X2-85.85 mil For The Weekend(Est)

[bronze]

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20030504/D7QQMD000.html

 

Darn,I was hoping it would go through the roof.

 

[LordRahl]

Umm... That IS going through the roof. Fourth largest opening ever. I know you were hoping for Spidey like numbers, but nothing is likely to approach Spidey for a long time.

[jordanabigail]

Are you on crack? 4th largest opening of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marvel movies now have another 3 years of life left, at least - yeah baby!!!!!!!

[joe_collector]

Are you on crack? 4th largest opening of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Marvel movies now have another 3 years of life left, at least - yeah baby!!!!!!!

 

Hahahaha. I agree that Spidey and the X-Men are great movie properties, and that's a big DUH, since they're also the most popular Marvel comic books, and have been for decades.

 

Double-DUH!

 

What I am getting at is when Marvel starts getting cocky and delving into the second and thrd-tier books, that it might come back to get them. As long as they stick with Spidey and X-based movies, they'll be riding high for a long time, but start releasing Iron Fist, Punisher, Ghost Rider, etc. movies and you're looking for trouble.

 

Greed always ends up sinking the ship.

[Lofwyr]

As long as they stick with Spidey and X-based movies, they'll be riding high for a long time, but start releasing Iron Fist, Punisher, Ghost Rider, etc. movies and you're looking for trouble.

 

Why do you say that? Punisher and Ghost Rider still remain great movie making material. They will be very different films compared with X-men and spider-man but you can't expect any different. Right now the audience isn't automatically interconnecting the world of Hulk, Spider-man, Daredevil, X-men together even though they are part of the same universe. Most people aren't comic readers so they take each movie at face value.

 

 

 

 

[joe_collector]

You do realize that having a "built-in audience" is the reason for these movies getting the Green Light, don't you? They don't toss a hundreds of millions at an existing property like Spidey or X-Men (or LOTR) without there being a a huge existing fan base.

 

Iron Fist and Ghost Rider don't even have current books, and their "built-in audience" isn't even in the same area code as Spidey and Wolverine.

[Lofwyr]

You do realize that having a "built-in audience" is the reason for these movies getting the Green Light, don't you? They don't toss a hundreds of millions at an existing property like Spidey or X-Men (or LOTR) without there being a a huge existing fan base.

 

You could have said the same thing about Blade before it was made. Who the hell knew who blade was outside of the comic world? Even I wasn't that familiar with the character and i've been reading comics for nearly 3/4's of my life.

 

Iron Fist and Ghost Rider don't even have current books, and their "built-in audience" isn't even in the same area code as Spidey and Wolverine.

 

The book's popularity doesn't automatically translate into box office success or failure. Most audiences view movies as an entity unto itself as it should be. People will be willing to give it a chance if it's a _good_ movie even if they are totally unfamiliar with the characters.

 

 

[clobberintime]

Ah leave it to investor joe to see the bright side of X-men II making almost 100 million. Yeah that's great but just you wait, I tell you the end is just around the corner! Just wait until you are trying to trade your comics for food and then everyone will be sorry. But the best part will be getting to tell everyone I told you so!

[delekkerste]

The book's popularity doesn't automatically translate into box office success or failure. Most audiences view movies as an entity unto itself as it should be.

 

Both you and JC bring up some valid points. I think one thing is clear, though - movies based on popular comic titles/characters have a much higher probability of succeeding than those based on 2nd and 3rd tier titles. After all, if the stories/characters succeeded in one medium of sequential entertainment, there is a good chance they will succeed in another. That's not to say that we couldn't see a major comic property bomb on the silver screen or a lesser property (like Blade, as you mentioned) succeed with flying colors, but the probabilities favor the opposite outcome.

 

I agree with JC that the acid test will come when all these 2nd and 3rd tier properties are all released within a relatively short timeframe. I'm not saying that Marvel can't continue their wave of success, but neither am I going to be a fanboy cheerleader predicting box office gold for all these lesser properties (heck, I don't even like the comics of half of these characters with movies in development...why would I suddenly shell out $10+ to see them in the theater?)

 

Gene

[PovertyRow]

You do realize that having a "built-in audience" is the reason for these movies getting the Green Light, don't you? They don't toss a hundreds of millions at an existing property like Spidey or X-Men (or LOTR) without there being a a huge existing fan base.

 

Many non-comic book people saw X-MEN 1. I saw it with a group of 10 from work and I and one other even knew who the X-MEN were. But everyone really enjoyed it. Same went for Spiderman. I didn;t see it in the theater but that same group saw it and again enjoyed it. So what is happening is that a non-comic book collecting base IS being established. If the movie is well made then it will do well, even amoung the non-collectors simply because the buzz is in on Spiderman and X-Men. (I am ignoring Daredevil - didn;t want to see it in the theater because the trailers were just horrendous so am waiting on DVD.)

