Watchmen takes in $55.7 million

[comix4fun]

Oh and we need to revise the title of the thread....opening weekend = $82.36 Million foreign and domestic combined.

(thumbs u

 

C

 

[awe4one]

Warners expected the movie to draw a minimum $65-70 Mil it's first weekend. It didn't so I'm sure they're disappointed with the grosses...

 

And the rapid falloff after Friday has to have them worried...

 

Jim

[DiceX]

My GF and I caught it on Saturday. She tried reading the GN, but couldn't really get into it, and stopped a few comics into it.

 

As the crowd was coming in, a family sat in the seats to the left of us. Mom, Dad, Son 16ish, Son 7ish, and Son 4ish. I looked at them, then turned to my GF and told her that those kids were not old enough to see this. We wondered if we should say something to the parents, but I figured when it got bad enough, they would get up and take the kids out of the theater. As the movie went on it became more and more apparent that the kids should not be watching it, but the parents just sat there watching without a care about what their kids were seeing. The oldest son was sitting between the parents and the young boys. The parents didn't even make an attempt to move next to the boys and at least cover their eyes during the bad parts. They all just sat there watching like it was a Disney movie. The boys were a little bothered during the sex scene as they were visibly embarrassed, but the parents were no more bothered with the kids than if they'd left them at home. What has society come to? These type of people don't deserve to have children.

 

As far as the movie...It was fan-friggin-tastic! I loved it! Even the *changed* ending was great. JC can person_without_enough_empathy and bellyache all he wants, but it was great.

 

Even my GF, who couldn't get into the book, loved it, and now wants to read the GN. I'll probably have to watch this again before the run is over in theaters, and will be there to buy the DVD on the day of release.

 

The movie was awesome!

 

 

[comix4fun]

Warners expected the movie to draw a minimum $65-70 Mil it's first weekend. It didn't so I'm sure they're disappointed with the grosses...

 

And the rapid falloff after Friday has to have them worried...

 

Jim

 

 

That has puzzled me from the beginning. How they could expect a film that ran almost 40% longer than 300, with such an unknown (to the general public) group of characters to match 300's numbers? Especially when 300's numbers were a giant shock to them at the time.

 

I will never understand Hollywood when they think things like this. An almost 3 hour film R rated film has almost no chance of getting that many ticket's sold unless it's a sequel to a blockbuster or with characters well established in the mainstream world.

 

C

[EastEnd]

Oh and we need to revise the title of the thread....opening weekend = $82.36 Million foreign and domestic combined.

(thumbs u

 

C

 

And DVD and VOD revenues are typically 150% of box office... so if not one additional person goes to see it, Watchmen already has over $200 million gross in the bank. The Studios are going to do just fine on this one.

[awe4one]

That has puzzled me from the beginning. How they could expect a film that ran almost 40% longer than 300, with such an unknown (to the general public) group of characters to match 300's numbers? Especially when 300's numbers were a giant shock to them at the time.

 

They use various criteria to come up with the numbers. Online pre-order sales, number of theaters, and various surveys are a couple that helps them get to the number. And they were better than expected for Friday and as a result never saw the rapid downturn on Sat and Sun coming.

 

You also have to consider that Watchmen had absolutely no other opening movie competition. The other studios gave Warner the weekend all to themselves...

 

Jim

[EastEnd]

Warners expected the movie to draw a minimum $65-70 Mil it's first weekend. It didn't so I'm sure they're disappointed with the grosses...

 

And the rapid falloff after Friday has to have them worried...

 

Jim

 

 

That has puzzled me from the beginning. How they could expect a film that ran almost 40% longer than 300, with such an unknown (to the general public) group of characters to match 300's numbers? Especially when 300's numbers were a giant shock to them at the time.

 

I will never understand Hollywood when they think things like this. An almost 3 hour film R rated film has almost no chance of getting that many ticket's sold unless it's a sequel to a blockbuster or with characters well established in the mainstream world.

 

C

 

Warners expectations for Watchmen were nowhere near 300s when it set the production budget for it. More recent buzz about the movie may have raised expectations but that wouldn't have impacted the production costs. My guess is that the studio was thinking it had a lot of upside in the movie... tempered by the additional costs of the Fox litigation.

[szelim]

Actual total came in at $55,214,334.

 

[mschmidt]

You are right, this weekend's grosses are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

 

You guys are so naive. That money has already been factored into the budget, and in the case of studio-owned distribution, licensing, PPV, and cable rights, already been spent.

 

Sure, Watchmen will make a bit of profit, but again, that is not what investors expected when they were sold on the project. Examples like Spider-man, Dark Knight, Iron Man, X-Men, etc. were the goal.

 

But even though financially, Watchmen is not setting any records and will be categorized as a "mild disappointment", who cares? Are you are investor? A studio exec? A profit participant? Otherwise, just enjoy the movie and leave the dollars and cents to the bean counters.

 

So the fact that it already set one record as the highest-opening movie this year eluded you? This movie is going to make $500 mil easily (US & worldwide box office) which, no matter how much you twist & turn it, will never be categorized as a "mild dissapointment".

 

Which, to be quite honest, really couldn't mean less to me - it's just annoying to watch you pretend you know what you're talking about.

[joe_collector]

Naive? How so? When a movie is made, the studio factors in expected revenue vs expenditures, just like any other business venture. I doubt anyone here is naive about that.

