General star wars talk/discussion/complaining

[Zardnaar]

Sometimes one wonders if blockbuster movies can even be successful (economically) at the cinema any more. We all know about Hollywood accounting and nobody seems that bothered that their film cost $500m to make, market, and distribute but only took about $400m. All anybody seems to care about is that it was a big project where individuals and some businesses got paid, there was a big fuss with lots of merchandising, and everyone heard about it. I’ve just described the first Dune film* from 2021, but I could be talking about any recent blockbuster.

*The sequel in 2024 made more like $700m against a total cost of $500m, so I hope the investors were relieved about that at least.

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) made something like $1.5bn worldwide against a cost of $600m so I really hope that counts as successful, though of course that makes me wonder why so many more people went to see it than Dune. Ne Zha 2 (also 2025) took $2.2bn, half in China, and probably cost about $200m.

(The film in between those was Zootopia 2, which took $1.9bn against a probable cost of $250m, and while it had a lot of CGI I’m not sure I’d count it as a blockbuster. I don’t know why not. I suppose it shows that Disney can still make bank at the cinema, albeit not with Star Wars.)

The ten highest grossing films worldwide in the last five years are:

• Avatar: The Way of Water (2.3)
• Ne Zha 2 (2.2)
• Spider-Man: No Way Home (1.9)
• Zootopia 2 (1.9)
• Inside Out 2 (1.7)
• Avatar: Fire and Ash (1.5)
• Top Gun: Maverick (1.5)
• Barbie (1.45)
• Super Mario Bros (1.36)
• Deadpool and Wolverine (1.34)

So if you want to make a ton of money making films, CGI is clearly the way to go. Fully animated films, especially for kids, cost way less than any form of live action and so are better for your profits.

Hollywood accounting is something else.

Expensive movies vs mediocre box office results is just bad business.

Hollywood accounting is back end accounting tricks generally to screw over deals involving a % of the profits.

Smart actors or whoever negotiate for a % of the gross box office.

Box office numbers are independent of the studios.

 

[Reynard]

Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025) made something like $1.5bn worldwide against a cost of $600m so I really hope that counts as successful, though of course that makes me wonder why so many more people went to see it than Dune.

Dune is too cerebral. Cerebral sci-fi almost never does well. Movie theaters are not places for thinking, they are places for feeling.

 

[jian]

Dune is too cerebral. Cerebral sci-fi almost never does well. Movie theaters are not places for thinking, they are places for feeling.

Yeah, you’re probably right. Who cares about the Na’vi mythos in the Avatar films, people just want to be thrilled, it’s like going on a roller coaster but longer and with snacks.

I think one thing the list of grosses shows is that filmmakers can definitely afford to pay animators a fair wage. None of this “CGI for exposure” nonsense.

 

[gnarlygninja]

Sometimes one wonders if blockbuster movies can even be successful (economically) at the cinema any more.

Almost certainly not, the number of times the average person goes to the movies has been declining for decades. I think it's around 3 times a year now? Ticket prices can only get so high before people stop going.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Avatar also benefits from the fact that it translates well overseas, since, as has been noted, the plot is mostly of no interest to anyone but James Cameron.

 

[Whisper-Kitten]

Avatar also benefits from the fact that it translates well overseas, since, as has been noted, the plot is mostly of no interest to anyone but James Cameron.

It has a plot?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It has a plot?

Something something something, body swap, something something, hair is a sex organ, something something, awkward questions about connecting your hair to your mounts, something something, Space Marines are evil.

 

[gnarlygninja]

It has a plot?

No one knows.

 

[jian]

It has a plot?

“Air. Water. Earth. Fire.

Long ago, a white saviour came to our people and taught the Na’vi the ways of panoramic CGI and kicking @$$. Then everything changed when Cameron made the second film. Only the Avatar, master of all four cinematic continents, could unify the grosses. But when we needed him, he vanished.

Now, what feels like a hundred years later, the Avatar will return for the fourth film. He has a lot of marketing to do before anyone will go and see him. But I believe that the Avatar can save the studios and finally break the $3bn ceiling.”

 

[Whisper-Kitten]

“Air. Water. Earth. Fire.

Long ago, a white saviour came to our people and taught the Na’vi the ways of panoramic CGI and kicking @$$. Then everything changed when Cameron made the second film. Only the Avatar, master of all four cinematic continents, could unify the grosses. But when we needed him, he vanished.

Now, what feels like a hundred years later, the Avatar will return for the fourth film. He has a lot of marketing to do before anyone will go and see him. But I believe that the Avatar can save the studios and finally break the $3bn ceiling.”

Jesus knew CGI? Sweeeettttt