The 2010 Box Office Thread

[John Crichton 4]

This seems like the right time to finally transition from '09 to '10:

Dear John ends Avatar's run at #1

Any predictions for the coming year?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I wondered what would be Avatar's Lost in Space and am suprised that Dear John was it.

I do have a problem with sunday numbers being posted before sunday has begun. If anyone has noticed the last 3 or 4 weeks the weekend estimates have been off several time.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Harry Potter will probably be #1, especially since they've decided to make it in 3D.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Harry Potter, Alice In Wonderland (an apparent CGI catastrophe, but something even I, a detractor of post-1999 Tim Burton, wants to see) and Toy Story 3 will be the biggest moneymakers. I predict.

[Red 75]

I dunno, I have a feeling Toy Story 3 will be a behemoth. There is such a huge audience for that movie.

[John Crichton 4]

I think I'm going to check out Alice in Wonderland too. It's been a loooooooong time since I've seen anything Burton in the theater (Sleepy Hollow I think), but this looks intriguing to me.

[indy4 155]

I can't wait for Alice in Wonderland, it's my most anticipated film of 2010. The blend of different styles of animation looks absolutely amazing, I think it'll be artistically different than anything we've seen or seen attempted.

I can't imagine it'll make that much money, but who knows. I say Deathly Hallows will win.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

I wish Burton would make more movies like BIG FISH. Or BEETLEJUICE.

[Matt C 452]

I think Iron Man 2, Harry Potter and Toy Story 3 are pretty much guaranteed a hefty box-office return. Anything else is uncertain.

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Alice In Wonderland is probably going to do well, but I'm thinking Clash of the Titans may be the first big 3D hit post-Avatar. It looks pretty good, has the Sam Worthington connection, and is coming out at a good time of the year. It's also an action movie, which certainly hasn't hurt Avatar a bit.

Iron Man 2 is going to be huge. I expect it to challenge strongly for the new opening-weekend record.

Nobody liked the last one, but Shrek Forever After will nevertheless be a big hit.

Toy Story 3 will become Pixar's new top-grosser, assuming it's up to their artistic standards. Second-biggest hit of the summer, behind Iron Man 2.

Eclipse is going to be big, as well, although I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that it actually does slightly less business than New Moon. Probably a dumb prediction, but I'm gonna make it anyways. Either way, one of THE big hits of the year.

I'm not entirely sure what to expect from Inception, but it looks striking enough that combined with the phrase "from the director of The Dark Knight," it seems like a sure bet to have a big opening. If it's also good, then it'll be of the year's big successes.

And, of course, Deathly Hallows Part 1 will do well, although if they haven't picked a decent place to break the story in two, it may not have much repeat value.

My big box-office question mark is around the wave of '80s nostalgia that will be hitting theatres this year. Between the aforementioned Clash of the Titans, there's also The A-Team, Red Dawn, The Karate Kid, Tron: Legacy, MacGruber, Predators, and The Expendables (not a remake, but seemingly a loving throwback to days of action-flick yore). Assuming they're any good at all, I can imagine all of these being big hits.

[Morlock 11]

Saw the trailer for The Prince of Persia. Man, that looks absolutely awful. Is Mike Newel trying his best to make me forget his good work in the 90's?

[Ollie 1,059]

Yeah it looks awful, unfortunately most previews these days do.

The Clash of the Titans remake isn't something I really care to see, especially now that Craig Armstrong is reportedly out and what's his name from Iron Man is supposedly scoring it now.

Iron Man 2 and Toy Story 3 are the only two on my radar this summer.

[Wojo 2,453]

As soon as I heard cowboy Jake speak in the trailer to The Prince of Persia, I thought it was Orlando Bloom again from the Pirates or LOTR movies. This looks like one of those movies that never needed to be made.

And the MacGruber movie is real? I'm not sure the premise lends itself to a feature length movie. What are they thinking?

