March: What to expect?

1) March Issue 2012: Movies from April ~March 20, 2012
2) Overall review of February ~March 9,2012
3) Notable reviews of previous films(if found)~??

February Issue 2012: Movie News

Movie News:

·   As of February 29, Transformers 4 is set to be released on July 27, 2014. Michael Bay is expected to reprise his role as director, but Shia La Beouf will not return to the Transformers series. Although “Sam ” is out of the coming picture, some stars from the previous films can still play a role in the upcoming Transformers.
·        As of February 29, the new official release year for Avatar 2 is 2016, a delay of 2 years from 2014. News suggests that James Cameron’s high tech equipment will need time for the sublime oceans of Pandora.

Upcoming Movies:

Although February 2012 had relatively good results, March seems to be another ordinary month that will follow the same trend projected by box office analysts.  For March 2012, over four films will be released at the theaters.  However, the most successful of the four films is likely to be Wrath of the Titans—sequel of Clash of the Titans.

1-      Wanderlust (1 March, 2012)

Starring Jennifer Aniston, one of the many booming stars in the movie business, Wanderlust can easily garner $40 million internationally. However, without any good marketing techniques the film doesn’t look well-prepared to rake in good numbers  globally. Expect a worldwide gross of around $60 million. Worldwide Forecast: $62 million

Synopsis: George and Linda  are an overextended and stressed out Manhattan couple. After George is downsized out of his job, they find themselves with only one option: to move in with George's awful brother in Atlanta. On the way there, George and Linda stumble upon Elysium, an idyllic community. Careers? Who needs them? Clothes? Only if you want them. Is Elysium their fresh start? Or…

2-      A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas In 3D(8 March, 2012)

Scheduled a few months after Christmas, A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas doesn’t seem to be very eye-catching during March. Nonetheless, who knows, sometimes Christmas can always have a comeback in March. Without any recent good marketing and a low gross at North America, Kumar Christmas will rest safely with $50 million worldwide. Worldwide Forecast: $50 million

Synopsis:  Following years of growing apart, Harold Lee and Kumar Patel have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrives at Kumar's door on Christmas Eve, his whole plan changes.

3-      Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (15 March, 2012)

 The Dr. Seuss brand has a strong track record globally—How the Grinch Stole Christmas made $345 million in 2000, and The Cat in the Hat earned $134.0 million in 2003. Although The Lorax story isn't quite as popular, it still has a strong vibe in many of its previews. Worldwide Forecast: $412 million

Synopsis: The 3D-CGI feature The Lorax is an adaptation of Dr. Seuss' classic tale of a forest creature who shares the enduring power of hope. The animated adventure follows the journey of a boy as he searches for the one thing that will enable him to win the affection of the girl of his dreams.

4-      Wrath of the Titans In 3D (29 March, 2012)

The sequel of Clash of the Titans is poised to kick-start the year with the largest- international opening weekend of 2012. The second film in the Clash of the Titans franchise, distributed by Warner's Bros., will star Sam Worthington and Liam Neeson. The predecessor brought in $493 million globally while most critics disparaged its 3D post-conversion. The sequel is also supposed to be released in 3D. However, in order to avoid any 3D-conversion criticism, producer Basil Iwanyk, chose to shoot the film in 3D. WoT should gross more money in non-north America markets than its predecessor. However, in North America, it's less likely that it will make a huge increase due to the lack of interest in 3D and sequels. Expect it to gross around $485 million worldwide. Worldwide Forecast: $490 million

Other movies that will be available at the theaters during March include: J. Edgar (1 Mar, 2012), Gone (1 Mar, 2012), Young Adult (8 Mar, 2012), Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (15 Mar, 2012), How I Spent My Summer Vacation (15 Mar, 2012), BEL AMI  (22 Mar, 2012), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (29 Mar, 2012), and The Devil Inside (29 Mar, 2012) [All dates are International Release Dates] 

Ghost Rider: The Chain of Fire fails to extend

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance(February 17, 2012)

Our sequels don't seem to stop with 2011; Ghost Rider 2 follows the first rider starring Nicholas Cage. The first film in the series didn't perform very well at the box office but at least it doubled its production budget of $110 million to rake in $229 million worldwide with equal shares domestically and internationally. The upcoming sequel is supposed to be released in 3D, increasing the revenue of the film. 

