Kong doesn't break $10 m in opener; #21 all time in openers behind "Pokeman" and "Meet the Fokkers"

box office mojo and Drudge ^ | 12/16/05

[AmishDude]

KK will probably make half of its money from overseas. It's exactly the kind of thing that goes over well in other markets. I also think it will have some staying power in the theaters. There are just some good and anticipated movies out now: Harry Potter, Narnia and all of the Oscar contenders, the "important films" that everybody's supposed to see are also out now.

I don't think PJ will lose any stature over this. I'd be interested to see what his next project is.

[marajade]

Its getting really good reviews. What will that mean at the box office, who knows? It'll make the 200 mil it cost and more with DVD sales.

[Cyclopean Squid]

A big budget remake of Plan 9? I'm there! But who would direct it? Who's inept enough to follow in the footsteps of Ed Wood? Oh, I know! Michael Moore. And he could also star as the police officer zombie.

[AmishDude]

Yeah, it's getting what I'd consider to be "B" reviews (I haven't seen it yet), above average, but not a must-see. But for a vanity project, it'll do just fine. :)

[AmishDude]

Well, if we get a Hong Kong kung fu director to direct it and the aliens are gay, I think we could be talking Oscar!!!

[Clemenza]

The hit of the season:

[marajade]

The two I really want to see are Memoirs of a Geisha and Munich this season.

I'll probably skip Narnia and KK but will buy all four on DVD when they're released.

http://thedigitalbits.com rumored that KK is already planned for a April 06 release on DVD.

[conservative physics]

the previews look horrible, i'm not even sure i'll rent the DVD.

[ARCADIA]

Well, it does feature Naomi Watts as Ann Darrow.

I saw it and it is very very forgettable. If it wasn't for the 1933 version, I am not sure that anyone would even understand this thing. For one thing, the natives have been transformed into orcs and they mysteriously enter and exit the film with little explanation. Also, the new Anne Darrow seems to suffer from psychotic episodes, which induce her to stalk giant apes through snow blizzards in an evening dress and high heels. (More proof that time has come to outsource Hollywood - whatever talent we once had in California is dead)

[BradyLS]

Does Drudge own stock in Universal or something? He is really focusing on a lot on this movie.

I remember that he didn't think too much of Jackson's LOTR. He didn't have much to say about Narnia except that it debuted at #1 and is the new fantasy in town. While I liked the 'Rings series, it wasn't as faithful to the source material as I'd hoped. (And that's an admittedly tall order.) Still, Jackson delivered the goods on the action for those films and so they'll be a part of the popular culture for at least a couple decades.

Ironically, an old friend who in the past four has become both virulent anti-Christian AND Peter Jackson hero-worshipper swears that Kong will eat Narnia's lunch. I dunno. I wish both Jackson and the producers of Narnia well.