The BJMDDS General Discussion Thread......

[FormerBondFan]

Which reboot sold more in DVD sales in US stores? BB or CR.

Batman Begins was the top-selling DVD in the fourth quarter of 2005 selling 6.8m dvds. No question BB.

So BB sold more DVDs than CR in the US market?

[Mazer Rackham]

Which reboot sold more in DVD sales in US stores? BB or CR.

Batman Begins was the top-selling DVD in the fourth quarter of 2005 selling 6.8m dvds. No question BB.

So BB sold more DVDs than CR in the US market?

Yes.
Fourth quarter 2005 alone. Around 2.5m estimated additional sales from Feb 2006-Dec 2008.

[Mazer Rackham]

‘New Moon’ Director Chris Weitz Lashes Out Over ‘Golden Compass’, Not Retiring With ‘Gardener’



After New Moon’s massive box office take of $140.7 million (the 3rd highest opening weekend of all time) Variety has a report on director Chris Weitz. The article confirms his next film will be The Gardener, about “a hard-working immigrant who lives in Los Angeles and his efforts to protect his son” with production to start in March or April. Weitz also denies previous rumors about his retirement. He says New Moon has “invigorated him” after his terrible experience with New Line and The Golden Compass. The film was taken away from him and New Line ripped out 30 minutes of footage, losing any relevance to the original Philip Pullman books. Weitz is is happy New Moon did better than Compass, saying:

It was an utter violation of my status as a director and the worst thing that has happened to me professionally. I was treated badly, it was almost like they never read the books [in regards to The Golden Compass]. They seemed frightened of offending the right. This [New Moon] was a wonderful experience by comparison. I got to work with terrific young actors at the top of their game, and see Taylor Lautner perform so well.

The reason I post this is because the picture of Craig just piles on how weird he is. This is a studio approved and filtered job and from his hair, to his strangling aging forehead, to his penciled in eyebrows, to his dour expression he is a weird package. I know he thinks he is being intense and bringing some sort of gravitas but honestly it is over done. The emo kids and director have more emotion and intensity in their expressions.

[FormerBondFan]

Yes.
Fourth quarter 2005 alone. Around 2.5m estimated additional sales from Feb 2006-Dec 2008.

I suppose Star Trek (2009) will outgross both BB and CR in DVD sales.

[FormerBondFan]

‘New Moon’ Director Chris Weitz Lashes Out Over ‘Golden Compass’, Not Retiring With ‘Gardener’



After New Moon’s massive box office take of $140.7 million (the 3rd highest opening weekend of all time) Variety has a report on director Chris Weitz. The article confirms his next film will be The Gardener, about “a hard-working immigrant who lives in Los Angeles and his efforts to protect his son” with production to start in March or April. Weitz also denies previous rumors about his retirement. He says New Moon has “invigorated him” after his terrible experience with New Line and The Golden Compass. The film was taken away from him and New Line ripped out 30 minutes of footage, losing any relevance to the original Philip Pullman books. Weitz is is happy New Moon did better than Compass, saying:

It was an utter violation of my status as a director and the worst thing that has happened to me professionally. I was treated badly, it was almost like they never read the books [in regards to The Golden Compass]. They seemed frightened of offending the right. This [New Moon] was a wonderful experience by comparison. I got to work with terrific young actors at the top of their game, and see Taylor Lautner perform so well.

The reason I post this is because the picture of Craig just piles on how weird he is. This is a studio approved and filtered job and from his hair, to his strangling aging forehead, to his penciled in eyebrows, to his dour expression he is a weird package. I know he thinks he is being intense and bringing some sort of gravitas but honestly it is over done. The emo kids and director have more emotion and intensity in their expressions.

New Moon got bad reviews.

[Mazer Rackham]

new Moon made $142,839,137 domestic is opening. While it is a impressive tally when compared to the other top 3 openers (Dark Knight Spider-Man 3) New Moon sold significantly fewer tickets.

[Mazer Rackham]

Yes.
Fourth quarter 2005 alone. Around 2.5m estimated additional sales from Feb 2006-Dec 2008.