The film is set to open in 3,000 theaters which is considerably less than the predecessor 3,600+. With a run-time that is only 90 min. long, the film is the shortest in the series. Without any novel additions to this sequel, it doesn't have any punch that will    make it gross big amounts. Including Nicolas Cage's star power fall, the film has no chance to gross anywhere above $200 million. With an opening weekend that is 48% of the predecessor, Ghost Rider 2 has a very low chance to gross above the first film in North American markets. Including all the results, Ghost Rider will probably end its run with $54 million domestically. The opening weekend of Ghost Rider 2 internationally will determine the overall success of the film. However, without any  improvements in Facebook likes, the film doesn't seem to have any avid fans in international markets. Although the film under-performed in the US, the international debut opened well with $22 million. With such a trend, it has the potential to gross around $80 million internationally.

Chance*: 0%

Final Gross: $135 million

February Issue 2012: Coming Soon

Late February~29, 2012
What to expect:
1) Monthly overview
2) Predictions
3) The Avengers Update study(postponed to March 2012 issues)
4) Coming new instead is what to expect in sequels from well-known films:
    --Likelihood of Sherlock Holmes 3
    -- Mission Impossible 5???
5) Review of previous films, and how our predictions turned out.
However, we will have a specific analysis for Ghost Rider 2(really soon)

Why Avatar 2 was procrastinated to 2016???

January Issue 2012: Box office news

"Full coverage...comprehensive, detailed, and concise box office news." ICN

In a year with so many sequels and 3D films, the total North American 2011 gross decreased to $10.17 billion from 2010’s $10.57 billion, a significant difference of approximately $400 million. 2011’s yearly gross ranks as the third-highest grossing year ever, which is behind both 2009 and 2010. However, 2011 was behind in a big way from the very start. 2010 benefited greatly from the fact that Avatar, a film released in December 2009, grossed more than $478 million during 2010. Since an Avatar-level blockbuster doesn't occur every year, it's no shock that 2011 basically wasn't able to catch up. And here are the statistical data:

·         January 1 - December 31, 2011: $10,180,000,000

·         January 1 - December 31, 2010: $10,570,500,000

·         Total Decrease: $390,500,000, -3.7%(from 2010)

·         Estimated Attendance Decrease: 4.5%

Top 9 highest-grossing films of 2011 in North America:

#	Movie Title	Total gross	Theatre	Opening
1	Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2	$381,011,219	4,375	$169,189,427
2	Transformers: Dark of the Moon	$352,390,543	4,088	$97,852,865
3	The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1	$279,897,264	4,066	$138,122,261
4	The Hangover Part II	$254,464,305	3,675	$85,946,294
5	Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides	$241,071,802	4,164	$90,151,958
6	Fast Five	$209,837,675	3,793	$86,198,765
7	Cars 2	$191,452,396	4,115	$66,135,507
8	Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol	$191,065,602	3,555	$12,785,204
9	Thor	$181,030,624	3,963	$65,723,338

For the first month of 2012, many new movies are expected to hit theatres with grosses above $50 million for each film. Although many of the new films can’t bring about the same revenue as that of January 2010, it is still worth noting that some of the films are well-received from critics. The movies of January 2012 and the beginning of February are as follows:

1)    Underworld: Awakening In 3D (19 Jan, 2012)

The Underworld franchise has never been very successful in global figures, but compared to its low budget many of the films have out-grossed there budget. For some studios, films which have grossed more than double or triple the production budget have been appealing and considered to be profitable. An exemplar of this is the Underworld movies. The first Underworld film grossed $95.7 million globally with $52.0 from North American markets and $43.7 million from international markets. The film’s production budget was estimated to be around $22 million which means the total revenue of the film was four times more than its budget. The same trend was followed for the 2^nd and 3^rd film. However, the latest film in the series will be released in 3D. With higher-ticket pricing, the film may become the highest-grossing entry in the film both globally and internationally. Worldwide Forecast: $130 million


2)    Contraband (26 Jan, 2012)

With an R rating, Contraband doesn’t seem to have the large group of fans that PG films would have but it still has some attractive energy for adults. Although the film doesn’t have a very good rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes (48% approval rating), audience ratings are better with 66% positive. As of January 20, 2012, the film has grossed $33,823,270 globally, with 95.6% of the total revenue from North American markets. The film is poised to gross around $85 million worldwide. Worldwide Forecast: $85 million

Synopsis: Chris Farraday long ago abandoned his life of crime but after his brother-in-law, Andy, botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs, Chris is forced back into doing what he does best- running contraband-to settle Andy's debt.




