Predicting the Movie Hits and Bombs of 2017

I don't know how in the world someone thought a sequel of this was a good idea. It had no excitement the first time around. It was just the obligatory trip to the movies for parents. When I saw the trailer to this one, it was an instant no on our list of movies to take the kids to. A list that is quite long...

 

Yeah, that's what I was getting at with the comment about the age of the films.

If you want a sign of "superhero movie fatigue", I think "Homecoming" is Exhibit A. Beloved character, great reviews, tons of publicity, and it didn't make a huge splash at the box office...

 

I think the theory was that "Nut Job 2" was coming out in summer when animated movies are usually a license to print money. It came out 2 weeks after its most recent competitor - "Emoji" - so the studio knew they'd have the release date to themselves with little competition.

It's also possible the 1st "Nut Job" did really well on home video.

Anyway, those are my guesses why they did a sequel - they figured it was a low-risk investment with a potential huge payoff...

 

They were warned. They persisted...

How in the hell does a pile of crap like Nut Job 2 get greenlit? "Hey, this film barely made back its investment and its title has absolutely no commercial value whatsoever. Let's spend millions on a sequel!" There was a time when a mainstream film had to pretty much be a Terminator level success to merit a sequel. Now any terd Hollywood craps into the cineplex becomes a "franchise".

I think it's going to get even worse for them, to be honest. Seen one stupid comic book film where a city is destroyed by some supervillain, seen 'em all. It's a little like the real estate crash - any idiot could see it was going to happen, and the only surprise was that it took as long as it did to finally implode.

 

Or maybe just Spiderman fatigue. Heck, over the past 15 years there's been a Spidey film about every two summers.

 

Sam Raimi is a fine filmmaker and I like a lot of his past films, but his films have not made those kinds of numbers:

Sam Raimi Movie Box Office Mojo Results

 

Agreed. But, in this case, I was talking about his Spidey films, only. Not his whole filmography.

 

Well, we did go 5 years sans Spidey before they rebooted with "Amazing".

I think that might be the biggest issue: the fact we're on our 3rd Spidey in the last 10 years. "Spidey 3" with Maguire in 2007, "Amazing" with Garfield in 2012, "Homecoming" with Holland in 2017.

"Actor churn" like that isn't unprecedented - the Bond franchise went from Connery to Lazenby to Connery to Moore in the span of 6 years! - but I don't think it helps.

Maybe it's more the "reboot" notion that's a factor. Would there be the same "fatigue" if they'd maintained the same Spidey-universe continuity across all 6 films? Maybe, but I think people got sick of having the franchise "start over" so frequently...

 

The world wide movie landscape keeps on changing, there are two movies in the Top 16 so far this year with very little to zero domestic gross.

#8 - Wolf Warrior 2 - $682 million, almost all of it earned in China

 

I firmly believe if this was the first Spidey film in the CGI age, it would have easily made 1 Billion. As is, we have seen a lot of Spiderman, and pretty good Spiderman.

 

I don't know about you guys, but it kind of backs up a resentment of mine. I hate it that they feel they need to make expensive movies for the entire world rather than good films for our market. I don't live in China, I live in the US. We are starting to see the results. And then they will blame it on us simply losing interest in films in general, not that it is because films for another market are not resonating here. I'm so tired of the uninspired, and sometimes stupid, dialogue because they have to make sure the script is interpreted correctly in all markets.

 

I don't have high hopes for The Only Living Boy in New York. Normally, I'd be very interested in anything Bridges does, but this looks like a soap opera story about adultery and its effects on a child.
Looks like Bridges is a supporting actor to Pierce Brosnan and Kate Beckinsale.

 

The solution is simple enough, vote with your wallet. The consumer drives the market, if the $$$ dries up it will push moviemakers in another direction.

 

I'm with you. I give zero ****s about anyone's fatigue. Marvel now controls their flagship character, and the film is very, very good.

I'm sure they're happy. I know I am.

 

You got that right! And I have. But darnit, I like going to the movies! Give me stuff I want to see and I'll be happy to open my wallet. It's such a thrill to warch iconic thrilling films that completely suck you in, like Titanic, the Star Wars films, Indy, etc. I don't know if I'm harder to please or films just suck, but very feel films really pull me all in anymore.

 

I don't think that movie really qualifies as an example of what you're talking about it. It looks like a movie made specifically, or mostly, for the Chinese audience rather than say X-men being written so China will understand.

I think that film is more of an example of Chinese film makers trying to branch out into the world rather than they other way around.

 

And here's two Hollywood studio experts, Peter Bart (former editor of Variety) and Mike Fleming (of Deadline:Hollywood), who come up with some reasons why this is the worst year for summer blockbusters in a long time. They have a great analysis of all the hits and misses so far this year.

Bart & Fleming: How Bad Was Movie Summer 2017?

 

They both make interesting points, but I wonder why "Detroit" was a movie that was supposed to 'start a conversation' about racial conflict. As if nothing has changed in 50 years and 'film journalism' (there's an interesting ideal) is supposed to be the catalyst. Honestly, did anyone think half the U.S was going to see 'Detroit' and then start having a meaningful conversation? Folks I know in Detroit have moved passed the riots a long time ago, and are trying to look ahead. They resent being defined just by the riots.

 

How do you folks think "It" is going to do? "It," by the way, is the hardest film title ever to do a forum search on, so I have no idea how much it's already been discussed!

I have hardly any stomach for horror anymore, but I might give "It" a shot as I thought the preview looked creepy and evocative. But no reviews posted on metacritic with only three days till release is troubling -- a sign to me that they've held back on advance screenings for critics for fear of bad marks.

 

The new Kingsman sequel looks promising

 

Yep. September is a full month for me.

Seeing "It" on the 8th, "American Assassin" with Michael Keaton on the 15th, "Kingsman 2" on the 22nd and Tom Cruise's new movie, "American Made," on the 29th.

Have no desire to see the remake of "Flatliners," also coming on the 29th.

 

Well I hope it works. I like the story a lot.

 

"It" seems to have some traction.

Stephen King’s ‘It’ Popping Records As Biggest Opening Day For Horror Film – Int’l Box Office

 

It wouldn't take much in such a pro summer of movies.

 

There's only one big film I want to see this year and its the new bladerunner film.
Ive no interest in blockbusters or super hero films.