Lord of the Rings: RotK to debut this November?

[Ranger REG]

Not New Line's decision. The three hour limit is to do with cinemas. In a working day, cinemas can fit in 4 showings of a 3 hour film (say at 1100, 1415, 1730 and 2045). With a 3.5 hour long film, it's only 3 films per day. Which loses them a lot of money. So the films are 3 hours long in the cinema edit.

You are correct. Unless the local cinema is a multiplex, single-feature theaters can lose big on lengthy films.

You have to remember, theater businesses do not get a piece of the ticket revenue for the movies they're showing. They rely on snack sales from concession stands (sometimes they added things like a mini video arcade in the lobby for the extra income).

Which begs the question? Why didn't they use the intermission period? Is it because most moviegoers prefer no interruption? Are they nuts? I want them to drink two tub-sized drinks and sit through a 2-hour movie.

 

[KenM]

If the theater opens an hour or so earlier, then they can fit in another showing, say 900 AM, 1PM, 5PM, 9PM, and a late show at 1AM on weekends.

 

[Ranger REG]

Gee, you should open up a theater.

 

[Shadowdancer]

You have to remember, theater businesses do not get a piece of the ticket revenue for the movies they're showing. They rely on snack sales from concession stands (sometimes they added things like a mini video arcade in the lobby for the extra income).

Wrong. Theaters do get a piece of the ticket revenue for the movies. The first weekend it is very small, usually 10-15 percent. Then it increases by five to 10 percent each week until they reach a 50-50 split with the studio. Some movies that are highly sought after can demand more; Phantom Menance's opening weekend, the theaters showing it got nothing from the ticket sales.

Yes, theaters do make most of their money from concession stand sales, followed by the commercials they are starting to show before movies. But they do make some money from ticket sales.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Isn't it done already?

I thought they filmed all three movies at the same time?

If so, isn't the movie really done and waiting release like many others around 9/11 were that were held back for this reason or that reason?

 

[Starman]

The movies were all filmed at the same time, yes, but that is only a part of the filmmaking process. Special effects must be added, the editor needs to piece the movie together, the composer whips up some music, and that is just a part of what goes on in post-production. Trust me, PJ is working on RotK as we speak, er...type.

Starman

 

[Fast Learner]

If the theater opens an hour or so earlier, then they can fit in another showing, say 900 AM, 1PM, 5PM, 9PM, and a late show at 1AM on weekends.

Imagine how packed that theatre will be at 9am. Almost spooky.

 

[Squire James]

I can at least hope he doesn't leave any Mack Truck sized plot holes in RotK like that "Treebeard bringing hobbits to see the white wizard" scene in TTT.

I can just imagine the Extended DVD inserting the only scene that makes sense:

"Oops! Sorry, that's just our Glowing Mockup of the White Wizard. Forget him. Let's go to the Entmoot!"

If that really was Gandalf, surely he would have told Treebeard about what happened at Isengard. He saw it happen with his own eyes, after all!

 

[Dave Blewer]

Actually, Gandalf the White only seemed to remember his previous life when faces with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas...

But mostly I handwave that away - Its a great film with a couple of flaws, but nothing that even close to critical in my opinion

What got the Adapted Screenplay Oscar then this year?

 

[Shadowdancer]

Re: Isn't it done already?

I thought they filmed all three movies at the same time?

If so, isn't the movie really done and waiting release like many others around 9/11 were that were held back for this reason or that reason?

Well, in addition to finishing the special effects, editing, music, etc., as someone pointed out above, they also shoot what are known as pickup scenes. During the editing process, they discover that certain scenes didn't come out quit right, or they need to film some new dialogue or a character closeup from another angle, etc. They call the needed cast members back together and shoot the necessary footage.

They did it for TTT, and are doing it for RoTK. If they aren't currently shooting the pickup scenes, they will be later this spring.

Last year, when FotR won the best movie award at the MTV Movie Awards, they award was accepted by Peter Jackson and the Hobbits via a satellite hookup from New Zealand. The Hobbits had just reported for filming the pickup scenes for TTT.