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Post by kramer1 on Jan 3, 2016 11:39:28 GMT -5
Wow. Really? I find it hard to believe that I will share this sentiment. That's like saying Creed was better than Rocky. They're the same movie, but one has a black Rocky. 1-3, the prequels, not the original trilogy, which is 4-5-6. My bad! I liked #3 a lot, though. #2 was ok. #1 was a Fecal Matter show.
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Post by The Duke on Jan 3, 2016 12:02:43 GMT -5
1-3, the prequels, not the original trilogy, which is 4-5-6. My bad! I liked #3 a lot, though. #2 was ok. #1 was a Fecal Matter show. #3 was solid, but I preferred TFA. I thought attack of the clones was a dumpster fire outside of Ewen McGregor and to a lesser degree Sam Jackson and Yoda.
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Post by kramer1 on Jan 3, 2016 14:43:16 GMT -5
My bad! I liked #3 a lot, though. #2 was ok. #1 was a Fecal Matter show. #3 was solid, but I preferred TFA. I thought attack of the clones was a dumpster fire outside of Ewen McGregor and to a lesser degree Sam Jackson and Yoda. I liked what's her name. She's a spinner.
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Post by kinsm on Jan 17, 2016 23:11:03 GMT -5
Star Wars finally overtaken at the box-office.
Universal’s Ride Along 2 topped the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with an estimated $39.5 million from 3,175 theaters, well behind the first installment but easily enough to win the four-day weekend ahead of The Revenant and Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The $40 million sequel — reuniting Kevin Hart and Ice Cube — opened exactly two years after Ride Along debuted to a surprise, record-breaking $48.6 million.
Awards frontrunner The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Alejandro G. Inarritu, placed No. 2 with an estimated four-day gross of $35 million from 3,559 locations for a domestic total of $93.2 million.
After ruling the box office for four consecutive weekends, The Force Awakens came in No. 3 with roughly $32 million from 3,823 theaters for the four days for a domestic total approaching $860 million and a global haul north of $1.8 billion. The movie has begun shedding theaters in North America; its tally since opening had been 4,134 sites before this weekend.
Star Wars finished 1st in the box-office daily from it's opening December 18th through January 10th, a run of 24 consecutive days. And the film has sold nearly 100 million tickets nationally.
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Post by kinsm on Jan 21, 2016 23:46:30 GMT -5
Disney and Lucasfilm announced that they pushed back the release date on Star Wars: Episode VIII from May 26, 2017 to December 15, 2017. The official press release made sure to cite Star Wars: The Force Awakens' strong box office success "outside the traditional summer blockbuster window." That led to assumptions about the delay being part of a master plan to make the month of December the franchise's permanent landing spot.
Borys Kit of The Hollywood Reporter heard from his sources that Episode VIII is being delayed so the script can be adjusted to capitalize on the unexpected popularity of the new characters. "Obviously the December date worked out very (very) well for them but I've also heard they are rewriting the script," he tweeted. "I've heard from several sources the rewrites are positive, based on audience reaction to the new characters. People loved them. So strongly. And Lucasfilm was surprised at how well they were received, according to several sources."
It would explain why principal photography on Episode VIII won't begin until next month, which is slightly behind schedule. During last month's global press day, Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy told reporters that filming would start in January.
Star Wars: Episode VIII is written and directed by Rian Johnson, and will start filming in London's Pinewood Studios in the next few weeks, continuing the story of Rey, Finn, Poe, Kylo Ren, plus more legacy characters and all-new characters.
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Post by kramer1 on Jan 22, 2016 5:29:59 GMT -5
Tweens....freakin kill me. Well done ya little bastards. You ruined Star Wars. Maybe they'll right a transgender character into the script now?
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Post by schellis on Jan 22, 2016 9:54:34 GMT -5
Tweens....freakin kill me. Well done ya little bastards. You ruined Star Wars. Maybe they'll right a transgender character into the script now? They kind of already have. The Hutts can change genders.
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Post by redsfanman on Jan 22, 2016 12:24:19 GMT -5
Star Wars VIII is just one of several movies recently announced to be delayed. One of the surprises of the new release date was that it corresponded with Avatar 2, a long awaited sequel to the most profitable movie ever (or did Force Awakens pass it?), but it was just announced that Avatar 2 is also being delayed (likely unrelated). Tom Cruise's The Mummy remake was also delayed, not that anyone cares about that one.
After the success The Force Awakens had in December, with all the Star Wars Christmas toy sales and stuff, I'm not sure what good reason there was to move the future releases to summer anyway. Maybe it lines up with the months of initial release schedule of movies released before I was born... it would've lined up with the 40th anniversary of Episode IV: A New Hope, but what does that really matter? Is anyone really any more or less likely to see a movie because it's released on a 40th anniversary, rather than 40.5 years later?