 

I also think the time is right for Doctor Strange to get a really good treatment, especially with the popularity of the mystical genres like Harry Potter and Lord Of the Rings.

[blowout]

I also think the time is right for Doctor Strange to get a really good treatment, especially with the popularity of the mystical genres like Harry Potter and Lord Of the Rings.

 

I'd go along with that. They could also really do a Doc Strange film justice now with all the great CGI we are seeing.

The main stumbling block I think is the lack of his own regular comic book right now. If (as rumoured) J M Straczynski pens an upcoming Doctor Strange comic, we may see Marvel pushing for a film. The cross-over potential of JMS, coupled with the popularity of magic in general (Harry Potter etc) could really be plus for this one.

[aardvark88]

On the Spidey movie dvd disk 2, Stan Lee mentioned he had worked on a Thor movie with Avi Arad about 10 yrs ago but the special effects weren't yet developed to such a degree that they are today. A Thor movie would be spectacular with all the colorful costumes & Asgardian powers. How about Thor vs Absorbing Man (being powered by Loki)?

[PovertyRow]

The main stumbling block I think is the lack of his own regular comic book right now.

 

I tend to agree with you as far as Hollywood minds may go. Folks there really ARE a bit robotic (though some are not and are most enjoyable...Sam Raimi is a good example). What I am realy hoping for is that H-Wood realizes that a really well crafted comic book based film WILL cross the line and non-comic folk will also attend.

 

the popularity of magic in general (Harry Potter etc) could really be plus for this one.

 

Man I really hope so. I have to say that Doc Strange, if well done, has the potential to be an absolutely AMAZING film, especialy with CGI as it is now. I am a CGI fan but only when done properly - then it can really help things along. (It was my major complaint with Spidey - the Green Goblin's mask, even though you could see a bit of human features behind it, looked like a Saturday Mighty Morphin Power Ranger effect).

 

Anyway - Doc Strange could be a real sleeper if done right!

[BestOf7-migration]

I'm not saying that Marvel can't continue their wave of success, but neither am I going to be a fanboy cheerleader predicting box office gold for all these lesser properties (heck, I don't even like the comics of half of these characters with movies in development...why would I suddenly shell out $10+ to see them in the theater?)

 

It may be that its because I'm new to the forums, but I still have not been able to make the connection that I see so loosely thrown around that someone's appreciation for a movie automatically makes them a fanboy. I watched the X2 movie, and much like the way I feel when I've read a good novel or book, I did speard the word to friends and family about the movie. Does this make me a fanboy?

 

Taken the perspective on this forum further, you might also say that because I'm sending some positive signals to people who are asking about a good movie, that I have a vested interest in seeing that movie break box-office records?

 

I think its all about personal enjoyment, and in some cases, wanting the enjoyment to be somewhat contagious. I don't mind coming on these forums and telling people that I enjoyed the film, and I hope everyone sees it (comic-geeks or non comic-geeks), but it seems that to do so, you must also be prepared to take some unnecessary flak....

[joe_collector]

It may be that its because I'm new to the forums, but I still have not been able to make the connection that I see so loosely thrown around that someone's appreciation for a movie automatically makes them a fanboy.

 

This mostly started with the (IMHO horrid) Daredevil movie, which was adorned with incredibly favorable reviews from the fanboy comic sites, and most fanboys on here, while the mainstream media slammed it. The consensus seemed to be "any Daredevil movie is better than none" and "we've gotta support comic movies, no matter what".

 

I don't agree with this in the least, and while I will support comic movies that are GOOD, I'm not going into fanboy country and promoting sad-sack flicks just because they're based on a comic book character.

[Ares]

It may be that its because I'm new to the forums, but I still have not been able to make the connection that I see so loosely thrown around that someone's appreciation for a movie automatically makes them a fanboy.

 

This mostly started with the (IMHO horrid) Daredevil movie, which was adorned with incredibly favorable reviews from the fanboy comic sites, and most fanboys on here, while the mainstream media slammed it. The consensus seemed to be "any Daredevil movie is better than none" and "we've gotta support comic movies, no matter what".

 

I don't agree with this in the least, and while I will support comic movies that are GOOD, I'm not going into fanboy country and promoting sad-sack flicks just because they're based on a comic book character.

 

I only saw it for Jenifer Garner as Elecktra and to hear all those Actors try to speak Greek and bastardise it.