The Saturday Box Office estimates are in over at Fantasy Moguls, and Paramount’s Iron Man is beating it’s second weekend expectations, adding an estimated $21.72M on Saturday, which should result in a $52M 3-day ($163.66M cume). Speed Racer is doing even worse than expected, heading for a very disappointing $18.72M opening weekend. Surprisingly, this should be just enough to Fox’s What Happens in Vegas, which is expected to end short with $17.6M.
EARLY SATURDAY ESTIMATES
1. Iron Man (Paramount) – $21.72M - $5,285 PTA - $163.66M cume
2. NEW – Speed Racer (Warner Bros) - $7.66M - $2,125 PTA - $13.51M cume
3. NEW – What Happens in Vegas (Fox) - $7.03M - $2,188 PTA - $13.73M cume
4. Made of Honor (Sony) - $2.98M - $1,093 PTA - $24.11M cume
5. Baby Mama (Universal) – $2.3M - $878 PTA - $38.8M cume
REVISED 3-DAY ESTIMATES
1. Iron Man (Paramount) – $51.79M - $12,600 PTA - $178.43M cume
2. NEW – Speed Racer (Warner Bros) - $18.72M - $5,193 PTA - $18.72M cume
3. NEW – What Happens in Vegas (Fox) - $17.6M - $5,476 PTA - $17.6M cume
4. Made of Honor (Sony) - $7.29M - $2,667 PTA - $25.96M cume
5. Baby Mama (Universal) – $5.57M - $2,124 PTA - $40.18M cume
May 11th, 2008 at 8:25 am
Yes I know this is biased but I’m so happy that us American/UK comic fanboys gets some redemption in sales (manga/anime has been killing US based comics for a long time)…
Hopefully this will put off Hollywood from making Robotech or Astroboy movies.
May 11th, 2008 at 8:37 am
Holy shit I knew Speed Racer would do bad, but goddamn thats a bomb…
May 11th, 2008 at 11:16 am
It’s quite disappointing. I was really hoping that Speed Racer was going to do better at the Box Office. I loved the film.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Why is it disappointing? You loved the film.. great. What does it matter what money it makes you have an investment?
May 11th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
He’s disappointed perhaps because he had hoped many other people would also love the film. I don’t think there is any reason to jump on an innocuous comment like his; keep your biting quips in your stomach you viper.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
i saw the movie and it was spectacular in all aspects. visually mind blowing and original, certainly not overpowering like you would think. the story line was surprisingly captivating, it remains true to the cartoon but also turns a badly written cartoon into an immersive live action film. i was not sure what to expect, if anything i thought it would be terrible, as most people would. but it was spectacular, and i think this movie will take off from word of mouth, next weekend it will be interesting to see if they gross over 20m, hopefully theaters don’t pull it. it was better than iron man.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
it’s disappointing because i want to see more movies made like this. just an all out visual assault. Speed Racer 2 would have been great.
this movie was absolutely amazing in IMAX, i highly recommend seeing it. too bad about the box office.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Speed Racer sales are extremely disappointing, and I don’t see why considering how good the movie was.
May 11th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
The only way it could have sucked worse is if it starred Will Farrell.
May 11th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
I was not expecting Speedracer to be the type of movie I would recommend but after seeing it I have changed my opinion. It has a good story, the racing fits in well. I think the visual feel is a noteworthy attempt at a new style which I think it accomplishes. Both the younger audience and the adult can watch this show and get something from it. I too hope that word of mouth will improve next weekend box office for the show.
May 11th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Aleks,
What does anime or manga have to do with US comics/movies in that regard? Maybe you should blame the comic companies in the US for pumping out the same ole’ crap every 5-10 years.
Usually it’s the same cycle of sales design. If a series begins to dip, hint at some epic “killing off” of a famous character and start the comic over again at issue 1. If anything, I feel the japanese market did a bigger favor for US comics. In terms of ushering in new art styles and even pacing told through art. Much like what James O’ Barr, Frank Miller, and even Moore did for US comics. It never hurts the US comic market to get a “fresh” injection of creativity.