The release has been moved out of baseball season, into the long, boring, cold summer, when I'd prefer to be indoors watching movies. By releasing around Christmas it'll be in the theater around the time of year I might look to go see a movie with my family.
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Post by kramer1 on Jan 24, 2016 12:31:27 GMT -5
So, finally took the fam to see this garbage yesterday. W.T.F.?!? That wasn't Star Wars. It was more like Divergent crossed with that other Harrison Ford space movie with the little bratty kid. Thanks, Disney...and FU.
The dialogue was Fecal Matter. The acting was Fecal Matter. The entire thing was Fecal Matter. If the kids weren't there I would have walked out.
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Post by kinsm on Nov 4, 2016 6:21:35 GMT -5
Rogue One opens in 6 weeks... $ $ $
Below are Forbes' Box Office Predictions for 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story':
The Realistic Box Office Prediction (130-180 M$ Domestic Weekend Debut) : 430-650 M$ Domestic Total / 520-800 M$ International Total / 950 M$-1.450 B$ Cume
The Optimistic Box Office Prediction (210 M$ Domestic Weekend Debut) : 800 M$ Domestic Total / 975 M$ International Total / 1.775 B$ Cume
The Pessimistic Box Office Prediction (105 M$ Domestic Weekend Debut) : 250 M$ Domestic Total / 305 M$ International Total / 555 M$ Cume
***For comparisons*** 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' grossed (248 M$ Domestic Weekend Debut) : 937 M$ Domestic Total / 1.132 B$ International Total / 2.068 B$ Cume
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Post by kinsm on Nov 4, 2016 6:27:44 GMT -5
^^^I'm not much of a betting man but I'd be willing to wager the odds of it reaching the "optimistic figures" are far better than the "pessimistic figures".
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Post by kinsm on Nov 19, 2016 8:42:47 GMT -5
www.starwars.com/news/emilia-clarke-joins-the-han-solo-stand-alone-film?cmp=smc|670804786&linkId=31337116EMILIA CLARKE JOINS THE HAN SOLO STAND-ALONE FILM Emilia Clarke is heading to a galaxy far, far away — and she’s going to meet Han and Chewie. StarWars.com is excited to announce that Clarke, known for her stirring portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, will join the upcoming untitled Han Solo Star Wars movie. Clarke’s role will round out a dynamic cast of characters that Han and Chewie will encounter on their adventures. Clarke joins Alden Ehrenreich and Donald Glover — previously cast as Han Solo and Lando Calrissian, respectively — in the highly-anticipated film, which is set prior to the original Star Wars trilogy. The untitled Han Solo movie, helmed by directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, is set for release in December 2018.
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Post by kinsm on Jan 7, 2017 14:01:14 GMT -5
Yesterday 'Hidden Figures' became the #1 movie in the box office, besting 'Star Wars: Rogue One' $7.6 M for the day vs. $6.1 M. That marks the first time since 'Rogue One's' national debut on December 16th that it wasn't #1 in the box office (a run of 21 days straight). That 21 straight day run was equal to that of 'The Force Awakens' one year ago.
All told, in it's 22 days at the theater 'Rogue One' has grossed just over $461 M, currently ranking #2 amongst 2016 films in Domestic box office totals. Another $25 M and it'll pass Finding Dory to take the #1 position, which it is expected to do around this time next week. Current projections estimate it brings in $40-80 M more before all is said and done.
At the end of the day it's $500+ M domestic take will rank inside the top 7 highest domestic hauls of all-time (unadjusted for inflation), behind only 'The Force Awakens', 'Avatar', 'Titanic', 'Jurassic World', 'The Avengers', and possibly 'The Dark Knight' if it fails to reach $534 M.
In addition, 'Rogue One' has taken in over $383 M Internationally, and opened in China yesterday - so that total will pass the $400 M mark quickly. That $383 M figure currently ranks 14th amongst 2016 films in International box office totals.
All told a worldwide gross of $900+ M, only surpassed by 2016 films 'Captain America: Civil War', 'Finding Dory', 'Zootopia', and 'The Jungle Book'. All five of the top films this past year worldwide were distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
A far cry from the $2.1 B total that 'Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens' brought in, but a mighty win for Walt Disney. 'The Force Awakens' was still being shown in a limited number of theaters 6 months after it's initial release, something 'Rogue One' is unlikely to match, as 'Rogue One' will begin shedding theaters this coming week. Disney can still look forward to reaping the whirlwind in rental and video purchases later this year. Though, video sales are down across the board 'The Force Awakens' sold a staggering 6.9 million units this past year.