I suppose Star Trek (2009) will outgross both BB and CR in DVD sales.

We'll find out shortly. BB maybe, CR sure thing.

[FormerBondFan]

ST did outgrossed BB at the box office, particularly here the US.

[FormerBondFan]

new Moon made $142,839,137 domestic is opening. While it is a impressive tally when compared to the other top 3 openers (Dark Knight Spider-Man 3) New Moon sold significantly fewer tickets.

Would HP 6 still be the highest grosser of 2009 or New Moon will the bite?

[katied]

This probably belongs in the Bond 23 threads but I think I'll get more replies here, so...


There has been a lot of talk about who should direct Bond 23. They fall into several catergories, the "never going to happen(Christopher Nolan,Steven Spielberg, JJ Abrams,Danny Boyle,Ridley Scott) the "shouldn't ever"(Michael Bay, Quentin Tarantino,Lee Tamawhorey) the "what the f were they thinking?(Mike "Austin Powers" Myers)....I don't think that needs any more comment,do you? ) and the "I'd love to see them make a Bond film(Jim Sheridan,Stephen Frears and Kevin Macdonald.)

[bjmdds]

Maybe Craig and Jackman will star together in a remake of The Odd Couple? Which one would Craig play? The farce on Broadway thankfully ends in less than 2 weeks.

[katied]

Maybe Craig and Jackman will star together in a remake of The Odd Couple? Which one would Craig play? The farce on Broadway thankfully ends in less than 2 weeks.

Perish the thought..maybe that can be Babs' next vanity project?

[Kristatos]

Maybe Craig and Jackman will star together in a remake of The Odd Couple? Which one would Craig play?

Hmmm...let me see. Jack Lemmon was more conventionally handsome while Walter Matthau had a face like an old rumpled bedsheet. Nope, it's a complete mystery

[Bond77]

Welcome aboard Bond77

Hollywood's mindset is geared only to living in the "Fat Years". Never before had they known such a decline in the their industry and been impacted by the same economic problems everyone else is.

Entertainment and video-games used to brag they were recession proof industries, at least the video-game industry has moved to correct this in an effort to try to survive. Hollywood has the eternal hope that the next film will be the smash/surprise hit of the year and make everything alright. Slightly better then the family barely breaking even buying lottery tickets every week hoping to hit it big. But they still are not in healthy condition.

MGM is $3.7 billion in debt

http://hollywoodwiretap.com/?module=new ... y&id=42800

[Mazer Rackham]

MGM is $3.7 billion in debt

http://hollywoodwiretap.com/?module=new ... y&id=42800

It is worse than that, they had 5 billion in dept and Sony took 2 billion in dept back in 2005 when they bought them out (also how Sony got it paws on the Bond Franchise and a big part of the story of how Craig to the role). They have had 4 years to pay down the debt and didn't, now its snowballed and they can't control it or forestall it by affording the interest payments.

The problem for MGM is that their dept out weighs their value, a lot of hard data out there now being closely scrutinized and nobody is giving them value they said they were worth. Their creditors are scared to see how the likely bidders will value the company.

One thing MGM did do over 4 years was to get Sony out of their business but they didn't appear to have a plan after that. I will give Sony credit for getting one over on the Broc's. Amazing how much that family has gotten away with other the years kinda nice to see somebody sock it to them even though from a low a dealer as Sony can be.

[The Sweeney]

One thing MGM did do over 4 years was to get Sony out of their business but they didn't appear to have a plan after that. I will give Sony credit for getting one over on the Broc's. Amazing how much that family has gotten away with other the years kinda nice to see somebody sock it to them even though from a low a dealer as Sony can be.

Interesting mate. I like reading your insight into this stuff.....

BTW, how do you know so much about all this anyway? And what do you mean by Sony getting one over the Broc's? How exactly?

[katied]

Babs and Michael will have to apologise for Bond 23 being crap-"Sorry,but we ran out of money partway through".

