Posted on 06/15/2009 5:02:24 PM PDT by Steelfish
New 'Transformers' film should give Michael Bay a big payday
Claudia Eller and Ben Fritz June 10, 2009
The opening of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is still two weeks away but Hollywood executives are already speculating that it could be the biggest movie of the summer. It could also yield one of the richest paydays ever for a director.
Michael Bay agreed to forgo his normal upfront directing fee and cut of ticket sales in exchange for a bigger piece of total profits from all revenue sources once the studio, Paramount Pictures, recoups its costs.
This kind of deal is increasingly common in Hollywood as studios attempt to avoid situations where they lose money on a film or eke out a tiny profit while big-name talent walks away with tens of millions of dollars, as happened with Paramount's "Mission: Impossible III" and its star Tom Cruise.
Bay, who is also an executive producer on the movie, cut a similar deal on the first "Transformers" in 2007 and walked off with about $75 million after the sci-fi film grossed $708 million worldwide and became one of the year's top DVD sellers.
He is among a handful of Hollywood directors and producers, including Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson and Jerry Bruckheimer, who are paid top dollar for the movies they make. His credits include such hits as "Armageddon," "The Rock," "Pearl Harbor" and the "Bad Boys" films, as well as 2005's costly miss "The Island."
Though Bay won't start earning his share as quickly because "Revenge of the Fallen" cost more than the original, he could ultimately make even more of a killing.
Several executives who have seen the latest audience tracking surveys for "Revenge of the Fallen," which debuts June 24, are predicting a five-day domestic opening exceeding $160 million.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
“He is among a handful of Hollywood directors and producers, including Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson ....”
And let’s keep in mind Spielberg and Jackson suck lately as directors.
Michael Bay has been smart and does what he knows and doesn’t screw around with it. Big explosions, big special effects, big music, big themes, little plot, ok characters.. pure, old fashioned Hollywood escapism. The day Michael Bay turns “The Rock” into a Disney-esque cartoon ala Clone Wars, is the end of civilization as we know it.
He’s got my money this Friday. I can’t wait.
Paramount got two cash cows with Trek and Transformers..
...and don’t forget G.I. Joe coming up in a couple of months.
The only movie I’m looking forward to more (after Star Trek) is Tarantino’s new movie Inglourious Basterds...
I’m not sure I agree with you about Jackson. The only film that anybody has seen that Jackson actually directed since Lord of the Rings was King Kong. I frankly thought Kong was just an okay movie myself but I think there is time for Jackson to show if he bottled lightning just the one time or he has more wizardry in him.
One thing is for sure, The Lovely Bones is not going to be a crowd pleasing money maker.
Love the chase scene in SF.
Ditto, up to and until the point the Ferrari gets smashed.. That movie just, well, Rocks!.. complete escapism.
Try this on for size
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361748/
Oh well, why not! Sounds just crazy enough to work.
King Kong was a major problem. And I have to throw in the faqct that Jackson is a megalomaniac who edited Christopher Lee out of Rings 3 even though he was a major character.
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