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Post by kinsm on Mar 18, 2017 21:57:09 GMT -5
Rebels has just about caught up to the Rogue One storyline. Not sure how they are going to extend it into a fourth season (which has already been announced), but I'll watch it.
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Post by Lark11 on Feb 10, 2018 2:00:59 GMT -5
Look at the Marvel universe, they are pumping out two or three movies a year and the market is anything but saturated. Star Wars has a similar following, if the movies are quality they'll do just fine. If they are CGI heavy weak acting/plot movies people will be disappointed. Eh, I would disagree. I used to be excited to see the new super hero movies and, frankly, would see all of them. Now, I can't even keep up with them. Exactly how many X-Men movies have there been? I would say the market IS oversaturated and it's only going to get worse, as DC is going to crank out the Justice League at some point. But, back to Star Wars, I would argue the scarcity of the original films is part of what makes them special. They were events. People would line up way in advance to get into the first few screenings. Camp out. It was event entertainment. Now, cranking out a new film every year? Is it going to be the same? Is the product going to be better? Or, just more profitable? variety.com/2018/tv/news/star-wars-new-series-column-cheapening-brand-1202691283/FEBRUARY 9, 2018 3:53PM PT ‘Star Wars’: ‘Game of Thrones,’ Sequels, and the Cheapening of a Franchise (Column)With the announcement of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss' series of films, the number of 'Star Wars' movies is set to double. What does that mean for a fan? By Sonia Saraiya It is astonishing to me that in just a few years, my enthusiasm about the latest announcement of a new “Star Wars” film has gone from giddy, barely contained excitement to complete indifference — if not, at times, a more rancorous frustration. The announcement this week that “Game of Thrones” showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff are slated to helm an entire film series of the beloved science-fiction franchise felt like a nail in the coffin of something I used to love. It’s a reaction that is not wholly about the deal itself, which itself must make perfect sense to anyone outside the fandoms of these franchises. “Game of Thrones” is one wildly successful genre drama and “Star Wars” is another; on some level, this is an obvious pairing. This is more about reckoning with what a film franchise is, and the possible shapes it can take as it moves forward. In this case, the business incentives behind the expansion of the “Star Wars” universe have exposed the creative dearth at its heart. This is yet another signal from Disney that “Star Wars” is rapidly becoming like its Marvel universe — a multi-platform, multi-story universe that advances its narrative and expands its world with each successive print, screen, and digital installment. Since 2008, Marvel has produced 18 films, with six more on deck to be released by 2020; since 2013, it has put on 16 seasons of television. It’s a sprawling monster of content. But to be brutally honest, most of the content isn’t that great. It’s chain-restaurant pop-culture: warm, satisfying enough and quickly forgotten, like a meal at Chili’s. Aside from the merits of bucketloads of cash, there are critical merits to this approach, too. After all, at least Marvel content is generally fine. Many other franchises don’t have the quality control or consistency of the Disney machine — and for a good example, look no further than “Star Wars” before Disney, which was distressingly inconsistent and shamelessly focused on merchandise. When Disney acquired Lucasfilm, it was to save a franchise that had almost been exploited to death. And to the company’s credit, it did: It refocused the universe back to the films, and produced a few well-made, thoughtful additions to a story that began in 1977. But this careful rollout is becoming a deluge, and that does have consequences for quality. First, there’s “Solo,” which will be released May 25 — just six months after the huge, global push for “Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi,” the highest-grossing film of 2017. The trailer, which dropped last Sunday during the Super Bowl, is just the first salvo in a global marketing blitz that we have by now all become familiar with. But this time, it’s starting while the last installment of the “Star Wars” franchise is still playing first-run in theaters across the country. That “Solo” is a prequel film, about the younger versions of characters who are already beloved, makes its promotion feel particularly manipulative: Like the ad campaign is milking us for emotions when we have already spent them all on “The Last Jedi.” The director of that last installment, Rian Johnson, struck a deal with Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy for his own “Star Wars” trilogy, which was announced in December. According to an interview Johnson did with SlashFilm, Kennedy greenlit his trilogy without a story. Now Benioff and Weiss have signed on for an undisclosed number of films, based off of storytelling during a point of time in the “Star Wars” mythology. The fact that the word “series” is being used instead of “trilogy” suggests more than three, although specifics are scarce. Johnson’s trilogy more than doubles the number of “Star Wars” films made by George Lucas; Benioff and Weiss’ would likely add at least three more. This may be just the beginning; rumors about a Boba Fett film and an Obi-Wan Kenobi film have been circulating for some time. In our era of