The myth that this was a possibility caused the film to be rendered a flop when it opened to a reasonable $13 million (why would anyone expect a sequel to a half-loved/half-loathed cult film to open higher than the much-anticipated original?).
I first noticed this gamesmanship during the run-up to Blair Witch 2, when the pundits inexplicably predicted a $30 million opening. But they are the ones who got burned when the $200 million-budgeted film ended up being labeled an under-achiever despite grossing $550 million worldwide. There are still people out there who think The Dark Knight Rises was somehow disappointing because its $160 million debut was far below The Avengers's $207 million opening while its $448 million domestic gross came under The Dark Knight's $533 million take. It wasn't Universal that sold the myth that Peter Jackson's King Kong was a genuine threat to Titanic's $600 million domestic gross. The perception of disappointment is a tough one to rub off even if the film eventually succeeds at the box office. This is a more important job than you might think.
It's the job of the studio marketing department to make sure that whatever number between $75 million and $100 million is seen as a win for the picture. It opens this coming weekend in 26 additional markets.But it may not happen, because maybe anticipation just isn't as high as the likes Iron Man or Fast & Furious 6. In the 24 markets where it opened, Man of Steel is pacing 39 percent ahead of Nolan’s The Dark Knight, which earned $470 million offshore. It dazzled in Southeast Asia, including in South Korea ($9.9 million). Cavill’s home country - and in Mexico, taking in $17.1 million and $9.8 million, respectively. Overseas, Man of Steel soared to the top of the chart in the U.K. Overall, 41 percent of the revenues came from 3D screens. Imax theaters did big business, taking in $13.3 million (12 percent of the total gross) to likewise score the biggest June opening of all time. The pic skewed male (56 percent) and was fueled by older moviegoers, with 62 percent of the audience over the age of 25. Man of Steel, while drawing mixed reviews, earned an A- CinemaScore, portending strong word of mouth. In the summer of 2005, Nolan’s Batman Begins opened to $48.7 million and had incredible staying power. Warners and Legendary turned to Nolan as a producer on the project after he successfully revived the Batman franchise with his Dark Knight trilogy. Goyerpenned the script based on a story he crafted with Nolan. Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane also star.ĭavid S. Amy Adams stars as Lois Lane and Michael Shannon takes on the role of the menacing General Zod. This time out, British star Henry Cavill stars as Clark Kent, aka Superman, which sees his character trying to hide his superpowers and live a normal life on Earth. There was one more title in that series, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, although it fell flat at the box office in summer 1987. Man of Steel opens exactly 30 years after Superman III, the third entry in the wildly popular Christopher Reeve franchise. In 2006, Warners and Legendary’s Superman Returns did OK business at the box office, but not enough to mark a new chapter for the franchise. Man of Steel is a notable win for Warners and Legendary Pictures, which co-financed the $225 million tentpole.
“The movie is a perfect blend of a superhero who reaches not only the fanboy audience but the family audience as well, with great results from both,” said Warners president of domestic distribution Dan Fellman. PHOTOS: ‘Man of Steel’ Premiere: Superman Takes Off in New York City All told, grosses for Father’s Day weekend were up a staggering 51 percent over last year, with Man of Steel capturing 60 percent of the market.
In North America, Man of Steel scored the top June opening of all time, eclipsing previous June record-holder Toy Story 3, which debuted to $110.3 million in June 2010. Overseas, Man of Steel opened to a strong $71.6 million in its first 24 markets. But the stellar showing on Sunday prompted Warners to revise those numbers upward to $116.7 million and $128.7 million, respectively. Going by normal models, Warners estimated on Sunday that Man of Steel would open to $113.1 million from Friday to Sunday and $125.1 million including the $12 million earned Thursday night from special Walmart screenings.