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[xaosslug]

tomatometer:

76% Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

90% Doctor Strange

74% Trolls

93% Arrival

50% Almost Christmas
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95% The Edge of Seventeen

63% Bleed for This
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73% Nocturnal Animals


metacritic:

*click pic(s) for source*

‘Fantastic Beasts’ Debuts to Magical $75 Million

'Bleed for This' and 'Billy Lynn's' Bomb

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” dominated the weekend box office, debuting to a boisterous $75 million and launching a new cinematic franchise.

It confirms Warner Bros.’ high hopes for the property and its decision to back five installments in the fantasy series. The film is a spin-off of the Harry Potter films, but instead of Hogwarts, it unfolds in 1920s New York City and features an entirely new cast of wizards and mythical creatures.

The studio spent $180 million to make the picture, enlisting Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling to write the screenplay and bringing back David Yates, the director of several previous boy wizard outings. Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt Scamander, a textbook writer and collector of the titular beasts.

“This is dead on what we were looking for,” said Jeff Goldstein, “Jo Rowling brilliantly told a story that inspired her fan base to come out in a big way.” Audiences may have embraced the return to Potter-dom, but they gave the cold shoulder to several new films, among them the boxing drama “Bleed for This” and the Iraq War drama “Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk.” Both films bombed, with “Bleed for This” eking out $2.4 million and “Billy Lynn’s” mustering $930,000 after expanding from four to 1,176 theaters. It has earned $1.1 million.

Open Road is distributing “Bleed for This,” which looks at Vinny Pazienza’s efforts to get back into the ring after a car accident. It has a $6 million budget.

Sony is backing “Billy Lynn’s” along with Bona Film Group, Film4, and Studio 8. The $40 million is a technological gamble. Ang Lee shot the picture to be exhibited at 120 frames per second in 3D at 4K HD resolution in order to achieve greater clarity and realism. Critics have been divided about the look of the picture, with some faulting it for looking too much like a telenovela. It’s something of a moot point, as less than a half dozen theaters have the ability to exhibit the film at the higher speeds.

STX’s “Edge of Seventeen” didn’t fare much better than the other struggling new releases. The teen dramedy with Hailee Steinfeld only managed to pull in $4.8 million for a seventh place finish. Heading into the weekend, it was expected to gross $10 million. The film centers on a high school girl grappling with the fact that her best friend is dating her brother. It cost $9 million to make.

Second place went to Marvel’s “Doctor Strange,” which brought in $17.5 million to push its domestic gross to $181.5 million after three weeks in theaters. DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls” took third, earning $17.5 million to bring its haul to $116.2 million.

Paramount’s “Arrival,” a science-fiction thriller with Amy Adams, nabbed fourth place, picking up $11.8 million to bring its stateside gross to $43.4 million. Universal’s “Almost Christmas” rounded out the top five, picking up $7 million to push its domestic total to $25.4 million.

In limited release, “Manchester by the Sea” capitalized on glowing reviews and Oscar heat to open to $241,230 with a robust $60,308 per-screen average. Amazon bought the film out of Sundance for $10 million and is releasing it in conjunction with Roadside Attractions. Casey Affleck stars as a janitor trying to come to terms with a personal tragedy.

Focus Features also debuted “Nocturnal Animals,” Tom Ford’s noir-ish thriller, in 37 theaters where it made $493,000.

More to come…

*click pic for full list/source*


*click pic for full list/source*

 

[Sean C]

The Edge of Seventeen was very good, for what it's worth. It's weird how teens are as big a market for Hollywood films as ever, but the "teen film" genre has pretty much withered and died. Teen dramas, especially. Coming of age movies now feel like niche products mostly watched by adults.

I guess teens are too busy watching YouTube videos or something.

 

[More_Badass]

The Edge of Seventeen was very good, for what it's worth. It's weird how teens are as big a market for Hollywood films as ever, but the "teen film" genre has pretty much withered and died. Teen dramas, especially. Coming of age movies now feel like niche products mostly watched by adults.

I guess teens are too busy watching YouTube videos or something.

Do teens actually want to watch movies about teens?

 

[vinnygambini]

Do teens actually want to watch movies about teens?

 

[kswiston]

Worldwide Updates

Doctor Strange - $572M
Fantastic Beasts - $218M
Trolls - $261M

 

[Sean C]

Do teens actually want to watch movies about teens?

For the most part no, going by the recent box office trends. That's what I find interesting. Teen movies used to be a big part of adolescence.

 

[Saucycarpdog]

Do teens actually want to watch movies about teens?

