Looking Good, Feeling Good

I can't really say it better than Portfolio or Variety did, so I'll just reprint the good news from the studios.  I hope you like what's in theaters, because based on these numbers, we're about to get lots more of the same:

"Paramount recently became the fifth studio to make more than a billion dollars this year in foreign box office, joining Sony, Warner Bros., Disney and Fox in crossing that bench mark. It's the first time that five studios have hit that mark within a calendar year, Variety reports.

Warner Bros. leads the pack with about $1.2 billion as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is due to reach the $500 million milestone this weekend. Fox follows at $1.1 billion, with The Simpsons Movie now at $109 million; Disney is at $1.02 billion, led by Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End at $644.6 million; Sony's at $1.01 billion with over half that from Spider-Man 3.

Universal is bringing up the rear with $404 million, a tally that should increase with the release of Bourne Ultimatum, and the expansion of I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Knocked Up, and Evan Almighty."

Comments

[The Jay]

I don't know if we're gonna get necessarily the same. We're at least 3 years from the next Spider-Man flick. Pirates is done (for now). Shrek is still coming, but no one cares anymore. Fantastic Four is a forgotten franchise. Die Hard is probably done (unless those foreign grosses keep climbing). We still have two more Harry Potter flicks, but that's a good thing. And Oceans and Bourne are done, as well.

We'll definitely still see tons of sequels, but hopefully with a lot of franchises starting to be put on ice, we can get some new, original franchises in theaters. Transformers is a good start.

[Gibson007]

(In regards to The Jay's comments)

Fantastic Four: Although not good - I highly doubt it's a 'forgotten franchise'. How much has it made so far, Craig?

Shrek: Again, the movies are getting worse and worse - but how much did it make? Alot?! Yeah, so saying 'No one cares anymore' is kind of silly.

Die Hard: I actually agree with you here (and I'm glad that you're finally basing your statements on box office numbers).

Oceans and Bourne: 'They're done'?! Perhaps...but if theres still gold to mine in those hills...then mine they will. Again, money talks.

We will continue to see more of the same and more new stuff...just like we always have. So, basically, I just wasted 3 minutes of my day replying to an ill-conceived blog poster.

Love the site, Craig - you've led me to some very entertaining and informative websites (Poland, Wells, Burbanked, In Contention, etc). Yours is still part of my daily 'surf'.

Keep up the great work!

[Craig Beilinson]

Now boys, play nice. You know Craig loves all his readers the same... all three of you. :)

I was speaking in generalities about the studios and their efforts going forward. They made a ton of cash this summer with sequels, tentpoles, films based on kids games... so they'll just do more of that. I'm not saying there will be another Bourne, but there might be. Katzenberg has said there will be two more Shreks, so that's that. I wasn't referring to any particular series or franchise, but simply saying (albeit apparently poorly) that we'll get more of the same types of films going forward, since it worked for the studios this summer.

And Gibson... don't be too quick to judge The Jay (http://www.thejay.com/). His posts are long, but insightful, funny, and mostly filled with chocolately awesomeness.

[Gibson007]

Craig...I thank you. Although I stand by statements above, I now have a new website to visit on a weekly basis (thejay.com). Just read his artciles on Anne Hathaway's Boobs and Bruce Willis Movie posters. Long posts, yes - but, as you said, all filled with awesome chocolately goodness.

Kudos to both of you (www.kudosbar.com/kudos/index.htm).