Official Oct 5 to Oct 7 Weekend Thread | Official Estimates: Venom - 80M (205M WW OW); A Star is Born - 42.6M

[LegendaryBen]

8 minutes ago, CoolEric258 said:

 

That twitter account is usually satire. I know she didn’t say those things. Google search them if you don’t believe me.

[Eric Prime]

10 minutes ago, LegendaryBen said:

That twitter account is usually satire. I know she didn’t say those things. Google search them if you don’t believe me.

[Cmasterclay]

5 hours ago, Chewy said:

 

FWIW I'm still around and try to post here and there just generally busy

My dude!!

 

Same here, got an election to win and a country to save

[expensiveho]

1 hour ago, Slambros said:

I'm feeling confident tonight. There's something about Venom that I want to rant about, something that's been on my mind about these numbers. I think it's going to end up being long, so I'm putting it in a spoiler tag.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I think certain moviegoers need an intervention.

 

I get it. Marvel is the new big thing, the reason why so many movies are thriving, the reason why superhero films are as prevalent as they are. But that doesn't mean there aren't victims in its wake, and I don't think I'm happy about that.

 

Most people would say that the animated film Smallfoot had a solid drop from last weekend, with a percentage decrease of 35.3% as of estimates. And I think they're correct to a degree. That's a very solid hold for a blockbuster film of any kind.

 

It's just that I think it could've had a much better decrease. And the reason why I think that is because I think Venom, over the course of this weekend, has taken the attention of the family audience away from Smallfoot, which is arguably much more deserving of said family audience.

 

(Before I continue, let me acknowledge that I have seen neither of these films as of this writing. I am merely talking based on observations.)

 

I had just seen A Star is Born--my number one film of 2018 so far, by the way--yes, it's that good--and I decided to go to the front desk manager to make a limited-release recommendation for the theater, when I saw that a family of five--all three kids younger in age--were trying to sort things out so they could see Venom despite how packed the theaters were. I was clinching my lips together, to be frank. If I weren't as shy around people, I think I would've suggested that they see Smallfoot, an excellent, serviceable animated film. But I let the opportunity pass me by. And I could've sworn that, when they weren't able to get seats together for Venom, they simply left the building, having seen nothing. To me, that was a saddening sight.

 

I think there's something wrong with the people in the society that try to bring very young kids--very young kids--to a film like Venom. Venom is a film with a parasitic monster that could potentially scare young children, that's just a fact. And, for those young children, there were other options. There was The House With A Clock in its Walls--though that also has its frightening moments, though it would likely be better for kids than Venom. And then there was Smallfoot, which I think is the film that really got a portion of its business taken from it in an unjust way.

 

You know how film can tell children meaningful messages that stick with them for the rest of their lives, right?

 

Well, Smallfoot had those messages. One of its central themes was being open to new ideas, and being open to rejecting old ideas that no longer serve its purpose. And while that philosophy isn't something I can always get behind in certain circumstances as someone who leans conservative, I do believe that the idea has purpose, in the sciences, in the arts, in the business world, and in everyday life. That sounds like something kids can truly get something from, correct?

 

(*Trigger warning. Controversial opinion imminent.*)

 

Let's look at Venom's messages. It's about the battle between good and evil. And, as someone that's seen critics talk about it, as someone who's seen plenty of ads for it, that's all I can tell from it. Some kids might get something from that, but for me, I think there's a lot of kids--and people, in general--who already have, instilled within themselves, the basic 'I-don't-care-what-reasons-the-villain-has-we-gotta-be-good-we-gotta-be-heroic' song & dance type of lesson that they've already seen hundreds of times in other action movies and other superhero movies.

 

My central thesis is this: according to my observations, many moviegoers, and the members of the future's next generation that belong to them, are going to Venom for the primary and ineffectual purpose of simply being entertained.

 

Going to a film to be entertained isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've done it many times before, myself. But that doesn't mean I don't prefer films that I truly take with me as I keep walking through this life of mine. All of my favorite films have something about them that are significant, something that resonates with me long after the credits roll. The reason why I appreciated Black Panther as much as I did after seeing it was because of its messages and its relevance--Ryan Coogler made something that spoke to audiences, not just something that entertained them.

 

And Venom is there, just, simply, entertaining them.

 

So of course, I'm going to be disappointed that an opportunity for many parents all across America to provide their children with entertainment that resonates with them for life is being squandered just because Sony decided to capitalize on the Marvel hype train and make lizard-brained drivel of a film starring extraterrestrial quagmire.