Only if it's a book adaptation it seems these days.

 

[Future Foundation]

Worldwide Updates

Doctor Strange - $572M
Fantastic Beasts - $218M
Trolls - $261M

How is that WW opening for Fantastic Beasts?

 

[Schlorgan]

Fantastic Beasts is probably WB's best big movie this year quality-wise, so I hope it does well.

 

[vinnygambini]

How is that WW opening for Fantastic Beasts?

It's pretty fantastic to be honest. Missing China and Japan though.

We might be looking at:

$200M DOM
$500M INT

$700M WW

 

[ViewtifulJC]

Billy Lynn long halftime bomba

Bomba for This

You're welcome NeoGAF

 

[banktree]

The Edge of Seventeen was very good, for what it's worth. It's weird how teens are as big a market for Hollywood films as ever, but the "teen film" genre has pretty much withered and died. Teen dramas, especially. Coming of age movies now feel like niche products mostly watched by adults.

I guess teens are too busy watching YouTube videos or something.

Edge of Seventeen is also rated R, meaning that most teens, including the main character, couldn't go see it.

 

[BLACKLAC]

The Secret Life of Pets knocked bvs out of the top 5?

 

[duckroll]

Wow Inferno is bombing harder than Jack Reacher. Lolz.

 

[kswiston]

The Secret Life of Pets knocked bvs out of the top 5?

Looks like it. Batman v Superman would have lost that spot to Rogue One soon enough anyhow.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

Go Madea

 

[BronsonLee]

Fantastic Beasts is probably WB's best big movie this year quality-wise, so I hope it does well.

Do you have any idea how much it physically pains me to see you say that

 

[Log4Girlz]

A real successful movie is a blockbuster,which is a bomb. But if a movie is a failure. ..it's called a bomb.

 

[ratcliffja]

A real successful movie is a blockbuster,which is a bomb. But if a movie is a failure. ..it's called a bomb.

Bombed if you do, bombed if you don't.

 

[excelsiorlef]

A real successful movie is a blockbuster,which is a bomb. But if a movie is a failure. ..it's called a bomb.

Blockbuster is more about a huge budget and star power than box office revenue.

Tons of blockbusters are bombs and some movies make a ton of money but aren't blockbusters

 

[ratcliffja]

Isn't Blockbuster more on a huge budget and star power than box office revenue.

Tons of blockbusters are bombs and some movies make a ton of money but aren't blockbusters

But what if it's just da bomb?

 

[kswiston]

Do you have any idea how much it physically pains me to see you say that

The bar for "Best Big Budget WB film" was insanely low this year. Which is a shame, because they are usually good for at least one stand out effort.

 

[Schlorgan]

Do you have any idea how much it physically pains me to see you say that

I said "probably" because I've only seen BvS, but the only other two are Suicide Squad and Tarzan...

Nothing anywhere close to Mad Max-level this year.

 

[JigglesBunny]

The Edge of 17 is one of the best films of the year. Of course Fantastic Beasts would make bank but Eo17 deserves your money far more than FB does.
Don't sleep on it.

Spoiler

Fantastic Beasts is SW prequel/Hobbit tier too but that's besides the point.

 

[Schlorgan]

The Edge of 17 is one of the best films of the year. Of course Fantastic Beasts would make bank but Eo17 deserves your money far more than FB does.
Don't sleep on it.

I wouldn't worry too much about it; it's a $9 million dollar movie that will probably come up again during Oscar time.

 

[shira]

Fantastic Beasts is probably WB's best big movie this year quality-wise, so I hope it does well.

 

[kswiston]

So November delivered on the $200M films finally. Doctor Strange. Probably Fantwdtic beasts as well. We'll see where Moana lands.

My guess is that Moana tops Doctor Strange, rounding out a top 10 that is mostly $300M films. All $300M films if both Rogue One and Moana hit that number

 

[Future Foundation]

The Edge of 17 is one of the best films of the year. Of course Fantastic Beasts would make bank but Eo17 deserves your money far more than FB does.
Don't sleep on it.

I really can't explain why, but the "X deserves your money far more than y" sentiment always bugs me.

 

[Bronx-Man]

Do teens actually want to watch movies about teens?

Perks of Being a Wallflower was pretty popular with my friends in HS.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

So November delivered on the $200M films finally. Doctor Strange. Probably Fantwdtic beasts as well. We'll see where Moana lands.

My guess is that Moana tops Doctor Strange, rounding out a top 10 that is mostly $300M films. All $300M films if both Rogue One and Moana hit that number

What is the list looking like right now?

