SPEARE'S TIPS - The films of 12/21/11 to 12/25/11

[Geezer]

Chaaaaa-Ching!

[numbersix]

Early Weds estimates that Dragon Tattoo earned something similar to Sherlock 2, in between 4.5 and 5.5m. MI4 earned about 6 or so.

In 2005 King Kong earned $4.8m, Narnia earned $4.9m, and Fun with Dick and Jane earned $3.7m on the Wednesday before Xmas. They went on to earn 24.7, 25.6, and 16.5 respectively.

So we can assume that this Xmas week will earn more than 2005, and that MI5 could make close to 30m for the 3-day weekend, and Girl and Sherlock hitting the 20m mark.

Further down the scale Tintin earned between 2.5 and 3m, but with the kiddie bounce it could earn 15m for the weekend. Alvin earned a little higher.

[Buscemi]

I am amazed that Tintin flopped so hard. But when I think about, Paramount hardly pushed the film while giving Mission: Impossible the deluxe treatment.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo got an A on CinemaScore (with most of the polled audience being older men and women) but I see the fanboy effect slightly applying on the film, due to it being a name series and Fincher's fanbase.

[transformers2]

Banks and Tranny hate Tintin for two reasons:

1. It's a family film.

2. It's mo-cap.

Contrary to popular belief, only a few motion capture films have failed. Most audiences seriously don't care about uncanny valley. That's also probably why Nicki Minaj sells so well.

What a surprise Tintin flopped

[Buscemi]

Thanks to people like you. You're one of those people who isn't satisfied when a movie isn't a stupid action movie or a stupid comedy or fanboy driven (I cannot think of a film you liked this year that wasn't one of the three). And when a movie like this happens, what does the studio do? Pushes it aside in favor of an action movie.

When a Spielberg movie fails to take off, then something is wrong with us as a whole.

[Buscemi]

Anyway, subtracting The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo's Tuesday numbers, the film tied Sherlock Holmes for second place with $4.3 million and is expected to be frontloaded. Mission: Impossible was easily in first with a $6 million Wednesday (subtracting the $2 million from Tuesday previews).

Another thing I noticed on Paramount dropping the ball on Tintin: the film was in 650 fewer theatres than Alvin and the Chipmunks. With a lack of family product this holiday season and Spielberg directing, this should have opened in at least 3,500 theatres. But at least the $3 million from the early Quebec release will be added to the total, so that softens the blow for its opening weekend.

[numbersix]

Thanks to people like you. You're one of those people who isn't satisfied when a movie isn't a stupid action movie or a stupid comedy or fanboy driven (I cannot think of a film you liked this year that wasn't one of the three). And when a movie like this happens, what does the studio do? Pushes it aside in favor of an action movie.

When a Spielberg movie fails to take off, then something is wrong with us as a whole.

Sorry to butt in, but Tintin is a stupid action movie.

[Chienfantome]

Sorry to butt in, but Tintin is a stupid action movie.

Booooooooooooooooooooooooo for this comment, Six

[numbersix]

Anyway, subtracting The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo's Tuesday numbers, the film tied Sherlock Holmes for second place with $4.3 million and is expected to be frontloaded. Mission: Impossible was easily in first with a $6 million Wednesday (subtracting the $2 million from Tuesday previews).

Deadline is saying Dragon Tattoo made $5.7m on Wednesday alone (1.6 on Tuesday).

Seriously, how much more information do you need before you finally admit you were totally wrong on this on? Or will you continue by saying that the box office reporting on this film was one giant Fincher-fanboy conspiracy, where they hacked, Lisbeth-Sandler-like, into the box office of every system worldwide and added extra noughts because everyone on the planet really despises Rooney "Who" Mara?

[Buscemi]

I got the frontloaded information from HSX. The person who said this mentioned that it would fall behind Mission: Impossible due to less demand past the first two days (and as I mentioned, fanboy effect).

And I kind of admitted I was wrong when I saw the CinemaScore (I was expecting a B due to the graphic content instead of an A). There, I only said "slight fanboy effect" instead of "bad word-of-mouth and a huge dropoff".

[numbersix]

I do hope Santa's bringing you wing mirrors for all the backpeddalling you're doing

It's also worth pointing out that Fincher's last two films didn't suffer from any "fanboy effect", as they made over 4 times their OW (in fact, Zodiac is arguably the only film of his that could be considered to be frontloaded). Yes, it won't have an internal multiplier as big as MI4 because that has a wider appeal, but no one was saying it would beat MI4 in the first place!

[Buscemi]

Benjamin Button wasn't promoted on Fincher though. It was sold as Forrest Gump with even better special effects.

I can't dispute The Social Network's success though. The reviews hyped that one and the fanboys made inescapable. Call it hype backlash but I don't like the guy Fincher has become.

[numbersix]

Well I actually agree with you on that. I haven't been keen on Fincher since Zodiac. But it's important to separate how you feel about a film's true box office potential, and a lot of us felt you were blinded by your taste about your perception of Dragon Tattoo's box office potential. So keep up the good taste, but don't expect the public to follow it

[Shrykespeare]

Wednesday numbers:

Mission: Impossible 4, $8.9M
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, $5.1M (opening day)
Sherlock Holmes 2, $4.3M
Alvin & the Chipmunks 3, $3.5M
Adventures of Tintin, $2.3M (opening day)

Pretty strong opening for Dragon Tattoo. I'll probably go see it tomorrow. Tintin will probably pick up on the weekend, since it is a family film. (Of course, it's also going up against We Bought a Zoo, which is also a family film.)

[Buscemi]

Tintin is at $5.6 million total once the Quebec numbers are added in.