[Ollie 1,059]

Apparently Lorne Michaels either has pictures of some studio execs in compromising positions or there's a stipulation in his contract that states almost all SNL characters must get a major movie deal.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

The Iron man preview looks AWFUL. DREADFUL. TERRIBLE.

It really does look bad.

Prince of Persia has gillenhall boy as a hero, Yawn

Clash of the Titans was a very bad movie, and now it will be remade into possible a worse movie.

toy Story 3 looks like it will be a weak 3rd movie, they rarely live up to the originals.

All in all it does not bode well for this year.

[Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488]

Disney has apparently shortened Alice in Wonderland's theatrical run.

[Wojo 2,453]

Clash of the Titans looks like 300: a really kickass video game movie without a way to connect a controller.

[publicist 4,643]

I didn't know about TOY STORY 3. Is that a kind of elaborate prank Pixar's pulling on us or what? What's next in line? JAWS IV??*

*paging Lorraine Gary....

[indy4 155]

I wish Burton would make more movies like BIG FISH. Or BEETLEJUICE.

The former was fantastic, but I really hate the latter.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

you hate Beetlejuice?

[Wojo 2,453]

I prefer my beetles lightly toasted, if you please.

[indy4 155]

you hate Beetlejuice?

Well, I don't really hate any Tim Burton film. I find that for all of them, even if the rest of the film is horrible, the style is so entertaining and fun. For me, Beetlejuice, like Batman and Mars Attacks!, is bloated and overlong, filled with too much wackiness to be good. I enjoy parts of the score and some of the conceptions, ideas, and the mix of real life with claymation, but I don't think it's a good film.

[Richard Penna 3,676]

The Iron man preview looks AWFUL. DREADFUL. TERRIBLE.

It really does look bad.

Prince of Persia has gillenhall boy as a hero, Yawn

Clash of the Titans was a very bad movie, and now it will be remade into possible a worse movie.

toy Story 3 looks like it will be a weak 3rd movie, they rarely live up to the originals.

All in all it does not bode well for this year.

Persia looks as I expected - great sfx, crap everything else (and it's Bruckheimer, so we're getting a MV score from Williams)

Toy Story 3 could be great. The second one was outstanding and Pixar's fully behind this one too.

Iron Man 2 - Holy cow, that's one of the worst trailers I've ever seen. Not lookin' great.

[John Crichton 4]

The Prince of Persia trailers are indeed laughable. Just another storyless, soulless SFX fest. I haven't seen the Iron Man 2 trailer yet.

I caught an A-Team trailer today. It was fun to speak along with the traditional TV opening, and Liam Niessen is going to be either some seriously inspired casting or compeletly moronic.

[Ollie 1,059]

I'm interested in Silvestri's score for the A-Team.

I lost any interest in the new Clash Of The Titans when those involved with the new film started taking shots at Ray Harryhausen and the original film.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Mark, the original film was dreadful and Ray's work in it was among his worst every.

[Ollie 1,059]

While the original wasn't up to par with some of his earlier works, the worst Harryhausen film was Sinbad & The Eye Of The Tiger.

I think the animation for Clash is just fine. Medusa is among some of his best work. Unfortunately Clash should have been made in the 70's as the optical effects are a bit dated for the 80's.

It's a shame he never got a chance to do the follow up to Titans, ILM was going to assist on the optical effects with Harryhausen handling the animation.

[indy4 155]

Avatar seems to be on track to get past the 700 million dollar mark.

[Charlie Brigden 7]

While it's not amazing or anything, I think CLASH is a fine fun Saturday afternoon flick, which is all it really wants to be. Lovely score, too.

I love Ray. I got to have a chat with him a few years ago when I interviewed him for a magazine. Amazing guy (told me he turned down the chance to make LOTR too).

The new Clash looks ok. Not fond of the director, but it looks cool enough I guess. Although the Kraken looks a bit weird (looks a bit like the Rancor actually), and the music choices in the trailers I've seen are terrible.

