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Noah is the Most Unpopular Movie in Current Release (Despite Topping the Box Office)
Frontpage Mag ^ | 03/30/2014 | Daniel Greenfield

Posted on 03/30/2014 12:13:09 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Noah has topped the box office, but the opening weekend is about marketing dollars. At a production budget of over $125 million and poor audience responses, Paramount had to put some serious money into promotion.

Reportedly that may be something in the $50 – $75 million range on marketing to get people to see Noah. That’s short of its weekend box office total which is likely to be under $50 million.

But while you can get audiences to show up for the opening weekend, you can’t make them like it.

Cinemascore’s rating for Noah is a C. That’s the worst movie they have ranked in current release. Worse than Sabotage, the Schwarzenegger movie which just bombed, which still only pulled in a B.

That means audiences hated Noah more than Sabotage. They hated it more than the Legend of Hercules. They just plain hated it.

At Rotten Tomatoes, the audience score is at 50 percent and falling. The user score at Metacritic is 5.4.

The critic numbers tend to be much higher only because director Darren Aronofsky is an indie favorite who could film wallpaper for two hours and still get high scores and because the movie’s anti-human environmental message caters to their prejudices.

Noah was dumped on international audiences in countries like Mexico and Korea early on where it did well enough and if Paramount scrapes some money out of audiences before it gets crushed by the new Captain America movie, it may accept that as the best it can get.


TOPICS: History; Religion; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: boxoffice; hollywood; moviereview; noah; noahthemovie
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1 posted on 03/30/2014 12:13:09 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

I just hope that Christians do not throw their money at this because it is a “Bible” movie


2 posted on 03/30/2014 12:16:15 PM PDT by BRL
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To: SeekAndFind

Just goes to show the absolute blind spot the Hollywood has had for the religious genre. There’s probably loads of money to be made even if they hire an atheist to make film about the a Biblical story.


3 posted on 03/30/2014 12:18:23 PM PDT by Bayard
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m not interested in seeing the movie, nor do I wish it success, but worldwide it is expected (according to Box Office Mojo) to rake in $95M for its first weekend. It will likely make a profit.


4 posted on 03/30/2014 12:28:44 PM PDT by be-baw (still seeking)
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To: SeekAndFind

I have not seen it. I’ve heard some negative reviews from people of faith though. Some have said that this is a politically correct version of the Noah’s ark story, in which Noah is concerned about global warming.

If that’s true, I will pass on this. I am pleased to see Hollywood make some intelligent faith based movies, but, if they aren’t going to be faithful to the actual story, or if they insist on injecting political correctness into it, I would rather Hollywood not bother at all.


5 posted on 03/30/2014 12:29:11 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego (as)
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To: SeekAndFind
I wonder if any critic has the cajones to compare Noah to Gibson's The Passion of The Christ ?

Comparing TPoTC's difficulties in getting filmed and into theaters and its box office gross might put too much shame (and a glaring bright light) on Hollyweird.

6 posted on 03/30/2014 12:37:11 PM PDT by jeffc (The U.S. media are our enemy)
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To: be-baw

“It will likely make a profit.”

Nope. It had a good opening. But this movie needs to do $350 million to see black ink.

Churches goosed U.S. turn-out this weekend (not in New York and Los Angeles, the biggest population centers), but terrible word-of-mouth is going to kill this film by mid-week.

Watch the box office plummet next weekend.


7 posted on 03/30/2014 12:46:54 PM PDT by Blue Ink
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To: Blue Ink

Really? It cost $125M to produce. What accounts for the other $225M?

Last I checked at Rotten Tomatoes, audience approval had fallen below 50%, while critics approved by 70+ %. Tells you something doesn’t it?


8 posted on 03/30/2014 12:54:56 PM PDT by be-baw (still seeking)
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To: SeekAndFind

It has a 7.0 on IMDB. Very well reviewed. making a lot of money. And it’s a “fun” movie. Why some get in a twist over this movie is absolutely befuddling.

Liked it and many Christians do. It’s just a movie.


9 posted on 03/30/2014 1:02:47 PM PDT by RIghtwardHo
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To: be-baw
Really? It cost $125M to produce. What accounts for the other $225M?

Well, the exhibitors take a slice of the box office in a formula that shifts over time--the studios make more the first week, but the exhibitors get more in subsequent weeks--so not all of that money goes to the studio. Then there's the "P&A"--prints and advertising--basically all the costs of marketing and distribution that come after the film is in the can.

On the other hand, they may have already recouped some of that money through foreign pre-sales, selling territorial distribution rights (and all profits) to a third party in return for a flat fee.

10 posted on 03/30/2014 1:05:29 PM PDT by Bubba Ho-Tep ("More weight!"--Giles Corey)
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To: SeekAndFind

A collection of FREEPER threads on the movie - Noah ...

