Steve Mason

SlashFilm Editorial Policies

/Film is one of the most trusted entertainment sites on the web, catering to the particular interests of film buffs, binge watchers, and casual fans. We cover everything from big releases from Marvel, DC, and Disney to independent film and classic Hollywood, and we do so while maintaining a firm commitment to journalistic integrity and excellence.

Our team consists of veteran entertainment editors, subject-matter experts, writers, fact-checkers, graphic designers, and beat reporters dedicated to bringing you the kinds of fresh, accurate, and exclusive scoops only a credible and trusted outlet can provide. For more information on our editorial process, view our full policies page.

Stories By Steve Mason

  • Box Office Tracking: Max Payne Targets $20M

    Note from /Film Editor Peter Sciretta: Exciting news. Box office expert Steve Mason has returned to /Film after a six month absence. Mase will be checking in a few times a week with Box Office projects and results. Below is his first column back. Movies based on video games do not always work, and I…
    Read More
  • Iron Man

    Box Office: Iron Man Up 12% For A $36.4M Saturday; $100.24M By Monday Morning!

    The summer blockbuster season is off to a flying start with Robert Downey, Jr. in Iron Man. Financed and produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount, the spectacularly-reviewed comic book adaptation received an estimated 12% improvement from its opening day for a staggering $36.4M Saturday. That should translate to a $94.74M 3-day, and when…
    Read More
  • Iron Man

    Updated Box Office: $100M Still Possible For Iron Man Opening Weekend

    No matter how you look at the numbers, Iron Man (Paramount) is in the stratosphere, but I still believe that this first film from Marvel Studios will reach $100M for the weekend. My final prediction on Wednesday night was for the John Favreau-directed superhero pic to soar to $102M from Thursday night previews through Sunday.…
    Read More
  • Iron Man

    Box Office: Iron Man With $35M Friday, Headed For $91M+ Opening Weekend!

    After grabbing $5.2M in Thursday night advance screenings, Iron Man (Paramount) has soared to an estimated $35M on Friday. With near-perfect reviews, an A-list cast, including Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Terrence Howard, and excellent word-of-mouth, this first film financed by Marvel Studios will likely power to a staggering $91M+ by Monday morning, and…
    Read More
  • Iron Man

    Box Office: $4.5M-$5.5M Million For Iron Man's Opening Night

    Paramount's Iron Man is, by all accounts, off to a tremendous start, although it is well under the opening night eve totals of $8M+ for last year's Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and Transformers. My sources tell me that Iron Man played at about 2,500 locations last night with the screenings starting at…
    Read More
  • Iron Man

    Box Office Tracking: Iron Man Targets $102M By Monday Morning

    I did a personal survey of studio sources today, and they were unanimous in saying that the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, the Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3 video game sensation released on Tuesday, will have absolutely no effect whatsoever on the box office performance of Iron Man (Paramount) this weekend. As I…
    Read More
  • Speed Racer

    Box Office Tracking: Speed Racer May Struggle To $35M Opening

    Warner Bros and the Wachowski Brothers may need to call for a tow truck. Speed Racer, the big budget adaptation of the popular late 60's anime cartoon classic, remains in the "slow lane" according to the most recent industry tracking. Studio sources are attempting to explain away the bad tracking by saying that family films…
    Read More
  • Iron Man

    Box Office Tracking: Iron Man Could Soar To $8M Thursday, Another $103M Fri-Sun

    It is time to get very serious about the first major summer blockbuster Iron Man (Paramount), which will debut Thursday night at 8pm at multiplexes from coast-to-coast. My sources tell me that this Robert Downey, Jr. vehicle about a hard-drinking billionaire who creates a fantastic iron suit is actually "out-tracking" last summer's Dreamworks/Paramount smash Transformers.…
    Read More
  • Baby Mama

    Saturday Box Office: Baby Mama Headed For $17.7M; Kumar Targets $13.9M

    Hollywood is heading into its biggest season after a very solid weekend. Last year, on the weekend before the release of mega-blockbuster Spider-Man 3 (Sony), the Top 12 movies generated $62.2M. This year, on the 3-day prior to the release of Paramount's Iron Man, the Top 12 have scored an estimated $80.6M. That's a 25%…
    Read More
  • baby mama

    Friday Box Office: Baby Mama #1, Harold & Kumar #2, Sarah Marshall #3

    The fertility-themed all-girl comedy Baby Mama (Universal) has scored a weekend win over stoners Harold & Kumar. The SNL comedy duo of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler have carried the day with an estimated $5.52M opening day, which should translate to $15.49M for the final 3-day period before the start of the lucrative blockbuster season.…
    Read More
  • Forbidden Kingdom

    Box Office Tracking: Forbidden Kingdom Likely To Beat Sarah Marshall

    Forbidden Kingdom (Lionsgate), featuring martial arts superstars Jet Li and Jackie Chan, will likely win the box office weekend of April 18-20. With generally positive reviews and a family-friendly PG-13 rating, Kingdom has 7% Un-Aided Awareness (buzz) and a Total Aware of 76%, according to my studio sources. It has the strongest Definite Interest among…
    Read More
  • The Ruins

