The day after the premiere of "The Flash," the film's media reputation was officially lifted.
There’s no doubting the quality of this superhero bombshell itself.
In addition, Warner Bros. Pictures not only invested US$50 million in the promotion budget for "The Flash", but also spared no effort in media and public relations.
Driven by comprehensive factors, although it is a standard popcorn commercial film, "The Flash" has received very positive reviews on various mainstream media platforms in North America.
After statistics, calculated on a 10-point scale, the comprehensive media score of "The Flash" reached an astonishing 9.1 points.
Simon himself feels that based on the film standards of this era and the quality of "The Flash" itself, the film's 8-point review score is very reasonable. The 9.1-point score is obviously due to Warner's public relations operations.
Although American film critics claim to be objective and impartial, they are not incapable of influence.
Major studios usually don't interfere too much with the media's evaluation of a movie. However, when they occasionally put their efforts into a key project like "The Flash" that involves some important layout, film critics are very happy to sell a movie. face.
Ultimately, film critics are dependent on the entire Hollywood film industry for their survival.
Almost all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe series in the original space and time can get high scores. Anyone with a discerning eye can see that it is not just the quality of the film itself.
In any case, with an excellent media reputation of 9.1 points, an overwhelming publicity campaign, more than 3,000 opening screens, and the support of a well-known superhero IP, the right time, place and people combined to create this superhero film. A blockbuster hit at the box office.
On December 20, the first day of filming, "The Flash" successfully earned a box office of US$16.12 million, including the box office of early screenings and midnight screenings.
In comparison, Spielberg's "Captain Hawke", which also had a production budget of US$70 million, opened on December 13 and just experienced its first week of screenings. The cumulative box office in seven days was only US$17.55 million.
"The Flash" only had a box office of US$16.12 million on its first day, which is already equivalent to the box office data of "Captain Hawke" in its first seven days.
Not to mention anything else, just this comparison is enough to show the unstoppable momentum of "The Flash".
From December 20th to December 22nd, in the three days of its opening weekend, "The Flash" quickly earned a box office of 49.31 million U.S. dollars. Such box office results are only behind the two previous "Batman" movies. Also in Hollywood is Invincible.
As a result, when the first weekend box office of "The Flash" was released, an article in "The Hollywood Reporter" couldn't help but sigh that Hollywood's current movies can be divided into two types at the box office: DC movie universe movies and other movies.
Affected by the strong impact of "The Flash", many old movies that were supposed to rebound at the box office during this Christmas period actually experienced varying degrees of decline in box office numbers.
Perhaps due to too strong media comparison, the reputation of "Captain Hawke" among the media and audiences has further declined. This also caused the film's box office to drop by a full 28% the next weekend. In such a period that should have rebounded from the decline, During the period, the box office dropped by 28%, which is already very serious.
What's more, "Captain Hawke"'s opening box office starting point was already very low.
Therefore, compared with the US$49.31 million in box office of "The Flash" in its opening three days, the box office of "Captain Hawke" in the second weekend was only US$9.68 million.
In ten days, this blockbuster, which Columbia Pictures had high hopes for, had grossed only US$27.23 million.
In the original timeline, even though the reputation of "Captain Hawke" collapsed, the North American box office could still reach over 100 million, mainly because there were no other competing films in the same period, and it happened to be Christmas. The lively "Captain Hawke" is indeed more suitable for family audiences to watch the movie. This has achieved a cumulative box office of over 100 million in North America.
Now, with an IP that is as popular as Peter Pan's "The Flash", coupled with the huge disparity in quality and media reputation between the two films, it is completely self-evident how the audience will choose.
What's more, before "The Flash", "Toy Story" was released during the Thanksgiving holiday. This 3D animated movie is also suitable for family audiences and still maintains good stamina.
Therefore, based on the ten-day cumulative box office figures of "Captain Hawke" and the subsequent box office trend under the impact of films such as "The Flash", the media generally predicts that the total box office of this blockbuster in North America is likely to stop at 60 million. Dollar.
This number is more than 40% lower than the box office of "Captain Hawke" in Simon's memory.
