In a summer full of big blockbuster movies, adaptations, sequels and threequels, you would think that Hollywood would have made some record scratch. Not so! According to the AP, attendance is running behind last summer’s and has even fallen below that of the summer of 2005. According to Media By Numbers, 279 million tickets had been sold thus far compared with 315 million at this same point in 2002. But this is not what was supposed to happen. Industry analysts predicted the first $4 billion summer in history, but we’re at the midway point and it’s not looking probable. As of this past weekend, Hollywood has made $1.9 billion since the first weekend in May. And $945 million of that number comes from just three movies (Pirates 3, Spider-Man 3, and Shrek the Third).
And there are a few biggies waiting in the bull pen: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Bourne Ultimatum, Rush Hour 3, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, The Simpsons Movie and Hairspray. But as you might notice, most of them are medium sized majors, not on the same level with a Spider-Man 3. Potter is likely to make $300 million domestically, but the rest probably won’t come close.
May-be the problem is that none of the huge releases really connected with the audiences. Most of the films resulted with bad reviews and bad word of mouth. And the good flicks (Ratatouille, Once, Sicko) got buried in the mix.
July 4th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Spider-Man 3 is better than Pirates 3.But Harry Potter OOTP will beat them all.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Actually, I heard the new Harry Potter film was pretty crap. But considering how crap Spiderman 3 and Pirates 3 were, I think you may be right.
July 4th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Well you heard wrong Chris.The tomatometer at rottentomatoes is going at 88%.And all the new reviews have been over the top positive.Most reviewers have said that OOTP is the best film of the summer.
July 4th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
You realise that 88% was based on only 8 reviews right? Wait until the release; I suspect the rating will settle to about 65% But I’ll probably go and see it anyway.
July 5th, 2007 at 6:26 am
The Simpsons Movie and Harry Potter not majors??? I’m not a rabid fan of either, but you have to be crazy to think these two at least won’t make some serious cashola at the box office.
July 5th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Harry Potter POA beat SM2 in the BO in 2004.And GOF beat all the films in 2005,I don’t see it changing.In response to Chris,each movie’s ratings have gotten higher and most of the critics and people who have seen the film all say that this is the best yet.
March 16th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
POTC 3 was good in my opinion. I’m not a huge Harry fan but the movies are supposed to be really good. Without Davy Jones and Will it will be kind of boring. I think they should make one that shows what happened before the first Pirates movie… like Star-Wars.