Weekend Estimates pg 14: EX2: 13.5(-52.5%) Bourne 9.5 (.44%), no opener in top 5

[wboxoffice]

Whitney flopped with her last few albums and songs. In fact, her last actual radio hit on mainstream top forty radio was in 1999. And I am talking about ACTUAL hits that people flooded the rado stations to request because she was vital and relevant, not songs that were played here and there or songs that sold out on Itunes post-death. She died a has-been, whether you care to admit it or not, while Meryl managed to sustain a successful career that spans from more than a decade BEFORE Whitey had her first hit through well into the '00s, which in fact has become her best period, box office wise--long after Whitney became a punchline and a cautionary tale about the excesses of fame. Meryl Streep is every bit the household name that Whitney was, and for better or for worse, she will be remembered for a solid run of movies, the most Oscar nominations for a single actor in history (and THREE wins) and for late-in-life box office clout, while Whitney will be remembered as 'the formerly great singer that became a junkie, ruined her voice, and drowned in a bathtub after overdosing." Sad, but true.And no matter how you spin it, it's clear now that SPARKLE flopped. Now there's no room for "Oh, it will have great legs" or "It cost so little that it will be a hit no matter what."

Sparkle will make back its budget and then some. After its box office run and dvd/blu ray sales, it will continue making Sony money for years. Without Whitney, it wouldn't even have been released to theaters, it's a small movie with limited appeal. As for your "has-been" crap, I Look to You sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide and reached no.1 in many countries. And that's despite Whitney basing the album on the GOSPEL title track. And guess what, she is again playing a GOSPEL singer Sparkle. For you it's a has-been, but for Whitney it's doing something she loves She's not out there trying to compete with Rihanna or Katy Perry, Whitney has accomplished everything, she's done it all and she was doing something she loves. And despite that, her lowest sales can match some of the higher sales of many artists. And every year wether on shows like X Factor or American Idol, or any new young upcoming singer, the singer who is the most emulated and mentionned is Whitney Houston. She's a legend. Drugs change nothing, tons of the biggest legends have either died or been linked to drugs, if anything it makes them even more iconic. With all due respect to Meryl Streep, if she passes I doubt that she will get 2 full weeks of non-stop coverage on CNN. When Meryl passes and gets a televised funeral, then we can talk. Whitney was just way mainstream and way more popular than Meryl ever was, and the fact that she had drug problems changes nothing, she's already a legend. Even Marilyn Monroe is a bigger legend than Elizabeth Taylor despite one dying because of drugs and one outliving her by 100 years and continuing to work, your theory makes no sense. What Whitney did at her peak is historic, and she always be regarded as one of the greatest females in history.

[Deep Wang]

With all due respect to Meryl Streep, if she passes I doubt that she will get 2 full weeks of non-stop coverage on CNN.

So by your logic, Anna Nicole Smith was one of the biggest stars in the world at the time of her death because I swear she was everywhere I looked after she died. The press loves sensationalism like this, simple as that.

[John Marston]

Sorry but there is absolutely no reason for Expendables and Bourne to drop like that considering they have zero competition

[wboxoffice]

So by your logic, Anna Nicole Smith was one of the biggest stars in the world at the time of her death because I swear she was everywhere I looked after she died.The press loves sensationalism like this, simple as that.

She didn't get a televised funeral. And both Whitney and Meryl are regarded as some of the most talented singers and actors in history respectively. So let's not stretch too much by including a porn star.Look, my point is, right now box office sucks. Hope Springs has a bigger budget than Sparkle, and has 2 stars in lead roles, while Sparkle has one star in a supporting role, and Sony barely promoted it everyone here saids that they haven't heard anything about the movie.I know if Whitney were alive, she would have been everywhere promoting it. The fact that it still debuted in the top 5 is impressive, especially for that type of movie. I'd be more worried about Expendables 2 with a 100 million budget and TONS of stars, and is underperforming. Almost everything is. My point was that with her last 2 projects Sparkle and I Look to You, they were gospel oriented, and despite that the numbers are very respectable. ILTY album sold millions and was no.1 everywhere without any radio airplay, and Sparkle is gonna be a profitable movie.Of course if you are gonna compare it to The Bodyguard era it's nowhere close, but the Bodyguard is the SINGLE BIGGEST PROJECT by any female star, no woman has ever dominated both hollywood (410 million dollars in 1992 money, at the time the 10th biggest in history), and biggest female album (42 million copies sold, not counting singles sales) like that at the same time. When she was on top, Whitney Houston was the ultimate, but I guess with that comes the fact that everyone expects her to live up to this, when in reality most superstars would be content with a platinium album. Madonna's latest album didn't even reach gold, and most of her movies do not even come close to the gross of Sparkle, and Madonna actually TRIES to be mainstream. But for Whitney these pretty good numbers means she's a has-been despite focusing mostly on less commercial genres. lol Whatever.............. Edited August 25, 2012 by wboxoffice

