32 replies to this topic

[kai]

Cherryfunk, You've missed the point. I understand what you're saying, but working in film it's more complicated (at teh same time strangely more simple) than what you think.

this movie was not worse than many other films that at least break even. Opening weekend box office is not based on whether something is good or bad, it's based solely on the success (or lack thereof) of the marketing/ad campaign. Many bad movies make their money back... especially when they are under $100 million.

What happened here is the movie was bad -- or at least less than expected -- and the studio wanted to dump the film instead of spend more to promote it. I can attest to this... I live in Hollywood and have many friends who didn't even know the movie existed until it was already out of theaters. Oh, BTW, I work in Hollywood... on films... See, why I think the marketing was poor?

I would argue that IMMORTALS and JOHN CARTER are about the same level of "good" or "bad" as CTB(2011). JOHN CARTER has grossed $250 million worldwide and IMMORTALS grossed $227 million. or WRATH OF THE TITANS at $278 million.

Marketing would not make CTB(2011) a good movie, but it could have gotten CTB(2011) to at least break even... and made more CONAN films (and other properties) viable in the short-term. a good marketing campaign can fill seats that opening weekend... and internationally. For a $90 million dollar movie, it could have succeeded at the box office with a strong campaign. Would it ever have been a great movie? No, but that didn't stop CLASH OF TEH TITANS from spawning WRATH OF TEH TITANS.

[Rockamobile]

Cherryfunk, You've missed the point. I understand what you're saying, but working in film it's more complicated (at teh same time strangely more simple) than what you think.

this movie was not worse than many other films that at least break even. Opening weekend box office is not based on whether something is good or bad, it's based solely on the success (or lack thereof) of the marketing/ad campaign. Many bad movies make their money back... especially when they are under $100 million.

What happened here is the movie was bad -- or at least less than expected -- and the studio wanted to dump the film instead of spend more to promote it. I can attest to this... I live in Hollywood and have many friends who didn't even know the movie existed until it was already out of theaters. Oh, BTW, I work in Hollywood... on films... See, why I think the marketing was poor?

I would argue that IMMORTALS and JOHN CARTER are about the same level of "good" or "bad" as CTB(2011). JOHN CARTER has grossed $250 million worldwide and IMMORTALS grossed $227 million. or WRATH OF THE TITANS at $278 million.

Marketing would not make CTB(2011) a good movie, but it could have gotten CTB(2011) to at least break even... and made more CONAN films (and other properties) viable in the short-term. a good marketing campaign can fill seats that opening weekend... and internationally. For a $90 million dollar movie, it could have succeeded at the box office with a strong campaign. Would it ever have been a great movie? No, but that didn't stop CLASH OF TEH TITANS from spawning WRATH OF TEH TITANS.

All the the good marketing in the world would not have made Conan a hit. What it needed was a good script and storyline which it didn't have.

Edited by Rockamobile, 20 May 2012 - 01:03 PM.

[1980conanfan]

Can we stop blaming the marketing campaign for the recent film's poor performance? It did poorly because it sucked, end of story. It's an awful mess of a film with a ridiculous, nonsensical plot, an absurd and totally unbelievable love story, a completely forgettable score, a yawn-inducing climax -- you name it, every element of this endeavor was horrific except for Momoa's performance.

Marketing shmarketing. You want a fall guy, look at the writers, the director, the composer, and, ultimately, the producers who hired all of the above.

all this is true, and it was still better than Destroyer. (and as a kid I loved destroyer. but it is AWEFUL)

[deuce]

Despite all logic and reason, I keep checking this forum becuase there's a stubborn sliver of hope that I might see some news about a sequel. I dunno guys, I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that the powers that be have done everything in their power to turn the Conan licence as a toxic asset. I really hate being negetive. It's all just a terrible shame.

You don't check this forum to find out about actual Robert E. Howard news?

[Kortoso]

Different strokes for different folks.

[Battleborn]

Despite all logic and reason, I keep checking this forum becuase there's a stubborn sliver of hope that I might see some news about a sequel. I dunno guys, I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that the powers that be have done everything in their power to turn the Conan licence as a toxic asset. I really hate being negetive. It's all just a terrible shame.

Hang in there Roargathor.I'm also holding out hope for a sequel.

[Roargathor]

Despite all logic and reason, I keep checking this forum becuase there's a stubborn sliver of hope that I might see some news about a sequel. I dunno guys, I've pretty much resigned myself to the fact that the powers that be have done everything in their power to turn the Conan licence as a toxic asset. I really hate being negetive. It's all just a terrible shame.

You don't check this forum to find out about actual Robert E. Howard news?

I meant this thread specifically. I do like to see what's going on elsewhere on these boards.

[turko]

problem with CtB is all the plot holes you'd probably end up with 20 minutes of usable footage. Just a haphazard guess.

I would still watch it.... After all, most of Howard's Conan stories are short stories anyway, so a 20-30 minute "episode" would totally work!

[Lunatic]

problem with CtB is all the plot holes you'd probably end up with 20 minutes of usable footage. Just a haphazard guess.

I would still watch it.... After all, most of Howard's Conan stories are short stories anyway, so a 20-30 minute "episode" would totally work!

Yeah, me to...and a sequel, crazy like that.

[Rockamobile]

Not very likely .

[War Song]

Marketing shmarketing. You want a fall guy, look at the writers, the director, the composer, and, ultimately, the producers who hired all of the above.

Agreed...

For the life of me, I will never understand why the film producers *knowingly* hired Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer to pen the script despite their horrific track record.

Talk about throwing money away. It was one step above hiring Uwe Boll.

Edited by War Song, 03 October 2012 - 07:23 AM.

[Red Amra]

Can we stop blaming the marketing campaign for the recent film's poor performance? It did poorly because it sucked, end of story. It's an awful mess of a film with a ridiculous, nonsensical plot, an absurd and totally unbelievable love story, a completely forgettable score, a yawn-inducing climax -- you name it, every element of this endeavor was horrific except for Momoa's performance.

Marketing shmarketing. You want a fall guy, look at the writers, the director, the composer, and, ultimately, the producers who hired all of the above.

all this is true, and it was still better than Destroyer. (and as a kid I loved destroyer. but it is AWEFUL)

I still remember Arnold on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson promoting the film. He was on and on about how it was more family friendly than the first one and it have comedy, action, etc. I saw the film and was like “they kinda mess this one up”. It made a lot of money though. Yes, 90 million should have, could have, been made with a better push.

I believe "300" production budget was under 70 million. It's opening weekend, it made $70,885,301. Clash of the Titans (2011) costed about twice the money to make than 300 and made $61,235,105 on its opening weekend. Eventually CoTT made more than budget in the US alone.

Two different films (look, feel, budget, star power, quality of script/story) but heavy marketing for both. How many times did you see on advertisements Leonidas yell "This is Sparta!" leading up to the 300 preimer, or commercials with Zeus shouting "Release the Kraken!" before CoTT opened?

[deuce]

For the life of me, I will never understand why the film producers *knowingly* hired Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer to pen the script despite their horrific track record.

Talk about throwing money away. It was one step above hiring Uwe Boll.

I said the same thing here ( http://www.thecimmer...n-for-this-one/ ) about 3yrs ago.

The colloquial term for that duo of losers is "Doppenheimer", BTW.

Cool to see ya back on the forum, War Song.