One Final Serenity Box Office Depression Thread by SimonWho

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One Final Serenity Box Office Depression Thread

POSTED BY: SIMONWHO
UPDATED: Tuesday, February 28, 2006 10:08
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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:14 AM

Okay, I had threatened this but now I think we've gotten far enough away from 2005 to name and shame the 97 films that North American audiences thought were more worthy of their money than Serenity. Particularly galling examples are highlighted in bold:

1 - Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2 - Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
3 - The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
4 - War of the Worlds
5 - King Kong
6 - Wedding Crashers
7 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
8 - Batman Begins
9 - Madagascar
10 - Mr. & Mrs. Smith
11 - Hitch
12 - The Longest Yard
13 - Fantastic Four
14 - Chicken Little
15 - Robots
16 - Walk the Line
17 - The Pacifier
18 - Fun with Dick and Jane
19 - The 40-Year-Old Virgin
20 - Flightplan
21 - Saw II
22 - Monster-in-Law
23 - Are We There Yet?
24 - Cheaper by the Dozen 2
25 - The Dukes of Hazzard
26 - March of the Penguins
27 - The Ring Two
28 - Constantine
29 - Brokeback Mountain
30 - The Exorcism of Emily Rose
31 - Four Brothers
32 - Sin City
33 - The Interpreter
34 - Guess Who
35 - Sahara
36 - Coach Carter
37 - Herbie: Fully Loaded
38 - The Amityville Horror (2005)
39 - Sky High
40 - Bewitched
41 - Jarhead
42 - Cinderella Man
43 - The Family Stone
44 - Red Eye
45 - Memoirs of a Geisha
46 - White Noise
47 - Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
48 - Be Cool
49 - Crash
50 - Tim Burton's Corpse Bride
51 - Yours, Mine and Ours
52 - Kicking and Screaming
53 - Hide and Seek
54 - The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
55 - Diary of a Mad Black Woman
56 - Hoodwinked
57 - Racing Stripes
58 - Syriana
59 - Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
60 - Just Like Heaven
61 - The Skeleton Key
62 - Kingdom of Heaven
63 - Boogeyman
64 - Munich
65 - The Legend of Zorro
66 - Must Love Dogs
67 - Transporter 2
68 - Rumor Has It
69 - Fever Pitch
70 - The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D
71 - The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
72 - Pride and Prejudice
73 - The Brothers Grimm
74 - Beauty Shop
75 - Derailed
76 - The Island
77 - The Ringer
78 - Hostage
79 - The Constant Gardener
80 - In Her Shoes
81 - Bad News Bears
82 - Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story
83 - Because of Winn-Dixie
84 - Just Friends
85 - Stealth
86 - House of Wax
87 - The Wedding Date
88 - A History of Violence
89 - Get Rich or Die Tryin'
90 - Good Night, and Good Luck.
91 - The Fog
92 - Rent
93 - Doom
94 - Zathura
95 - XXX: State of the Union
96 - Elizabethtown
97 - Aeon Flux

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go shout a bit at this wall.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:25 AM

THENCDUCK

that is very depressing all of those terrible movies making more money than Serenity

. Although, I bet you our dvd sales are kicking their asses. So hope still remains for me at least.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:26 AM

MATTCOZ

Hey, RotS kicked ass.

To make you feel better though, Serenity is kicking ass in DVD sales. Box office + dvd sales have reached $60 million, 50 percent over the budget for the film. The Browncoat numbers have never been higher, I have no doubt that a sequel would be a much bigger success in the theaters.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:29 AM

SINGATE

I'm proud to say I have only seen four of the movies on that list. I wouldn't have gone to see the others even if someone else offered to pay my way. I do own a couple of them on DVD but the rest aren't even worth a rental. Just proves that 2005 was a crappy year for movie goers.

