Audience tracking surveys are increasingly failing to predict box office, notes Deadline.com’s Anita Busch, who catalogs a succession of recent wrong calls. For example, tracking surveys predicted roughly $20 million in domestic box office for the three-day premiere weekend for The Weinstein Co.’s young-adult “The Giver,” which ended up with just $12.3 million. That’s a … [Read more...] about Tracking Data Crisis Intensifies
research
Research Struggles With ‘Neighbors,’ ‘Blended’
Universal Pictures' R-rated comedy "Neighbors" confounded Hollywood research with an over-the-top $51.1 million in box office over its premiere three-day weekend, 46% higher than tracking studies that expected $35 million. The raunchy comedy stars Seth Rogan being abused by a college fraternity that shatters the peace of the neighborhood, and it far surpassed the second week of … [Read more...] about Research Struggles With ‘Neighbors,’ ‘Blended’
‘Noah’ Endures Extensive Research Screenings
Paramount Pictures “made and (audience) tested as many as half-a-dozen of its own” edited versions of the Biblical drama “Noah,” starring Russell Crowe, according to a lengthy article in the Hollywood Reporter. The retelling of the Noah’s Ark story of global flooding, which was produced for $125 million with New Regency Productions, is scheduled to premiere March … [Read more...] about ‘Noah’ Endures Extensive Research Screenings
Whites Suddenly Boost Black-themed Films
Movies centered on stories about blacks are suddenly doing big box office, which the Hollywood Reporter attributes to white moviegoers increasingly part of their cinema audience. “Never before has such a diverse slate of black-led films performed so well at the box office as they have in recent months,” says the Hollywood Reporter article by Pamela McClintock and Rebecca … [Read more...] about Whites Suddenly Boost Black-themed Films
Research Shuffle for Movie ‘Playability’
A new entrant is shaking up the research niche for evaluating movies once they are in theaters, squeezing incumbent CinemaScore, says a Hollywood Reporter article. This research evaluates what moviegoers think of a movie itself, which is called playability. The THR article by Pamela McClintock notes that “box-office tracking service Rentrak and partner Screen Engine have … [Read more...] about Research Shuffle for Movie ‘Playability’
Panic Attack for ‘Pacific Rim’ Softness
Audience tracking surveys suggest big-budget sci-fi film “Pacific Rim” will be a box office disappointment, so distributor Warner Bros. and producing partner Legendary Pictures scramble in marketing triage. “Pacific Rim” will premiere July 12. Warner and Legendary collaborated on Superman reboot “Man of Steel,” which is a box office hit with $271 million in domestic (US … [Read more...] about Panic Attack for ‘Pacific Rim’ Softness
Brad Pitt’s ‘War Z’ Undergoes Reshoots
Hollywood has a pretty good track record of avoiding box office catastrophes with big-budget movies—meaning production budgets of $120 mil. or more--and Paramount is determined that its “World War Z” doesn’t get added to that short list. A "Hollywood Reporter" article recounts how Paramount Pictures engaged in a late revamp of its Brad Pitt apocalyptic yarn “World War Z” … [Read more...] about Brad Pitt’s ‘War Z’ Undergoes Reshoots
‘Rock of Ages’ Soars Online, Stumbles at BO
Some movie marketing pros think that I’ve gone daft when I suggest that a movie being a hit in social media doesn't necessarily translate into to being a hit in cinema release. Now a research firm serves up an example. Social media research firm Attensity notes that the movie “Rock of Ages” was embraced by consumers in social media prior to its theatrical release, which … [Read more...] about ‘Rock of Ages’ Soars Online, Stumbles at BO
Ad Giant Enters Film Research
The small world of Hollywood movie research just got a little more crowded with an affiliate of advertising giant WPP agreeing to acquire film research boutique Movies First International. The Penn Schoen Berland consultancy—which is the WPP affiliate—issued a press release announcing its buy of First Movies, which has offices in Los Angeles and London. The WPP behemoth has … [Read more...] about Ad Giant Enters Film Research
Twitter Lifts ‘Super 8’ by $5m?
If tracking surveys are to be believed, Paramount Pictures squeezed another $5 million in boxoffice out of the opening weekend for “Super 8” with its tie-in promotion with Twitter. Not bad and not great either. The youth-oriented sci-fi yarn finished the three-day premiere weekend with $35.5 million (plus another $1 million from Thursday sneak previews arranged by … [Read more...] about Twitter Lifts ‘Super 8’ by $5m?