76 replies to this topic

[doc_moore_j]

I am on the fence with Ghost rider. If the CG is awesome, then the movie will be awesome!! If it is lame, i will hate it.

Having never read a HellBoy comic, I have no complaints about the movie. I thought it was awesome!!!

[Drtooth]

Here's another addition to the list:

HOUSE OF WAX...

Yet another pointless remake of a campy horor movie. And it has Parisite Hilton in it... I guess I would go to see it... that is if they kill her off. And how many of us here wouldn't like to see Paris Hilton get disembowled on screen?

[Ramses]

Here's another addition to the list:

HOUSE OF WAX...

Yet another pointless remake of a campy horor movie. And it has Parisite Hilton in it... I guess I would go to see it... that is if they kill her off. And how many of us here wouldn't like to see Paris Hilton get disembowled on screen?

ahh yes, yes, House of Wax...yeah, that one will come and go like the wind....I pray for it's death as well.

[Tortle]

Does anyone have the picture of Nicholas Cage as Ghost Rider?

Nope, but SuperheroHype.com has a shot of the bike. Check it out... it's pretty nifty.

[Drtooth]

I'm at a crossroads to mention two more....

First, there's Disney's CGI movie (without Pixar's involvement) Chicken Little, and Dreamwork's CGI movie Madagascar....

Now, I feel one could be a success, and one could be a flop, but I can't tell which one it could be.

If there was a third animated movie by a third or fourth party, that one would clearly tank.

Now, I'm betting on Disney to take the fall here. Most of their last big movies were either flops, or mild successes (not counting Pixar). The 2002 Lilo and Stitch was the last big hit they had, and that was after a bunch of hit or miss films.

But then again, it could go to Madagascar, since their non-Shrek movies do semi-well, but don't quite get the money as the ones featuring the ogre (nor the good reviews).

Both seem pretty unremarkable, other than Madagascar's all star cast.

[Universal Ruler Supreme]

Oh Crud! I didn't even know they were making a Ghost Rider movie. I'm definitely out of the loop. The bike looks alright, but I would have preferred something more reminiscent of the 80's or 90's comics. Doesn't anyone know how to leave stuff alone anymore? Not everything has to look like a million dollars all the time. Nicholas Cage? Seriously! The thousands upon thousands of actors in the world and they have to choose Nicholas Cage. I mean he is a pretty good actor, but he reminds me of Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise, and Kevin Costner. They are the same in every single movie they play in, they just don't adapt to the different movies. But then again no one really does. Well, I guess all we can do is just hope for the best. They would redeem themselves if Christopher Walken was in it, even though he stays the same too.

And Disney, I wish Disney would go bankrupt or something. I really like their old flics, but they are one of the most greedy corporation around. Personally the only thing I think they have done right in the past couple of years is the deal they made with Ghibli studios. They wouldn't have done it if Ghibli's films didn't gross so much in the box office though. I think they just wanted a cut since around the time they made the deal alot of Disneys movies flopped. I am a big Hayao Miyazaki fan, but still the voice acting Disney had done on the English translations of his films suck. I bought all his films overseas a number of years ago and there is nothing more refreshing than an original voice cast.

Oh! And By the way, they got a made for t.v. movie of the Man-Thing coming out on the SciFi Channel.

House of Wax eh? Too bad old man price ain't alive to see it. I didn't like the new Willy Wonka movie at first, but it has been a while since there has been a good dark enjoyable movie around. And Johnny Depp is the opposite of the actors I listed above. He is one of the better actors that I have seen in a long time. He adapts very well to his roles.

Isn't it funny how much time we waste concerning ourselves with this crap?

[Rokk]

I don't know about a Ghost Rider flick. I am a huge fan of the comic book and have every Ghost Rider issue. However, GR might not make the transition from comic to big screen very well. If done right, it could be as cool as the first Crow. However, it also has the chance to be very cheesy and over the top considering the demon biker metal theme and be more like Barb Wire (another comic book movie).

[SlamMaster]

I thought XxX was one of the funniest movies I ever saw. I did not think it was good in terms of action and actting, but I was laughing at the parts of the movie that were not funny and were far fetched, like Vin on the BMX bike jumping over the roof of that shack and it exploding all around him except for the little path on the roof he could ride that did not "happen" to explode. I would not see the sequel because the first one was funny enough for me. Samuel L Jackson had the funniest line when asked about how his face became scarred, "A small price to pay for putting foot to butt(but it was the other "A" word).

