Summer 2007 Box Office

[abomb]

Here are the all-time opening weekend records (source). I cut it off at $100M+;

1 Pirates of the Caribbean: DMC		$135,634,554
2 Spider-Man				$114,844,116
3 Star Wars: Episode III - ROTS		$108,435,841
4 Shrek 2				$108,037,878
5 X-Men: The Last Stand			$102,750,665
6 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire	$102,685,961

Here all the all-time (domestic) figures;

1 Titanic			$600,788,188
2 Star Wars			$460,998,007
3 Shrek 2 			$441,226,247
4 E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial	$435,110,554
5 Star Wars: Episode I - TPM	$431,088,301

The next few months will see the following films open;

Spiderman 3
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Shrek The Third

Do you think any of these films will challenge the numbers above?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think that all but Harry Potter have a shot at #1 overall.

Pirates, Spiderman and Shrek has the best chance, in that order.

 

[Chaplin]

Titanic won't be approached, but the others have a chance to.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Titanic won't be approached, but the others have a chance to.

I was only looking at opening weekends. I agree that none of these have a chance to catch Titanic.

 

[Mulli]

I was only looking at opening weekends. I agree that none of these have a chance to catch Titanic.

Near, far, whereever you are, I believe that that record will go on.

 

[D-Dogg]

I don't see Aquaman on that list.

 

[Cheesebeef]

this will, no doubt, be THE BIGGEST SUMMER OF ALL TIME, box office wise. It's almost to the point of ridiculousness how many GINORMOUS sequels to really successful movies are coming out:

The HEAVY HITTERS:
Shrek 3 (more than likely, the winner this summer - the kiddies will see to it)
Pirates 3
Spiderman 3
Potter 5

The next wave:
Die Hard 4
Ocean's 3
Rush Hour 3
Bourne 3

Smaller Waves:
Fantastic Four 2
Evan Almighty

Other Sequels:
28 Weeks Later
Hostel 2

hell, even Daddy Day Care 2, Daddy Day CAMP is coming out this summer. Not to mention Transformers, The Simpsons and ANOTHER Halloween.

all in all, that's 16 freaking sequels, prequels or remakes of some form or another... and it's pretty disgusting. But, I guess to expect anything else from Hollywood during summertime is pretty naive at this point.

for me, the movie I look forward to themost is Knocked Up. Love Apatow and Co. - they can do no wrong comedy wise right now.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The difference with these sequels, is that for the most part, they are going to be really good.

There are at least 8 of those sequels that are going to gross over 100 mil, and probably 5 that will gross over 200 million.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The difference with these sequels, is that for the most part, they are going to be really good.

and this is based on what exactly?

I expect Spidey, Shrek and Pirates, and probably Bourne 3 and Potter 5 to be good, but who's to say any of the others will be? I mean, Bruce Willis STILL playing John McLane with that hack Wiseman directing? FF2? The first one was awful, why will the 2nd be any different? Evan Almighty? I LOVE Steve Carrell, but word on this is that it's an out of control turkey that the studio really monkeyed around with (yes, somehow the studio monkeyed with a turkey), Ocean's 3? Ocean's 2 wasn't all that good. And on and on and on.

they'll all make money, no doubt, but success at the box office doesn't mean quality in the theater.

 

[Chaplin]

this will, no doubt, be THE BIGGEST SUMMER OF ALL TIME, box office wise. It's almost to the point of ridiculousness how many GINORMOUS sequels to really successful movies are coming out:

The HEAVY HITTERS:
Shrek 3 (more than likely, the winner this summer - the kiddies will see to it)
Pirates 3
Spiderman 3
Potter 5

The next wave:
Die Hard 4
Ocean's 3
Rush Hour 3
Bourne 3

Smaller Waves:
Fantastic Four 2
Evan Almighty

Other Sequels:
28 Weeks Later
Hostel 2

hell, even Daddy Day Care 2, Daddy Day CAMP is coming out this summer. Not to mention Transformers, The Simpsons and ANOTHER Halloween.

all in all, that's 16 freaking sequels, prequels or remakes of some form or another... and it's pretty disgusting. But, I guess to expect anything else from Hollywood during summertime is pretty naive at this point.

for me, the movie I look forward to themost is Knocked Up. Love Apatow and Co. - they can do no wrong comedy wise right now.

