“Star Wars” Burn Out? “Last Jedi” Thursday Night Box Office Falls Short... by $12 Million

http://www.showbiz411.com ^ | December 15, 2017 | Roger Friedman

[Enterprise]

Last night, “The Last Jedi” scored $45 million in preview shows around the US. That’s the second highest Thursday preview opening ever, behind “The Force Awakens,” so that’s good news.

But the WTH news is that “The Force Awakens” did $57 million on its Thursday previews two years ago. In between there was “Rogue One” with a $29 million preview Thursday last year.

So what the heck? Is there “Star Wars” burn out with movies three years in a row? Could be.

[ez]

Natalie Portman ruined Star Wars for me.

[Covenantor]

Can’t recall the last Star Wars Infinity & Beyond Franchise film I viewed in the theaters.

But the marketing has gone completely nuts. This week I bought a bunch of Dole bananas...had Dole/Stars Wars stickers on them.

Stay off my food!

[DoodleBob]

If I didn't have kids I'd be avoiding this movie. However, the moral of Star Wars and Star Trek depends upon how you explain to your kids the nature of the story. Don't let Antifa frame things for you.

Star Trek is essentially about One World Government ("United Earth") solving for disease, famine, and all sorts of inequality. The Bridge of the Enterprise was a SJW dream...not that I oppose taking the best of the best, but the representation of every color and sex was clearly forced.

Star Wars is essentially about an evil bastardization of religion violently overthrowing the intent of the Founders, and a rag-tag group of Deplorables fighting back and restoring the intent of the Founders. While the Force and the love a father feels for his child ultimately wins the day, they sure couldn't have won without blasters, X-Fighters and other pro-Second Amendment ordnance.

I agree that the franchise should have ended at Return of the Jedi. However, that's one old man's opinion. My kids loved the prequels and they all turned out to be Deplorable little DoodleBobs. Indeed, if I'd argued that The Who should have stopped after Moon died we'd have been denied decades of stunning live shows, Eminence Front, and what may be THE single greatest live performance in the history of mankind at The Concert for New York.

Let this generation have their Star Wars movies but explain to them the overt PC angle. We all know who runs The Dark Side...

[NELSON111]

My wife, three children and I saw it Thursday. My sons are huge Star Wars fans as is my wife. My daughter likes it. I’m more of a Trekkie. That being said, the entire family gave it a 6 out of 10 across the board. We were unanimous. It was good, but we left a little disappointed.

[Vinnie]

Saw the first one. That was enough.

[Teacher317]

If I keep seeing reports that #9 is leftist drivel I'l just skip it.

Not a major spoiler alert here, but maybe a minor one...

#9 doesn't end with a Death Star being blown up. The final image seems to be made to reinforce the idea that “Star Wars” is no longer a story about destiny and chosen ones, but rather a story about possibility, and the idea that anyone can shape the world so long as they have the will to do so. Not really too much Left or Right... although the usual We Are The World themes continue to persist (all identities depend on appearance for the Left, the Evil Powerful Rich live off of exploiting the Good Weak Poor, etc).

Plus there are more than 2 unexpected events to give lifelong Star Wars fans something to chatter about.

If you can stomach all that, then #9 might be worth $12 to go see for you... plus $13 for popcorn and drink.

[castlegreyskull]

Spoiler: Rey is Luke and Leighs inbred daughter.

[Flick Lives]

Best bad guy evah!

[Teacher317]

Anything that pretends to show us advanced civilizations on other planets wearing Roman Spartan helmets but equipped with laser rifles just doesn’t cut the mustard in my book.

You must hate Joss Whedon's works then. Virtually all of them literally depend on you to accept one silly, stupid, nonsensical, paradoxical idea, and then run with it. The cheerleader hunts the vampires for once. A Vampire turns private detective in LA. An old spaghetti western, set in space (where they still use guns instead of lasers). Robot prostitute becoming self-aware.

If you can allow the HUGE hole to just... be... then you can enjoy Whedon's work a lot. His character development, particularly in Firefly, is usually very good. But again, you have to accept one unrealistic notion to allow it to happen.

[stinkerpot65]

A long boring feminist sermon...

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

***These movies are for all ages***

When people HOWELED about Jar Jar Binks, George Lucas asked why adults were getting upset as these “WERE MOVIES FOR KIDS.”

[markomalley]

Star Trek is essentially about One World Government ("United Earth") solving for disease, famine, and all sorts of inequality.

And that is the reason why DS9 is my favorite spinoff. The "Federation"'s warts show up very clearly in that spinoff.

[pepsionice]

I remember going in October 1977, and watching it....then staying in the theater, to catch a second showing of it. At the time, I thought it was the best science fiction movie of all time. Today, I probably wouldn’t even rate it in the top twenty.

[Williams]

Yes was Lucas out of his mind adding childish and obvious effects over the Mos Eisly scene and ruining a classic film? He did it in Return of the Jedi also.

[siberianheat]

I think part of the problem is the marketing for this movie is so heavy-handed and everywhere you look. There are Star Wars shaving kits, tree trimmers, and toilet paper. Every other commercial has a tie-in to Star Wars now. However, if you sit and actually watch the trailer for the movie there is absolutely no story there. Most trailers you watch and come away saying “this is a story about X.” This one, I come away saying “this is a series of action shots that could be from six different movies.”

Also interesting is that fan reaction on Rotten Tomatoes shows a huge gap between paid reviewers and actual viewers. This thing has its own weight, as I said above, and I suspect paid reviewers are afraid to point out the flaws.

I haven’t seen it yet. Probably catch it on Netflix in a few years.

[RandallFlagg]

When people HOWELED about Jar Jar Binks, George Lucas asked why adults were getting upset as these “WERE MOVIES FOR KIDS.”

"Thankfully there's no terrible love story in this one. This film is filled with hate, revenge, choking, murder, betrayal, sadness, more murder, more choking, worrying, more murder, and so on. Hey, anyone still want to use the excuse that these movies are made for little children?" -Harry S. Plinkett

Revenge of the Sith Review (RedLetterMedia)

[Enterprise]

Who can fault them for giving the ship such a magnificent name?

Sulu: What's our course Captain?

Kirk: Second star to the right. And haul ass 'till morning.

[Enterprise]

I had no intention of seeing “Passengers” with Jennifer Lawrence at the movies. At some point it came on TV. But now, I won’t have a chance to see even that, or any Star Wars movies unless I rent them or see them at someone else’s house. We only have basic cable now, and I don’t regret it a minute.

[Grampa Dave]

“No desire to give money to SJW wars.”

Even the earlier ones had no countries just critters from different planets. I don’t remember any businesses.

Diversity of different critters from different planets got worse with each new release.

Star Wars = SJW with a ton of PC Diversity.

[Grampa Dave]

“So typical, but I’m boycotting it because Disney is full of pervs, not because of an SJW message which will be lost on most of the audience, anyhow.”

Disney owns ABC and ESPN which supports the National Felon League not standing during our national anthem.