And as for a Robotech film? I would kill to get an amazing Robotech trilogy. Good lord, the visions in my head…
May 11th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I haven’t seen the film yet (maybe next weekend), but I did watch the first seven minutes online. Granted, it’s impossible to judge an entire film by the first seven minutes, but I liked what I saw.
They setup the characters nicely and I was stunned with the visual eye candy. Again, I haven’t seen it, but I have my suspicions that all the negative reviews/reviewers are really just those critics who still feel burned by the Matrix Trilogy. They’re out the get the Wachowski’s and they’ll pan whatever they make.
I still have to laugh about the Matrix sequel. When it came out, it was hard to find a negative review of the film. The first film was such a sleeper hit; overlooked by most critics, that when the sequel was released, despite the fact that everyone knew it was horrible, a scenario of I-wanna-be-cool-too, “group think” took place.
By the time the third film was set for release, I think most critics realized their “objective credibility” was put in serious doubt. So instead of admitting their mistakes, a vast majority opted to slam the third film, and by doing so, they reestablished (at least in their own minds) credibility with the American, movie-going audience. Ha!
Anyway, bottom line, film critics are still smarting over their own lack of objectivity and, rather than admit their mistakes and move on, they’d rather trash the Wachowski’s.
Again . . . just my opinion and since I haven’t seen the film yet (again, maybe next weekend), please take it with a grain of salt.
May 11th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
@Jason
He’s disappointed at the sales figures because they will largely determine the viability of sequels, similar movies (style etc.), and, though highly unlikely, the fate of other W brother’s movies.
I too loved the movie: the art direction was visually stunning and energetic, the racing was fast and fun, and Christina Ricci was hot. I was actually very suprised at how badly the movie was panned by critics once I had seen the film because I genuinely enjoyed it very much; the only aspects that I disliked were a few of the overly slapstick comedy bits (the ninja squished by the bed). I felt like I was watching a live action cartoon, and it was great.
May 11th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Ouch. I really love Iron Man and Speed Racer so it’s been a pretty great summer for me so far because I felt both films turned out great and really honored their source material. I was expecting Speed Racer to do badly but wow. Oh well, in a way I’m glad it didn’t do well because it doesn’t need a sequel. All that matters is I enjoyed it.
May 11th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
I, too, would love to see Robotech movies.
May 11th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I knew it! when you americanize something from JAPAN, its gonna FLOP! When you actually gets brains behind a film (like Iron Man ) and know what your doing, it works! xDDD
May 11th, 2008 at 6:13 pm
@Jennie,
I have to say, I am amazed at your level of ignorance.
May 11th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
@Jennie
I see that Jennie is one of those Japanophiles. XD
May 11th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
@Jenny also,
Pokemon was wildly popular….
May 11th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
@Jennie
Your comment just made my day. If you haven’t seen this movie, then you have no right to convict it of being worse or better than any other movie. It is because this movie was made the way it was that it is so great. I hope i get another chance to see it in theaters next weekend.
May 11th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
just saw it, had no idea it was out yet till i came across this post.
one of the best recreations of a beloved cartoon yet.
May 11th, 2008 at 7:30 pm
I gotta say..Its hardly surprising since no one I know had ever watched Speed racer the cartoon. I seem to recall that some of the major actors in the film hadn’t seen it either.
May 11th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
Speed Racer was cool. Iron Man was cool. Between the two, Speed Racer is definitely the more innovative, and genre defying movie. I think its pretty lame that critics didn’t recognize that. Every review I read referred to a convoluted plot, but I felt it was pretty straight forward.
Iron Man is supported by its amazing lead actor. But none of the reviews commented on its character cliches, and thin plot.
So when Jennie says that Iron Man has “brains behind it”, I feel like between the two, Speed Racer had more of a Right-Brain thing, and Iron Man had more of a Left-Brain thing…
I guess I just appreciate that Speed Racer did not “play it safe”.
May 11th, 2008 at 9:45 pm
I’m glad Iron Man is still doing good, but I was hoping Speed Racer would do better than this. I like both films. Like most other people, I wasn’t sure if Speed Racer would be worth the money. I’m an anime fan, and I do hate how most “americanized” versions of Japaneses games and shows turn into utter crap, but Speed Racer was awesome. Speed Racer definitely deserves better. I recommend it. I have to say, I liked it more than Iron Man.