franchise cinema — and streaming television! — more is supposed to be better. More seasons; more episodes; rebooted titles; longer episodes; two-part finale films, like two-part finale seasons. Three movies spanning from 1977 to 1983 were enough to keep “Star Wars” fans fascinated and passionate for decades; the first time that the available “Star Wars” films doubled, it was bad news. Does the set of available “Star Wars” films really need to double — again? Won’t all this production mean that each future installment of “Star Wars” becomes more disposable, as it joins a dozen other films in a multi-platform universe? I feel as if I am watching one drop of something essentially wonderful dilute and dissolve into an ocean of content; you can barely see where it came from. What has distinguished “Star Wars” until now was how good the new movies have been — and how spare their rollout has been, versus the ramped-up production cycle of the Marvel films. Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” is remarkable for being not just a fun “Star Wars” film but for commenting and expanding upon the universe that it exists in, in ways that are frustrating and challenging but ultimately pretty cool. There’s quite a gulf between the skillset that Johnson brings to ‘”Star Wars” and the skillset that Benioff and Weiss bring. I am surprised to be in the rare position of defending the distinction between film and television. But bringing on two showrunners who create adapted installments of a story — instead of manufacturing whole, standalone stories — is not encouraging for a “Star Wars” fan hoping the franchise will resist becoming a mere hydra of content. With Johnson — a small-budget independent filmmaker, before “Star Wars” — the emphasis was on making “Star Wars” movies. With Benioff and Weiss — who have been managing a huge franchise for several years now — the emphasis is, clearly, on expansion and replication. And if “Star Wars” is a franchise that has made mistakes, so too is “Game of Thrones,” which has had a successful but tumultuous path in the spotlight. Naturally not everything that has happened under the “Game of Thrones” imprimatur is the fault of Benioff and Weiss, but as we measure how these franchises move forward, it is notable that two showrunners consistently dogged by concerns about exploitative violence have gotten a crack at one of the most family-friendly franchises currently in production. Benioff and Weiss have been guided by their source material, but that does not explain the decisions they have made that are outside the purview of the books — decisions that have written out characters of color, introduced scenes torturing prostitutes, and filmed violence against women exploitatively. As I’ve written before, the way that violence is packaged on the show belies a privileged lens that plays out violence for entertainment value. This just is not very “Star Wars” — I mean, it was a big deal when the newer “Star Wars” films got a PG-13 rating, over the slightly tamer PG. Of course, some of “Game of Thrones'” violence is about staying true to the source material. But some of it, too, is just about keeping the audience’s attention. And maybe that’s something “Star Wars” is planning to start investing in. Because as other franchises and sequels have demonstrated, as any creative universe gets bigger, it inevitably needs to rely on bigger explosions to make an impact. This is one of the reasons that in-universe filmmaking is so predictable and so exhausting; it’s hard to keep reinventing the wheel. Excellent installments — like “Logan” in the X-Men universe or “Black Panther” in the Marvel Universe — are just fractions of overall output. In every other mediocre franchise movie, the world is about to end because of another invading alien; we become inured to the devastation. Even in the newest, quite good “Star Wars” films, the essential threat is the same: the Empire is always being resurrected somewhere; another superweapon is always in the works. What I fear is that Benioff and Weiss have been signed onto “Star Wars” not to adapt to the universe, but to change it; that “Star Wars,” desperate to offer something different to their viewers, would become more like the seamier, splashier “Game of Thrones.” But “Star Wars” is not about being jaded. It is about wonder. It’s about the romance of space travel, the epic scale of interstellar warfare, and the scale of history as measured across not just time but space-time. “Game of Thrones” is the rebellious teenager of genre franchises — all hormones and death and black clothes. “Star Wars” is an innocent, naïve adolescent, still fixated on first kisses and weird gadgets and lingering views of the sunset. That the romance of this series somehow survived what the first franchise did to it is kind of a miracle. Now I wonder how much more it could take. It would be such a mistake to dilute this series’ beauty, to resign “Star Wars” to the fate that every franchise from “Harry Potter” to “Lord of the Rings” has suffered — the fate of too much, when restraint is so often what makes a work into a work of art. Admittedly, this frustration is driven at least partly by my own nostalgia. But at least here, I feel very clear: My nostalgia matters to Disney. Our collective nostalgia for these films is what Disney is trying to capitalize on, and sell back to us, by making more of these movies. But the more they do this — the more franchises they do this to — the less potent our wonder becomes. Disney’s “Star Wars” has been, until now, a uniquely restrained franchise. It would be great if it could stay that way.
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