The North American box office was 60 million US dollars. If it were other films, it might be called a blockbuster.
However, for "Captain Hawk", the production cost of this film alone is as high as 70 million U.S. dollars. Even if the total production and publicity budget does not reach the 120 million U.S. dollars of "The Flash", it still exceeds 1 One hundred million U.S. dollars.
In the original time and space, "Captain Hawke", which had a box office of over 100 million in North America, was distributed through various channels, and it took a few years to barely recover all the costs of the film.
Now, the expected box office has plummeted by 40% compared with the original time and space. Even through subsequent overseas distribution and even video tapes and other peripherals, it will be very difficult for "Captain Hawke" to recover all budget costs.
In fact, not only "Captain Hawk", but also "Killing JFK", which opened at the same time as "Captain Hawk" last week, and even a series of films released during the Thanksgiving holiday have had a very obvious impact on the box office data.
After all, the opening weekend's $49.31 million, including the film's reputation, can almost guarantee "The Flash"'s North American box office of $250 million.
US$250 million is equivalent to cutting a very large piece of cake from the banknotes at this year-end period.
"The Flash" cuts away too much, and what other films can share will naturally be greatly reduced.
A new week has begun and Christmas is approaching.
However, the eyes of the entire world were attracted by Moscow's every move.
Europe's turmoil, which has lasted for more than two years, has come to a head in recent months as Gorbachev's reforms failed.
In the past two years, East and West Germany have been unified. Countries in Eastern Europe have announced their separation from the Warsaw Pact, and some republics have even declared independence. The Soviet regime, which has been confronting the Western world for half a century, has entered its final moments.
Finally, just after Christmas Eve, on Christmas Day, the Supreme Leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, announced that he would resign from all personal positions and that all political, economic and military assets of the Soviet Union would be inherited by Russia.
The next day, after the last meeting of the Supreme Soviet, the Soviet Federal Republic was officially dissolved.
Amid overwhelming media coverage around the world, Simon just watched this dramatic change with cold eyes.
Russians seemed to have the freedom they wanted.
However, they don't know that what they are about to face is an even colder winter.
Gorbachev was generally a very enlightened leader. However, Yeltsin, who inherited most of his power, was merely a careerist. The relatively rich wealth accumulated during the Soviet era will be completely squandered by Yeltsin in the next ten years.
Simon also thought about the Soviet Union's way out in private, and finally came to a very pessimistic result.
This is basically a dead end.
No matter what, during the process of great changes in the system, it will be difficult for ordinary people in Russia to escape such a disaster that is no less than a war. However, if no changes are made and the terminally ill Soviet Union continues to exist, it will still head towards the abyss.
Ups and downs, all people suffer.
Then, Simon once again discovered what a lucky country the United States is.
They have George Washington, the division of power, and a bottom-up power structure. In the two hundred years since the founding of the country, apart from the Civil War, the mainland has never experienced any major disasters. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, this country will become the planet. The only superpower in the world.
For many years to come, as the only superpower, the United States will only be able to bully others.
While the whole world is cheering that the era of peace has finally arrived, Simon knows that peace is always temporary.
War, war never changes.
The selfishness and aggression that are rooted deep in the genes of all living things on this planet are destined to end in tragedy in too many things.
Of course, the world will not change because of Simon's pessimism.
As countries around the world are planning how to deal with the world structure after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the entire Westeros system has also begun to discuss its next expansion plan.
After merging MCA, Simon has already launched a plan to develop emerging markets within Daenerys Entertainment Group.
With the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the further opening of the Eastern European market will be Daenerys Entertainment's next business focus.
In addition, the Westeros Company as a whole is also formulating plans to expand throughout Eastern Europe, and Cersei Capital is already looking to raise a fund that specializes in investing in Eastern European countries.
Even the Australian Johnston family, Anthony Johnston, plans to fly to Moscow in the near future.
After all, Russia is a well-known resource power.
Since the wealth accumulated during the Soviet era was destined to be squandered by Yeltsin, Simon didn't mind taking a piece of the pie, so he began to think about some plans while continuing to accompany Janet on maternity leave.
On the other hand, changes in the world structure have not affected the Christmas schedule in North America.
