Yeah, I’m getting kind of sick of riffing that title, too. Promise it’ll be the last time.
The Hollywood Reporter has written an interesting commentary on the release of the Watchmen film. A highlight:
When is a solid opening still a disappointment? When it comes attached to “Watchmen.” After the legal battles, the fanboy hype and the boxoffice hopes, the pic came in with a $55 million opening — pretty decent for an R-rated March movie … but not that decent when you consider nothing opened against it and it was on 3,600 bloody screens.
It goes on to discuss the Alan Moore connection, and what might be Zack Snyder’s future. You read the blog post in its entirety here.
March 10th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Length is an issue, especially when some theaters can only show it three times a day instead of the four times that other movies get. I think it intimidates people and I can’t even count the number of people who have told me that “the creator doesn’t even want to watch the movie,” followed by me having to explain Alan Moore from the ground up. And that’s difficult enough as it is. Sometimes makes the movie a hard sell.
March 10th, 2009 at 1:07 pm
Success or failure from a box office perspective is all relative. WATCHMEN is the top-grossing movie of the year and 55 million in one weekend is actually really good. But people want to compare it to IRON MAN or THE DARK KNIGHT and it’ll never make that much money. In fact, I think it made less than 300 (IIRC) which isn’t a good thing.
Similarly, it’s getting mixed reaction from critics. What can you do? Expectations were just too high.
Jeremiah Allan – Not wanting to see a movie because the creator doesn’t approve of it is a valid response. Moore’s reaction to the film communicates to potential movie-goers a lack of legitimacy and that the movie is just a cash-grab. I sympathize with Moore and I can see why people would be influenced by his opinion.
March 10th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
@D. Peace – Watchmen isnt the top grossing movie. Paul Blort Mall Cop is like $130 million or so.
Also, Moore didnt want to see any of his films, yet it didnt affect openings for V for Vendetta or LXG, quality notwithstanding. Sadly, most people dont even know or care who Alan Moore is in the mainstream.
March 10th, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Kirk – I meant that WATCHMEN is the top grossing movie in its opening weekend so far this year. Although maybe I’m wrong about that? I’m too lazy to check to see how much BLART made its first weekend out. Mea culpa.
You’re right about those points, btw.
March 11th, 2009 at 2:42 am
As a viewer, all I can say is the movie isn’t worth watching for.