I agree with a lot of what you say, but to say that Apatow can do no wrong comedy-wise with only one directing job under his belt is going a little overboard.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

and this is based on what exactly?

I expect Spidey, Shrek and Pirates, and probably Bourne 3 and Potter 5 to be good, but who's to say any of the others will be? I mean, Bruce Willis STILL playing John McLane with that hack Wiseman directing? FF2? The first one was awful, why will the 2nd be any different? Evan Almighty? I LOVE Steve Carrell, but word on this is that it's an out of control turkey that the studio really monkeyed around with (yes, somehow the studio monkeyed with a turkey), Ocean's 3? Ocean's 2 wasn't all that good. And on and on and on.

they'll all make money, no doubt, but success at the box office doesn't mean quality in the theater.

Well, you yourself named 5 sequels that will be good, and I would throw Rush Hour 3 into that mix as well. I can't think of a year that has had this many good sequels.

 

[abomb]

OK, last set of stats, I promise;

							Open (all-time rank)	Total (all-time rank)
Spiderman						$114,844,116 (2)	$403,706,375 (7)
Spiderman 2						$88,156,227 (11)	$373,585,825 (10)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl	$46,630,690 (73)	$305,413,918 (22)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest		$135,634,554 (1)	$423,315,812 (6)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone			$90,294,621 (9)		$317,575,550 (17)
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets 		$88,357,488 (10)	$261,988,482 (31)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban 		$93,687,367 (7)		$249,541,069 (38)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire			$102,685,961 (6)	$290,013,036 (26)

Shrek							$42,347,760 (88)	$267,665,011 (30)
Shrek 2							$108,037,878 (4)	$441,226,247 (3)

So which franchise is going to be behind Potter after this summer?

Rank	Franchise			Total Gross	# Movies
1	Star Wars			$1,882.80 	6
2	James Bond			$1,440.10 	22
[B]3	Harry Potter			$1,119.10 	4[/B]
4	The Lord of the Rings		$1,060.70 	4
5	Batman				$916.30 	6
[B]6	Spider-Man			$777.30 	2[/B]
7	Jurassic Park			$767.30 	3
8	Star Trek			$755.60 	10
[B]9	Pirates of the Caribbean	$728.70 	2
10	Shrek				$708.90 	2[/B]

 

[Chaplin]

Potter will most likely pass James Bond as the 2nd biggest series of all time, but it will be really hard for any of the others to surpass it. If HP didn't have a movie this summer, than Spider-Man has a good chance, but not with Order of the Phoenix coming out.

 

[Louis]

Great Zeus' beared, all of this box office record talk and nobody mentions the forthcoming "Kickin' It Old School"?

Eberts you are not.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I agree with a lot of what you say, but to say that Apatow can do no wrong comedy-wise with only one directing job under his belt is going a little overboard.

take a look at everything he's exec. produced, written and directed over the last FIFTEEN years Chap - it's all comedy gold or at the least silver (except Kicking and Screaming - that was awful). Besides that, Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Undeclared, Freaks and Geeks, Larry Sanders Show, 40 Year Old Virgin, the Critic, the Ben Stiller Show, etc, etc. That's a incredibly long stretch of solid to top notch comedy - no one else wokring today in either medium can boast that. The guy does big, broad, smart and small comedy. I think to say the guy only has "one directing job under his belt" and to write offmy opinion as a little overboard sounds like tunnel vision in regards to Apatow. His body of work is astounding for a comedic writer/producer/director.

 

[Chaplin]

take a look at everything he's exec. produced, written and directed over the last FIFTEEN years Chap - it's all comedy gold or at the least silver (except Kicking and Screaming - that was awful). Besides that, Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Undeclared, Freaks and Geeks, Larry Sanders Show, 40 Year Old Virgin, the Critic, the Ben Stiller Show, etc, etc. That's a incredibly long stretch of solid to top notch comedy - no one else wokring today in either medium can boast that. The guy does big, broad, smart and small comedy. I think to say the guy only has "one directing job under his belt" and to write offmy opinion as a little overboard sounds like tunnel vision in regards to Apatow. His body of work is astounding for a comedic writer/producer/director.