    Box Office: 21 Wins Again w/$6.3M Saturday & $15.5M 3-Day; The Ruins Bombs

    It's been a disappointing weekend for Hollywood as holdover 21 (Sony) has trumped 3 new wide studio releases. Based on Ben Mezrich's Bringing Down the House, 21 grabbed another $6.35M on Saturday, and the Kevin Spacey-produced card-counting thriller will wrap up its second weekend with a solid $15.5M. Fox's Nim's Island, from Walden Media, received…
    Read More
  • 21

    Box Office: 21 Scores Again With $5M Friday & $15M Weekend

    It looked as though it could be good weekend at America's multiplexes. With Oscar winner George Clooney bringing his directorial skills and charm to Leatherheads (Universal), 2-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster and Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin in the family-themed Nim's Island (Fox) and Ben Stiller's production company unleashing the film adaptation of Scott…
    Read More

  • Box Office: 21 Targets $25M, After A $10M+ Saturday

    The card-counting thriller 21 (Sony) enjoyed a solid 19% increase Friday-to-Saturday for an excellent $10.17M Saturday. Based on the book Bringing Down the House by Ben Mezrich and produced by Oscar winner Kevin Spacey, the hip gambling saga will likely grab another $6.3M on Sunday, which will be enough to push it to $25M for…
    Read More
  • 21

    Box Office: 21 Grabs $8.2M On Friday, Headed For $23M+

    The book Bringing Down the House has long been one of my favorites, so it's not a huge surprise that Sony's film adaptation is the film equivalent of a blackjack. Produced by and featuring Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey, 21 has delivered an $8.2M opening day, and Sony will finish the weekend with a stack…
    Read More
  • Horton Hears a Who

    Box Office: Horton #1, Browns #2, Shutter Edges Drillbit For #3

    Horton Hears a Who (Fox) continued its box office roll Saturday, adding another $9.45M, but it was down 10% from its monstrous Good Friday. The CGI animated Dr. Suess adaptation should grab another $6.61M or so on Easter Sunday for a 3-day of $26.56M, giving Horton the all-time 4th-best Easter weekend box office performance. ALL-TIME…
    Read More
  • Horton Hears A Who

    Box Office: Horton Targets Third Best Easter Weekend Ever

    Easter weekend will be a triumph for Horton and his tiny friends in Who-ville. Fox's animated Dr. Suess adaptation Horton Hears a Who enjoyed a great Good Friday, adding $11.3M, and the well-reviewed family film will register an estimated $28.15M in ticket sales for the weekend, giving it a second consecutive weekend win. Despite the…
    Read More
  • Horton Hears a Who!

    Box Office: Horton Up 40% Saturday; Headed For $44M

    An elephant named Horton and the residents of a certain tiny white speck are celebrating a huge opening weekend for the CGI animated Horton Hears a Who (Fox). Featuring the voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carrel and comedy legend Carol Burnett, the Dr. Seuss adaptation received a 40% family-driven Friday-to-Saturday increase for an $18.62M 2nd…
    Read More
  • Horton Hears a Who!

    Box Office: Horton Hears A Who Is The 14th Best Animated Opening Of All Time

    Dr. Suess' Horton Hears a Who (Fox) delivered an elephant-size $13.75M at America's box offices Friday, and the animated film will finish the weekend with a monstrous $42.62M. If that number holds, Horton will be the 14th-biggest animated opening in modern box office history. ALL-TIME TOP 15 ANIMATED OPENINGS 1. Shrek the Third - $121.6M…
    Read More
  • 10,000 BC

    Box Office: 10,000 BC Up 9% Saturday For A Revised $34.5M 3-Day

    Roland Emmerich's 10,000 B.C. (Warner Bros) received a better-than-expected 9% uptick in Saturday business, delivering an estimated $13.62M. Many were looking for a Friday-to-Saturday dip in ticket sales, but the badly-reviewed prehistoric epic wasn't especially front-loaded. With an anticipated 38% drop on Sunday, 10,000 B.C. should rake in another $8.44M or so for a 3-day…
    Read More
  • 10,000 B.C.

    Box Office: 10,000 BC With $11.5M Friday, Headed To $33M

    It ain't 300. That's one way to describe the opening day performance of Roland Emmerich's 10,000 B.C. (Warner Bros). With almost unanimously awful reviews (only 8% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), the prehistoric epic stumbled out of the gate with a disappointing estimated $11.55M Friday. That will likely translate to an underwhelming $33.14M, less than half…
    Read More

  • Box Office Tracking: 10,000 B.C. Headed For $40M+; Bank Job A Dud!

    10,000 B.C. has very strong Total Awareness of 83%, compared to a nearly-identical 82% for 300 last year, but the Emmerich-directed prehistoric epic has better Definite Interest 57%-52%, although 300 scored better with Males Under 25 (78%-57%) and Males 25 Plus (59%-49%). The 2 films have identical 24% First Choice numbers at the same stage…
    Read More
« Skip< Back
Next >