X3 review and predictions!!!

[UnrulyAppendage]

true. but there is LOTS of pressure already on EVERY film producer to succeed! On even the smallest million dollar film. Their next gig, and their whole career rests on each success, and dims with each failure (perceived or abject). And, If Spidey grosses 200 million, it will have failed to break even, So I think you got it backwards. The TOP superhero films have serious baggage in their inflated budgets and expectatioons, so the pressure is far greater,...and proportional to the potential losses.

 

There is always pressure when studios put money behind a movie. It doesn't matter the genre. The top superhero movies will break even and make money if they stink. That doesn't mean they will be huge hits, but they will recoup their money because of their recognition. The top superhero movies have pressure to be blockbusters as they are tentpole movies for the studios. They are not worried about paying for them as much as they make money for itself and a few other movies that didn't.

 

Studios look at what is bankable. Spidey is bankable. If Spidey 3 stinks, it will recoup the money but it may kill the franchise. If Ghost Rider stinks, it will not recoup it's costs until it reaches DVD and TV. That's my point. They both have serious expectations put on them, but the studio knows Spidey 3 is not as big a risk as Ghost Rider. Spidey 3 can be average and still be a hit. Ghost Rider needs to be above average to be a hit.

[lou_fine]

was just working out in my Gym and caught the following comments on Fox news;

 

after just 10 days, X3 has generated $180million domestically. (which is more than DaVinci after three weeks).

 

it will also be the box office leader ahead of Break-up for its second week.

 

so despite so-so reviews and the insane number of comic guys on these boards who feel so luke-warm towards it, it's still gonna be a blockbuster........

 

Well, based upon the advance numbers from Yahoo movies for this weekend, it looks like X-3 came up a little bit short.

 

Surprisingly, it managed to finish behind Break-Up with a weekend box office take of only $34M dollars. If these numbers hold up, then this means an almost 70% drop-off from the first 3 days of last weekend's take of $107M dollars.

 

Since it's common for some of these blockbuster movies to drop by 50%, this almost 70% hit is not good news for X-3. This most likely means that it might be a bit of a stretch to expect it to hit even the $250M mark domestically by the time it's all done, which seemed like a sure thing after the opening weekend.

[KingOfRulers]

Actually, Yahoo had its weekend opening at $122,861,157.

[lou_fine]

Actually, Yahoo had its weekend opening at $122,861,157.

 

That was the total box office take for the entire 4-day long weekend.

 

The $107M dollars number was the estimated box office take which was announced for the Friday through Sunday portion only.

[sckao]

Actually, Yahoo had its weekend opening at $122,861,157.

 

That was the total box office take for the entire 4-day long weekend.

 

The $107M dollars number was the estimated box office take which was announced for the Friday through Sunday portion only.

 

They are estimating its total run will end around $240-250 million... which is more than X-men 2.

[sterlingcomics]

Jennifer Aniston and The Breakup already dethroned X-men in its second week...

[JiveTurkeyMoFo]

Jennifer Aniston and The Breakup already dethroned X-men in its second week...

 

To be honest, I think the draw to that film is Vince Vaughn, not Aniston and a funny, summer date movie was a welcomed relief to many ladies after the first few weeks of this movie season (Poseidon, X3, MI3, etc.)

 

I finally got to see X-Men 3, and I have to say I enjoyed it. The movie moved along well, and the story, overall, was servicable. If they end the franchise here (which they won't), I think X-Men fans can be pretty proud of the movies they have been blessed with.

[Wally's Comics]

Jennifer Aniston and The Breakup already dethroned X-men in its second week...

 

 

X3 bumped by a chick flick!

 

I guess all the ones that were riding that horse on how good X3 was -

just got bucked off...

 

 

[paperheart]

movie will surpass $250mm- why is anyone still attempting to suggest it wasn't a BO hit?

[skybolt]

Jennifer Aniston and The Breakup already dethroned X-men in its second week...

 

 

X3 bumped by a chick flick!

 

I guess all the ones that were riding that horse on how good X3 was -

just got bucked off...

 

 

 

You're kidding right...........$34 million is not good enough for a second week with strong competition from 3 other major films?! Pretty soon people will say that if Spider-Man 3 doesn't gross $1 billion domestically, then it's a bust. I actually thought X-3 wouldn't even reach $200 million.

