Weekend Thread: Free Guy 18.79M (34% drop!) | PAW Patrol 13M, Jungle Cruise 6.2M | Protégé 2.9M, Night House 2.87M, Legendary Flop Reminiscence 2M (Worst opening for a movie in 3K theaters!)

[DAJK]

Gucci will be fine as long as one of the October biggies moves and clears some space.

 

Can someone explain why Dune doesn’t just move to Sept 17 (where it’s releasing internationally) and then Venom moves to the 22nd, leaving Halloween and Last Dual on the 15th? Because that seems the most logical to me.

[filmlover]

Actually now it's been mentioned Free Guy doing so well probably helps The Last Duel's profile since Jodie Comer is now no longer just "the girl from Killing Eve" and she looks to be the movie's definite lead (if the trailer is any indication).

[filmlover]

4 minutes ago, DAJK said:

Gucci will be fine as long as one of the October biggies moves and clears some space.

 

Can someone explain why Dune doesn’t just move to Sept 17 (where it’s releasing internationally) and then Venom moves to the 22nd, leaving Halloween and Last Dual on the 15th? Because that seems the most logical to me.

WB already has Cry Macho on the 17th and Malignant the weekend before that.

[Eric Duncan]

I'll admit I'm biased as a Little Monster, but House of Gucci garnered a lot of Twitter headlines when the trailer dropped and I think the trailer sells itself well as a campy, fun thrill ride with a great cast. I'm assuming also that there will be awards buzz for Gaga and maybe one of the supporting actors, which will also go a long way.

 

Last Duel though always kinda felt like an Ad Astra performer to me even before the pandemic and all its competition. The whole movie being focused around rape was always gonna make it a tough sell IMO. Reviews might change things though

[iHeartJames]

6 minutes ago, Free Eric said:

I'll admit I'm biased as a Little Monster, but House of Gucci garnered a lot of Twitter headlines when the trailer dropped and I think the trailer sells itself well as a campy, fun thrill ride with a great cast. I'm assuming also that there will be awards buzz for Gaga and maybe one of the supporting actors, which will also go a long way.

 

Last Duel though always kinda felt like an Ad Astra performer to me even before the pandemic and all its competition. The whole movie being focused around rape was always gonna make it a tough sell IMO. Reviews might change things though

a fellow monster? paws up!

[Cmasterclay]

House of Gucci had a shit ton of buzz after the trailer and is already a meme of a movie. Plus that Thanksgiving week spot is great. It has Knives Out potential (COVID adjusted). As for Last Duel, pre-pandemic I would have said about 30/90 assuming reviews are good but not Best Picture type good - Damon is a genuine star and the rest of the cast is buzzy too, plus it certainly looks like alot of money on screen. It's a good sword and sandals action movie like they don't make anymore - there's an audience for that.

Also, while I understand the point that is being made with regards to Respect and adult audiences, I wouldn't do too much extrapolation based on the second weekend drop of a mediocrely reviewed Aretha Franklin biopic in late August at the height of Delta. Sure, I get the argument, but I would hold off on using that to shovel dirt on the grave of an apparently very good James Bond movie.

[filmlover]

11 minutes ago, Free Eric said:

I'll admit I'm biased as a Little Monster, but House of Gucci garnered a lot of Twitter headlines when the trailer dropped and I think the trailer sells itself well as a campy, fun thrill ride with a great cast. I'm assuming also that there will be awards buzz for Gaga and maybe one of the supporting actors, which will also go a long way.

 

Last Duel though always kinda felt like an Ad Astra performer to me even before the pandemic and all its competition. The whole movie being focused around rape was always gonna make it a tough sell IMO. Reviews might change things though

As @Cmasterclay just mentioned, Duel also looks a big-budget period piece first and foremost so the less palatable elements should be offset by the promise of some action spectacle. Doesn't seem to have nearly the same kind of marketing problem that something like, say, Dear Evan Hansen (a feel-good musical about...teen suicide and social anxiety) will end up facing.

[Cmasterclay]

The biggest problems Last Duel has are the insanely crowded schedule and the fact that it isn't going to Telluride or Toronto, leaving me with some big questions about quality. I think Black Mass-type reviews are incoming, but Black Mass was a solid adult hit at the time. If Last Duel moves to September or to Christmas, it'll make good money. It looks like it cost a bloody fucking fortune though, to the movie's benefit. I'm gonna keep driving the anti-CGI train after that Eternals trailer - it's amazing what real sets and costumes and extras can do to make a movie look good. 

