Posted on 12/30/2007 8:26:08 PM PST by icwhatudo
It opened three weeks ago at #1. Then it slipped to #3, and then to #9. And now, in its fourth weekend, The Golden Compass has fallen off the weekly top-ten chart altogether, landing at #12 with a "domestic" cume of $58.9 million -- and thus it continues to trail behind last year's considerably cheaper fantasy flick Eragon. And don't even bother trying to compare this film's grosses to those of the recent fantasy blockbusters whose ranks this film so desperately wanted to join.
But wait. Variety reports that The Golden Compass is still #2 overseas -- surpassed only by the unexpectedly huge hit I Am Legend -- and out there, the film has grossed $187 million, more than triple what it has made in North America (and more than Eragon made overseas in its entire theatrical run).
So the film isn't a complete bust. Then again, as noted here three weeks ago, New Line Cinema sold off the foreign distribution rights to cover some of its production costs before the film had even come out, so there is only so much comfort the studio can glean from the overseas receipts.
Total box-office for the US stands at $70 million, way below studio costs of $200 million. Overseas takes are about $150 to 180 million, but Newline isn’t taking that money home. The movie is a flop, with less profit than Superbad
well, AVP — both 1 and 2 — are not family movies, nor meant for most of the populace. They are meant primarily for those who liked the original Aliens and Predator movies and basically just want to see weird stuff on the screen that are flights of fantasy and gore. it’s always been bad and just like the SAW movies are really not meant for general consumption.
Lions for Lambs lost $50 million (estimated, so most likely much, much more) — even in over-seas, anti-American markets like the UK and Europe, the take was very low
It’s butt was saved, right, but foreign markets. But remember that those are by and large fragmented not a large market, but individual, small markets. Also, it just about got saved from losign money but it didn’t make a large profit —> when you put in 200 mil you expect a profit of 100 mil at the very least, but it hasn’t done that.
Do note again — the overseas market means 100+ countries, so you can’t classify it as a hit as there will be costs per country and in each country, the ranking of that movie vis-a-vis others needs to be seen. I’ll take the example of Spiderman III again —> it was a hit even in non-English countries that have their own huge domestic film-making industries: in France, in China, in India, in Russia, etc.
Compass made 372 million worldwide. 302 million of that was foreign.
To compare, Prince Caspian is at the very end of its run everywhere with 301 million worldwide .. on a 200 million budget, compared to Compass’ 180 million.
“Overseas takes are about $150 to 180 million”
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=GoldenCompass.htm
Foreign: $302,126,938
“In most of those markets it did not debut at #1 — from what I’ve READ, it opened at #5 or #6 and dropped subsequently”
It opened at #1 in almost everty terrority on the planet. When it’s opening weekends in each territory are cumed, it’s the 26th biggest opener in history, unadjusted.
Again, see: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=GoldenCompass.htm
Also note that it was the 13th highest grossing film of the year worldwide inspite of its flop in the US.
Disclaimer: I’m not defending the film’s content, I’m defending honesty and accuracy.
Thanks for that. I was wrong.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.