D&D Movie/TV D&D Movie Hit or Flop?

[bedir than]

Ah yes - the ubiquitous 'Industry Puff Piece".

Here's a really good example how they work:

5 Reasons Dungeons & Dragons’ Box Office Is So Big (& Crushed The Original)

5 Reasons Dungeons & Dragons’ Box Office Is So Big (& Crushed The Original)

It didn't take much to beat the original.

screenrant.com

By the second paragraph it is already parroting the party line about how the D&D movie met 'projections', so that means it's "doing well..."



In virtually every positive article they cite the opening weekend returns, compare them to the 'projections', and then pronounce "success" because projections were met.

And most articles leave it at that.

But even this puff piece acknowledges reality, even though it buries it at the end of the article:



So you can see how the author talks about how the movie "performed so well" by citing its opening Projections at the beginning of the article, yet is still forced to acknowledge the reality that D&D will have a hard time breaking even towards the end because doing well in comparison to opening projections, vs. actually having to recoup one's costs, are two very different things!

The articles then goes on to engage in some spectacular doublespeak right at the end:



You catch that too?

I stand in awe in the presence of such euphemistic artistry.

So what you're saying is that you have zero links to people in the industry claiming it's a failure (as you claimed exist) and you've done a hit piece against a source that I've never linked?

 

[Undrave]

I mean if the black paladin didn't summon those shrieking vrocks, the Kira probably would have flown under their radar as long as they didn't show her mother or toddler actor. Not like she was innocently eating Cheerios or something.

Good point!

 

[bedir than]

And when are those links from? Are they from before last weekend? Are you using dated data? I've Google for more up to date stuff, found lots of positive stuff from the launch or just before, 2 predicting a flop before it was released of which 1 source was unreliable the other was looking at what I am its projected trajectory vs its budget.

The drop off was more than 18.6% which was what the movie needed every week to be in the ballpark to turn a profit on its theatrical release. Hollywood loves the movie no one seem to hate it box office is indifferent at best.

I literally linked one today, that you replied to me about today.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I don't think it is so much that it lied about the motivation of the movie so much so that it is more that the advertising isn't focused on "here's a party, sketch out some short details, here's the macguffin, go, fun movie for everyone" but rather "we have so many easter eggs that we can throwaway a mimic surprising the party in an ad that we don't even need it in the film" Ditto for the Super Bowl ad: "Look at all these super cuts"

You can lie about the motivation of a movie or mislead. What you don't want to do is suggest that it is the kind of movie similar to Star Wars IX(too much, too fast, not enjoyable) without it actually being a Star War and if it is actually a really fun movie.

Character motivation is what I'm talking about.

The trailer says they stole something for someone they shouldn't have and now are trying to get it back.

In the actual film, the party didn't even steal the item, didn't notice it being stolen, and actually never even saw the item again (seriously; none of the part lay eyes on this thing after the first ten minutes). And the person they 'stole' it for? They think they're kind of a jerk and care so little about them for most of the movie, they say their name like three times.

 

[Zardnaar]

I literally linked one today, that you replied to me about today.

I may have missed it repost and I can take a look.

 

[Undrave]

Ah yes - the ubiquitous 'Industry Puff Piece".

Here's a really good example how they work:

Screenrant is a clickbaity movie review site, it's not an Industry outlet like Variety.

 

[Zardnaar]

Screenrant is a clickbaity movie review site, it's not an Industry outlet like Variety.

That particular article isn't wrong though. It's using industry metrics.

The early positive pieces about D&D exceeding expectations overlook the fact that the industry expectations were very low for a 150 million dollar movie. They've indirectly admitted the movie was in trouble week 1.

Even variety admitted it needs strong returns to justify its price tag.

Box Office: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Plunders $15.3 Million Opening Day

Paramount's "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" looks to top the box office in its debut, besting the second weekend of "John Wick: Chapter 4."

variety.com

We now know they didn't get these returns week two. It's gone from maybe to looking fairly bad. Week 3 will likely confirm it. They can't even soak the 18.6% decline it needed to hit week 2.