I'll grant him that he's a good comedy writer. But being an executive producer isn't as glamorous as you make it out to be--you know that.

I just think that you give him too much credit. Talladega Nights was awful (much like Kicking and Screaming), and Anchorman wasn't too great either. That said, I AM looking forward to Knocked Up because I think Seth Rogan is freaking hilarious--and I do like Apatow's track record. I'm just not ready to put him up with Woody Allen or Monty Python in the realm of comedic genius.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I'll grant him that he's a good comedy writer. But being an executive producer isn't as glamorous as you make it out to be--you know that.

from that sentence, can I assume you've never worked in TV before? Because anyone that has would never utter those words. And do you know anyone that works with Apatow? I know a couple people and there's no doubt in my mind that as an exec. producer, the guy is as hands on as it gets. And seriously, to even make that comment about the executive producer in Film is pretty off-base, especially wiith certain producers, that much I learned not only from my friends working at Judd's company,but also from my experience working for Steve Golin, back in my Anonymous Content days. Do you have any idea how influential a great exec. producer can be? Do you have any idea how different the first draft of Eternal Sunshine was before Golin helped Kaufman and Gondry shape it to what it ended up? Or how hands on Golin was with Babel or Being John Malkovich and on and on and on. I do, because I worked for the man and I know his assistants who worked for him before me and for you to somehow marginalize exec. producers like that, which from all reports Apatow is (did you know that his production literally doesn't even take submissions? EVERYTHING they do is in house and developed). sorry man, but the above is just pretty out of whack from what I know and have seen. is every exec.producer that infuential on a film, no. But there's no doubt that certain ones are and Apatow is one of them.

to merely call him a "good comedy" writer is a huge slap in the face and really, pretty far from reality. Through every medium, the guy has consistently knocked sh^t out of the park, at every level.

and no one said he's Woody Allen or Python, even though those guys had their share of clunkers as well, although I wouldn't call Talladega and Anchorman clunkers and an overwhelming majority of moviegoers would agree with me there.

 

[Chaplin]

and no one said he's Woody Allen or Python, even though those guys had their share of clunkers as well, although I wouldn't call Talladega and Anchorman clunkers and an overwhelming majority of moviegoers would agree with me there.

Oh, I thought you were talking about something being good, rather than something being a moneymaker. You and I both know that audiences are the worst gauge of whether something is good or not.

I simply think you give Judd Apatow too much credit that he has yet to earn. He's still talented and he still has a better-than-average comedy track record. But IMO, he hasn't earned (yet) the ability to turn everything he touches into gold.

 

[Mulli]

 

[Pariah]

Oh, I thought you were talking about something being good, rather than something being a moneymaker. You and I both know that audiences are the worst gauge of whether something is good or not.

What is the measure then? I thought movies like Anchorman were created FOR the audience...but it's not the audience's favor it's trying to win?

 

[Chaplin]

What is the measure then? I thought movies like Anchorman were created FOR the audience...but it's not the audience's favor it's trying to win?

Anchorman is created for the audience to spend money. Plain and simple. You think otherwise? Something may be funny, but that doesn't mean it's good.

 

[Pariah]

Anchorman is created for the audience to spend money. Plain and simple. You think otherwise? Something may be funny, but that doesn't mean it's good.

If it's made to be funny and generate money, and it turns out to be funny and generate money, what's not good?

 

[dreamcastrocks]

 

[Chaplin]

If it's made to be funny and generate money, and it turns out to be funny and generate money, what's not good?

Except IMO, Anchorman isn't as funny as you think it is. Again, even though something is funny doesn't make it good. Look at Police Academy.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Except IMO, Anchorman isn't as funny as you think it is. Again, even though something is funny doesn't make it good. Look at Police Academy.

Police Academy was funny, at least the 1st one was. Same with Ernest goes to Camp.