 

[Scorpion Soldier]

What is the list looking like right now?

Finding Dory, Civil War, Secret Life of Pets, Jungle Book, Deadpool, Zootopia, Batman V Superman Suicide Squad & Doctor Strange (in that order).
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=2016&p=.htm

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

So there's probably not even a chance at Doctor Strange coming within sniffing distance of Suicide Squad and BvS either Domestic or Internationally?

 

[BTM]

Beasts was great, glad to see it doing well. 9th movie in the franchise and still chugging along with good movies.

 

[Cuburt]

Surprised that Doctor Strange's opening weekend beat a Harry Potter prequel/spin-off's opening weekend.

I always figured that even with a more tepid response from critics and general audiences, Potter fans would still show up opening weekend to push it over the $100M mark and then it may start dropping fast after that.

After all, it seemed to me a side story in the Harry Potter universe would have more built in fans than a side story in the MCU, especially since this is the first Harry Potter-related film since 2011 and that was huge. Doing a quick search, $75M was on the bottom end of opening weekend box office predictions.

It makes me wonder if Rogue One will under perform.

 

[NealMcCauley]

Anecdotally but lots of people around me were hesitant about FB after Cursed Child (never read it and was told I was lucky). Legs should be good if word of mouth is strong. Hell even my parents are curious enough to watch it after only seeing HP1.

 

[kswiston]

So there's probably not even a chance at Doctor Strange coming within sniffing distance of Suicide Squad and BvS either Domestic or Internationally?

Doctor Strange may hit $700M. Suicide Squad finished with $745M. Even if it doesn't hit the $700M mark, Doctor Strange will probably top Man of Steel worldwide.

Domestic won't be close in either of those cases.

 

[BlackNMild2k1]

Doctor Strange may hit $700M. Suicide Squad finished with $745M. Even if it doesn't hit the $700M mark, Doctor Strange will probably top Man of Steel worldwide.

Domestic won't be close in either of those cases.

At least Doctor Strange should top Thor 2 domestically. (I hope that comment doesn't derail conversation. LOL) It's only got $25M to go, should have that before end of year, right?

 

[Ashhong]

The Edge of 17 is one of the best films of the year. Of course Fantastic Beasts would make bank but Eo17 deserves your money far more than FB does.
Don't sleep on it.

Spoiler

Fantastic Beasts is SW prequel/Hobbit tier too but that's besides the point.

Did you actually watch the movie?

FB was a great movie and deserves money just as much as any other movie.

 

[Dash_Riprock]

Looks like it. Batman v Superman would have lost that spot to Rogue One soon enough anyhow.

Looks like Christmas came early for me this year!

 

[kswiston]

At least Doctor Strange should top Thor 2 domestically. (I hope that comment doesn't derail conversation. LOL) It's only got $25M to go, should have that before end of year, right?

Doctor Strange will be over $200M next weekend, and over Thor 2 a few days after that.

 

[Schlorgan]

Did you actually watch the movie?

FB was a great movie and deserves money just as much as any other movie.

Saying that FB is SW prequel/Hobbit tier is straight up false.

 

[BumRush]

Doctor Strange may hit $700M. Suicide Squad finished with $745M. Even if it doesn't hit the $700M mark, Doctor Strange will probably top Man of Steel worldwide.

Domestic won't be close in either of those cases.

What do you think we're Disney's expectations? $500M?

 

[Schlorgan]

What do you think we're Disney's expectations? $500M?

They're probably expecting at least Thor 2 numbers.

 

[xaosslug]

ww chart added

 

[MrCunningham]

Nice Dr. Who analogy in the thread title. That got a laugh out of me.

 

[TruHero]

Took the wife out to see Arrival on Friday. Solid movie. My wife loved it.

 

[Ashhong]

Saying that FB is SW prequel/Hobbit tier is straight up false.

Indeed. If it was a terrible movie and straight cash grab I might understand the "deserves" comment. But it's a solid/great movie which took countless hours by hundreds of people as well.

Was supposed to watch Edge and Arrival as well this weekend but plans changed. Very sad

 

[Kusagari]

Fantastic Beasts is the best thing the Harry Potter franchise has given us.

 

[johnny956]

I enjoyed FB more then the last three HP films so a win for me

 

[Cuburt]

Saying that FB is SW prequel/Hobbit tier is straight up false.

But similar to how the Hobbit was one book stretched into a trilogy, isn't this one book trying to be stretched into 5 films? Reviews I've seen seem to suggest some plot in FB is stretched thin similarly, so the comparison seem appropriate to me.