A-List Stars Flailing at the Box Office (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

The New York Times ^ | August 21, 2009 | Brooks Barnes

[abb]

The spring and summer box office has murdered megawatt stars like Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Eddie Murphy, John Travolta, Russell Crowe, Tom Hanks, Adam Sandler and Will Ferrell.

Can Brad Pitt escape?

A-list movie stars have long been measured by their ability to fill theaters on opening weekend. But never have so many failed to deliver, resulting in some rare soul-searching by motion picture studios about why the old formula isn’t working — and a great deal of anxiety among stars (and agents) about the potential vaporization of their $20 million paychecks.

“The cratering of films with big stars is astounding,” said Peter Guber, the former chairman of Sony Pictures who is now a producer and industry elder statesman. “These supertalented people are failing to aggregate a large audience, and everybody is looking for answers.”

Mr. Guber added, “Even Johnny Depp” — starring in the drama “Public Enemies” — “didn’t exactly deliver a phenomenal result.” (The A-list results may be damped partly because Will Smith, a regular summer powerhouse, had no movie open this season.)

Mr. Ferrell bombed in “Land of the Lost,” a $100 million comedy that sold only $49 million in tickets in North America. Ms. Roberts missed with “Duplicity,” a $60 million thriller that attracted $40.6 million. “Angels & Demons” (Mr. Hanks) was soft. The same for “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” (Mr. Washington and Mr. Travolta).

“Imagine That,” starring Mr. Murphy, was such a disaster that Paramount Pictures had to take a write-down. Mr. Sandler? His “Funny People” limped out of the gate and then collapsed. Some of these may simply have not been very good, but an A-list star is supposed to overcome that.

The gradual trend away from big-star vehicles in the summer has been under way for years.

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[abb]

Friday morning good news.

[DB]

Make a decent movie and I’ll go see it.

[Allegra]

I love it!

Maybe if the "big stars" would keep their political ignorance to themselves instead of thinking that their opinions matter more than the rest of ours, they wouldn'be be having this problem.

[iowamark]

More people have figured out that sober, working people need to stop funding the Left. They have contempt for us. The least we can do is not finance them.

[abb]

Ping. Must read.

[Rennes Templar]

Julie and Julia is a good one.

[Joe Boucher]

It’s not just making a decent movie anymore.
I do not care how good a movie is, I will not give a penny to see a movie with say Barbra Streisand or Ms. Garafalo or folks of their liberal ilk.
Screw em.

[sneakers]

People are not a impressed with ‘the stars’ as they used to be. Let’s face it, there are no more Bob Hope’s, Jimmy Stewart’s, Cary Grants, Katherine Hepberns, etc.

And all the latest slate of movies are rated ‘R’. I have no desire to see them.

Like another poster said up thread - “Make a decent movie, and I’ll go see it.”

[highlander_UW]

I’d say their problem is a collection of high ticket prices, bad economy, bad movies and stars who have offended large segments of potential audiences.

[hflynn]

The last time I went to see a movie in a theater was when I paid to see Rocky (Rocky 1).

[csvset]

Some of these may simply have not been very good

Some? Some? LOL.

[Steely Tom]

All the movies I’ve tried to watch recently (I’ve grown tired of the oldies, and have taken a look at some recent offerings) can be summed up in one sentence: when are he and she going to “do it?”

That’s it. That’s the whole movie. Well, except for a lot of soul-searching of the self-pity variety on the part of he and she.

No thanks.

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

The surge in social networking services like Twitter and Facebook, not to mention text messaging, has made it much harder for studios to persuade consumers that the movies are worth their time.

Translation: It's now easier for people to warn off their friends from Hollyweird crapola.

[bmwcyle]

Die Hollywood!

[abb]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203550604574360503853566592.html
Jay Leno Gets Ready for Prime Time

snip

Creating “The Jay Leno Show” helped the struggling network hang onto Mr. Leno after it replaced him as host of “The Tonight Show” with Conan O’Brien this past June. “The Jay Leno Show” also cuts costs. Prime-time dramas typically average about $3 million to make an episode or $15 million a week to fill the 10 p.m slot. A live entertainment show like Mr. Leno’s could cost as little as $2 million a week, according to industry estimates. NBC declined to discuss exact figures.

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http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125081583257748185.html
Tribune Expects Changes

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203863204574345440442046638.html
A Good Nazi Hunter Is Hard to Find
The ‘Pulp Fiction’ director on ‘Inglourious Basterds,’ his World War II action film

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-newscorp21-2009aug21,0,5961516.story
News Corp. pushing to create an online news consortium

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-movieprojector21-2009aug21,0,1239640.story
‘Inglourious Basterds’ predicted to have No. 1 weekend at box office

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-murdoch21-2009aug21,0,4502428.story
Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. pay package shrinks 40%

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-tribune21-2009aug21,0,28671.story
Sam Zell or no, Tribune team wants to remain in place after bankruptcy

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-nfl20-2009aug20,0,6330381.story
NFL makes big bet in aligning dates of major TV deals.
By setting up four broadcast contracts to expire in 2014, the NFL is betting that it’ll then have the leverage to hike its rights fees. But there are risks.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-basterds21-2009aug21,0,1767289.story
‘Inglourious Basterds’
Quentin Tarantino’s World War II movie has blood, but its heart doesn’t beat.

[abb]

From yesterday’s Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™ thread.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/movies/bal-ae.twitter19aug19,0,7572694.story

Twitter Effect rattles Hollywood
Avalanche of raves or pans can be set off before credits stop rolling

By Michael Sragow | michael.sragow@baltsun.com

August 19, 2009

While word of mouth could always make or break a movie, it usually took days to affect the box office. But the rise of social networking tools like Twitter may be narrowing that time frame to mere hours. And that has Hollywood on edge.

snip

[RushLake]

I was really hoping to read that that giant America hater George Looney had failed.

[carmody]

I think it’s a combination of three things.

Young people see movies and young people have become their own stars. They create their own entertainment on the internet starring themselves. Facebook, Blogging, Forums, Youtube, Myspace. Young adults are busy creating & communicating.

Sitting in a movie theater is becoming too passive. Having fun with XBOX or Wii is more fun than 3 hours in a theater.

The third thing is the political. More and more conservatives are choosing not to fund Hollywood and the stars that mock us. I know I have.

[mdmathis6]

There have been a few good offerings...District 9 will surprise the heck out of you, turning the whole Apartheit question and politics on its ear!

[saganite]

I can add one to this list even though it has made a lot of money. The latest Harry Potter episode was probably the most boring sequel since Lucas pontificated on his galaxy far far away with his disastrous prequels.