Solo: Star Wars A Flop?

Zardnaar · Jun 1, 2018

Well it seems like for the 1st time ever we may have a Star Wars flop for a movie. On its opening weekend it scrapped past 100 million. Problem is it cost 250 million to make, and with marketing costs etc they need to make around 500 million to break even. Google Star Wars:Solo a flop to see what I am talking about.

The movie doesn't seem bad as such for reviews but I have not seen it. To put this in context I was reading the Thrawn Trilogy Books in the early 90's and got into Star Wars before it was cool again. I saw all the Star Wars movies from the 1997 Special Editions on the big screen through to The Last Jedi either on the opening night/midnight screening or at the 1st available opportunity often going multiple times. This lasted through to the Last Jedi which I only saw twice the the 2nd time was because my wife wanted to go and its kind of a thing to do together. I did not hate it as such but much like the Phantom Menace I felt it was disappointing by a lot. And they threw away Snoke.

I enjoyed TFA although it was a bit to familiar/unoriginal. Really enjoyed Rogue One though. Might go see Solo this weekend, not boycotting it but also might wait to see it. Its also not a SJW thing people bleat about online either. I also like the Star Wars women generally if the writings good (Leia, Mara Jade, Jaina Solo, Jyn Erso), Rey is OK, Padme and Daala not so much.

Its partly Star Wars fatigue, how they burned down the old legends canon, the general decline of Star Wars novels in late legends and the new canon, the movies an annual event and the latest SWBF2 game being crap. And of course Hans dead, Lukes dead and Carrie Fisher is dead so 3 characters I do like are replaced by 3 characters I am mostly indifferent about (Rey is ok bit Mary Sue, Poe meh, Fin best of the bunch).

Star Wars Movie Ratings Best to worst IMHO

1. Empire Strikes Back
2. Star Wars: A New Hope
3. Rogue One
4. Return of the Jedi
5. The Force Awakens
6. Revenge of the Sith
7. The Last Jedi
8. A Phantom Menace
9. Attack of the Clones

Yes I rated Revenge of the Sith over TLJ, I liked more of the characters (Anakin, Obi Wan, Emperor, Dooku) and I cared about the deaths of the younglings for example over the ham fisted Snoke/Luke thing.

Also more or less avoiding the new canon books and comics and reading recaps online.I liked the old legends or at least the god bits, after 20+ years of it just was not interested in them burning it all down and starting over.

Umbran · Jun 1, 2018

To quote Variety:

"However, calling the film a bomb, as some have labeled it, may be hyperbolic. After all, “Solo” is much more than a film. It’s a merchandising apparatus; one designed to move t-shirts, action figures, bedding, and even something as quotidian as plastic cups and paper plates. Disney is unlikely to be taking a write-down, even though the company will lose tens of millions on the theatrical part of “Solo’s” life-cycle. "

Istbor · Jun 1, 2018

Umbran said:
To quote Variety:

"However, calling the film a bomb, as some have labeled it, may be hyperbolic. After all, “Solo” is much more than a film. It’s a merchandising apparatus; one designed to move t-shirts, action figures, bedding, and even something as quotidian as plastic cups and paper plates. Disney is unlikely to be taking a write-down, even though the company will lose tens of millions on the theatrical part of “Solo’s” life-cycle. "

Pretty much.

We aren't talking about a film that needs to do well to continue a franchise. This is part of a HUGE franchise already, and it really just supplementing and allowing for additional revenue to be had in other mediums.

Regardless, I thought the movie was fun and interesting to watch, even if I knew the general outcome in advance.

Deset Gled · Jun 1, 2018

Istbor said:
We aren't talking about a film that needs to do well to continue a franchise.

I'll go one further say this: the film is actually doing OK by regular film standards. It brought in over 100 million on it's first weekend, and that's just domestic. It's guaranteed to be in the theaters for many more weeks, and will bring in even more internationally. It's likely the film will re-coup it's $250 million budget at the box office.

It's only doing bad by Star Wars standards. Just being #1 and making a profit isn't good by Star Wars standards. People expect Star Wars to be THE BIGGEST MOVIE EVER. Anything less is a "flop". Given the number of films Disney has planned, it's inevitable that they all can't be record breakers.

Olgar Shiverstone · Jun 1, 2018

Flop no.

Fun, but unnecessary.

Umbran · Jun 1, 2018

Deset Gled said:
Given the number of films Disney has planned, it's inevitable that they all can't be record breakers.

Yes. Some of what I see is, "OMG, it isn't making a half-billion dollars! This is MOMENTOUS!!!1!one!"

There is a certain amount of unrealistic expectation going into this, a certain lack of perspective. They have a decent film out of a troubled production, which is a success in and of itself. It may not be an economic powerhouse, but it'll turn out as "not a loss". In the long run, folks will think positively of the film, and the franchise will move on happily enough.

Jester David · Jun 1, 2018

Not a flop. But neither was Justice League. That doesn’t mean it’s likely to spawn a sequel and does mean Disney is likely to change its plans. It might mean they might not end up doing more character focused prequels or recasting.

While it’s likely to make money, it was released in place of a movie that could have made a billion dollars. We’ll see.

Zardnaar · Jun 2, 2018

Umbran said:
Yes. Some of what I see is, "OMG, it isn't making a half-billion dollars! This is MOMENTOUS!!!1!one!"

There is a certain amount of unrealistic expectation going into this, a certain lack of perspective. They have a decent film out of a troubled production, which is a success in and of itself. It may not be an economic powerhouse, but it'll turn out as "not a loss". In the long run, folks will think positively of the film, and the franchise will move on happily enough.

Rogue One brought in a billion dollars and people seem to like the movie, I loved it.

Disney might actually lose money on this one as I said 500 million is what they need to break even. Say it takes 300 million the studio only sees a % of that and they would still lose money even though the movie cost 250 million to make.

Throw in marketing costs and thats why 500 million is apparently the magic number to break even as they get around 70% of that IIRC (350 million for Disney).

When a movie loses money its more or less the definition of a flop. Its not because its not a main SW movie (see Rogue One, which had lower expectations than TFA).

Umbran · Jun 2, 2018

Zardnaar said:
Disney might actually lose money on this one as I said 500 million is what they need to break even. Say it takes 300 million the studio only sees a % of that and they would still lose money even though the movie cost 250 million to make.

Overall, no, they won't lose money. They just won't make as much. As noted above, there's merchandising and licensing to consider that are not mentioined in the box office gross. They'll make their money back, eventually.

Hand of Evil · Jun 2, 2018

The movie tried to be a happy meal, hitting all the check boxes that they thought the fans wanted to see. The problem was there was no soul in the story, it lacked something. It should have been done like swashbuckling movie, action and zippy lines, with Solo bouncing (not walking) from adventure to the next.