box office nonsense

[drydem]

alright. Let's stop saying watchmen was a flop. Everyone's trying to say that the movie's 55 million domestic opening is somehow an indicator of the audience lack of interest because 300 opened stronger in 2007. Here's why they're completely wrong.
On the weekend of March 9-11 2007, the top 12 movies took in a total of 138.9 million dollars, of which 300 took in 70, a little over 50 percent.
On the weekend of March 6-8, 2009, the top 12 movies took in a total of 101.6 million dollars, of which Watchmen took in 55, a little over 54 percent.

It's the economy, stupid. Movie receipts are simply down in general, not based on the inability of complex movies to capture audiences. Not that Hollywood will take notice. They always jump to the simplest conclusion possible like some bizarre parody of William of Ockham.

Comments

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

They're not even the simplest conclusions, half the time; they're the ones that fit the Received Wisdom of Hollywood or the narrative of a film's journey to the screen, regardless of the actual consequences of its release.