 

If you made it this far through my rant, thank you for giving the time to read through it. You absolutely do not have to agree with me or my ideas, and I am absolutely open to questions and comments. I can only hope that, in the future, people are more aware that there are certain films out there that people can learn from, that people can look through for inspiration and guidance.

 

Hopefully, Smallfoot can continue to have excellent holds as the only animated film until The Grinch, which is releasing on the weekend of November 9th. I'm sure they'll be good enough to convince Warner Animation Group that it was a worthwhile venture to make as good an original film as they did. And while I'm at it, I'll say that I'm happy for everyone who worked on both of the films. The people working on these films hold American dream jobs; they work very hard behind the scenes to provide many people with a product that audiences may or may not embrace, and they're the ones who deserve to have their films succeed the most.

 

You can't just force people to see a movie they have no interest in. 

 

The family went to the theater to see Venom. No Venom = no movie. If they were just going to see a movie (any) they would've looked to other options. 

 

There's always a most-deserving movie out. Why even bother going to the theater when you can buy a more deserving classic movie on BR? (Not even going to mention Netflix or illegal downloads). 

 

In my experience people don't go out to see any movie anymore. Something catches their attention and they plan on watching it sometime (more and more people go out on OW than before, hence the front loaded nature of this decade blockbusters and other people just wait until the theater isn't as crowded) but it's because they are interested. If I like a trailer for a movie that might look good, I just wait and watch it at home (for example JW2, The Meg) or just forget about it if doesn't hold my attention that long (The Boss Baby, Ninjago, Trolls)

 

Which is why (IMO) mid-budget hits are becoming more rare and must-see event blockbusters get bigger each year.

[filmlover]

5 hours ago, WrathOfHan said:

The Hate U Give had a pretty disappointing start. It sure as shit won't play well in conservative areas, so I'm questioning if this even hits 15M total.

I wouldn't read too much into its limited numbers just yet. Keep in mind this isn't the kind of movie that usually gets platform bows.

[La Binoche]

Just now, filmlover said:

I wouldn't read too much into its limited numbers just yet. Keep in mind this isn't the kind of movie that usually gets platform bows.

This is true, but there also seems to be a distinct lack of buzz. 

 

When do we get Sunday numbers? 

[dxmatrixdt]

^^ Venom marketing to kids & the symbiote.  

This one was a family friendly movie and the numbers show it.  i'm confused as to what kind of message Venom sends.

The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith had a slow build of the dark side.

Harry Potter slowly progressed darker.

same with Spider-man going to Spider-man 3 with Venom.

 

but instead of being a hero who slowly seeps at the dark, does Venom encourage kids to embrace their hedonistic genes at younger ages, or to go all out punk?

it is like, on Halloween the kids are Venom and Harley Quinn, but that is their usual attire.  

Edited October 8, 2018 by dtairdryZid

[Porthos]

55 minutes ago, LegendaryBen said:

That twitter account is usually satire.

[sfran43]

1 hour ago, Slambros said:

I'm feeling confident tonight. There's something about Venom that I want to rant about, something that's been on my mind about these numbers. I think it's going to end up being long, so I'm putting it in a spoiler tag.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I think certain moviegoers need an intervention.

 

I get it. Marvel is the new big thing, the reason why so many movies are thriving, the reason why superhero films are as prevalent as they are. But that doesn't mean there aren't victims in its wake, and I don't think I'm happy about that.

 

Most people would say that the animated film Smallfoot had a solid drop from last weekend, with a percentage decrease of 35.3% as of estimates. And I think they're correct to a degree. That's a very solid hold for a blockbuster film of any kind.

 

It's just that I think it could've had a much better decrease. And the reason why I think that is because I think Venom, over the course of this weekend, has taken the attention of the family audience away from Smallfoot, which is arguably much more deserving of said family audience.

 

(Before I continue, let me acknowledge that I have seen neither of these films as of this writing. I am merely talking based on observations.)

 

I had just seen A Star is Born--my number one film of 2018 so far, by the way--yes, it's that good--and I decided to go to the front desk manager to make a limited-release recommendation for the theater, when I saw that a family of five--all three kids younger in age--were trying to sort things out so they could see Venom despite how packed the theaters were. I was clinching my lips together, to be frank. If I weren't as shy around people, I think I would've suggested that they see Smallfoot, an excellent, serviceable animated film. But I let the opportunity pass me by. And I could've sworn that, when they weren't able to get seats together for Venom, they simply left the building, having seen nothing. To me, that was a saddening sight.