[Jack Nevada]

Sorry but there is absolutely no reason for Expendables and Bourne to drop like that considering they have zero competition

And since everyone seems to be enjoying TE2 much more than the first one.

[ecstasy]

Sorry but there is absolutely no reason for Expendables and Bourne to drop like that considering they have zero competition

Bourne's drop isn't that bad. It's under 50% Friday to Friday. Not great but not that bad.

[Shawn Robbins]

Alrighty folks, let's take the Whitney talk to a more appropriate thread please.

[Jack Nevada]

She didn't get a televised funeral.

Look, my point is, right now box office sucks. Hope Springs has a bigger budget than Sparkle, and has 2 stars in lead roles, while Sparkle has one star in a supporting role, and Sony barely promoted it everyone here saids that they haven't heard anything about the movie.I know if Whitney were alive, she would have been everywhere promoting it. The fact that it still debuted in the top 5 is impressive, especially for that type of movie. I'd be more worried about Expendables 2 with a 100 million budget and TONS of stars, and is underperforming. Almost everything is. My point was that with her last 2 projects Sparkle and I Look to You, they were gospel oriented, and despite that the numbers are very respectable. ILTY album sold millions and was no.1 everywhere without any radio airplay, and Sparkle is gonna be a profitable movie.

Of course if you are gonna compare it to The Bodyguard era it's nowhere close, but the Bodyguard is the SINGLE BIGGEST PROJECT by any female star, no woman has ever dominated both hollywood (410 million dollars in 1992 money, at the time the 10th biggest in history), and biggest female album (42 million copies sold, not counting singles sales) like that at the same time. When she was on top, Whitney Houston was the ultimate, but I guess with that comes the fact that everyone expects her to live up to this, when in reality most superstars would be content with a platinium album. Madonna's latest album didn't even reach gold, and most of her movies do not even come close to the gross of Sparkle, and Madonna actually TRIES to be mainstream. But for Whitney these pretty good numbers means she's a has-been despite focusing mostly on less commercial genres. lol Whatever..............

[Ozymandias]

Ah, Bush was a character.

[rockNrollaDIM]

Sparkle will make back its budget and then some. After its box office run and dvd/blu ray sales, it will continue making Sony money for years. Without Whitney, it wouldn't even have been released to theaters, it's a small movie with limited appeal. As for your "has-been" crap, I Look to You sold over 2.5 million copies worldwide and reached no.1 in many countries. And that's despite Whitney basing the album on the GOSPEL title track. And guess what, she is again playing a GOSPEL singer Sparkle. For you it's a has-been, but for Whitney it's doing something she loves She's not out there trying to compete with Rihanna or Katy Perry, Whitney has accomplished everything, she's done it all and she was doing something she loves. And despite that, her lowest sales can match some of the higher sales of many artists. And every year wether on shows like X Factor or American Idol, or any new young upcoming singer, the singer who is the most emulated and mentionned is Whitney Houston. She's a legend. Drugs change nothing, tons of the biggest legends have either died or been linked to drugs, if anything it makes them even more iconic. With all due respect to Meryl Streep, if she passes I doubt that she will get 2 full weeks of non-stop coverage on CNN. When Meryl passes and gets a televised funeral, then we can talk. Whitney was just way mainstream and way more popular than Meryl ever was, and the fact that she had drug problems changes nothing, she's already a legend. Even Marilyn Monroe is a bigger legend than Elizabeth Taylor despite one dying because of drugs and one outliving her by 100 years and continuing to work, your theory makes no sense. What Whitney did at her peak is historic, and she always be regarded as one of the greatest females in history.

