Depp/Burton DARK SHADOWS Is In Release!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I was surprised to see on boxoffice.com that DS is still playing in all 5 of the theaters in my area that I mentioned before - however, only 1 of them is still showing it four times a day. The other 4 are showing it twice (in 3 it's the 2nd and 4th showing - in the other 1 it's the 1st and 3rd showing).


Changing reels and going somewhat OT:

I ordered the Blu-ray/DVD Combo + Digital Copy of the 4th season of True Blood ... I'm presuming it's going to be Blu-ray on one side and DVD on the other. But it's going to be very interesting if it isn't

It isn't. And quite possibly what it is might prove to be a warning to DS fans who don't yet own a Blu-ray player but would consider buying the Blu-Ray/DVD Combo, if there is one, for the DS film. The DVDs in the 4th season packaging of True Blood are in a separate case, they're 2 double sided discs (both sides DVD), and with the exception of being able to choose languages, there are no extras - not even the extras that appear on the regular DVD set. All the good extras like commentaries, featurettes, and such are only on the Blu-Ray discs. And that actually makes more sense because it not only requires fewer DVDs, there's much less duplication of features. But if this becomes the norm for Blu-ray/DVD Combo releases, someone who buys such a set thinking they'll still be able to see everything that normally appears on the DVD release will have a rude awakening.

28 days 11 hours 2 minutes 35 seconds since the Depp/Burton Dark Shadows has been in release(ET)!!

[jimbo]

I wonder how WB is going to promote the DVD releases? Hopefully not the same way it did the movie.

The only positive in all of this is that there was 130 people in the audience for the DS movie. http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2012/06/08/anger-as-american-pie-trailer-shown-to-children/

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It will definitely be interesting to see how the DVD/Blu-ray release is promoted. 

And as for the theater incident, 135 people is great, but as far as seeing American Reunion instead of DS. At least they all received complimentary tickets. Though something tells me a few of the parents probably thought the damage was already done, and free tickets were going to do anything to erase that.

28 days 13 hours 45 minutes 15 seconds since the Depp/Burton Dark Shadows has been in release(ET)!!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I see that according to boxoffice.com, on Thursday DS brought in $431,285, which brings its current domestic box office to $72,375,633 (it's slowly but surely getting ready to overtake John Carter, which it should probably do at some point during the weekend). However, at this point only four of the top films are reporting their take, so we'll have to wait for Box Office Mojo to see where DS ranks for the day. But once again it did come in with more than Chernobyl Diaries, so it will probably retain 8th place. Though Thursday is probably the last day we'll see it in the Top 10.

28 days 14 hours 41 minutes 22 seconds since the Depp/Burton Dark Shadows has been in release(ET)!!

[madscntst]

Thanks MB!  Great to see that it went up from Wed.  On Box Office Mojo, it looks like all the numbers are in now, and not only did it do better than Chernobyl Diaries but it did by quite a bit, and is indeed in 8th place for Thurs.

Glad to hear that DS is likely to pass John Carter, though I see that JC did do over $200M overseas so DS is very unlikely to pass JC worldwide.  Another milestone that is within DS's grasp is to pass Hugo, which as MB pointed out the other day is Chloe Moretz' best box office so far (except for a voice part in Bolt), but it's also currently Johnny's biggest movie as a producer.  Hugo made $73.9M domestically so DS has another ~$1.5M to go to reach it. I didn't even realize until checking it that DS has actually already passed Hugo worldwide ($192.9M vs. $182.6M).  (I adored Hugo, by the way, but it just wasn't as big a box office hit as it deserved to be).

[Gerard]

The movie is remaining in my town for one more week!  Or I should say returning for another week.  After it left the "major" theater last week Thursday, it will now start to play tonight for one week, along with The Hunger Games, at our local "cheapy" theater.  The cost of admission:  99 cents.  Or, if you want to really splurge, you can fork out five dollars for the "package" - admission (to both, a double feature! - I feel so nostalgic), a large popcorn (buttered), large drink and one candy bar.  Well, guess what I'm doing tomorrow.  I can mow the lawn any old time.

Gerard

[jimbo]

DS movie expected to make a profit. http://m.deadline.com/2012/06/the-avengers-soars-but-battleship-and-the-dictator-sink-in-profit-tally-kagan/

[jimbo]

Sorry I misread the article.

[petofi]

According to this article, the DS movie cost nearly 300 million.  This doesn't pass the smell test based on previous estimates (100-175 million), but then again, studio bookkeeping is notoriously unscrupulous.  We may never know what the movie's true outlay is.


Petofi

[Gerard]

Exactly why should a movie cost $300 million to make?  On what are they spending it?  Have the studio heads gone out of their heads?  In this economy, do they really think there are enough people who have the moola to pay nine smackers for a matinee and up to fifteen for a night screening?  When Titanic was made for a cost of $100 million that was considered incredulous.  Today, it seems that a B-flick showing some mask-wearing slasher chasing around and stabbing voluptuous late-teenaged doxies, made for $100 million, is considered par for the course.  I don't know if the article is correct in stating that DS cost $300 million, but if it's true, that's utterly ridiculous.  As I said earlier, it's time to role the heads of most of Hollywood's heads.  Who's hiring these guys?

Gerard

[petofi]

I think Hollywood estimates bear taking with a grain of salt.  Especially when you realize that much of the Harry Potter series supposedly has not yet seen a profit.  This, in my opinion, is a clerical lie designed to avoid paying taxes and those who have a percentage interest in the movies.  Just my two cents, but this is a long-running scam in the movie industry. There have been cases of writers (see Buchwald v Paramount) suing to open studio books, and the studios hastily settling out of court, presumably to avoid having to reveal their books to the court. Now, why ever would they want to avoid such a thing?

Petofi

[David]

I think Petofi is right. Depp Shadows is clearly going to gross $250 million on it's theatrical run.if that's not enough money to turn a profit then something is wrong with the way Hollywood does business.

[Cousin_Barnabas]

I am frankly astounded that anyone could suggest this movie cost $300 million.  Remember that initial estimate of $65 million?  Just by looking at the movie, it looks closer to that than this new number.  Where would all the money have gone?  Building sets is expensive, yes.  But not that expensive.  There was a lot of (wasted) talent in this picture, but I can't see anyone getting paid a huge salary...  Something is fishy here, and it's not just Angel Bay. 

[michael c]

yes i agree this new 300 million dollar figure has got to be a gross overestimation of costs.


the film is visually opulent to be sure but nothing that would suggest those types of numbers. and while the cast is large much of it was relative newcomers(mcgrath, moretz, heathcote)who simply do not command astronomical salaries.


unless that's factoring in international promotional costs maybe? the cast imagery that blanketed new york for a few weeks can not have been cheap.

[jimbo]

We just don't have the true production numbers and we probably will never have it. I believe it was Variety which stated the budget was 60 million or so. On the other hand the box office website has the budget at 175 million and it may have cost the studio another 100 million to market it. So who is telling the truth? If WB states that it took a loss on the movie that would negatively impact its stockholders? This industry drives you nuts. It seems to me on its surface the movie will clearly make a profit especially with the DVD sales.

DS movie came in 10th place on Friday. http://tvfilmnews.com/box-office-returns-prometheus-madagascar-3-fight-for-no-1/