[Bond77]

MGM is $3.7 billion in debt

http://hollywoodwiretap.com/?module=new ... y&id=42800

It is worse than that, they had 5 billion in dept and Sony took 2 billion in dept back in 2005 when they bought them out (also how Sony got it paws on the Bond Franchise and a big part of the story of how Craig to the role). They have had 4 years to pay down the debt and didn't, now its snowballed and they can't control it or forestall it by affording the interest payments.

The problem for MGM is that their dept out weighs their value, a lot of hard data out there now being closely scrutinized and nobody is giving them value they said they were worth. Their creditors are scared to see how the likely bidders will value the company.

One thing MGM did do over 4 years was to get Sony out of their business but they didn't appear to have a plan after that. I will give Sony credit for getting one over on the Broc's. Amazing how much that family has gotten away with other the years kinda nice to see somebody sock it to them even though from a low a dealer as Sony can be.

Interesting analysis, and spot on, according to what I've read on my end. It's evident that the James Bond franchise played a part in the deal.

I don't know if Sony/Columbia went as far as to wave the rights to Casino Royale in front of MGM/UA like a carrot on a stick to enhance the deal, but it wouldn't surprise me. Especially when you consider how openly Quentin Tarrantino discussed making a film based on Ian Fleming's first 007 novel.

Regardless, you are right that the creditors are nervous. I think someone involved with the situation leaked that $1.5 billion potential price tag for the 007 franchise as a trial balloon. When that price was ridiculed I wouldn't be surprised if it made the higher-ups sweat.

Interesting point on the Broccoli family, but if I'm not mistaken Cubby Broccoli wasn't alive for that deal. Think things might have gone differently if he had been around?

[Mazer Rackham]

Interesting mate. I like reading your insight into this stuff.....

BTW, how do you know so much about all this anyway? And what do you mean by Sony getting one over the Broc's? How exactly?

The best way for me to put it is this:

Scuttlebutt from several different sources is that Sony finagled the terms of their contract/arrangement with the Brocs. They were expecting and supposed to receive a large payout, millions and millions of dollars and didn't. Sony found a loophole or an accounting trick to do this legally.
The Borc's were very upset, but to try and make nice Sony gave them a contract for 2 new movies not related to Bond as a way of "paying them". Which while not as satisfying solution it avoids publicity a lawsuit would bring and might actually net them more money if the movies are huge hits. But it does entail all the work 2 new movies represent, when they should have been paid any way.

The other side of the coin is from Sony's POV, some noises were made about the Broc's making free with some funds that they apparently expected the studio to cover. Therefore any money they think they are owed should simply be marked down as money they already spent and perhaps didn't realize it.
Giving them a contract for 2 movies, takes care of the Broc's concern, as well as adding two movies permanently to the Sony Catalog.

Either way there was some sort of dispute over money involving Sony's partnership with the last two movies.

I think privately the Borc's would be relieved if Sony does not win the MGM buyout. They were used to being treated like royalty with the studios they partnered with, the rules were their rules and all the contracts are heavily skewed in their favor. To Sony there were a small time outfit and were treated like it. Perhaps the analogy "big fish small pond" is best suited for this situation, and when they partnered with Sony it was the other way around. Sony has lot of other movies/franchises they can make half a billion by spending much less.

Normally I'd feel bad the the producers the studio tries to screw over but the Broc's have screwed enough people in their time it's sort of karmatic justice.

[Mazer Rackham]

Yes.
Fourth quarter 2005 alone. Around 2.5m estimated additional sales from Feb 2006-Dec 2008.

I suppose Star Trek (2009) will outgross both BB and CR in DVD sales.

There is out gross in terms of money made by each sale and then their is out sell/gross by the shear number of copies sold.

First week ST sold 5.7 million copies (including rentals, which are not normally included in these figures). It will easily beat CR and Quark, and I'll say likely beat BB buy New Years. But then I expected ST to have better legs in the Asian and Middle East markets. On the positive side is with these good dvd sales Paramount is finally securely in the Black on this movie, also securing the future of the Sequel, if that ever was in doubt.