_________________________________________________

We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:30 AM

ISAACSHEPHERD

I can't agree more with this. I am an American and I am perplexed why people saw so many of these crappy films. My theory is that studios want to spend less money on budget and get everything they can out of their small crappy investment.
I have to admit I go to movies whenever I can but if there is nothing good playing I won't go. I haven't seen a movie for 2 months and that is rare for me. I think too many Americans will just go out to see something just cause it's getting out. I haven't seen any of the bolded movies on there except Star Wars and Fantastic 4, which I thought was pretty good.
Another theory I have about this is that people will go to movies b/c nothing is on tv anymore. I don't watch tv anymore b/c it is all reality tv, and it sucks. I don't want to see a regular joe make a fool of himself on tv so the networks can make more profit. The prize they win at the end of the show is probably worth about 1 shows worth of advertising (it wouldn't surprise me if it was less).
Until people start turning off their tv's, stop wasting money on crappy movies and boycotting the crap, the same thing will keep happening.
IS

The Bible's a bit fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:49 AM

MATTCOZ

There has actually been some decent shows out this year.

Bones (with our favorite vampire with a soul, but it's fox so...)
Invasion (put "on hiatus" until April)
Love Monkey (put "on hiatus" after 3 episodes, aka cancelled)
My Name is Earl (omg, one that is actually getting a 2nd season)

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 7:55 AM

ISAACSHEPHERD

mattcoz,
There have been a few, but you named 4 out of how many shows are on tv? There are too many cop/crime shows, and law shows. I used to like CSI but there are 3 of them now.
I have to agree with My name is Earl though, that is a good show. I've only seen it once or twice by luck and I have to say it was funny. But again I emphasize how little there is of good quality tv. There is even a new show that has people come in to show inventions. What is next??
I want (sci)fiction gorramit!
IS

The Bible's a bit fuzzy on the subject of kneecaps.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 8:01 AM

THENCDUCK

Quote:
Originally posted by mattcoz:
Hey, RotS kicked ass.

To make you feel better though, Serenity is kicking ass in DVD sales. Box office + dvd sales have reached $60 million, 50 percent over the budget for the film. The Browncoat numbers have never been higher, I have no doubt that a sequel would be a much bigger success in the theaters.

Hopefully those numbers will get us a special edition dvd set and then a sequel or Firefly season 2 will be seen profitable enough for universal and fox to ask for more. One can only hope.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 8:06 AM

ALGUS

Well now, 40 Year Old Virgin WAS a funny movie >.> *hides*

Seriously though, whatever happened to that talk about bringing a movie out on the Sci-Fi channel? Granted that wouldn't be nearly as prestigious as another theatre attraction, but any new Firefly is ok by me.

---
Where's the KABOOM?! There was supposed to be an earth-shattering kaboom! *sigh* Delays...delays...

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 8:10 AM

MATTCOZ

True, but just saying there isn't nothing. For a while there I had a couple shows I would watch each night of the week, then I'd top it off by watching X-Files reruns before hittin' the hay. Also was pointing out that the only good shows were being killed by the network execs once again.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 8:21 AM

STORYMARK

Quote:
Originally posted by singate:
I'm proud to say I have only seen four of the movies on that list. I wouldn't have gone to see the others even if someone else offered to pay my way. I do own a couple of them on DVD but the rest aren't even worth a rental. Just proves that 2005 was a crappy year for movie goers.

_________________________________________________

We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.

If you've only seen 4, how do you know they're all crap?

I'm not saying that they're not, nessisarily. And yeah, most of these you could tell from the ads or premise that they would suck.

My point is: Judging a movie sight unseen, is partially what led to the low returns on Serenity. How many people saw the commercials for that and siad "Ugh, another sci-fi action flick. I'll wait for DVD".

There were a number of worthwile movies on that list. Just becuase something is not Serenity, does not make it automatically crap.

And I agree with Mattcoz: RotS rocked!

"I thoroughly disapprove of duels. If a man should challenge me, I would take him kindly and forgivingly by the hand and lead him to a quiet place and kill him."

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 8:36 AM

MATTCOZ

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
My point is: Judging a movie sight unseen, is partially what led to the low returns on Serenity. How many people saw the commercials for that and siad "Ugh, another sci-fi action flick. I'll wait for DVD".

I know I did, they really didn't do a good job of promoting it. Luckily I heard the word of mouth and decided to give it a chance.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 9:02 AM

HOEPERATIVE

Quote:
Originally posted by mattcoz:
True, but just saying there isn't nothing. For a while there I had a couple shows I would watch each night of the week, then I'd top it off by watching X-Files reruns before hittin' the hay.