May 11th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
“Why is it disappointing? You loved the film.. great. What does it matter what money it makes you have an investment?”
YES its called a desire to see MORE of this kind of film. THATS the investment. When they bomb your LESS likely to see that kind of film.
Derr :-)
May 12th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Speedracer Rocked!! Great movie, Flashy and Face!!!
May 12th, 2008 at 1:50 am
I just got back from seeing it on IMAX and HOLY CRAP!!! It was absolutely AMAZING and EVERYONE needs to see this movie ASAP! It’s unlike anything ever made before and the Wachoskis should be commended for their vision.
May 12th, 2008 at 4:54 am
LuLz Spped racer blew, just like i knew it would, and btw racer X is speeds brother, i loves to spoil
May 12th, 2008 at 6:02 am
Macross > Robotech
No contest right there.
May 12th, 2008 at 9:44 am
The movie was so good. They took just about every story line from the cartoon and squeezed it in to the movie, and did it very well. A fresh story, and welcome break from the standard super hero plot.
May 12th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
People have got to go watch this. It is one of those movies that got lost in the marketing like serenity or stardust. The word of mouth brought it up 11% on sunday.
May 13th, 2008 at 10:53 am
I saw the first 7 minutes online…it looked terrible…just god awful. I was actually pumped to see it…then I saw that, and all my enthusiasm was completely gone.
May 14th, 2008 at 10:17 am
The Wachowski bros certainly put a lot of effort into making Speed Racer… the movie overall looked and felt like a cross between anime, a kaleidoscope, that Flintstones movie, a video game and the Dukes of Hazard
May 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am
I didn’t see speed racer, but I plan too! I don’t go by the critics or box office, I make my own judgement! and LuLZ, anyone who was a speed racer fan, knew Racer X was his Brother, that’s how the cartoon ended! i’m a big Marvel and Dc comic fan, so Iron man here I come!
May 14th, 2008 at 10:39 pm
I saw both Iron Man and Speed Racer this last weekend, and I’ve gotta say Iron Man was better. Sure it had some problems, but at least I enjoyed it. Speed Racer made me cry, because I remember the cartoons and how much I enjoyed those. I did not enjoy the movie anywhere near as much. Then again, the wachowski brothers don’t exactly have the best movie-making history *cough*MatrixRevolutions*cough*
All I can say in Speed Racer’s defense is that it could have been done a lot worse. But they would have had to give the license to Uwe Boll to upll that one off.
May 14th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I personally liked both movies, Iron man was awesome the only bad part was alot of things were too predictable. Though speed racer had some parts that were predictable parts but not many, XD I love how the movie was an acid trip, and I laughed at the subtle incest jokes, and I don’t know what the hell was with all the panning across the screen but It made me laugh.
May 15th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
I think the movie could had been a whole lot better. To please the old-school fans, here’s a list I would include (or change):
(1) Keep the story with the Mach 5 (instead of the Mach 4 and Mach 6).
(2) One of the buttons on the Mach 5 was not a tire shield- it was its lighting system.
(3) The car never went under water, use the homing robot, nor cut trees.
(4) The jacks on the car was a premium feature other cars should not have had.
(5) The story sucked…. should have use the storyline from “The Most Dangerous Race”.
(6) The GRX was mentioned but never raced as the “most fastest car on earth”.
(7) Snake Oiler should had been an expert racer and a member of the Car Acrobatic Team.
(8) Sparky did not have an accent. And the Mother was hotter. Spridle was so, so but lacked the froggy voice.
(9) The intro and song of Speed Racer was missing :-(
And just other stuff I would had changed:
(1) Movie way too long.
(2) Didn’t feel that “Go Speed Go” feeling during the races.
(3) Made a simple story complex by flashing back too many times.
(4) Did not look realistic (like Fast and the Furious), looked more like Cars.
(5) Some of the special effects were over the top. Not even the cartoons pushed it the way this movie did.
What I did enjoy:
(1) When Speed was a boy imagining to be a race car driver.
(2) The mountain race scenes.
I would had changed this movie into 4 shows, (like Twilight Zone: The Movie). Each show would be a modified script from the cartoon series.
There… I ranted… I feel better now