Religious tide turns against ‘Noah’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3138393/posts

Noah: a classic blunder
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3138403/posts

Nine problems with the movie “Noah”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138569/posts

Don’t Get Punked by Paramount’s Pagan Noah Film
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3138604/posts

Noah – The Emperor’s New Movie (The Utter Embarrassing Mess of ‘Noah’)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/3138663/posts

‘Noah’ Review: Brilliantly Sinister Anti-Christian Filmmaking
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3138716/posts

Noah, The Film: All Washed Up
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3138756/posts

Box Office: ‘Noah’ Winning Over Faith-Based and Mainstream Moviegoers
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138788/posts

No meat at ‘Noah’ party
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138805/posts

The Noah Movie: Our Detailed Review [Christian Review]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3138815/posts

The Noah Movie: Deconstructing Noah’s Ark; Godawful Storytelling
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3138821/posts

Atheist ‘Noah’ director brags film is least biblical Bible movie ever
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138830/posts

Moviegoers Are Thinking Things Over After Earthquake Hits During ‘Noah’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138838/posts

Ken Ham: The Unbiblical ‘Noah’ Is a Fable of a Film
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138844/posts

Box Office: Moviegoers Flock to ‘Noah’… But Hate It
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138851/posts

BOX OFFICE: ‘Noah’ Rises, ‘God’s Not Dead’ Surprises As Schwarzenegger Brought To Knees
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3138858/posts

Ray Comfort Releases Christian Noah Movie: Watch ‘Noah and the Last Day’ on YouTube for Free
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3138946/posts

The midrashiest midrash that ever was midrashed [a spoiler-free “Noah” review]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3138958/posts

If Christians Are Going to Complain About The Movie Noah, Then Create Something Better
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3138974/posts


11 posted on 03/30/2014 1:13:55 PM PDT by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: be-baw

“Promotion” ... :-) ...


12 posted on 03/30/2014 1:14:52 PM PDT by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: be-baw

$125 million was the original production budget. But after the dismal early tracking numbers started coming in last fall, there were reshoots, re-edits, and a new marketing plan. Reliable sources say the actual budget ballooned to $175 million. (Some say $200 million, but I’m going with the lower figure.)

Double your production budget to see what you need to make worldwide to get in the black.

Also take into account that “Noah” is doing better overseas than in the U.S. The studios collect as little as 15% of the tickets sold in some territories outside the U.S., so if you’re relying on the worldwide take to get into profit, that’s a steeper hill to climb.

And you’re right, the important Rotten Tomatoes number is always “What does the audience think?”


13 posted on 03/30/2014 1:17:03 PM PDT by Blue Ink
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To: BRL

I saw this movie (for free). About the only thing it has in common with the biblical story of Noah is that there is a character named Noah that builds a great arc, filled with animals in order to survive a great flood.

In the biblical account, all three of Noah’s son’s had wives. In the movie, only Shem does.

In the biblical account, Methuselah dies when Noah is 5 years old. In the movie Noah is 600 years old when Methuselah dies.

In the biblical account, only Noah’s family and the animals are on the arc. In the movie, Cain is a stowaway on the arc.

In the biblical account God is displeased with Man’s wickedness to his fellow man. In the movie God is displeased with man’s treatment of the Earth.

In the biblical account God says that every moving thing that liveth shall be your meat. In the movie, man shall be only vegetarian.

In the biblical account, God tells Noah and his family to be fruitful and multiply. In the movie, Noah’s ‘vision’ is for Noah’s family to die and for Mankind to not survive.

In the movie, Noah plans to kill his new-born grandchildren (girls) to ensure that Mankind does not survive.

That’s all I can think of off the top of my head. It is definitely *NOT* a biblical movie.


14 posted on 03/30/2014 1:27:12 PM PDT by pjd
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To: pjd
In the biblical account God is displeased with Man’s wickedness to his fellow man. In the movie God is displeased with man’s treatment of the Earth.

Treating it as solely being due to divine displeasure at poor environmental stewardship is propaganda plain and simple. However, there was an element of this, Creation itself was being corrupted, so it's not completely wrong.

15 posted on 03/30/2014 1:32:42 PM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: Blue Ink

Thank you. That was illuminating


16 posted on 03/30/2014 1:40:42 PM PDT by be-baw (still seeking)
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To: pjd

bump


17 posted on 03/30/2014 2:04:20 PM PDT by Taffini ( Mr. Pippen and Mr. Waffles do not approve and neither do I)
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To: pjd

This atheist, liberal, leftist, ‘green’ and enviro-whacko director actually said that he set out to make the LEAST BIBLICAL ‘biblical movie’ EVER!

In other words, he wanted nothing to do with the Bible and the reason for the Flood - in the movie. He wanted ONLY to put in his own WHACKO PROPAGANDA!


18 posted on 03/30/2014 2:09:11 PM PDT by Star Traveler (Remember to keep the Messiah of Israel in the One-World Government that we look forward to coming)
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To: be-baw

Oh, and Box Office Mojo is very good with tracking box office results worldwide. With electronic ticketing, it’s extremely difficult for studios to inflate or hide the true number of tickets sold.

But real production budgets are still closely guarded industry secrets. Not many personnel on any given film have access. Box Office Mojo relies on whatever “public” information is available — and the studio always lowballs it. Mojo doesn’t question the official number because they want to maintain access to their sources.

When a film has wrapped and the studio begins to do press, they’ll release a low-ball figure that never includes the real total cost of getting the film into the theaters, for several reasons. A lower reported budget makes the filmmakers look better — if you’re a director and you brought in a great-looking superhero film for sixty million dollars, you’re going to get hired for your next gig quicker than the guy who spent a hundred million.

Studio executives also want the shareholders to think films cost less than they do — it shows they’re in control, have made good hires, and generally makes their department bottom line look better. If a film loses money — well, it’s okay, it didn’t cost that much to make. And if it makes money... look at what we did with such a small budget!

And so forth... there are lots of reasons studios obscure, fudge, and get creative when talking about budgets.


19 posted on 03/30/2014 2:09:30 PM PDT by Blue Ink
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To: Blue Ink

Are you in the movie industry? You obviously possess more than lay knowledge of it...


20 posted on 03/30/2014 2:27:00 PM PDT by be-baw (still seeking)
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