I am looking forward to Batman Begins because this may very well be the rebirth of the Batman franchise. I am a big fan of batman and the only dillema I see is that Batman is not as relatable as SPiderman. Spiderman makes jokes and has a good time, where Batman is all serious and about business. No one can relate to him because he is a billionare and has been scarred from seeing his parents both get shot in front of him. I think the audience may not be able to relate too well, but comic book fans will find it good. And the story is an origin story, unlike the original batman which just had a little flashback as him as a child. We will see the progression of a confused frustrated Bruce Wayne, turn into a focused and determined Batman. Soul searching seems like a cool concept for Batman.

I am excited about Batman Begins and I am also excited about next year's Superman, you could never be too excited for a movie that is not comming out the same year. I hope they also work out the plans for both the Flash and DC Captain Marvel movie. I would not mind seeing either, but I definitely want to see Captain Marvel on the big screen. I am also interested, even though it is 2006, the Warriors remake. I just want to compare the old classic with the new movie and see where they are going to take the franchise, though I have my doubts. I have my doubts because I think the original is perfectly fine as it is.

[Tortle]

Does anyone have the picture of Nicholas Cage as Ghost Rider?

Hot off the presses, from AintItCoolNews.com!

Now, I have to admit upfront, that I am in no way shape or form a leading authority on the character of "Ghost Rider" (or the comic books. . .) but this is just bad. Nicolas Cage just looks so completely wrong in the role of Johnny Blaze that it hurts. I admire the fact that the man is a huge comic geek and wants to use his star power to be in comic book movie, but surely there must have been a better superhero for him to play. I wish Mark Steven Johnson the best of luck, because he's gonna need it to make this thing work. . . One other thing, I know it might seem unnecessarily mean. . . But seriously, does Cage actually think he's fooling anybody with that roadkill on his head. The rug he wore in "National Treasure" was bad enough, but this is just taking things to a whole other level.

Gah...

The reviewer summed it up pretty well, I think. The only saving grace is that maybe he looks cool when he turns into Ghost Rider.

[doc_moore_j]

Cage is gay. I can't believe they casted him. I hope he looks cool when he skulls out. Remember the scorpion in mortal kombat movie? That was cool. i agree with Rokk in that Marval has already done the main stream characters, I think if they put venom in a spidey movie they can successfully make at least two more, and I honestly think they can make a few more x-men movies without any problems. New characters and more cameos. But as far as huge famous characters, marvel is almost spent. I wouldn't mind seeing a Sleepwalker movie though. That would be dopity dope.

DC however, has barely tapped into its potential movies. Superman and bats is about all they have done as far as I know (I am sure there is others), but they still have characters known around the world that can be made into movies. I would personally love to see a "Green Lantern" movie, maybe flash, justice league etc...

I actually like Marvel more than DC, but DC has potential for sweet flicks.

[Rokk]

Good point, Doc. DC has more untapped characters for movies than Marvel. I think that Flash, Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) and Captain Marvel are big enough characters to carry a movie. I think that a JSA movie would be cool. I think that the Teen Titans or Legion of Super Heroes would be excellent. The JLA would not work since it has too many big name characters and they would crowd each other off the screen.

Marvel has really blown their wad. Fantastic Four will bomb. Ghost Rider probably won't do well. Iron Man might do well. There really isn't much left for Marvel to try. Maybe another Captain America movie? I think that only Spiderman and X-Men have the legs to make multiple movies and still do well. Maybe a spin-off Wolverine movie.

[Ramses]

Gah...

The reviewer summed it up pretty well, I think. The only saving grace is that maybe he looks cool when he turns into Ghost Rider.

I dont know about that...remmeber WAYYYY Back in the Punisher topic I made that someone posted this?


yeah....

[Tortle]

I dont know about that...remmeber WAYYYY Back in the Punisher topic I made that someone posted this?

I had totally forgotten that! God... I hope that was an early test shot...

Although I'm a DC guy, I'm of the opinion that the majority of DC superheroes would not make good movies. Some have superpowers that are just too wacky and far-out to be reasonably realistic in a live-action movie (Green Lantern). Others are just too one-dimensional to be considered real (Captain Marvel). And then there are those whose powers just aren't interesting enough to carry a movie (Flash).

However, I do think that a Justice League movie would work. Maybe this is because the limitations of some characters could be "carried" by the other, stronger characters like Batman and Superman.

On a side note, a Green Lantern movie is being considered. Unfortunately, it's being considered as a comedy, similar to the Mask, with Jack Black in the lead. But I'm not sure if this is a bad thing or not. Frankly, no offense to GL fans, but his powers would look somewhat absurd in a live action movie, so a comedy might be the best bet.

[doc_moore_j]

Some have superpowers that are just too wacky and far-out to be reasonably realistic in a live-action movie (Green Lantern).

I don't know, I think a GL movie would kick arse. I understand his powers might be a little hard to pull off and everything green might be a little wierd, but I think if they did it right, it would be pretty sweet. A comedy??? That idea blows, I hope it gets shot down and in a hurry.