3)    One for the Money (26 Jan, 2012)

Starring one of the many booming stars—Katherine Heigl--, One for the Money has the potential to gross more than $75 million. Although Katherine’s previous movie—The Killers—wasn’t a big hit, this film appears to be a turning point for Katherine.  North American grosses will depend on the success of Man on a Ledge since both movies are released at the same time in the USA and Canada.

Worldwide Forecast: $79 million

Synopsis: A proud, born-and-bred Jersey girl, Stephanie Plum's got plenty of attitude, even if she's been out of work for the last six months and just lost her car to a debt collector.

4)    Man On a Ledge (2 Feb, 2012)

 Coming out as a totally new movie, Man on a Ledge aims at opening with $8 million at the North American box-office. However, in a global point of view, it should gross more than $65 million. Man on a Ledge may end up grossing similar to Phone Booth which is in the same genre as of Man on a Ledge. However, ticket prices have increased approximately $2 since 2003. So a higher debut wouldn’t be much of a surprise. Moreover, the international market has grown larger since 2003, suggesting an increase in international grosses. Overall, the film looks well-prepared in order to gross more than $95 million worldwide. Worldwide Forecast: $100 million

Synopsis: An ex-cop and now wanted fugitive (Sam Worthington) stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department negotiator (Elizabeth Banks)tries to talk him down. The longer they are on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior objective. 

5)    Chronicle (9 Feb, 2012)

Being the first super-hero film of the year, it seems to have quite a lot of energy in it in order to attract young and avid fans. Chronicle seems to be very similar to Push which grossed a disappointing $48 million. Moreover, without any good marketing the film will not be able to gross good amounts. Worldwide Forecast: $66 million

Synopsis: Three high school students make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over. 

6)    Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace In 3D (9 Feb, 2012)

With the recent success of 3D re-releases, Star Wars: Episode 1 has a high chance to gross around $100 million worldwide which will add to its amazing total revenue of $924,317,558, totaling up to $1,024,317,558. If this film is successful then the whole saga is expected to be re-released in 3D. Worldwide Forecast: $96 million

Edward Ghazaley

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Updates and Review

Box Office News

Official Poster

As of December 26, 2011, Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol has grossed $235,345,000 with $78,645,000 from North America and $156,700,000 from international markets.

In limited IMAX release of just 425 locations in North America, it earned $12.8 million over its opening weekend which topped Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason's record of $8.7 million for the highest-grossing opening weekend in less than 600 theaters.

Internationally, on the other hand, it pulled in great numbers which placed it in the no.1 spot for the Dec. 15-18 2011 weekend. It debuted to an estimated $69.5 million in 42 markets which represented approximately 70 percent of the marketplace. The film scored No.1 debuts in South Korea ($11.1 million), Japan ($9 million), Australia ($4.2 million), Germany ($3.8 million), and Russia ($6.1 million). In the UAE, where many buffs gathered to see Tom Cruise climb the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the film set the all-time opening record with $2.4 million from just 27 locations for a per-theater average around $90,000. It also earned a huge $4 million in India, which is more than four times the opening of Mission: Impossible III in India.

Worldwide Forecast: $463 million

Review
A great movie worth watching... incredibly suspenseful and keeping you on the edge of your seat. Full of spectacles that can please anyone. It improves from the other predecessors with a great story line, in action sequences, and novel and  interesting technology. It has just enough humor that allows a consummate  film experience which allows the movie-watchers to feel a certain degree of relief and expectancy for another sequel. Not only is it action-packed but it also has many other romantic moments that can also extend to more avid buffs. Through such romantic episodes it can allow a more powerful and heart-trending experience. With all such genres, MI4 also shows off his impressive gamut in cultures. For me movies are  an area of entertainment and  novelty. And in this case, this movie was capable of sending me everywhere; it passed all expectations. You can see Russia's monuments, Dubai's Burj Khalifa, and India's lavish and sumptuous parties. Other interesting aspects were the cars; the BMW in this movie was incredibly and stylishly designed. Its a movie loaded with everything movie-goers would want. Highly entertaining...Worth the tickets...

Detailed Box Office News Coming Soon

New Teaser Poster for The Dark Knight Rises

December 2011: Preview and Forecast

As the year comes to a close, the countdown for 2012 is almost over. Since 2011 was the most successful sequel-packed year—Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, Transformers 3, and Pirates of the Caribbean—it currently ranks as the 5th highest-grossing year with $9,406.4 million in the North American bank.  All of the movies listed above were highly successful grossing more than 1 billion dollars each worldwide. However, November also brought in a new sequel, Breaking Dawn: Part 1 which has already grossed over $604.3 million worldwide, with $259.5 million in North American markets and $344.8 million overseas. Although it is unlikely for it to gross above $1 billion, the second part will have better luck for avid Twilight fans. In December 2011, four movies—Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked, Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol, New Year's Eve, and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows—are coming to the cinemas each of which has a good potential to gross more than $100 million. 