It was number 1 when nothing else vaguely relevant was released. It beat John Wicks week two results. John Wicks done great by John Wick standards week two it was over double its costs but it's not exactly a blockbuster.

 

[Jaeger]

So what you're saying is that you have zero links to people in the industry claiming it's a failure (as you claimed exist) and you've done a hit piece against a source that I've never linked?

You are not refuting any of the factual points made on the films box office performance.

And the article I cited is clearly positive towards the film!!

But this is easily resolved:

Screenrant is a clickbaity movie review site, it's not an Industry outlet like Variety.

As Zardnaar pointed out - it is using the same metrics.

Box Office: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Plunders $15.3 Million Opening Day

Box Office: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Plunders $15.3 Million Opening Day

Paramount's "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" looks to top the box office in its debut, besting the second weekend of "John Wick: Chapter 4."

variety.com

“Honor Among Thieves” scored $15.3 million in its opening day, a figure that includes $5.6 million from Thursday screenings and specialty previews. Playing in 3,855 venues, the fantasy comedy is projecting a finish around $40 million, which would come in at the higher end of estimates heading into the weekend.

That’s a solid figure for “Honor Among Thieves,” which Paramount has thrown support behind with a sweeping press tour and a premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. Along with the studio, Entertainment One (eOne) covered a good fraction of the production budget for the film, which totals about $150 million between the two banners.

Right away we see the same comparison being used by both positive articles using opening numbers vs. the opening 'projections', and declaring the result as a resounding positive for the film.

I really like this part:

That’s a solid figure for “Honor Among Thieves,” which Paramount has thrown support behind with a sweeping press tour and a premiere at the SXSW Film Festival. Along with the studio, Entertainment One (eOne) covered a good fraction of the production budget for the film, which totals about $150 million...

That good fraction of the production budget? About 24%. Which is the same amount Shazam 2 covered on its opening weekend.

Even Variety had to give reality some lip service:

The role-playing game adaptation will have to keep drawing audiences to fully justify its price tag.

Because this:

The early positive pieces about D&D exceeding expectations overlook the fact that the industry expectations were very low for a 150 million dollar movie.

The 'industry' media outlets have no special knowledge.

The only thing different is how they may choose to spin things.

There are no differences between the numbers cited by 'industry' Variety or 'clickbaity' ScreenRant.

They are using the same data, sources, and metrics that everyone else does.

And in this case both the ScreenRant, and Variety articles were positive towards the D&D film.

 

[bedir than]

You are not refuting any of the factual points made on the films box office performance.

And the article I cited is clearly positive towards the film!!

But this is easily resolved:



As Zardnaar pointed out - it is using the same metrics.

Box Office: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Plunders $15.3 Million Opening Day

Box Office: ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’ Plunders $15.3 Million Opening Day

Paramount's "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" looks to top the box office in its debut, besting the second weekend of "John Wick: Chapter 4."

variety.com

Right away we see the same comparison being used by both positive articles using opening numbers vs. the opening 'projections', and declaring the result as a resounding positive for the film.

I really like this part:



That good fraction of the production budget? About 24%. Which is the same amount Shazam 2 covered on its opening weekend.

Even Variety had to give reality some lip service:



Because this:


The 'industry' media outlets have no special knowledge.

The only thing different is how they may choose to spin things.

There are no differences between the numbers cited by 'industry' Variety or 'clickbaity' ScreenRant.

They are using the same data, sources, and metrics that everyone else does.

And in this case both the ScreenRant, and Variety articles were positive towards the D&D film.

I'm sorry. You still haven't linked a negative article.

 

[Zardnaar]

I'm sorry. You still haven't linked a negative article.

Don't really need a negative article the numbers are staring you in the face.

There's not really any recent articles good or bad. That's even worse it implies indifference much like the box office take.