 

I think there's something wrong with the people in the society that try to bring very young kids--very young kids--to a film like Venom. Venom is a film with a parasitic monster that could potentially scare young children, that's just a fact. And, for those young children, there were other options. There was The House With A Clock in its Walls--though that also has its frightening moments, though it would likely be better for kids than Venom. And then there was Smallfoot, which I think is the film that really got a portion of its business taken from it in an unjust way.

 

You know how film can tell children meaningful messages that stick with them for the rest of their lives, right?

 

Well, Smallfoot had those messages. One of its central themes was being open to new ideas, and being open to rejecting old ideas that no longer serve its purpose. And while that philosophy isn't something I can always get behind in certain circumstances as someone who leans conservative, I do believe that the idea has purpose, in the sciences, in the arts, in the business world, and in everyday life. That sounds like something kids can truly get something from, correct?

 

(*Trigger warning. Controversial opinion imminent.*)

 

Let's look at Venom's messages. It's about the battle between good and evil. And, as someone that's seen critics talk about it, as someone who's seen plenty of ads for it, that's all I can tell from it. Some kids might get something from that, but for me, I think there's a lot of kids--and people, in general--who already have, instilled within themselves, the basic 'I-don't-care-what-reasons-the-villain-has-we-gotta-be-good-we-gotta-be-heroic' song & dance type of lesson that they've already seen hundreds of times in other action movies and other superhero movies.

 

My central thesis is this: according to my observations, many moviegoers, and the members of the future's next generation that belong to them, are going to Venom for the primary and ineffectual purpose of simply being entertained.

 

Going to a film to be entertained isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've done it many times before, myself. But that doesn't mean I don't prefer films that I truly take with me as I keep walking through this life of mine. All of my favorite films have something about them that are significant, something that resonates with me long after the credits roll. The reason why I appreciated Black Panther as much as I did after seeing it was because of its messages and its relevance--Ryan Coogler made something that spoke to audiences, not just something that entertained them.

 

And Venom is there, just, simply, entertaining them.

 

So of course, I'm going to be disappointed that an opportunity for many parents all across America to provide their children with entertainment that resonates with them for life is being squandered just because Sony decided to capitalize on the Marvel hype train and make lizard-brained drivel of a film starring extraterrestrial quagmire.

 

If you made it this far through my rant, thank you for giving the time to read through it. You absolutely do not have to agree with me or my ideas, and I am absolutely open to questions and comments. I can only hope that, in the future, people are more aware that there are certain films out there that people can learn from, that people can look through for inspiration and guidance.

 

Hopefully, Smallfoot can continue to have excellent holds as the only animated film until The Grinch, which is releasing on the weekend of November 9th. I'm sure they'll be good enough to convince Warner Animation Group that it was a worthwhile venture to make as good an original film as they did. And while I'm at it, I'll say that I'm happy for everyone who worked on both of the films. The people working on these films hold American dream jobs; they work very hard behind the scenes to provide many people with a product that audiences may or may not embrace, and they're the ones who deserve to have their films succeed the most.

 

All this hot air from someone who hasn't even seen the movie?! You should've saved your rant until after you saw the movie!

[MikeQ]

Huge weekend. Handily the #1 October weekend ever with the top 12 raking in nearly $168M:

 

Row	Rank	Weekend Date / Wknd #		Top 12 Gross	Theaters / Avg.		New Movies	#1 Movie	Gross	% of Total
1	123	Oct. 5–7, 2018	40	$167,945,000	29,548	$5,684	2	Venom	$80,030,000	47.7%
2	254	Oct. 2–4, 2015	40	$142,708,444	30,018	$4,754	2	The Martian	$54,308,575	38.1%
3	276	Oct. 3–5, 2014	40	$139,541,021	29,825	$4,679	4	Gone Girl	$37,513,109	26.9%
4	307	Oct. 10–12, 2014	41	$135,718,063	29,275	$4,636	5	Gone Girl	$26,406,134	19.5%
5	332	Oct. 5–7, 2012	40	$132,743,286	28,066	$4,730	2	Taken 2	$49,514,769	37.3%

 

And both Venom and A Star is Born open big. Venom handily captures the October weekend record and outdoes tracking by $15-20M. And A Star is Born, an R-rated musical, cracks the top 10 and outdoes tracking by $11-14M. You just don't get weekends like this at this time of year - pretty awesome. I'm now interested to see how these two films play out over the coming weeks - it has me more interested in daily tracking of the box office (usually I'm fairly "checked-out" this time of year and check in only on weekends).

