The Day After: "Superman Returns" Reaps Solid Opening
With the weight of Warner Bros.' summer hopes on its shoulders, "Superman Returns" debuted late Tuesday night and continued strong, if not phenomenally, for a total of $21 million at the box office through Wednesday night.
The official figure released by WB was actually $21,037,000, with Bryan Singer's superhero pic riding a Kryptonian publicity wave into 3,915 theaters (and 76 IMAX 3D arenas) nationwide. Buoyed by a smart decision to move up the release date to the Wednesday before the Fourth of July weekend, "Superman Returns" has four more days to go to capitalize on holiday weekend moviegoers.
"Superman Returns" soars, but how high?
Considering its notoriously sky-high production budget ($260 million, plus marketing costs), opening to $21 mil is decent, but not nearly as profitable as WB would have liked. Still, it ranks as the eighth-highest Wednesday opening in history, behind films like "Star Wars: Episode I" ($28.5 M), "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" ($34.5 M), and the record-holder from 2004, "Spider-Man 2" ($40.4 M).
Spidey still reigns supreme at the all-time Wednesday opener box office
That's not to say "Supes" doesn't still have a chance to earn more-than-respectable returns in the next few days and beyond. WB's summer comic-book blockbuster entry from last year, "Batman Begins," earned only $15.1 million during its Wednesday opening and seemed doomed to a box office drop off and a disappointing overall take. That pic, however, surprised many by staying strong through its subsequent theatrical run and came out big with over $200 million in domestic ticket sales.
Can Superman bring home another Batman-sized hit for WB?
Like "Batman Begins," "Superman Returns" is the resurrection of a comic book-to-film series and scored with most critics ("Batman" earned a Tomatometer of 83 percent, while "Superman" is currently at a lower, but still Fresh, 76 percent).
Numbers-watchers are in agreement that "Superman Returns" needs to make its mark in the next week, before Disney's hugely anticipated sequel, "The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," diverts the minds, hearts, and pocketbooks of the precious moviegoing public.
The official figure released by WB was actually $21,037,000, with Bryan Singer's superhero pic riding a Kryptonian publicity wave into 3,915 theaters (and 76 IMAX 3D arenas) nationwide. Buoyed by a smart decision to move up the release date to the Wednesday before the Fourth of July weekend, "Superman Returns" has four more days to go to capitalize on holiday weekend moviegoers.
"Superman Returns" soars, but how high?
Considering its notoriously sky-high production budget ($260 million, plus marketing costs), opening to $21 mil is decent, but not nearly as profitable as WB would have liked. Still, it ranks as the eighth-highest Wednesday opening in history, behind films like "Star Wars: Episode I" ($28.5 M), "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" ($34.5 M), and the record-holder from 2004, "Spider-Man 2" ($40.4 M).
Spidey still reigns supreme at the all-time Wednesday opener box office
That's not to say "Supes" doesn't still have a chance to earn more-than-respectable returns in the next few days and beyond. WB's summer comic-book blockbuster entry from last year, "Batman Begins," earned only $15.1 million during its Wednesday opening and seemed doomed to a box office drop off and a disappointing overall take. That pic, however, surprised many by staying strong through its subsequent theatrical run and came out big with over $200 million in domestic ticket sales.
Can Superman bring home another Batman-sized hit for WB?
Like "Batman Begins," "Superman Returns" is the resurrection of a comic book-to-film series and scored with most critics ("Batman" earned a Tomatometer of 83 percent, while "Superman" is currently at a lower, but still Fresh, 76 percent).
Numbers-watchers are in agreement that "Superman Returns" needs to make its mark in the next week, before Disney's hugely anticipated sequel, "The Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," diverts the minds, hearts, and pocketbooks of the precious moviegoing public.
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| Movie: | Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest |
| Batman Begins | |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | |
| Spider-Man 2 | |
| Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace | |
| Superman Returns |
(1-18 of 18 posts) | Reply
on Jun 29 2006 05:02 PM I look for a box office take of around 255 mil. (Reply to this) |
on Jun 29 2006 05:09 PM That's about what I was expecting. I think it'll be a box office hit but not a box office smash as many are expecting. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 29 2006 05:19 PM They also need to compare the take to the first Spider-man film and not the second one. I have no doubt that the sequel to Superman Returns will have a much bigger opening. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 29 2006 06:26 PM just saw it and I really like the fact Singer kept some of the themes and paid homage to the 70-80's superman. In fact I would recommend people go rent super I and II, theres some in jokes carried over from those 2. Don't want to put any spoilers in this, but the movie is very good, the story isn't as tight and wish there was more to it. The movie really seems like it was just all about wheres he was for the past 5 years and kind of a re introduction of the Superman series. Wish they would have just explained where he was for the 5 years missing and then quickly moved on but it didn't that whole theme really dragged on for first half of the movie. Special effects were great but I have to admit the Neo vs Smith fight in Matrix Rev has Supes beat. Just my opinion. Great kick start to the franschise but hopefully we get a better story in the next installment. BTW John William KICKS AZZ!!!! His theme stuill gives me goosebumps (Reply to this) |
