Weekdays Thread (12/19-22) | Avatar: The Way of 14.5 | Mon 16.2, Tue 18.3, Wed 14.3, Thu 14.5| Puss 3.2 OD | Check In For Your Hourly Weather Update

[Noctis]

Why was my WWW thread closed?

 

 

[Porthos]

*decides to do some checking*

 

Yeah, that tracks.

 

===

 

Okay, I want to add some hard data to the conversation, esp concerning PLF.  I just took a gander at Century Arden's pre-sales for tomorrow and I came to one fairly inescapable conclusion.

 

MANDATING AS MANY SHOWINGS TO BE IN ***STANDARD 3D*** AS THEY DID WAS A *BIG* MISTAKE

 

Now, I never track after preview night (well, almost never), so I really can't comment on the level of pre-sales here.  But the pattern?  Well, hard to miss it:

 

Century Arden
3D PLF
10:00 AM	31	271	11.44%
2:15 PM	54	271	19.93%
6:30 PM	138	271	50.92%
10:45 PM	11	271	4.06%
	234	1084	21.59%
2D Standard
11:25 AM	28	118	23.73%
12:50 PM	36	118	30.51%
3:40 PM	19	118	16.10%
5:00 PM	64	118	54.24%
7:55 PM	61	118	51.69%
9:35 PM	32	118	27.12%
	240	708	33.90%
3D Standard
10:40 AM	5	172	2.91%
12:10 PM	6	118	5.08%
1:35 PM	2	172	1.16%
2:55 PM	8	172	4.65%
4:25 PM	21	118	17.80%
5:50 PM	23	63	36.51%
7:10 PM	47	172	27.33%
8:40 PM	18	118	15.25%
10:05 PM	0	63	0.00%
	130	1168	11.13%

 

PLF AND standard 2D are selling fairly briskly.  In fact, IMO the early bird 2D showtimes are doing fairly well... But that's because of all of the 3D showtimes.

 

Compare/contrast the 11:25 am 2D showtime with the 12:10pm 3D showtime to see what I mean.  Hell, compare/contrast the 11:25 am 2D showtime with the 4:25 PM 3D showtime.  No reason at all for them to be near identical, and yet...

 

People are in fact showing up for 3D PLF.  But they're not beating down the doors, either.  They are showing up for 2D standard at a much much greater clip than for 3D.  So much so that I wonder how 2D PLF showtimes would be doing at theaters that are allowed to mix and match (I say that because quality/popularity of theater makes it difficult for me to compare the few locals that have 2D PLF screens for A2 against the ones from Cinemark and Regal).

 

FWIW, I saw similar patterns on Thursday previews.

 

So if we want another explanation for perhaps deflated weekdays, it's not just runtime but perhaps the mix of 2D/3D showtimes.

 

NB:

 

Just one theater, randomly taken, so beware sample gremlins. 

 

Didn't check out the other theaters in town which have more 2D showings than 3D.  But I chose Century Arden specifically because it is the most trafficked theater in the region and, unlike some others locally, it doesn't have more 2D showtimes than 3D (Cinemark Roseville, for instance, is the opposite with many more 2D showtimes than 3D).

[Menor the Destroyer]

9 minutes ago, Danhjpn said:

So based on your tracking, how much usd is Mon? 

16-17.5 as I posted earlier. No meaningful change in trend. 

 

And also just for clarification this is the first movie I've been using this method with. So there may be some kinks to work through with the weekday/weekend behavior being different for the chain than overall. Over time I'll be able to adjust for that. For now, posting it just for fun and to provide another data point. 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Menor Reborn

[Nero]

15 minutes ago, GipJo said:

Looking at the detailed box office of China, now I'm not sure how covid is the definitive reason why Avatar 2 is doing poorly.

People are gathering around in the premium screens, they're packed, this is the opposite of avoiding a crowd because of covid. Just look at the IMAX screen and the normal 3D screen that comes just before or after it, if people really are afraid of covid that much, they could easily pick those 3D screens where there is basically no one in them.

I'm not dismissing the impact of covid has, but I think there is more nuance as to why Avatar 2 is doing bad there.

 

Good point 

[redfirebird2008]

2 minutes ago, Porthos said:

*decides to do some checking*

 

Yeah, that tracks.

 

===

 

Okay, I want to add some hard data to the conversation, esp concerning PLF.  I just took a gander at Century Arden's pre-sales for tomorrow and I came to one fairly inescapable conclusion.