Wtf are you goin on about? Why compare Whitney Houston with Meryl Streep? Whitney did die a junkie-hasbeen. The relative failure of Sparkle shows that people were only interested in train wreck portion of the story.

[wboxoffice]

anyways moving right along, what can we expect in terms of average saturday increases?

[#ED]

Either way I think TDKR will have a 900K daily on Monday.

[Jack Nevada]

Wtf are you goin on about? Why compare Whitney Houston with Meryl Streep? Whitney did die a junkie-hasbeen. The relative failure of Sparkle shows that people were only interested in train wreck portion of the story.

Shh-hh, quiet, you're poking a wasp's nest right now.

[wboxoffice]

Wtf are you goin on about? Why compare Whitney Houston with Meryl Streep? Whitney did die a junkie-hasbeen. The relative failure of Sparkle shows that people were only interested in train wreck portion of the story.

Meryl Streep has about 20 movies that have grossed less than Sparkle, sometimes much less, despite having a bigger budget. Like i said, even when Whitney underperformed in music or movies, it still easily outgrosses or outsells tons of projects by other major stars. And tons of legends have died because of drugs, it's actually the first cause of death from music/hollywood legends. Like I said, moving right along........... Edited August 25, 2012 by wboxoffice

[rockNrollaDIM]

Meryl Streep has about 20 movies that have grossed less than Sparkle, sometimes much less, despite having a bigger budget. Like i said, even when Whitney underperformed in music or movies, it still easily outgrosses or outsells tons of projects by other major stars. And tons of legends have died because of drugs, it's actually the first cause of death from music/hollywood legends. Like I said, moving right along...........

So? Whitney Houston had what, 5-10 movies total? Merly Streep has made about 50. Your point is invalid.

You're trying to argue that WH is/was still relevant in the past 5 years of her life, it's simply not the case. She had a televised funeral so that somehow makes her more of a draw than Meryl fuckin' Streep?

[wboxoffice]

my only point is, that tons of big stars have had movies that grossed MUCH less than Sparkle did despite having bigger budget, but for Whitney it's the end of the world. The point is, she's already done it all, and if Sparkle and I Look to You are her flops, then WOW thats pretty awesome cause they did okay. Sparkle is hardly a mainstream movie, it's a low budget black movie like Cadillac Records, if anything it did well to debut in the top 5 and turn profitable. And her previous album I Look to You sold 2.5 million copies and was no.1 all over the world. Tons of stars would love to be be irrelevant like Whitney. Her so-called flops still did OKAY and easily outclass flops by other major stars in both music and movies. She never had disasters, Whitney's flops is what other stars would call "okay" and "average".

Edited August 25, 2012 by wboxoffice

[shayhiri]

Wow! Talking about TE2 dying a miserable death at the BO...Why such a disastrous decline? On top of the first weekend being a flop by itself...

[filmnerdjamie]

Awesome as the sequel was, Expendables was a classic one-and-done that made big bank and everyone in the boardroom started strategizing franchises. Marketing for Expendables (Blatantly promising the Sly/Bruce/Arnold show and not delivering) came back to bite them in the ass too.

[wboxoffice]

Wow! Talking about TE2 dying a miserable death at the BO...Why such a disastrous decline? On top of the first weekend being a flop by itself...

It's because Scwarzenegger, Willis, Stallone, Norris, Van Damme, Li, Satham, etc. are all has-beens. EXP2 won't even match its budget, even dead Whitney was able to do that by herself, yet all of them combined won't be able to do that despite bigger promo.See how stupid this is? Anyways let's end this arguing back and forth, and hope for big saturday increases for all movies, and a good hold in next week's holiday weekend, I'm tired of fighting. Right now the box office is dead, the debuts this week didn't even make a dent. Edited August 25, 2012 by wboxoffice

[CJohn]

Fuck this weekend.