Originally Posted By leemac In light of the fact that the movie hasn't turned a profit domestically at present (based on $120m cost and $60m distribution/marketing costs) it is an educated hunch. I'm sure they are "delighted" with the merchandise sales (which we are reliably informed are flying off the shelves) but I am certain they expected more from Cars in a summer season where there isn't much decent family fare.
Originally Posted By DlandDug Early on in this thread, the following was said: >>I don't doubt that but this is still a $100m+ movie that Disney have dumped $50m-worth of advertising/print costs on. It will need to have legs over the next month to recoup back its costs.<< I would say that this has been more than fulfilled in less than a month.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I would say that this has been more than fulfilled in less than a month.>> Only if Disney got 100% of the box office gross. As the actual number will be about half or a little more than that that certainly isn't the case. I find it remarkable that people seem to see Cars so black-and-white. It **is** a box office smash. Instead of the truth that is something a little greyer in the middle. Put it this way I don't think Dick Cook will be pleased that the movie still hasn't got past $200m.
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy <Only if Disney got 100% of the box office gross.> Is the glass ever half-full Lee? ;-)
Originally Posted By cstephens leemac wrote: > In light of the fact that the movie hasn't turned a profit domestically at present (based on $120m cost and $60m distribution/marketing costs) it is an educated hunch. There's a *HUGE* difference between what you call an educated guess and what you're "sure" and "certain" about and making statements like "but ultimately the Studio is disappointed in the box office gross" as if you definitely know something. Your opinion is one thing. Representing something as fact that you in the next breath admit to is just your own opinion is another thing entirely. /cs
Originally Posted By mawnck >>ultimately the Studio is disappointed in the box office gross<< Actually, this is just stating the painfully obvious. It's interesting how much the Disney fan community has invested in this "Pixar can do no wrong" theory, and the lengths they will go to protect the theory against the ravages of cold hard box-office numbers. Cars is a good flick. Cars will make a profit. Cars has spun off some hugely popular merchandise. Cars' box office performance is a disappointment. These statements do not contradict each other, at least in the real world.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>It's interesting how much the Disney fan community has invested in this "Pixar can do no wrong" theory<< I believe in no such theory. It's likely that at some point, any studio will produce a flop, and Pixar will to. The point some of us in this thread are making is that if you're looking for evidence of a Pixar 'disappointment', Cars just ain't it.
Originally Posted By seanyoda Actuals from the 4th of july "weekend" are in. Cars pulled in $22,484,325 and is at $190,506,108 domestically (in 26 days). It should surpass Ice Age 2: The Meltdown's domestic take (which is at $194,018,792) either today or tomorrow. The numbers are from <a href="http://www.boxofficemojo.com/" target="_blank">http://www.boxofficemojo.com/</a>
Originally Posted By DlandDug >><<I would say that this has been more than fulfilled in less than a month.>> Only if Disney got 100% of the box office gross...<< If Disney were footing 100% of the production cost this would be a viable argument. (But I still disagree.) Was that the deal with Pixar? Disney foots the whole bill and collects a percentage of the profit? >>It's interesting how much the Disney fan community has invested in this "Pixar can do no wrong" theory, and the lengths they will go to protect the theory against the ravages of cold hard box-office numbers.<< Actually, the theory that was originally championed here was, "Pixar is headed for a fall with Cars." The lengths that were being stretched was turning very respectable box office figures into proof that Pixar and Lassiter had finally failed. The cold hard box-office numbers show that it just ain't so. But I see people are already starting in on Ratitouille-- so hope springs eternal...
Originally Posted By JeffG >> "If Disney were footing 100% of the production cost this would be a viable argument. (But I still disagree.) Was that the deal with Pixar? Disney foots the whole bill and collects a percentage of the profit?" << I think Lee is referring to the fact that a portion of a movie's box-office gross goes to the theaters showing the film. The studio's take on a film is usually called the box-office "rentals" and is only a percentage of the gross. That percentage is largely dependent on what the studio can negotiate. A highly in-demand film (which would be the case with "Cars") typically will be easier to book with theaters, meaning that they can negotiate a higher percentage to return to the theater. In addition, the percentage going to the theater typically increases after the first few weeks of release in order to encourage theaters to keep the film longer. It is possible that there could be some other gross participants with "Cars" besides the studio and theaters, but I doubt there are many (Paul Newman and John Lassiter are probably the most likely candidates). Obviously, the original deal would have returned a portion of the gross to Pixar, but since the merger completed prior to the film's release any money that would have gone to Pixar stays with Disney. That said, I think Lee's argument is rather silly. Most films actually make very little profit from the domestic box-office take to begin with and I certainly find it pretty unlikely that the studio is worried that this film is taking "too long" to hit the $200 million milestone. The movie is a big hit and I would bet on it that Disney is very happy with how it is doing. Of course, any studio >always< would like for a movie to make more than it does, no matter how big a hit it is. I would guess that Fox and Paramount would have loved for "Titanic" to have made $700 million instead of $600 million domestically. That doesn't automatically translate to "disappointment", though. -Jeff
Originally Posted By seanyoda As expected, with $195,174,402 domestic, "Cars" has overtaken "Ice Age 2: The Meltdown" (which is at $194,121,228 domestic.) For the time being, "Cars" is in the number 3 spot for the year. It will be interesting to see what sort of drop-off "Cars" experiences this weekend with "PotC 2" now in release.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>proof that Pixar and Lassiter had finally failed.<< Nobody said that. The word being knocked about is "disappointment." If you stop and think for a moment, you will discover that "a disappointment" and "a failure" are two very different things. If you stop and think for a moment.
Originally Posted By cstephens Stopping and thinking for a moment, it occurs to me that some people find disappointment in things because their expectations are unreasonable. /cs
Originally Posted By mawnck >>some people find disappointment in things because their expectations are unreasonable.<< Yep. Disney's.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Many times, via proxies and mindreaders...<< Again, it doesn't take a mindreader to see a 10 million dollar shortfall opening week and a 50% dropoff second week as a disappointment for Disney. But keep dreaming. Looks like Pirates will make up for it. When you wish upon a star . . .
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<it doesn't take a mindreader to see a 10 million dollar shortfall opening week and a 50% dropoff second week as a disappointment for Disney.>> Nor does it take a mindreader to see that Cars has yet to have daily box office receipts of less than $2,000,000. <<But keep dreaming.>> You seem to be one of the few that still thinks the film hasn't done well, yet it will sail past $200 million this weekend. That's no dream.
Originally Posted By cstephens trekkeruss wrote: > You seem to be one of the few that still thinks the film hasn't done well, yet it will sail past $200 million this weekend. That's no dream. Yeah, but it's taken more than a month for it to reach $200 million. What a disappointment... /cs