Flash< i agree, kind of boring, didn't they do a series on him in the 80's and it did not last long?

Anybody see the Steel movie with Shaq???

[doc_moore_j]

You know what would kick arse, however, I think only the comic book geeks would appreciate it? An "Infinity Gauntlet" movie, part of what made me love the X-Men films was all the cameo appearances. If they did an IG movie, many of the characters in it would just be cameos except for the few key players. eff that would be sweet. All of geeks can sit and wait for a glimpse of our favorite characters. Howdy hell ya!!!!

BY the way, did you guys see in the Infinity Crusade, Sleepwalker my man kicked much arse killing Human torch and one other I can not think of off the top of my head.

[TheOrgg]

yeah....

THAT'S the one I was thinking of!

The "Punisher" topic, eh? I was looking in the old "flop" thread. No wonder I couldn't find it.

[Drtooth]

We've already had our first casualty this week (but I'm guessing it's too early for it to be considered a summer movie)

King's Ransom starring Anthony Anderson and Jay Mohr (oooh.... such a big star cast ) opened at #10.

[Drtooth]

*Bump*

We really should keep this thread going. So far, I was right about House of Wax and Kicking and Screaming. The latter was rediculously hyped and fell appart in a couple weeks. It's at the Bargain theaters now.

Honeymooners also fell like a rock. I mean, now it's so P.C. (not talking about the Black cast) Ralph couldn't even threaten his wife. Plus, some things just have to stay in their time period to be considered funny.

Someone said that Hitchhiker would bomb.... I don't know about the other states, but over here it JUST went into the bargain theaters. And that was released, what, in April, about?

And Batman looks like it's off to a good start so far, but things can always change.

[Tortle]

In Hitchhiker's defense, it has made back its production budget in domestic ticket sales, so I wouldn't say that it's a flop. I would only consider a movie a flop if it doesn't make back the money spent on it. Kicking and Screaming actually turned a profit domestically. And House of Wax has made a profit, but only when you include overseas sales.

Honeymooners definitely did flop, though. And overseas profits probably won't help much. But we don't have any major flops this year like last year's Around the World in 80 Days.

If Batman flops, then the American movie going public is beyond pinheaded. That movie was amazing.

[Drtooth]

In Hitchhiker's defense, it has made back its production budget in domestic ticket sales, so I wouldn't say that it's a flop. I would only consider a movie a flop if it doesn't make back the money spent on it. Kicking and Screaming actually turned a profit domestically. And House of Wax has made a profit, but only when you include overseas sales.

Honeymooners definitely did flop, though. And overseas profits probably won't help much. But we don't have any major flops this year like last year's Around the World in 80 Days.

Firstly, I didn't say Hitchhikers would flop (though I bet it was an odd sell in the UK where they had the radio and TV show)

Secondly, you have a good point. I mean, what exactly makes a movie a flop anyway? Does it at least make back it's money, or do you measure a flop in the actual time it spends in theaters? I measure it by the latter, myself. I feel a movie flops when it isn't in theaters a full month after it's release. But then again, Kicking and Screaming wasn't actually a high budget film.

Anyway, we don't have major flops as of yet, since the movie race has been a very competitive one lately. Star Wars and Batman seem to have been released within a few weeks of each other, plus people actually went to see that Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie... eh.. thing. Batman did get the number one spot so far, but then again, things can change. I am dying to see that one, myself.

Somehow, I think it'll knock the wind out of Fantastic Four, but I could be wrong.

I feel the films near the end of the summer may not do so well, since they don't seem as Highly anticipated. I'm curious to see Steve Martin's take on Pink Panther, but I doubt that'll go too far (especially since the franchise went under after the terrible 1980's post-Sellers sequals). Rebound, I still feel will lose something, since it's the third Bad News Bears type film released in the same season.

[Rokk]

I'd say Hitchhiker's was a definate flop in America. Its domestic total was $49 million. It's production cost alone was $50 million. I have no idea how many millions they spent on marketing costs. Overseas, it made only $36 million. Since it turned a profit with the domestic and overseas combined, it can't be called a worldwide flop.

The Honeymooners was doomed to be a bomb from the start.

Kingdom of Heaven with its $130 million poduction cost bombed domestically bringing in only $46 million. However, overseas it made $158 million.

Currently, Batman Begins is at $85 million domestic and $40 million overseas. It still has a way to go to cover its $150 million production cost. I'm sure Batman Begins will turn a nice profit.

I keep hoping that the FF movie will be good, however, I think it still is going to bomb.

On the extreme opposite end of all of these flops would be ROTS which has made an impressive $710 million worldwide.

Edited by Rokk, 22 June 2005 - 06:18 PM.