 

Exactly, and everything about Watchmen's production and promotional budget was based on higher box office numbers than it's receiving.

 

How do you know that exactly? Do you work in Warner's budgeting dept.? Did Barry Meyer send you a copy of the Watchmen budget?

 

It's a fact that the studio was counting on breaking the $70 million "R" opening of 300, which is why there was a big push to get a record number of theaters.

[joe_collector]

This movie is going to make $500 mil easily (US & worldwide box office)

 

it's just annoying to watch you pretend you know what you're talking about.

 

I know exactly what you mean.

 

Iron Man had over $100M US by its first weekend, and made over $50M US its second weekend, and didn't even scratch $600M worldwide.

 

But I wish you luck with your well-researched prediction. (thumbs u

[kimik]

Naive? How so? When a movie is made, the studio factors in expected revenue vs expenditures, just like any other business venture. I doubt anyone here is naive about that.

 

Exactly, and everything about Watchmen's production and promotional budget was based on higher box office numbers than it's receiving.

 

How do you know that exactly? Do you work in Warner's budgeting dept.? Did Barry Meyer send you a copy of the Watchmen budget?

 

It's a fact that the studio was counting on breaking the $70 million "R" opening of 300, which is why there was a big push to get a record number of theaters.

 

Did they state that they were "counting" on it, or "hoping" to break the record.

[awe4one]

So the fact that it already set one record as the highest-opening movie this year eluded you? This movie is going to make $500 mil easily (US & worldwide box office) which, no matter how much you twist & turn it, will never be categorized as a "mild dissapointment".

 

You're out of your mind. Iron Man made $582,030,528 worldwide over it's theatrical run and had a $100+Mil opening weekend. There's no way Watchmen is getting close to touching that...

 

Jim

[MR.COMICBOOK]

People shouldn`t be disappointed with a decent boxoffice as more people have now seen the Watchmen movie then have read the Watchmen comics.

what a irony.

[supapimp]

So the fact that it already set one record as the highest-opening movie this year eluded you? This movie is going to make $500 mil easily (US & worldwide box office) which, no matter how much you twist & turn it, will never be categorized as a "mild dissapointment".

 

You're out of your mind. Iron Man made $582,030,528 worldwide over it's theatrical run and had a $100+Mil opening weekend. There's no way Watchmen is getting close to touching that...

 

Jim

 

it'll be lucky to scratch $250 mil.

[awe4one]

People shouldn`t be disappointed with a decent boxoffice as more people have now seen the Watchmen movie then have read the Watchmen comics.

what a irony.

 

Funny you should say that. My son was with me yesterday when I saw the film but really hasn't said much whether he liked it or not.

 

Came home from school today, took out my copy of the GN, and is reading it. This is a kid who regards reading comics as almost akin to contracting the plague. Must have left an impression on him...

 

Jim

[Aman619]

You are right, this weekend's grosses are just the tip of the iceberg.

 

 

You guys are so naive. That money has already been factored into the budget, and in the case of studio-owned distribution, licensing, PPV, and cable rights, already been spent.

 

Sure, Watchmen will make a bit of profit, but again, that is not what investors expected when they were sold on the project. Examples like Spider-man, Dark Knight, Iron Man, X-Men, etc. were the goal.

 

But even though financially, Watchmen is not setting any records and will be categorized as a "mild disappointment", who cares? Are you are investor? A studio exec? A profit participant? Otherwise, just enjoy the movie and leave the dollars and cents to the bean counters.

 

So the fact that it already set one record as the highest-opening movie this year eluded you? This movie is going to make $500 mil easily (US & worldwide box office) which, no matter how much you twist & turn it, will never be categorized as a "mild dissapointment".

 

Which, to be quite honest, really couldn't mean less to me - it's just annoying to watch you pretend you know what you're talking about.

 

its only March! No big films have even opened yet. Thats like the reviews on films opening in January saying " Best Film Ive Seen This Year!"

 

At this juncture, Id say at WB they would consider 500M a remote possibility. Unfortunately, it looks like it will limp along to 300M in theatres worldwide. Im afraid it will be dropping quick like Jonas Bros did.

 

which is a shame.

[capt_comics]

People shouldn`t be disappointed with a decent boxoffice as more people have now seen the Watchmen movie then have read the Watchmen comics.

what a irony.

 

Funny you should say that. My son was with me yesterday when I saw the film but really hasn't said much whether he liked it or not.

 

Came home from school today, took out my copy of the GN, and is reading it. This is a kid who regards reading comics as almost akin to contracting the plague. Must have left an impression on him...

 

Jim

 

That's got to be a plus ...right Jim? (thumbs u

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[SuperBird]

There is no chance this film makes $500M worldwide, and I'd be shocked if it made $250M. They'll break even or do a tad better.

[comix4fun]

There is no chance this film makes $500M worldwide, and I'd be shocked if it made $250M. They'll break even or do a tad better.

 

 

I don't think this film can make $500 million world wide either.

 

But I have to disagree with being shocked if it made $250 million world wide.

 

300 made $70 million domestic in it's opening weekend and went on to gross $456 million world wide.

 

Watchmen made about 3/4ths of what 300 made domestic in it's opening weekend...if that trend bears out (ultra violent comic book films rated R and all that) that would put Watchmen's worldwide at $340+ million.

 

I meant it's already at $82 million and it's just barely out of the gate.

 

Best,

C