Multiple industry articles have proclaimed the latest predator movie a big success after a “strong” opening weekend of… just $40 million domestic and $83 million global. Against a projected budget of over $100 million. With analysts saying it needs $262 million to break even.
By what metric is this a success? By straight comparison to the original, of course! The first predator only made $12 million domestic in its opening weekend!
In 1987.
As a completely new IP.
On fewer than half as many screens.
And then went on to make 80% of its total run after opening weekend.
On a budget of just $18 million.
Movie industry media are attaching Saturn V rockets to every goalpost and firing them into fucking space just to manipulate audiences into thinking this modern slop is popular and good. This shit will be lucky to lose $50 million.
> $100 million dollar budget.
> $262 million to break even
Wut?
For some reason Hollywood doesn't factor in advertising into the budget. Basically, "budget" figures factor in production but not advertising, distribution, or theater royalties. So the general rule of thumb for action flicks is take the budget and double it, and that's how much money they actually spent/will spend on a theatrical run.
Also they advertised the shit out of this movie. I was thinking the other day that I never see movie ads anymore so I never know what's in theaters but this movie was the exception..I've seen no less than 30 ads for it.
That's absolutely retarded. Advertising is part of the cost of getting the movie to market and getting revenue rolling in. Of course it's part of the budget.
It is retarded but there's also a reason why they do it. There's the cost of making the movie, vs the cost of marketing it. The pre marketing budget gives a better idea of the production value. Even a garbage movie can have a 500m budget theoretically.
Has never been the case for Hollywood, at least in modern times.
Domestic theatres get half, international I think it's 60/40 or 70/30 split in favor of the theatres except for China which takes much more. Some companies like Disney get I think 60/40 dem split.
Not sure where the 262 comes from, nowadays lots of movies are made outside the US where tax credits reduce the amount they need to make to break even but now DVD/Bluray sales are much lower due to streaming so they don't have that to make up loses.
Thanks for the nuance. I knew there was a split but didn't know specifics. But same point over all, there are expenses far after/in excess of the production is completed.
In addition to what others have said about the advertising, it's also true that the studio does not take 100% of the ticket revenue. The theater will get some small percentage as well. This is especially true in foreign markets where the theaters get a bigger cut.
That's a much better point. I still think pretending that marketing isn't part of the budget is some finance spreadsheet bullshit. Of course the advertising is part of the cost of producing a movie.
You're talking about an industry that invented its own accounting so it would never pay taxes on its (on paper) nonexistent profits.
And the fact they've been allowed to get away with that for decades speaks volumes.
Of course it is, but like a wise sage once said, "It's Hollywood, Baby!"
The people in this community completely missed how the Eras Tour Movie saved the theatres from bankruptcy during the SAG-AFTRA strike. And, it wasn't by giving them
You are able to go to the theatre because of Swifties.
First time in a box office discussion? It has been this way for decades.