Posted on 08/19/2006 10:27:46 AM PDT by gopwinsin04
Snakes On A Plane’ Flakes As Weak #1; ‘World Trade Center’ Loses Audience; ‘Pirates 2' Crossing $400 Mil U.S. Mark
SATURDAY: After all the Hollywood hype, New Line's Snakes on a Plane flakes. I'm told that, despite a long pre-release marketing campaign that sent some Internet showbiz blogs into a writhing frenzy of anticipation, the Samuel Jackson-starring horror flick has come up short for its Friday opening.
Sure it's No. 1, with rival studios putting its gross earnings at $6.3 mil yesterday from 3,555 theaters. (New Line says the pic did a total $7.8 including Thursday night's screenings, which technically shouldn't be included in the weekend #s.
A desperate Warner Bros. pulled a similar stunt to increase the figures for its Superman Returns this summer ) But that's at best a weak $15 mil opening weekend -- not anywhere close to the $25+ mil opening (and Variety even put forth a $30 mil guesstimate) that the studio was anticipating because of its huge manufactured buzz.
But it seems only the bloggers cared about this pic. As a result, Sony's Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby is close behind for No. 2 even its third weekend out. The NASCAR spoof did $4 mil Friday for what should be a $13 mil Friday-Saturday-Sunday
. Also bowing in 2,913 theaters was Universal's slacker comedy Accepted, which took in $3.6 mil for what's expected to be an $11 million weekend and #3 place.
Whereas newcomer Material Girls, MGM's teen girl fantasy starring sisters Hilary and Haylie Duff, earned $1.6 mil from only 1,509 theaters for what may be a $4 mil opening.
Disney / Touchstone's surprise sleeper from last weekend, Step Up, did $3.4 mil for what may be a $10 mil weekend.
And Oliver Stone's World Trade Center wided to 41% more theaters but couldn't hold its audience with only $3.1 mil Friday for what should be well below $45 mil already 10 days out.
Disney's Pirates of the caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest could cross the magic $400 million U.S. mark as soon as this weekend, especially with its $1.2 mil Friday take and anticipated $4.7 mil weekend gross.
Finally, Fox Searchlight's critically well-received Little Miss Sunshine which had been platforming tp garner good buzz opened wider into 694 theaters and earned $1.5 mil for what will be a $4.5+ mil weekend.
As I wrote here five weeks ago, New Line's PR/marketing department was working overtime on Snakes on a Plane. I'd rarely read so much incessant blog chatter, and so early, about what was essentially just another over-hyped horror movie.
What interests me is that so many fine actors -- Samuel Jackson, Naomi Watts, Jennifer Connolly, Nicole Kidman (albeit hers was a classy one) -- have lined up to do this genre. Especially when Steve McQueen spent his career running away from The Blob.
I've been hearing from agents that everyone wants to make anything horror. My best guess as to why? They think they'll make a connection with the younger audiences who turn out for these kind of films so that, when these stars do their normally serious films, maybe the new fans will follow
Snakes on a plane?
Hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss.
No thanks.
Does anyone still go to the movies? The studios should be marketing these things for DVD home theater release and save themselves the trouble.
Maybe if the movie were more realistic. Like if the snakes were arabic.......
too realistic. (and truthful)
where's that funny pic depicting the whole crew in a different movie called Bears in a Sub? LOL
we had one.. it's called Flight 93.. and the critics were hollering in unison "it's too soon!"
The next big thing will probably be a major movie released on all platforms the first day.
funny, the reviews have been pretty good for what is the most part a by the numbers horror flick
As horror movies go, this is probably a pretty tame one. I should lay off a little. I haven't seen it, but it would be hard to imagine it could stoop to the levels many horror movies do these days. Thanks for the comments.
It's a take off of an older movie, "Fer de Lance", starring David Jansen. Find it and you'll see the plot similarities.
The only thing I'm looking forward to this fall is Eastwood's 'Flags of Our Fathers.'
I genuinely liked Pirates of the Caribbean,DMC..
It, along with the silly but engaging RV..were relaxing, funny, silly, popcorn movies and managed to distract from the cares of the world for a few hours.
What's wrong with that!
I actually liked RV too. It's been a while since Robin Williams had done comedy!
Yes, that's right...
SNACKS ON A PLANE!!!
I've surprised they let you ? :^
Bill
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