[Drtooth]

Funny... Hitchikers flopped by a narrow margin in the states. Narrow margin, because to them, a million is lunch money. But therein lies my statement, Does a movie flop if it loses money, or does it flop if it isn't in theaters that long, or both? It's hard to say, since I use the time judgement, since the money aspect is a changing variable. A big budget movie can lose money and flop even if it's in theaters long enough (Hitchhikers), but a smaller movie with a small budget, like Kicking and Screaming can get a little money back, but still flop if it's only been at theaters 2-3 weeks. It depends on how you look at it.

Reguardless, I just saw ROTS yesterday, and I saw advertisements (both trailers and posters) of just forgettable, unfamiliar movies. I know the Summer film hype has gone to Star Wars, Batman, Cinderella man (sounds like a rejected Kinnikuman character), Fantastic Four and Charley and the Chocolate factory, but these films I have never heard of.

Something called the Island.... and this trailer for Stealth (Which seems to have taken the plot of the Ducktales Episode "Armstrong," about a robotically piloted plane that puts pilots out of work, then corrupts itself) these look like they blew a wad of cash on SFX alone, but they seem like the same tepid, forgettable garbage we had last year. Remember, it's still early in the season to say there aren't any spectacular flops. Not like the ones we had last year, yet.

>>If Batman flops, then the American movie going public is beyond pinheaded. That movie was amazing.<<

Or, on the flip side, if Bewitched doesn't flop...etc. The movie deserved the protests, not the Samantha statue in Salem.

[gilgar]

thanks for the info on Madagascar, I was debating whether to take my younger daughter(6) to see it. I'm not much of a movie goer in fact I've set a personal record this year by seeing 3 in a month and 4 or 5 for the year

So far we've see:

Herbie: Fully Loaded which was very enjoyable for both of us. I coulcn't believe I was actually getting into it too. Very reminiscent of what I remember of the original although updated for the times i.e. Herbie's doing street racing and Nascar. I thought the acting was really good for a kids movie. Matt Dillon was cool although I've always enjoyed his acting since Over The Edge which is still one of my favorite movies.

shark Boy & Lava Girl: She loved it especially the 3D (her first) she's been talking about, acting out and dreaming of shark boy & lava girl since The movie itself was pretty boring with not much of a plot but I did like the 3D-the only saving grace for me besides watching my little one duck the obligatory flying objects.

The Perfect Man: Thank god I got free passes from a friend cuz this one is a bomb not even my little one liked it. What little humor exists is over the head of a 6 year old. The younger girl in the movie has very little screen time and even fewer speaking parts so don't plan on that entertainment for little ones. It's basically a vehicle for Hillary Duff. She and Heather Locklear are both very easy on the eyes but that still doesn't make it worth seeing--not even for free.

I am really looking forward to Land of the Dead. I love Romero flicks especially Dawn of the Dead (including the remake which of course wasn't his). I like the concept of the Zombies becoming sentient and plotting to enter the city--I can't wait. I am hopeful I'll get to see it this weekend but doubt it since my older daughter has a fastpitch tournament in Wichita Falls this weekend & it's just the 3 of us this time since my parents can't go--so no help at all. I'll catch it as soon as I can.

[Tortle]

I would say that Hitchhiker's Guide is a break-even movie. Its box office returns so far are $49.8 million, and it will top $50 million by this weekend. The international sales are more than enough to cover the comparitively limited marketing costs. As an example, the marketing costs for Hulk were $35 million, and Hitchhiker's Guide wasn't marketed nearly as much.

The problem is that if a movie doesn't make back double its production budget, we assume it flopped, which is usually not true. Most movies only make back enough money at the domestic box office to cover production costs. There are plenty of other revenue sources for the studios, including international ticket sales and DVD sales (both of which are significant in comparison with the domestic sales). So, while this movie can't be considered a success worthy of a sequel, the studio certainly is not going to lose money on it, so I wouldn't consider it a "flop".

I'm looking forward to Land of the Dead as well. I can't see this movie being a flop. Its production budget is only $15 million, and it opens in over 2,200 theaters.

[Mr.Monster]

On a side note, a Green Lantern movie is being considered. Unfortunately, it's being considered as a comedy, similar to the Mask, with Jack Black in the lead. But I'm not sure if this is a bad thing or not. Frankly, no offense to GL fans, but his powers would look somewhat absurd in a live action movie, so a comedy might be the best bet.

This was debunked/canned/whatever a few months ago, so that is a relief.

Also, a Flash movie is in development being written by the same guy who wrote Batman Begins, David Goyer. I have to disagree with you guys on the Flash. He's not just a guy who runs fast; his powers allow him to defy the laws of physics. Goyer has said that in the movie, he won't just run across water and create vortexes but he'll be doing a lot of the crazy stuff he does in the comics.