1)      Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked:

After 2 films in the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise, another sequel is hitting cinemas about the same time as its predecessors (4 years after the first movie in the franchise). The franchise has been successful over the years increasing 22.7% in worldwide revenue from the first and the second movie. If the same trend is followed, Alvin 3 is likely to gross around $543.6 million worldwide. Although it isn’t an all-time favorite by critics, it seems to appeal to families more than critics for the holidays. However, 'threequels' have had a though go lately and its unlikely that it gross anywhere near its predecessor. Worldwide forecast: $295 million

2)      Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol:

After a long break from Mission Impossible III of 5 years, MI4 is here. Franchise breaks seem to help sequels in their overall gross. Starting with the first MI, the series took off with a great start with $457.8 million worldwide. And then MI2 grossed even more both international markets and North American markets with $546.4 million—a $100 million more than its predecessor. However, in 2006, MI3 garnered a mere $397.9 million worldwide, which was a 27.2% decrease from MI2. Producers attempted to counteract these factors by bringing in renowned Pixar director Brad Bird and shooting around 30 min. of IMAX footage. Also, the inclusion of The Dark Knight Rises prologue on all IMAX prints should increase ticket sales. Worldwide forecast: $500 million

3)      New Year's Eve

Being the sequel to 2010’s Valentine’s Day, it seems very likely to gross somewhere around its predecessor. Although the character roles and names aren’t the same, the movie still revolves around a holiday (New Year’s Eve), but unlike Valentine’s Day it won’t be released on New Year’s Eve. However, both Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve are ensemble films that are based on a very particular romantic holiday, and both are directed by Garry Marshall. Valentine's Day debuted to a massive $56.3 million over in 2010, though it quickly faded away after Valentines and ended with $110.5 million in North America and $106.0 million. New Year's Eve opened to an underwhelming $5.080 million on Friday, which is off a huge 65 % from Valentine's Day's $14.5 million opening day. Flixter ratings are no better either—it holds a 62% approval rating from cinema goers and a horrible 6% rating from critics as of December 12, 2011. Worldwide forecast: $180 million

4)      Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Other than the penultimate Twilight movie, the biggest box-office hit this season is most likely to be Sherlock Holmes 2. In the shadow of Avatar, the first Sherlock Holmes earned a significant $209.0 million in US and Canadian markets and $315.0 million in international markets, for a grand total of $524.0 million. Another boost for the sequel is the portrayal of his most famous nemesis, Professor Moriarty. And a strong villain is known to enhance ticket sales and revenue as seen in The Dark Knight. Now that Avatar is out of the way, Holmes 2 has a better chance to gross big amounts. Nonetheless, sequels have had a tough go lately, so an enormous increase from its predecessor is not probable. Expect a notable increase in international grosses. Worldwide forecast: $495 million

Studio Estimates revealed.

#	TITLE	WEEKEND		LOCATIONS		AVG.	TOTAL	WKS.	DIST.
1	The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1	$139,500,000	--	4,061	--	$34,351	$139,500,000	1	Summit
2	Happy Feet Two	$22,025,000	--	3,606	--	$6,108	$22,025,000	1	Warner Bros.
3	Immortals	$12,252,000	-62%	3,120	8	$3,927	$52,979,930	2	Relativity Media
4	Jack and Jill	$12,000,000	-52%	3,438	0	$3,490	$41,027,906	2	Sony / Columbia
5	Puss in Boots (2011)	$10,725,000	-57%	3,415	-488	$3,141	$122,312,562	4	Paramount / DreamWorks
6	Tower Heist	$6,957,830	-46%	2,942	-428	$2,365	$53,391,605	3	Universal
7	J. Edgar	$5,900,000	-47%	1,947	37	$3,030	$20,694,694	2	Warner Bros.
8	A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas	$2,900,000	-51%	1,808	-1067	$1,604	$28,332,846	3	Warner Bros. / New Line
9	In Time	$1,675,000	-59%	1,367	-1224	$1,225	$33,418,841	4	Fox
10	Paranormal Activity 3	$1,000,000	-72%	1,402	-1374	$713	$102,618,677	5	Paramount
11	Footloose (2011)	$835,000	-69%	1,218	-997	$686	$50,140,680	6	Paramount