Superhero Movies and the Money
Do the Green Lantern movie ticket sales herald a dimming of demand for spandex movie heroes?
JUNE 2011: The Green Lantern film, based on the age-old DC Comics property, wins out the lead on it's premier weekend ($52.7 million), but many a film industry person has noted that the $300 million* dollar movie has brought in less the opening weekend than the two previous hero movies already this summer: X-Men: First Class ($56 million) and Thor ($66 million.) Wth a relatively poor showing, hope at Time-Warners is probably shifting to international grosses to pick up the slack.
Looking forward at future releases, though, the trouble is this: X-MEN: First Class has wobbled to a $317 million worldwide finish, which puts it behind all of the previous three X-Men movies and the Wolverine prequel.So the movie-people are asking if this means costume heroes are waning in appeal?
Now, some historical comparisons for context:
X-MEN
X-Men (2000) Weekend (3 day) total: $54.4 million
Total worldwide gross: $296.4 million ($75 million budget)
X-Men X2 (2003) Weekend total: $85.5 million
Total worldwide gross: $417.7 million ($125 million budget)
X-Men The Last Stand (2006) Weekend total: $102.7 million
Total worldwide gross: $459.4 million ($150 million budget)
X-Men Wolverine (2009) Weekend total: $85 million
Total worldwide gross: $374.8 million ($150 million budget)
X-Men First Class (2011) Weekend total: $55.1 million
Total Worldwide gross: $288.1 million ($160 million budget)
BATMAN
Batman (1989) Weekend total: $40.4 million
Total Worldwide gross: $411.3 million ($35 million budget)
Batman Returns (1992) Weekend total: $45.6 million
Total Worldwide gross: $266.8 million ($80 million budget)
Batman Forever (1995) Weekend total: $52.7 million
Total Worldwide gross: $336.5 million ($100 million budget)
Batman & Robin (1997) Weekend total: $42.8 million
Total Worldwide gross: $238.3 million ($125 million budget)
Batman Begins (2005) Weekend total: $48.7 million
Total Worldwide gross: $368.5 million ($150 million budget)
Batman Dark Knight (2008) Weekend total: $158.4 million
Total Worldwide gross: $1.1 billion ($185 million budget)
Much more info about The Dark Knight at cinemagraphe.com
IRONMAN
Iron Man (2008) Weekend total: $102 million
Total Worldwide gross: $582.4 million ($186 million budget)
Iron Man 2 (2010) Weekend total: $128 million
Total Worldwide gross: $623.5 million ($170 million budget)
SUPERMAN
Superman (1978) Weekend total: $7.4 million
Total Worldwide gross: $300.2 million ($55 million budget)
Superman Returns (2006) Weekend total: $52.3 million
Total Worldwide gross: $390.8 million ($232 million budget)
FANTASTIC FOUR
Fantastic Four (2005) Weekend total: $56.0 million
Total Worldwide gross: $330.7 million ($87.5 million budget)
Fantastic Four Silver Surfer (2007) Weekend total: $58.0 million
Total Worldwide gross: $288.2 million ($120 million budget)
SPIDER-MAN
Spider-Man (2002) Weekend total: $114.8 million
Total Worldwide gross: $821.5 million ($139 million budget)
Spider-Man 2 (2004) Weekend total: $88.1 million
Total Worldwide gross: $783.7 million ($200 million budget)
Spider-Man 3 (2007) Weekend total: $151.1 million
Total Worldwide gross: $890.8 million ($258 million budget)
*$300 million: $200 million production budget, $100 million marketing push.
Original page July 19, 2011
