Box Office Report...

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I hate when actors get credit for animated movies that provide voices too. Will Smith got credit for Sharks Tale in another thread...and I didn't even know that he was the voice in that movie. I'm sure the millions of kids that the movie was aimed at didn't either.

 

Shrek and Dreamgirls would have been hits without him.

[bob_barron 0]

In lesser box office news, Harold, which was released on Friday, will become the lowest grossing movie based on an SNL skit.

 

Julia Sweeney can rest easy

[Hawk 34 0]

People knew it was Murphy doing Donkey just as people knew it was Robin Williams as the Genie. Typically, I would agree with you but not in the instance of Murphy as Donkey.

[bob_barron 0]

I hate when actors get credit for animated movies that provide voices too. Will Smith got credit for Sharks Tale in another thread...and I didn't even know that he was the voice in that movie. I'm sure the millions of kids that the movie was aimed at didn't either.

 

Shrek and Dreamgirls would have been hits without him.

 

Would Shrek have been the huge hit it was without Eddie's performance as Donkey? No, I don't think so.

 

Actors are a huge selling point for animated movies these days. Look at Jack Black in Kung Fu Panda

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I just think there's a MAJOR common sense difference between crediting what the main selling point of...say...Meet Dave was (it's an Eddie Murphy movie) vs. what the main selling point of Shrek was (it's an animated summer kids movie).

[bob_barron 0]

Shrek was a computer animated movie featuring the all star comedy pairing of Myers and Murphy- it was one of the first animated movies to heavily market its voice cast, rather than the concept or animation. They put their names on top of the posters, which I don't recall the Toy Storys doing

[RHR 0]

As far as the 3am and 6am showings of Dark Knight...think about it this way...here in Seattle the bars close at 2am. So, I know Bartenders/Waitresses/Cooks etc that are going to the 3am showing. I also know people going to the 6am show because they work downtown and have to be in by 9am...so...go see the movie before work. It's strange...but...it means people will go see it.

 

And, I think you will see ALOT of people going Friday AND Sunday. If the movie is good (which I think it will be) I am going at 3pm on Friday and will probably go late Sunday night to see it again. I love Batman and have been waiting for this film since Gary Oldham flipped the Joker card.

 

But...let's think this through...with the extra showings, etc, it has a STRONG change at $150 million. I know of families and friends on TIGHT budgets right now...so movies are a luxury. Most of them have not seen summer movies yet...or they saw maybe Iron Man...but...they are all waiting for Dark Knight...with most of them already buying their tickets in advance....

 

It's gonna be huge.

 

 

[Epic Reine 0]

In my area, the first 3 WEEKS of The Dark Knight in IMAX theaters are completley sold out. That's insane. I got my tickets for Thursday Midnight though in Bayside.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I've always had a real hard time believing that animated movies should be counted as box office hits for the actor's who lend voices. for example...Disney Pixar now has a long list of hits under their belt...and I don't think Wall-E even has a big name (if it does...I didn't hear of it)...so in 3 years when they come out with a movie about a pig who can fly airplanes with his wacky duck sidekick played by Denzel Washington and Johnny Depp...am I really supposed to believe that movie made money because of the A list actors? Or that they deserve credit for the big opening?

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

On the Dark Knight: I'm going on Midnight Thursday and then already have plans to go again with people who can't make that showing on Sunday.

[bob_barron 0]

It depends on the marketing of the movie and how it's sold

[King Kamala 0]

In lesser box office news, Harold, which was released on Friday, will become the lowest grossing movie based on an SNL skit.

 

Julia Sweeney can rest easy

 

 

I didn't know a thing about that movie until a thread on another board mentioned it last weekend. The plot doesn't sound like it would make for a good five minute sketch let alone a ninety minute movie. Hell, I can't even remember the sketch it was based on.

 

It's another stop on Cuba Gooding Jr's train ride to obscurity.

[Craig Th 0]

He absolutely was the star of the Shrek- him as Donkey was one of the major selling points of the movie.

 

And his performance in Dreamgirls, again, was one of the selling points of the film.

 

He totally deserves credit for those movies.

 

While domestically it was slightly disappointing, Haunted Mansion was a huge hit overseas.

 

I won't dispute the other movies though.

Well, I don't remember the first one advertisements. But the 2nd and 3rd ones were sold on the Shrek name, not on Donkey. And Dreamgirls was NOT centered around Murphy. It was featured as a musical more than anything else. I'll give you the first Shrek, but I'm just taking your word on the marketing for it. However, he still isn't a draw like he used to be. He does okay for himself.

 

Kung Fu' Panda is doing well because it's about a fuckin Panda doing Kung Fu. Not because of Jack Black.

[bob_barron 0]

In lesser box office news, Harold, which was released on Friday, will become the lowest grossing movie based on an SNL skit.