[Barnack]

29 minutes ago, Free Eric said:

Last Duel though always kinda felt like an Ad Astra performer to me

Not a bad comparable right there imo, opening wise, leg obviously could have been quite different (instead of terrible one like Ad Astra if the movie is well received it could have been a 19 OW 65-70M instead of 50M).

[lorddemaxus]

I expect The Last Duel to be way more crowdpleasing than Ad Astra. Although, its gross won't be that far off (lower opening, better legs).

[Cmasterclay]

I think people are underestimating what Ridley Scott brings to the table when it comes to Last Duel. It's very easy to sell "two big stars swordfight each other" when you can also market it as "from the guy who directed Gladiator". Simplicity 101. I love you @Eric but this ain't James Gray. 

[Menor the Destroyer]

26 minutes ago, lorddemaxus said:

I expect The Last Duel to be way more crowdpleasing than Ad Astra. Although, its gross won't be that far off (lower opening, better legs).

Not exactly a high bar in terms of "crowd pleasing" there

[BestPicturePlutoNash]

26 minutes ago, Cmasterclay said:

I think people are underestimating what Ridley Scott brings to the table when it comes to Last Duel. It's very easy to sell "two big stars swordfight each other" when you can also market it as "from the guy who directed Gladiator". Simplicity 101. I love you @Eric but this ain't James Gray. 

Wasn’t that basically Exodus (65m DOM) and Kingdom of Heaven (47m)?

[BestPicturePlutoNash]

Ridley Scott is perhaps most hit/miss Hollywood filmmaker 

 

Dec 2017: All the Money- 25m (79 RT)

May 2017: Alien Covenant- 74m (65 RT)

Oct 2015: The Martian- 228m (91 RT)

Dec 2014: Exodus- 65m (30 RT)

Oct 2013: The Counselor- 16m (33 RT)

June 2012: Prometheus- 126m (73 RT)

May 2010: Robin Hood- 105m (43 RT)

Oct 2008: Body of Lies- 39m (55 RT)

Nov 2007: American Gangster- 130m (81 RT)

Nov 2006: A Good Year- 7m (25 RT)

May 2005: Kingdom of Heaven- 47m (39 RT)

Sept 2003: Matchstick Men- 36m (82 RT)

Dec 2001: Black Hawk Down- 108m (76 RT)

Feb 2001: Hannibal- 165m (40 RT)

May 2000: Gladiator- 187m (77 RT)

 

 

[DAJK]

3 hours ago, filmlover said:

WB already has Cry Macho on the 17th and Malignant the weekend before that.

Different audiences, they can co-exist. Plus theaters can then play hardball: “you want Dune? Also take Cry Macho then.”

[Madhuvan]

4 hours ago, lorddemaxus said:

Feels like The Last Duel could be a hit (the trailer was fantastic) but it's in a pretty shit spot atm.

They should market it the way I have heard about it. Maybe that will gain more interest.

I will say Gucci will have a good run at Box office. 

[Madhuvan]

4 hours ago, Free Eric said:

I'll admit I'm biased as a Little Monster

And I am a Swiftie ,sister fandoms 

[Legion Again]

40 minutes ago, DAJK said:

Different audiences, they can co-exist. Plus theaters can then play hardball: “you want Dune? Also take Cry Macho then.”

Is Dune really the sort of movie you can use to “play hardball?”    
 

I do agree though that something should move up to late Sep and a studio having two releases the same week isn’t unprecedented (we had it just this July, for instance). 

[CJohn]

Speaking of Last Duel, why not just move it to late September? 2 weeks before Bond would be a good date.

[BestPicturePlutoNash]

I still think it should be Last Duel and/or Jackass moving to September. Jackass feels like an easy hit wherever, so why not take it out of Oct? There is nothing in Sept that appeals to same demo besides Shang-Chi and maybe Malignant, really. And Last Duel feels like it can compete more in Sep away from Dune, etc. The only "adult" films in Sept are Card Counter (Focus, 10th), Cry Macho (WB, 17th), Tammy Faye (Searchlight, 17th) and to lesser extent Dear Evan Hansen (Universal, 24th). 

 

Sept:

3rd: Shang-Chi

10th: Malignant. Card Counter (limited?)

17th: Cry Macho. Jackass

24th: The Last Duel. Dear Evan Hansen.

 

That way, Oct would be:

1st: Sopranos

8th: Bond

15th: Venom. Halloween (Still stupid, though. Halloween should move to the 1st)

22nd: Dune

29th: Last Night in Soho

 

Much better.

Edited August 23, 2021 by BestPicturePlutoNash