I'm interested in Silvestri's score for the A-Team.

Ditto. I think Silvestri gets too much of a bum rap for his non-BTTF work, and he'll hopefully have some real fun with this.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Avatar seems to be on track to get past the 700 million dollar mark.

Hello Captain Obvious.

[indy4 155]

Well yeah, it's obvious for those that check BO Mojo occasionally. Not everyone does that.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

no it's pretty obvious when it passed Titanic that it was on track for 700 million. You don't have to check boxoffice mojo daily, personally I prefer the Numbers myself.

[indy4 155]

Reading on this thread "Avatar has passed Titanic" just means it's slipped over the 600 mark, it doesn't mean it has any momentum leftover.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Reading on this thread "Avatar has passed Titanic" just means it's slipped over the 600 mark, it doesn't mean it has any momentum leftover.

Avatar didn't slip by Titanic, it ran past it.

It's yet to drop out of the 20's on the weekend.

[indy4 155]

Yes, but reading somebody's post on JWFan wouldn't tell you that.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

This weekend Avatar will break the unbreakable barrier of 700 million dollars.

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Avatar has truly had a phenomenal run at the box office. That's not to say it's THE most impressive run in box-office history, but nobody should the fact that there have been other phenomenons (phenomena?) throughout history detract from this one. Sure, Gone With the Wind was a behemoth; sure, Jaws and Star Wars and E.T. all absolutely dominated the box-office when they came out. And yes, Titanic will always be remembered as a history-making release.

I wouldn't say Avatar has had a bigger run than any of those, but it's important to remember how different the cultural landscape in 2010 is from how it was in 1939, or 1982, or even 1997. I don't want to say it's apples and oranges, but it's definitely red apples compared to green ones compared to yellow ones.

And let's face it, any time a movie breaks the all-time box-office record, it's news. When it not just breaks it, but annihilates it, it's big news. And Avatar is by no means done. Lots of theatres are going to opt to keep it in 3D rather than opening that second or third screen of Alice In Wonderland, so while that release next week is going to hurt it, it's NOT going to kill it. $750 million isn't out of the question domestically. And it's still bringing in $50 million or more per week overseas, so who knows how high that number is going to end up going.

It may be a long, long, long time before these records fall. And if 3D doesn't genuinely take over the industry (I'm not sure it will, by the way), then it may not happen in my lifetime.

[John Crichton 4]

Will Avatar be remembered as well in 25 years?

[Quintus 5,399]

Will Avatar be remembered as well in 25 years?

Difficult to say, but Titanic probably will be. Do I think Avatar will become a classic? No.

[indy4 155]

As soon as SFX catch up to Avatar, it'll be just another imperialization is bad film.

[Red 75]

It'll be remembered as a breakthrough for special effects, regardless of the fact that it will be surpassed sooner or later. Like Jurassic Park, only it's also the highest grossing movie (unadjusted for inflation).

[JoeinAR 1,949]

As soon as SFX catch up to Avatar, it'll be just another imperialization is bad film.

you're a fool if you believe that.

Titanic is a classic, its and epic film in the grandest tradition.

Avatar is also an epic film. People like you who praise shit like KOTCS, but pan this film are like the people who still say Titanic was a boxoffice hit because of girls hot for Leo.

Avatar will ultimately be seen for exactly what it is a film that is very stylish, and vibrant to look at, but at it's heart is a simple but well told story with some damn good acting.

If there is one constant of all James Cameron films is they are strongly acted and led by strong female figures.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I love Titanic. I like KOTCS. I hate Avatar.

[indy4 155]

As soon as SFX catch up to Avatar, it'll be just another imperialization is bad film.

you're a fool if you believe that.

Titanic is a classic, its and epic film in the grandest tradition.

Avatar is also an epic film. People like you who praise shit like KOTCS, but pan this film are like the people who still say Titanic was a boxoffice hit because of girls hot for Leo.