 

Julia Sweeney can rest easy

 

 

I didn't know a thing about that movie until a thread on another board mentioned it last weekend. The plot doesn't sound like it would make for a good five minute sketch let alone a ninety minute movie. Hell, I can't even remember the sketch it was based on.

 

It's another stop on Cuba Gooding Jr's train ride to obscurity.

 

I believe Harold only aired once or twice on SNL. It was one of those skits that seemed to air everytime I went to a dress rehearsal.

[Craig Th 0]

And Dark Knight will make about $125. No big records, but will still do very well. It will end up being the highest grossing movie of the summer though.

[bob_barron 0]

Cuba also produced Harold! Apparently Jim Downey and Fred Willard are in it, so it might not be the worst movie ever.

 

Well, I don't remember the first one advertisements.

 

I remember it was one of the first CGI films to truly sell itself based on the stars- witness all the marketing with their names front and centre,

 

But the 2nd and 3rd ones were sold on the Shrek name, not on Donkey.

 

And how did the Shrek name become so big? Because of Eddie and Mike Myers.

 

And Dreamgirls was NOT centered around Murphy. It was featured as a musical more than anything else.

 

It wasn't centred on Murphy, as every black actor ever seemed to be in it. But I think his acclaimed performance and the hint of him winning an Oscar really helped sell the movie.

 

Kung Fu' Panda is doing well because it's about a fuckin Panda doing Kung Fu. Not because of Jack Black.

 

Jack Black was definitely a selling point for Kung Fu Panda. Actors do help sell CGI films these days, unless your Pixar and have managed to build an award winning brand.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I just don't think anyone saw the poster for Kung Fu Panda and said "ooh...the new Jack Black movie!"

[bob_barron 0]

How about: Hey, Jack Black voices the panda, that movie's gonna be really funny.

 

Which it was

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I can almost see it working better in reverse.

 

Ooh..I kinda like the animated movies...and this one's got a martial arts panda...but I find Jack Black annoying so I'll pass.

[DarKnight 0]

Wow, I didn't know some of those Eddie Murphy movies cost that much. I didn't remember Haunted Mansion being a flop, and why did I Spy and Showtime cost that much to make? Well on the cartoon topic, I don't count well known actors being the selling point of those movies either. I think kids could care less who does the voice in them, and the movie sells itself, if it looks good. I mean kids might notice that a famous actor is doing a voice while watching the movie, but I doubt they really care.

[bob_barron 0]

Showtime had Robert DeNiro and Eddie Murphy, I'm sure neither came cheap

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

See...I think that having a big name actor DOES get the movie an increase in ticketsales. I just don't think that it's enough to justify giving them credit. Did Kung Fu Panda make more money because Jack Black had his name on it? Sure. Would the movie have been a hit without him? Sure.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Which movie was Showtime? I think I was thinking of Metro when Showtime was mentioned. What the hell is Showtime?

[bob_barron 0]

Which movie was Showtime? I think I was thinking of Metro when Showtime was mentioned. What the hell is Showtime?

 

 

From wiki-

 

Showtime is a 2002 comedy/action film starring Eddie Murphy and Robert De Niro and directed by Tom Dey. Its plot centers around two cops at odds who are paired together for a reality police show and run into real trouble with a crime lord. The beginning of the story closely parallels to that of the 1988 film The Dead Pool, in which Harry Callahan intentionally breaks a news camera and is subject to favors for the news channel as a result. In this film, Robert De Niro breaks a news camera and, as a result, must participate in a reality television show. Showtime was nominated for 2 Razzie Awards (worst actor and worst screen couple).

 

 

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

I can honestly say with an over four month sobriety period in my pocket that I had no earthly idea that this movie existed. I know stupid little things about almost every facet of pop culture...how is this possible?

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

It wasn't Razzie bad by any stretch. Just kind of mediocre and forgettable. Shatner was the best part.

[King Kamala 0]

Shatner was in Showtime right? I vaguely recally my dad really liking it.

 

Boy, financial success or not, Eddie Murphy sure has had his share of incredibly forgettable movies over the years.

[bob_barron 0]

Shatner plays himself in Showtime.

 

Eddie just can't do a straight up comedy anymore- it's all family films and cartoons

[King Kamala 0]

To be fair- when was the last time he's done one?

 

*checks IMDb*

 

I Spy and Showtime were his last two. I admit those two were sort of duds but it's been six years since he's done one. That's a long time in Hollywood. I think an R rated Eddie comedy could be huge. He still has "it" somewhere buried inside him.

[The Ghost of bps21 0]

Why doesn't he try doing more serious movies more often? Bill Murray realized that his time of opening huge comedies had past him...and he turned what he had into a career that at least garners a decent amount of praise for his straight roles.

 

And where in the hell do these movies keep coming from? A few of those movies would never have been made without Murphy in them...why does he keep picking things that don't exactly smell like hits (and by now he has to realize his name isn't going to open something weird like Meet Dave).

 

Although...Norbit made money...so maybe he has a point.