After a box office of US$49.31 million in its first weekend, "The Flash" finally reached a box office of US$72.86 million in its first seven-day week. Not only was it the undisputed champion of the single-week box office list, but it also left the subsequent films on the weekly box office list far behind. .
During the week of December 20th to December 26th, the second-placed film on the list was neither "Captain Hawke" which opened last week, nor "Assassination", a collaboration between Oliver Stone and Kevin Costner. JFK", but the Daenerys Entertainment 3D animated film "Toy Story" released on Thanksgiving.
Because of Christmas, "Toy Story" did not achieve a box office decline due to the strength of "The Flash", but it still maintained a weak box office drop of only 7%, collecting another US$16.71 million.
After five weeks of release, this 3D animated film has a cumulative box office of US$140.69 million.
Considering that the single-week box office still remains at a high of 16.71 million U.S. dollars, and the long-lasting attributes of animated movies, "Toy Story" will be able to hit the 200 million U.S. dollar mark very smoothly in the next screenings. Such box office results are better than $190 million for the original 1995 version of "Toy Story."
However, considering the resources Daenerys Entertainment has invested in this project, a box office of $200 million seems reasonable.
In fact, if it weren't for the impact of "The Flash", this version of "Toy Story" would have had a higher box office.
Although "Toy Story" is behind the first place "The Flash" by more than 50 million US dollars, it is still too lucky compared to "Captain Hawke" and "JFK".
In its second week, the overall box office of "Captain Hawke" dropped by 26%, taking in another US$12.98 million.
In the two weeks since its release, this blockbuster with an investment of US$70 million has only had a cumulative box office of US$30.53 million. The project's losses are almost a foregone conclusion.
Counting the summer film "Condor" starring Bruce Willis with an investment of US$65 million, the two key projects operated by Columbia Pictures this year all ended in a very bleak situation.
Japan's economy continues to decline. With two consecutive films suffering huge losses, there has even been news in the industry that Sony plans to withdraw from Hollywood.
Although Sony immediately clarified that such an argument was just a rumor, since the acquisition of Columbia Pictures, it has paid several large "tuition fees" in succession. Sony is obviously unable to bear it. For the two professional managers of Columbia Pictures, Peter... Cooper and Jon Peters also had questions.
In addition, after combing through some good news media, we unexpectedly discovered that Columbia Pictures' films with the best returns in recent years are precisely the two films "The Red Star" and "Dangerous Days" that were consecutively collaborated with Daenerys Entertainment last year. Movie.
Although profits must be shared with Daenerys Entertainment, the combined production costs of last year's two films were not as high as either of this year's two blockbusters.
However, either of these two films did better at the box office than this year's "The Condor" and "Captain Hawke," two undeserved 'blockbusters'.
Because of this report, the media once again focused their attention on Daenerys Entertainment, which has become a Hollywood giant in just a few years.
Therefore, it has also been found that in recent years, companies that work more closely with Daenerys Entertainment have benefited more.
Simon Westeros's original "Run Lola Run" directly saved Orion from possible bankruptcy at the time.
Several films in cooperation with Fox have also made the big studio a lot of money, and the two series of "The Butterfly Effect" and "The Resurrection" are still ongoing.
Subsequently, ten film projects were planned, each of which brought very generous profits to the partners.
Immediately afterwards, there is the DC movie universe plan.
If the rise of the DC movie universe had not brought a large amount of revenue to Time Warner, and even significantly increased Time Warner's stock price, this large media group, which had just completed its merger last year, would have never been able to survive the economic downturn after the collapse of the U.S. bond market. It will seem too easy.
The intensity of the power struggle within Time Warner is almost universally known.
If he had not worked hard to promote the cooperation between Time Warner and Daenerys in the DC movie universe and various other projects, Steve Ross, who has been criticized for the original merger and subsequent corporate difficulties, within the Time Warner Group The position will definitely not appear too stable.
Because of this trend of public opinion, even Peter Cooper and Jon Peters, who may be in danger of losing their status in the face of pressure from Sony, have privately contacted Amy Pascal again to test whether there are opportunities for continued cooperation between the two parties.