on Jun 29 2006 06:29 PM Here's what I think will happen in the next few weeks: This weekend: Returns will have a modest, if not below expectations, through the fourth of July weekend. At best, it'll rake in around $50m from Friday to Sunday. Next weekend: Returns will be crushed next weekend with the spectacular $100+ opening of Pirates 2, with Returns dropping a little more than half of this weekend's revenue. The following weekends: First off, I think Pirates 2 will be the biggest movie this summer, unless it ultimately sucks (probably not but you never know). Returns will have the legs to propel it to make up for its budget, and maybe a little bit more, but will have a hard time reaching $300+ million. If it does, I think it'll reflect Pirate 1 and LoTR 1's run, both numbers and legs. If it doesn't make up its budget, it'll still end up with numbers similar to Begins. Finally, I don't think its gross will reach either Spidey films. (Okay, so the last few sentences were obvious but bear with me.) And just a side-note, it was hard for me to type the previous paragraph because I'm a big fan of Batman and Supes, moreso over Spidey and Pirates. =( but GO SEE SUPERMAN RETURNS!! =) (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 29 2006 07:08 PM Don't count Superman out just yet. He's an icon all around the world, and his worldwide box office should show it. It will definitely make back it's budget. Besides, people have to work!! I guarentee it will boost speed as the days progress. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 12:40 AM Nice to see singer pay homage to donner's classic as opposed to the cheap scene for scene remake of the recent omen flick. I enjoyed S.R for what it was. A pop culture movie. There were elements I liked and things I didnt like. There seems to be this obsession with numbers and money. Its a movie. Its not curing aids or cancer. Big ups to bill gates by the way!! (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 05:15 AM There could be a Shrek 2 hidden smash weekend ahead for Superman. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 05:29 AM [b]wow...[/b] suprised at how unsuper these opening figures are... (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 05:56 AM In reply to this comment (#839271) Do not count Supes out. The film does not have as many showtimes because of the running time. There is also going to be a lot of repeat business. This movie has the possibility of being quite huge. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 09:00 AM In reply to this comment (#839272) This movie only have a good seven to eight days to do good before Potc comes out. Alot of people are saying that superman was very good but to long to see more than once. This movie will be a hit but not that big of a hit. People said the same thing about king Kong, And that was not a smash hit. Superman will do good, but not as good as POTC. POCT has a bigger fan base. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 09:53 AM In reply to this comment (#839273) Good argument, but I think they said that about Titanic, too. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 11:24 AM Superman wont even make it to the $200 million mark. This movie has a very small window of opportunity and not to mention is it just me or hasnt everyone else noticed no ones interested or excited about this movie. It had no real buzz outside of hardcore Superman fans. Everytime I talk to some one about this movie they just say, "Superman sucks" or "I dont care about that." So dont underestimate the lack of people that arent stoked on this movie because I dont think the general public is. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 11:26 AM In reply to this comment (#839273) The Pirates movie is 2 1/2 hours. It won't make as much as the first film. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 11:43 AM In reply to this comment (#839276) [b]Wrong[/b] The first one was just a little less than 2 and half hours so the run time should not hurt this one at all. (Reply to this) |
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on Jun 30 2006 03:27 PM [b]They almost got it right...[/b] Just saw the movie.... The Good- Routh does a good job with the material given him. He'll be 100% better on next film. Bosworth I feel the same. It isn't her fault she's so serious..it's the writers...why didn't they lighten her up a little. Effects good. Story OK. Tough to see Supe kicked around like that, but it fit the story. Some thought the begining was slow, but I thought it was great and set up the whole film. The Bad- Again, Routh and Bosworth are only as good as the writing. They need to lighten up the writing on the next movie, have more fun,...and how about a villian other than old Lex. THe kid? didn't want him in the story at all but now he's there and hopefully they'll make the best of him. WHY DIDN'T THEY LET LOIS AND SUPERMAN TALK A BIT ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP! Ebert's right on that...the two of them have such an intense history together and they hardly said anything to one another. "I'm always around Lois" does not solve the problems or help the moviegoer with their relationship. Fix it Mr. Singer. Next Superman Movie- Again lighten up, I don't want to see Superman get so emotional all the time...I want action and let him get angry....enough tears in the eyes of Supes, Mr. Singer. (Reply to this) |
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on Jul 01 2006 12:54 AM "WHY DIDN'T THEY LET LOIS AND SUPERMAN TALK A BIT ABOUT THEIR RELATIONSHIP!" I would've loved that too but the general public might not. I mean, look around the other topics. You'll see a lot of "not enough action" posts and the like. Face it, the general summer-blockbuster-movie-going public doesn't like deep, emotionally heart-felt action movies. But Pirates?? It has swords!! And pirates!! Johnny Depp is hot!! (Reply to this) |
on Jul 01 2006 05:05 PM [b]Dumb da dumb dumb[/b] Okay, so comic book movies don't usually have the best plots, but seriously, the one for this Superman is idiotic. If I were an investor, I'd love beach front property on a land of jagged stalagmites. Oh, but they make weapons and other technology that's amazing -- hmmm... nope, just always saw rocks. The romance side of the movie was fine -- strange considering the respective actors ages, but fine. The movie was slow, but that would have been fine if the plot hadn't been stupid (never mind the fact that Superman, if he gets really pissed and gets a touch of sun becomes nearly invincible). Of course, if your name is Bryan Singer (one of those it directors, like Mallick), you'll still be loved for an insipid, incongruous movie (and oh yeah, the 1st two x-men weren't any better than the last one, but if you're named Rattner, you're in trouble). Routh has a striking resemblance to Reeve (not as pointy, and sounding a bit like Tom Cruise) and save for his age, he does fine. Bosworth doesn't fit the bill for me as Lois Lane (too young)... Poor James Marsden... every recent movie (X-Men, this one, The Notebook) he gets the romantic shaft... I'm sure he's suffering :). Oh well, hopefully they'll let Mel Gibson direct the next one and he can crucify Routh explicitly and we can watch him bleed for hours! (Reply to this) |
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