...'course, it is possible that you watched a little too much TV there...

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 9:03 AM

KAELE

I've seen 22 movies on that list.

The only one worth of note was Batman Begins. And I'm a huge Star Wars fan. I was sorely disappointed with the three new SW movies. The novels had better plotlines and much better dialog. I had Star Wars PJs. We used to have the Battle of Hoth in my backyard during snow storms.

I've seen some mediocre movies this past year. Batman Begins was actually really good, and I was disappointed I missed it in theaters. Love Christian Bale since way back when he did Empire of the Sun and Treasure Island.

Serenity and Firefly are the first things since Glory that actually moved me for a good long time.

I would have seen Serenity in theaters but cash was tight. And my compulsion to see it was simply based on the fact that it WAS Sci-fi. I love blockbuster action films. (not your typical chick no corny sappy crybaby movies in the theater for me)

Kaele
AIM - Dewlanna
YID - jedi_kaele

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 9:11 AM

ANASAZI

Yet another Star Wars hater. Can we get over ourselves finnally? *sigh*

Serenity didn't do well at the box office. Everyone on the planet knew about Sith. At least the BDM broke even. Imagine if they let Joss spend 50 mil, then another 2O mil on marketing, and the movie only did 20 domestically, Joss would probably be run out of town.

Our little movie did the best it was ever going to do. Let's accept this, and move forward.

________________________________________________________
"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought....."
"Prendre mon amour, prendre ma terre, me prendre où je ne peux pas me tenir. Je ne soigne pas, je suis calme libère. Vous ne pouvez pas prendre le ciel de moi."

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 9:13 AM

MATTCOZ

Quote:
Originally posted by HOEperative:
...'course, it is possible that you watched a little too much TV there...

i disagree, gotta support the shows i like by watching them

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 9:28 AM

SINGATE

Quote:
Originally posted by Storymark:
If you've only seen 4, how do you know they're all crap?

I'm not saying that they're not, nessisarily. And yeah, most of these you could tell from the ads or premise that they would suck.

My point is: Judging a movie sight unseen, is partially what led to the low returns on Serenity. How many people saw the commercials for that and siad "Ugh, another sci-fi action flick. I'll wait for DVD".

There were a number of worthwile movies on that list. Just becuase something is not Serenity, does not make it automatically crap.

And I agree with Mattcoz: RotS rocked!

Okay I must admit my having not seen these films doesn't qualify them as crap. But based on past films with similar storylines I don't think I'm going that far out on a limb by not seeing them. It is rare for me to see a movie and then say to myself, "wow that was much better than I expected".

I think there are several other reasons why Serenity did poorly at the box office:

1. Most people had never heard of Firefly so were unfamiliar with the characters thus having no interest in seeing a movie about them.

2. The few commericials promoting the movie were not attention getters.

3. The lack of well known actors makes people think the movie can't be very good.

4. Anyone who doesn't like Joss Whedon's work may have negative preconceptions about any movie he wrote/directed.

To your last point about comparing movies to the BDM and finding them lacking I have to say I am not one of those people. I've seen a lot of folk around here refer to TV shows or movies not being on par with Firefly and Serenity. As much as I like our verse it is not my be all end all when it comes to entertainment. I also agree about ROTS as I am a SW geek from way back. More than once I've had to defend Lucas from the idiotic cries of "he raped my childhood".

_________________________________________________

We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 10:05 AM

IRONSPY

One thing about it that makes me hopeful:

If Cheaper by the Dozen can get a sequel...

(edited to mention: ROTS was a travesty. It made a mockery of real film-making, and was even too cringe-inducing to have campy so-bad-it's-good value.)

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Tuesday, February 28, 2006 10:08 AM

MILFORD

Let's not decieve ourselves: Racing Stripes had a much more coplelling cast and plot than Serenity. Talking zebra?! We can't compete with that!

Remember, that but for one trifling exception, the entire universe is made up of others.- Oliver Wendall Holmes

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