 

MANDATING AS MANY SHOWINGS TO BE IN ***STANDARD 3D*** AS THEY DID WAS A *BIG* MISTAKE

 

Now, I never track after preview night (well, almost never), so I really can't comment on the level of pre-sales here.  But the pattern?  Well, hard to miss it:

 

Century Arden
3D PLF
10:00 AM	31	271	11.44%
2:15 PM	54	271	19.93%
6:30 PM	138	271	50.92%
10:45 PM	11	271	4.06%
	234	1084	21.59%
2D Standard
11:25 AM	28	118	23.73%
12:50 PM	36	118	30.51%
3:40 PM	19	118	16.10%
5:00 PM	64	118	54.24%
7:55 PM	61	118	51.69%
9:35 PM	32	118	27.12%
	240	708	33.90%
3D Standard
10:40 AM	5	172	2.91%
12:10 PM	6	118	5.08%
1:35 PM	2	172	1.16%
2:55 PM	8	172	4.65%
4:25 PM	21	118	17.80%
5:50 PM	23	63	36.51%
7:10 PM	47	172	27.33%
8:40 PM	18	118	15.25%
10:05 PM	0	63	0.00%
	130	1168	11.13%

 

PLF AND standard 2D are selling fairly briskly.  In fact, IMO the early bird 2D showtimes are doing fairly well... But that's because of all of the 3D showtimes.

 

Compare/contrast the 11:25 am 2D showtime with the 12:10pm 3D showtime to see what I mean.  Hell, compare/contrast the 11:25 am 2D showtime with the 4:25 PM 3D showtime.  No reason at all for them to be near identical, and yet...

 

People are in fact showing up for 3D PLF.  But they're not beating down the doors, either.  They are showing up for 2D standard at a much much greater clip than for 3D.  So much so that I wonder how 2D PLF showtimes would be doing at theaters that are allowed to mix and match (I say that because quality/popularity of theater makes it difficult for me to compare the few locals that have 2D PLF screens for A2 against the ones from Cinemark and Regal).

 

FWIW, I saw similar patterns on Thursday previews.

 

So if we want another explanation for perhaps deflated weekdays, it's not just runtime but perhaps the mix of 2D/3D showtimes.

 

NB:

 

Just one theater, randomly taken, so beware sample gremlins. 

 

Didn't check out the other theaters in town which have more 2D showings than 3D.  But I chose Century Arden specifically because it is the most trafficked theater in the region and, unlike some others locally, it doesn't have more 2D showtimes than 3D (Cinemark Roseville, for instance, is the opposite with many more 2D showtimes than 3D).

 

 

I definitely feel like they are pushing us back to those days when 2D showings were given crappy attention. I still remember films like the first Avengers movie in 2012 being shown on tiny 2D screens, while 3D got the biggest screens. It sucks for the folks like myself who want to see the movie on the biggest 2D screen possible.

 

My local Regal theater (brand new place) seems to have Avatar on some pretty small 2D screens. I saw Knives Out sequel there very recently and they had it on a much bigger screen in 2D. It was a very nice, big ass screen with a ton of seats in the auditorium. I assume this particular screen is only showing Avatar in 3D, based on the fact all the Avatar 2D showings have a much smaller number of total seats compared to that Knives Out auditorium. 

[Nero]

8 minutes ago, Noctis said:

Why was my WWW thread closed?

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Nero
Never mind 😂

[Eric S'ennui]

15 minutes ago, Noctis said:

Why was my WWW thread closed?

 

 

Too early to start one.

[Porthos]

19 minutes ago, redfirebird2008 said:

I definitely feel like they are pushing us back to those days when 2D showings were given crappy attention. I still remember films like the first Avengers movie in 2012 being shown on tiny 2D screens, while 3D got the biggest screens. It sucks for the folks like myself who want to see the movie on the biggest 2D screen possible.

 

I presume this was/is a one time thing, but I saw similar things locally, though admittedly not all theaters.

 

If this buying/preference pattern holds throughout A2's run, and it is still early... ish, I will be most curious in how A3's screens will be dolled out. 

Edited December 20, 2022 by Porthos

[redfirebird2008]

8 minutes ago, Porthos said:

 

I presume this was/is a one time thing, but I saw similar things locally, though admittedly not all theaters.

 

If this buying/preference pattern holds throughout A2's run, and it is still early... ish, I will be most curious in how A3's screens will be dolled out. 

 

We made progress by the time 2015 rolled around. I remember being pretty happy at the chance to see films like Avengers 2, Jurassic World, & Force Awakens in large format 2D instead of 3D. The biggest screen had split showtimes between 2D & 3D, which is the right approach IMHO. 

