It is a universal business axiom to funnel resources to areas of weakness with upside potential, because a turnaround there yields the biggest sales improvement, and that’s certainly the case with movies.
A Hollywood Reporter story notes that Paramount Pictures is working hard to stoke international interest in the next “Star Trek,” since the sci-fi movie series has performed poorly outside the domestic market (where its latest edition is scheduled for May 17 premiere).
The article by Pamela McClintock notes these publicity efforts overseas for Star Trek Into Darkness:
In early December, producer J.J. Abrams and star Chris Pine to drum up publicity for a nine-minute online trailer.
Producer Bryan Burk traveled to Brazil, Russia, Australia and seven other countries to promote 25 minutes of footage to cinema operators.
Paramount is emphasizing Benedict Cumberbatch’s villainous character in many foreign markets where a bad-guy-vs.-good-guy storyline resonates best.
Foreign press and exhibitors attended a special press day in Los Angeles a few months ago.
In some territories, Into Darkness’ promotion highlights that much of the movie takes place on Earth and not outer space. “In many places, we did extensive research to find out what we should showcase,” president of international distribution Anthony Marcoly says in the article. “Overseas, we’ve tried to get away from the Trekkiness of it all.”
Looking back the prior film, Star Trek, which is the 2009 reboot of the franchise, was positioned as a disaster film in Russia and Mexico, since sci-fi was deemed less of a draw.
The Hollywood Reporter article notes that Warner Bros. was successful in a similar push-foreign-territories effort for 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” which was the first Batman movie to make more overseas ($632.9 million in box office) than domestically ($448.1 million).
The prior “Star Trek” movie grossed $257.7 million domestically (USA + Canada), while just $127.9 million overseas. That’s a ratio of 67% domestic and 33% domestic. The domestic/overseas ratio for special-effects laden movie would be expected to be evenly matched or even tilt to foreign in box office.
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