.

 

 

I think that's the reason why they make sure everything is as top notch as possible. They don't do them assembly line style but more carefully. 

[AniNate]

For every Gravity and Interstellar though you also have a Jupiter Ascending and a Cowboys & Aliens

[RandomCat]

13 minutes ago, tribefan695 said:

For every Gravity and Interstellar though you also have a Jupiter Ascending and a Cowboys & Aliens

 

What's it say about me that I haven't seen the former, but enjoyed the latter?

[Tau Ceti]

On ‎2016‎-‎12‎-‎06 at 2:48 PM, cannastop said:

 No, the demand isn't untapped. It's obviously topping out in the sub-$200m level.

 

Agree with Cannastop here. The demand is not untapped but rather has been declining since 1990 because adults simply don't go to the movies as often as they used to. Terms of Endearment, Kramer vs. Kramer, Rain Man: plenty of 1970s and 1980s adult dramas adjust to over $200 or even $300 mil that would be lucky to get $100 mil today. Go back to the 1960s and you have runs like Zhivago and Sound of Music that will literally never happen again. Sometimes a movie makes what it "should" make now (eg. Gravity) but these are effectively four quadrant rather than adult dramas.

 

Hopefully this decline has plateaued but I don't see it reversing.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Tau Ceti

[Amadeus]

Thinking there will more successful Adult-dramas/thrillers (The Y.A.s are going all downhill).

Looking at the baby boomers



Births per 1000 population

When the boys and girls born 1960-70 became adults (1990-95) the top 10 yearly domestic looked very different to last years' top 10s. Those years there were lots of Thrillers in the top 10. 

1993: Jurassic Park, Mrs Doubtfire, The Firm, The Fugitive, Sleepless in Seattle, Indecent Proposal, The Pelican Brief, In The Line of Fire (Bolded = Action/Thrillers or Romance)
1991: We find Silence of the Lambs, Sleeping with the Enemy, and Terminator 2 R-rated 2 be true. 
1992: A Few Good Men, Body Guard, Lethal Weapon 3, Basic Upskirt, A League of Their Own
1990: Dances with Wolves, Ghost, The Hunt For Red October, 

Many of the comedies in the top 10s were produced with this generation in mind as well (Father of the Bride, Wayn'es World, Pretty Woman etc.)

I think we will see more thrillers when the boys n girls born 1988-1992 grow older. There's a boom coming mr wayne. Or not. Maybe. 

[Arlborn]

4 hours ago, RandomJC said:

 

What's it say about me that I haven't seen the former, but enjoyed the latter?

it says that you probably should watch it. It's fun.

[Cochofles]

Lucy is considered an "adult drama"??

[Hatebox]

I mean sure, if you ask me whether they should make more adult dramas with a decent budget then I'll obviously say 'yes, absolutely!'

 

But realistically, they have to be good because WOM matters so much more.

[RandomCat]

38 minutes ago, Arlborn said:

it says that you probably should watch it. It's fun.

 

Gravity and interstellar are fun?

[Arlborn]

1 hour ago, RandomJC said:

 

Gravity and interstellar are fun?

Well, yeah? All four of those movies are in their own ways.

[robertman2]

On 12/6/2016 at 2:52 PM, Fullbuster said:

 

The only movies interesting me in there are The Martian and Interstellar...And not because they're "adult" but because they're sci-fi.

Interstellar is shit

[robertman2]

6 hours ago, Amadeus said:

Thinking there will more successful Adult-dramas/thrillers (The Y.A.s are going all downhill).

Looking at the baby boomers



Births per 1000 population

When the boys and girls born 1960-70 became adults (1990-95) the top 10 yearly domestic looked very different to last years' top 10s. Those years there were lots of Thrillers in the top 10. 

1993: Jurassic Park, Mrs Doubtfire, The Firm, The Fugitive, Sleepless in Seattle, Indecent Proposal, The Pelican Brief, In The Line of Fire (Bolded = Action/Thrillers or Romance)
1991: We find Silence of the Lambs, Sleeping with the Enemy, and Terminator 2 R-rated 2 be true. 
1992: A Few Good Men, Body Guard, Lethal Weapon 3, Basic Upskirt, A League of Their Own
1990: Dances with Wolves, Ghost, The Hunt For Red October, 

Many of the comedies in the top 10s were produced with this generation in mind as well (Father of the Bride, Wayn'es World, Pretty Woman etc.)

I think we will see more thrillers when the boys n girls born 1988-1992 grow older. There's a boom coming mr wayne. Or not. Maybe. 

Jurassic Park is totally a thriller

[Water Bottle]

I think if there really was an untapped demand for adult blockbuster dramas, Hollywood would be trying to do more to meet it.

[Plain Old Tele]

1 hour ago, Water Bottle said:

I think if there really was an untapped demand for adult blockbuster dramas, Hollywood would be trying to do more to meet it.

 

Hollywood is kinda stupid, though. (Collectively) Look at the ongoing and pervasive thought process that no one goes to see "urban"-oriented movies. It takes someone like a Tyler Perry to jump into a market that's clearly under-served. 

 

With the occasional exception for comedies, the studios don't make these mid-budget movies because marketing costs are astronomical and adults are more selective than teens (who'll gobble up anything with a lot of VFX and sizzle). And the bean-counters who green-light projects hate relying on execution of material, because that's not something quantifiable. 

[AniNate]

I think studios spend way too much on marketing. At most all you really need is the month's worth of TV campaigning and product synergy before release and some strategically placed billboards and bus stop ads.

Edited December 8, 2016 by tribefan695

[elcaballero]

1 minute ago, tribefan695 said:

I think studios spend way too much on marketing. 

On traditional advertising, most definitely. 

[AniNate]

I think the way Paramount's going with Silence is very reasonable for films in general, tbh. People don't make a decision on whether or not to see most films six months in advance, and the ones they do they were going to see regardless of how much they were promoted.

Edited December 8, 2016 by tribefan695

[elcaballero]

4 minutes ago, tribefan695 said:

I think the way Paramount's going with Silence is very reasonable for films in general, tbh. People don't make a decision on whether or not to see most films six months in advance, and the ones they do they were going to see regardless of how much they were promoted.

There is something to be said about generating hype, though, and that can take time. Plus, the studios want to be able to start tracking a film early enough in advance.

[Jake Gittes]

13 minutes ago, tribefan695 said:

I think the way Paramount's going with Silence is very reasonable for films in general, tbh. People don't make a decision on whether or not to see most films six months in advance, and the ones they do they were going to see regardless of how much they were promoted.

 

Yep. 10CL too. And when you got a sure-fire huge hit it's not necessary to create a marketing blitz many months beforehand either. I remember when the trailers for Revenge of the Sith and Pirates 3 hadn't come out until March, don't think that hurt them any. When you've got something huge and risky, sure... I think Inception, for example, certainly benefited from generating intrigue for months in advance. But often it's not necessary. Certainly not with the mid-level stuff.