[BluKyberCrystal]

3 hours ago, AJG said:

There’s so much of this movie that could be trimmed and tightened up. There’s a better 2:45 movie in hidden in this excessively long film.

There is an even better 2:30 movie in there.

[krla]

3 hours ago, Mulder said:

Not bad but if that holds, and it's still very early so who knows, that'd be lower than Rogue One's first Monday.

Just a touch lower than the first Avatar's Monday, unadjusted. So it's on track for over $760m, no worries. Since it's already like 55m ahead of A1, we can basically just call $800m locked. Write it in spaghettiOs, flush it down the pipes, post it on MySpace, carve it in ice. It's a Cold Stone fucking Creamery lock,

 

2 hours ago, interiorgatordecorator said:

did disney really go out of their way to tell people to watch it in imax? there was a poster I guess, but I really dont remember anything more than that, think its just customers making a decision

 

Maybe "you have to see it on the best screen" is the cultural impact everyone talks about.

 

2 hours ago, charlie Jatinder said:

guess never doubt the lack of fanfiction on that fanfiction website.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters could end up being more profitable than Avatar 2, lol. Did $226m WW on a $50m budget. HG:WH2 when?

[BluKyberCrystal]

1 hour ago, kayumanggi said:

ROGUE ONE is the best among the recent SW movies.

Rogue One is the flick I watch the least of the Disney flicks. It's a flick with no characters. Once I realized the final act was built on a claw game and the entire gang dying in reshot grenade deaths, I've never been able to watch it the same again. Andor is what I wish Rogue One was.

[Sheldon Cr]

5 hours ago, Mulder said:

While the second weekend will be depressed because of Christmas Eve, if the drop's 50% or over it's not going to suddenly have a ton of people show up for the third weekend and save it.

I wouldnt bet the farm on that one... ALot of Tickets according to HR were bought for viewing on XMas and after. 

Cameron films again cannot be compared against the Pretenders..

 

We Will See  or Rather the Naysayers will. LOL. Im liking that its a strong Monday. 

And 3D and 4DX still sold out around the country. 

Still ahead of Avatar 1

Edited December 20, 2022 by Sheldon Cr
Update

[Mulder]

12 minutes ago, Sheldon Cr said:

I wouldnt bet the farm on that one... ALot of Tickets according to HR were bought for viewing on XMas and after. 

Cameron films again cannot be compared against the Pretenders..

 

We Will See  or Rather the Naysayers will. LOL. Im liking that its a strong Monday. 

And 3D and 4DX still sold out around the country. 

Still ahead of Avatar 1

If 16 holds, that's not a strong Monday.

[JimiQ]

Yeah, 16 is underwhelming, no way around that.

but it might recover on tue with discounts

[Verrows]

1 minute ago, JimiQ said:

Yeah, 16 is underwhelming, no way around that.

but it might recover on tue with discounts

In which case, as is the norm anyways, the Wednesday number will really tell the tale. I believe waiting for the first Wednesday number to judge anything is @charlie Jatinder's general rule for any movie.

[The Dark Alfred]

Cameron did a massive gamble and it seems to backfire. He put all his eggs into the 3D basket. Didn't read the room. There's a clear trend everywhere, 3D PLF screenings getting decent WoM, 2D screenings on the other hand very mixed. Understandably. The script is embarrassing, written by a 2-year old, so the experience can't be saved in 2D.

Edited December 20, 2022 by The Dark Alfred

[charlie Jatinder]

5 minutes ago, The Dark Alfred said:

The script is embarrassing, written by a 2-year old, so the experience can't be saved in 2D.

Cameron and various other have said in past and recently that MCU took 23 films to build Endgame in spirit of belittling Endgame's achievement, but in reality Cameron couldn't deliver a good story for even the second film despite taking ten years. 

On other hand MCU delivered 23 solid movies, some of them great in those 11 years.

[wildphantom]

Totally concur with the running time. All the editing needs to be done within that first hour. Trimmed by 20 minutes and you don’t lose a beat. 
Once the film goes underwater it gets fantastic, but that first hour is definitely sluggish - albeit still good. 

[THUNDER BIRD]

7 minutes ago, charlie Jatinder said:

Cameron and various other have said in past and recently that MCU took 23 films to build Endgame in spirit of belittling Endgame's achievement, but in reality Cameron couldn't deliver a good story for even the second film despite taking ten years. 

On other hand MCU delivered 23 solid movies, some of them great in those 11 years.

Kind of nonsense marvel fans say amuse me.

 

There won't be 10 Marvel movies that you could name over Avatar 2.

 

And what did that 23 movies do exactly, box office Crown is still with Cameron.