Box Office Thread

Interesting that Expend-Four-Balls is coming out internationally first. I wonder if that's a sign of faith or a lack of faith. I could see it going either way, but I lean towards faith; it makes more sense to me to get buzz going by playing out of the target region so that the Tomato-meter etc. is already going by the time the main market gets the movie.

I don't see the logic. Horror movies are a dime a dozen. More people would flock to see the Nun 2, part of the still successful Conjuring universe.

While I can appreciate the idea of of that first trailer, not making it clear you are about to walk into a Poirot movie probably cost them the audience that is into murder misteries.

I almost did.

What I meant was the recent Poirot movies—at least both this one and the last one—weren't financial hits. They probably wanted to sell it just on the Halloween seasonal element instead of that because they figured it'd sell better. That said, Hallowe'en Party is not one of the more well-known Hercule Poirot stories—and doesn't have a prior familiar film adaptation like the last two did as well. Had a TV episode like them, but that's about it though.

This week's Charts for Dan deals with another poor US domestic box office weekend of the year, no thanks to the underperformance of Expend-4-Balls Expend4bles's US debut. Furthermore, a new horror film It Lives Inside makes its debut, along with Dumb Money getting a wide release. Last but not least, Barbie returns to IMAX, though it doesn't seem to the move the needle too much domestically.

• 0:46: Weekend Top 10

• 3:55: Road to Recovery Domestic Box Office Chart
  • To drive the point home, this past weekend was performing as well as 2021's theaters reopening phase. Dan reinforces that, due to strike-induced film delays, the lack of interest in film releases at this time is causing audiences to lose interest.

• 4:51: Weekend International Box Office
  • 5:20: Weekend Worldwide Box Office
• Movie Updates
  • 6:12: The Nun II

• 7:24: Expend4bles
  • In contrast to John Wick, which each film's box office pull is "climbing up the stairs" domestically, Dan points that each entry of The Expendables franchise is falling down them. (7:30)
  • As implied, the Expendables gets by due to its international pull, hence its early release two weeks ago before its US debut. The Expendables 2 being the highest grossing of the franchise (and Dan sharing the opinion that it's the best one anyway, fitting audience expectations). Over 80% of The Expendables 3's gross was purely international. Though it probably won't work this time. (9:03)
  • Worst Sylvester Stallone Openings (10:59)
  • Worst Jason Statham Openings (with a cameo of Sylvester Stallone) (13:05)

• 15:07: Barbie (2023)

• 16:36: Per Theater Averages
• 18:10: Limited Release Films
• 20:40: 2023 Fall/Holiday US Domestic Box Office
• 21:28: 2023 Annual Domestic Box Office
  • 22:29: 2023 Worldwide Box Office
• 23:10: Box Office Flashback

Edited by XMenMutant22 on Sep 26th 2023 at 8:01:02 AM

I guess the steam for Barbie is starting to slow down.

I was the only one at the 7 PM showing for Expendables 4 last night. WOW.

I guess you were...expendable!

Edited by Mizerous on Sep 26th 2023 at 12:55:25 PM

Many believed the movie was is more like it. Haha.

I'm hearing good things about The Creator. Whether or not the word of mouth helps it is another matter entirely though.

Edited by futuremoviewriter on Sep 27th 2023 at 10:43:46 AM

Yeah, I heard good things about the Creator too. I wonder if the movie will still be successful, despite the lack of advertising for the movie.

Okay, Deadline is reporting that The Marvels is getting a day and date release in China.

Weird. China has been not wanting MCU movies because people presume CCP mindset, "We need to have people consume our native media than media from imperialist Americans." I dont even think Ms Marvel was released in China at all so this is bizarre.

Hope Disney isnt making deals with the CCP again after the Mulan fiasco.

Didn't Guardians 3 release in China?

It did? Didnt get that news.

So I guess Marvel is back in China?

Oh boy. More bootlicking to the Chinese government. Shang Chi / Simu Liu is probably sweating right now

Just watched Movie Math and PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie won the domestic box office making ten million more than the first one did opening weekend a couple years ago.

Wonder if the PG rating also had anything to do with it. The original got a G—so it was the first time a theatrically-released Nick movie had gotten that rating since Charlotte's Web 2006.

Also, woof to how Expendables 4 dropped. Don't expect a fifth movie anytime soon.

Edited by futuremoviewriter on Oct 1st 2023 at 2:58:59 AM

I'm actually surprised that the PAW Patrol movie is doing so well so far.

That thing does seem to be huge among little kids.

Though I'm fairly certain the "Saw Patrol" thing they were trying to push to copy Barbenheimer didn't come true, because I guarantee those two have almost no audience overlap.

Yeah, I honestly don't know why some people wanted to make Saw X and Paw Patrol the next Barbieheimer, since those films are way too different from each other to really overlap. I think if they want the next Barbieheimer event, pair one of the Sonic movies up with one of the Mario movies. That would be quite an event!

The Saw Patrol meme didn't really get anywhere. Picked up nowhere near the steam that Barbenheimer did.

I guess their thought process there was "Barbie's a lighthearted kids' movie releasing the same day as a gritty adult movie, surely we can recreate that with a kids' movie and a gory horror film!"

Ignoring that Barbie isn't actually made for kids and Paw Patrol is specifically a preschool movie that doesn't have the same Multiple Demographic Appeal that, say, a Pixar film would, so the only people watching both would be parents who a) take their kid to Paw Patrol and watch Saw at some other time on their own, or b) are really really crappy parents who will just bring their kid to any movie to try and shut them up, thus scarring the kids for life when they see Jigsaw torturing the fuck out of people when they just wanted to watch the cute puppies from TV.

Edited by lbssb on Oct 1st 2023 at 10:40:14 AM

Yes but no one who actually counts (that is, marketing people) were trying to push it as anything that matters.

It was just a silly meme, like how people pointed out that, years ago, TDK and Mama Mia came out on the same day.

Individually, both Paw Patrol and Saw X are doing quie well. Which isnt a surprise-kids movies are often a safe bet as are horror films and for the same reason: a low budget can take you very far.

Paw Patrol is a total juggernaut among preschool shows, its no surprise to see families with little kids flood to see its movie.

I gave the first movie credit for not just being made for that audience certainly. It looks like this one's gonna make sure it has wider appeal than the fans of the show too.

Per Jatinder of box office pro. [Five Nights at Freddy's] has more tix sold than 'Halloween Ends' and 'Scream VI' had on its first day, COMBINED."

Hoenstky feel as far as films coming out this year. This is one really being understated box office wise. It's a defining genration z horror franchise. And add in cameos from the guys who helped make it big (Dawko, markiplier, Matt) and we could be looking at a really good score.