[Wally's Comics]

Jennifer Aniston and The Breakup already dethroned X-men in its second week...

 

 

X3 bumped by a chick flick!

 

I guess all the ones that were riding that horse on how good X3 was -

just got bucked off...

 

 

 

You're kidding right...........$34 million is not good enough for a second week with strong competition from 3 other major films?! Pretty soon people will say that if Spider-Man 3 doesn't gross $1 billion domestically, then it's a bust. I actually thought X-3 wouldn't even reach $200 million.

 

My pick initially was actually 250 million...

 

But the way people were puffining it up, you would think it wouldn't slip to 2nd until

Supes came out - not the next friggin' week to a date flick...

 

 

[drice6900]

My pick initially was actually 250 million...

 

But the way people were puffining it up, you would think it wouldn't slip to 2nd until

Supes came out - not the next friggin' week to a date flick...

 

 

 

And a bad bad date flick too...

[sckao]

 

Worldwide, X-men 3 has already done $176 domestically and $85 million worldwide for a current total $260 million.

 

X-men 2 ended with $215 domestically and $193 million worldwide for a total of $408 million.

 

X-men 1 ended with $157 million domestically and $139 million worldwide for a total of $296 million. X-men also took in $60 million in DVD and VHS sales.

 

I don't think it has much to worry about. The overseas gross is down though relative to the domestic box office. Da Vinci code is not doing well domestically (per se) but is doing monster box office overseas.

[FFB]

its not the HERO or CHARACTER that determines film success. Its the FILM. MASK was a huge hit even though nobody (including 90% of comics fans) ever read a MASK comic book. Daredevil. Catwoman, Hulk, LOEG and even Ghost Rider could have (or might be) smash successes if they were/are good enjoyable stories/films. A-list superheroes can attract a large audience as familiar icons, but people buy tickets to see movies they hear are 'good' and worth seeing.

 

and , btw, look out for Hulk2... its in the works and inching to the screens for 2008 at the earliest...as per Variety.

 

I agree it's the movie that counts. However, it puts more pressure on the film makers of the 2nd tier characters because the recognition factor is not as great. Even if Spidey 3 sucks donkey balls, it will gross over 200 million and still make money. If Ghost Rider is not good, it will have trouble breaking even.

 

Spider-Man is going to need to make a lot more than $200MM box office gross to turn a profit. The budget on the film was just raised to $250-300MM. But yes, I agree with your main point.

[musicmeta]

Well, I had the pleasure of standing in line for about 2 hours to see the 7:30 pm premiere of X3 tonight. I have to admit that while it was a good movie, it did not live up to my expectations. Both #1 and #2 were better, whith #2 being far better. This movie seemed sort of rushed...which seems about right. They cranked the movie out very quickly, and it shows.

 

I couldn't agree more. #2 was SOOOOOOOO much better. This #3 was a big let down. Still an OK movie though, just that my expectations were a lot higher.

[xfrogx]

saw it and i liked it. you guys take movies waaaay too seriously. not enough character development but very fun.

[Norrin_Radd]

My big problem was how incredibly poorly the "Phoenix" was translated over to the movie. At the end of X2, it was assumed Jean moved to the "next evolutionary level" and become Phoenix, which is a change from the comics, but it was still logical. Pushed to the edge to save her team, she was forced to use and accept all her power - different from the source material, but it still made sense, so no problem.

 

But in X3, we find out that Phoenix is actually a split-personality of Jean's (WTF?) and that Prof. X knew about this (since Jean was a young child) and mentally put up barriers to keep Jean in and Phoenix out.

 

That has to be the dumbest thing I've ever heard, and it makes absolutely no sense.

 

Jean Grey has two personalities, and names one of them.... The Phoenix? Why not Jane or Sue or Barbara? No, it's gotta be The Phoenix, cuz that's what's in the comix!!

 

Oh yeah, and thanks Prof for mucking with a child's mind, never telling a soul about it for decades, never getting her any counselling or psychiatric help, creating a world-destroying time bomb, and basically setting the Earth up for total ruin.

 

 

A positive review of X-Men 3.... including a segment around 30 minutes in about why comic book movies don't have to be EXACTLY like the comics.