Avatar will ultimately be seen for exactly what it is a film that is very stylish, and vibrant to look at, but at it's heart is a simple but well told story with some damn good acting.

If there is one constant of all James Cameron films is they are strongly acted and led by strong female figures.

Stylish? C'mon, the atmosphere of the film was, like the story, the message, and the script, almost completely derivative. Yes it's vibrant to look at, the SFX are fantastic (best CGI I've ever seen), but as somebody said (and I forget who), the SFX are evolutionary, not revolutionary. Achieving realistic SFX has been a goal of filmmakers for decades. Having an alien world that looks so cool didn't come completely out of nowhere, it's been a goal that has been imagined for a long time. At that point, I'm not giving them major creative credit for SFX, since the conception was something I and everybody else has thought of before. I disagree that the story is well told--maybe some aspects of it are, but what's the point of seeing a film when you could lean over and whisper to the guy sitting next to you exactly what's going to happen next? I agree about the acting, it was very strong and above average. I'd say the same about the music.

And for the record, I've only seen bits and pieces of Titanic, but I liked what I saw quite a bit.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

Derirative doesnt mean it cannot be stylish

[indy4 155]

That's true. I guess I meant I really didn't find anything interesting with the style. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but there was nothing particularly...right with it either.

[publicist 4,643]

That's true. I guess I meant I really didn't find anything interesting with the style. There was nothing particularly wrong with it, but there was nothing particularly...right with it either.

It did things with 'style' most other films of that ilk can only dream of.

In a year where AVATAR's biggest competitor is TRANSFORMERS 2, Cameron cannot be praised enough for the things he got right. The story is archaic (and certainly was meant to be), but i'll give him credit - naive as it was, it had a sound message and a character called 'Grace' had to die.

[indy4 155]

I disagree. To me, it was just another one of those "dark, depressing, meaningless life meets the most wondrous thing you've ever seen!!!"

And the message was fine, but it was presented in the exact same way we've seen it before

[publicist 4,643]

I disagree. To me, it was just another one of those "dark, depressing, meaningless life meets the most wondrous thing you've ever seen!!!"

And the message was fine, but it was presented in the exact same way we've seen it before

Actually, it wasn't. I, for one, cannot remember the last crippled action hero. The whole exposition on Pandora was, in contrast to other films claiming that, really a wondrous thing to behold (if you don't like images of unicorns frolicking at moonlit waterfalls, this may be another matter ).

Nobody is forced to like AVATAR, but i sense a knee-jerk reaction here, making the film more formulaic than it actually is.

[indy4 155]

I disagree. To me, it was just another one of those "dark, depressing, meaningless life meets the most wondrous thing you've ever seen!!!"

And the message was fine, but it was presented in the exact same way we've seen it before

Actually, it wasn't. I, for one, cannot remember the last crippled action hero. The whole exposition on Pandora was, in contrast to other films claiming that, really a wondrous thing to behold (if you don't like images of unicorns frolicking at moonlit waterfalls, this may be another matter ).

Nobody is forced to like AVATAR, but i sense a knee-jerk reaction here, making the film more formulaic than it actually is.

Jake's crippled-ness just serves to symbolize his internal struggle and act as an incentive to get him onto Pandoora. It's no different from Spiderman's desire to be with MJ + thirst for vengeance from the guy that kills his uncle, or Luke's hesitance to fight his father + his desire for adventure, except this time the two are rolled into one. As far as how it translates into the mood/style of the film, we get the feeling that Jake is the underdog due to his crippling legs, the same way Peter is looked down upon for being a nerd and Luke is looked down upon for having no experience in major combat.

And besides, the crippling action hero in itself really doesn't define a style, it's all the aspects of the film together.

Visually it was probably the greatest thing in theatres since Jurassic Park, however wonder is not all about visuals. There's got to be some sort of emotional connection, and I didn't feel it in Avatar. If I want wonder I'll go watch the original Willy Wonka, that has got ten times the wonder of Avatar.