 

Rank	Title (click to view)	Studio	Opening*	% of Total	Theaters	Average	Total Gross^	Date**
1	Venom (2018)	Sony	$80,030,000	100.0%	4,250	$18,831	$80,030,000	10/5/18
2	Gravity	WB	$55,785,112	20.4%	3,575	$15,604	$274,092,705	10/4/13
3	The Martian	Fox	$54,308,575	23.8%	3,831	$14,176	$228,433,663	10/2/15
4	Paranormal Activity 3	Par.	$52,568,183	50.5%	3,321	$15,829	$104,028,807	10/21/11
5	Jackass 3-D	Par.	$50,353,641	43.0%	3,081	$16,343	$117,229,692	10/15/10
6	Taken 2	Fox	$49,514,769	35.4%	3,661	$13,525	$139,854,287	10/5/12
7	Scary Movie 3	Dim.	$48,113,770	43.7%	3,505	$13,727	$110,003,217	10/24/03
8	Shark Tale	DW	$47,604,606	29.6%	4,016	$11,853	$160,861,908	10/1/04
9	High School Musical 3: Senior Year	BV	$42,030,184	46.4%	3,623	$11,601	$90,559,416	10/24/08
10	A Star is Born (2018)	WB	$41,250,000	96.8%	3,686	$11,191	$42,600,000	10/5/18

 

Peace,
Mike

[LegendaryBen]

I'm hoping for awesome Sunday numbers, @Rthanos.
 

[DAJK]

4 hours ago, Incarnadine said:

Hmm, I guess I haven't updated my profile. I lived near 1st and Commercial but have since moved to Richmond.

Nice! I lived in North Van when I was there, just a feel blicks up from capilano mall

[Barnack]

7 hours ago, La Binoche said:

They didn't stop Black Panther or Get Out. 

(Get Out was so overrated) 

Much easier for a small bunch to impact an RT rating when there is less than 1,000 votes like for The Hates U Gives.

Has votes from general audience they make people trying sway it one way or an other impact smaller.

 

7 hours ago, The Futurist said:

Superhero fans (and GA at large) are the true free thinkers among audiences.

They are free from propaganda and trust their own free will.

 

Pseudo educated cinephiles are just sheeps following critics who are now sitting quite close from the edge of a cliff.

?????

https://screenrant.com/avengers-infinity-war-marvel-marketing-record/

 

There is a reason you see success getting bigger and failure being quite extreme, we are more and more sheepish.

 

Thinking that people go see movies with a 150m world marketing campaign and that people around them are talking about/going to see are more free from influence than pseudo educated cinephiles following critics...... and not just a different type of influence and more similar to actual sheep is just crazy on is face.

 

 

[IronJimbo]

10 hours ago, filmlover said:

Wait until Alita comes out in February. Gonna be like the third act of mother! but with Cameron fans. Right, @IronJimbo?

alita gonna make a billie..

 

then im gonna be malevolent as i've ever been

[a2k]

1 hour ago, LegendaryBen said:

I'm hoping for awesome Sunday numbers, @Rthanos.
 

same here. though looking at Martian's and Gravity's Sunday drops, I hope Venom doesn't drop much from estimates and does 77-78 if not more.

[dxmatrixdt]

Predix

 

21 - Venom

12 - Star

[AndyK]

1 hour ago, IronJimbo said:

alita gonna make a billie..

 

then im gonna be malevolent as i've ever been

Why aim so low?

[Deathlife]

Venom was a rather ridiculous movie. The trailers showed the heck out of the movie, apart from the final fight, virtually all the fight scenes were spoiled by the trailer.

 

It was just an average superhero movie, very, very much like the first Ghost Rider (even Tom Hardy's performance was similar) except it had better action.

[The Futurist]

5 hours ago, Cmasterclay said:

My dude!!

 

Same here, got an election to win and a country to save

That s a nice delusion to have.

Don Quichote made that mistake too.

Edited October 8, 2018 by The Futurist

[dxmatrixdt]

so both movies sort of run tandem with the same themes?  is selfism a central theme in both movies?  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selfism

I think Lady Gaga practices it and I think one would have to use it to coach themselves through some of the more materialistic high-wire acts like she did at Super Bowl.  How else could you survive that?