Wow, I never expected this movie to be a bomb. Maybe not a blockbuster, but never thought it would be a huge flop.
This makes two years in a row that Disney has put out huge money losing duds (John Carter last year and now The Lone Ranger this year).
Did The Lone Ranger’s Failure Endanger Future Films?
The Walt Disney Co.’s The Lone Ranger is set to become one of the summer’s biggest box office flops, as it is estimated to bring in just $45 million during the July 4th holiday period from Wednesday through Sunday. The $225 million film was thoroughly dominated by Comcast Corp.’s animated Universal film Despicable Me 2, which made an estimated $142.1 million in the same period on a budget of only $76 million. The enormous box office disaster of The Lone Ranger is leading many to speculate what the future of Hollywood filmmaking will look like.
Last month, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg predicted the “implosion” of the film industry due to Hollywood’s recent focus on blockbusters — or “tentpole” films as they’ve come to be known. ”There’s going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even a half-dozen megabudget movies are going to go crashing into the ground, and that’s going to change the paradigm,” Spielberg explained.
The idea is that while there have been various big-budget flops, they have have been spread out enough so that the damage was mitigated through time. Disney’s 2012 sci-fi blockbuster John Carter was one of the biggest flops of all-time, but the film did not ultimately have a huge impact on Disney as they’ve since had enormous success with The Avengers and other films. The question is: what if two films like John Carter and The Lone Ranger were released around the same time and performed similarly?
Lucas and Spielberg believe it could bring an entire studio down.
Last year’s John Carter is an example of a film you’re not likely to see again: a blockbuster film that isn’t pre-marketed as a franchise. If you’re starting to get frustrated with how many franchises there are out there, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. If Hollywood was already weary of putting money into something without solid brand recognition, it’s unlikely to ever happen again after John Carter’s box office performance and given how the The Lone Ranger is turning out. In the future, the franchise is likely to be king.
Studios are already stockpiling franchises that they hope will protect them from catastrophic losses. Disney is the franchise mogul at the moment, despite its missteps with The Lone Ranger and John Carter. Along with the highly lucrative Marvel properties, Disney also acquired Star Wars in November to go along with the Muppets and Pixar brands
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Originally posted by KevintripodDid The Lone Ranger’s Failure Endanger Future Films?
The Walt Disney Co.’s The Lone Ranger is set to become one of the summer’s biggest box office flops, as it is estimated to bring in just $45 million during the July 4th holiday period from Wednesday through Sunday. The $225 million film was thoroughly dominated by Comcast Corp.’s animated Universal film Despicable Me 2, which made an estimated $142.1 million in the same period on a budget of only $76 million. The enormous box office disaster of The Lone Ranger is leading many to speculate what the future of Hollywood filmmaking will look like.
You know, it COULD be that the film flopped because of a poor marketing machine, a faulty idea, bad early reviews, and Johnny Depp/Gore Verbinski fatigue. But hey, what do I know?
Now once the CGI animation studios and workers eventually go on strike over their hideously unfair wages, THEN there's going to be a huge problem! And THAT will probably be the big changer!
It's weird that Disney keeps doing these giant budget pulp-era hero movies. It's like they know they're going to bomb and want them to for tax purposes. Look at how the Disney owned Good Morning America reported almost gleefully that The Lone Ranger had flopped during Thursday's morning show, hammering it home on Friday's show.
Very odd.
"Tattoos are the mullets of the aughts." - Mike Naimark
"Don't stop after beating the swords into ploughshares, don't stop! Go on beating and make musical instruments out of them. Whoever wants to make war again will have to turn them into ploughshares first" - Yehuda Amichai
I think the idea of Depp playing an iconic Native American like Tonto probably rubbed some people the wrong way. If Depp was the Lone Ranger, cool, but not Tonto. The other problem is it looked like every action Western that has been out. A lot of unrealistic explosions and stunts for the time period.
I do think Disney will be fine with the take of Iron Man doing a billion. The real problem will be when something like Guardians of the Galaxy bombs and they have no other big film to help them out. They are usually smart enough to have a Pixar film to make sure they make money, but man Turbo looks awful. I doubt it will destroy Disney, but Western films are done as far as big action summer movies. Which is fine, because they shouldn't be.
Considering its almost $50 to take a family of four out to the movies if you include one bucket of popcorn, a $100 is not far off. Hell, World War Z had $50 tickets, I hope Brad's wife was giving out lap dances, because that is the only way those tickets would be worth it.
The Wee Baby Sheamus.Twitter: @realjoecarfley its a bit more toned down there. A bit.
Originally posted by lotjxThey are usually smart enough to have a Pixar film to make sure they make money, but man Turbo looks awful.
It does?
My son and his buddies are all dying to see Turbo. Are we missing some reason we should think badly of it?
Now the Planes preview left us all feeling bleh. Granted I'm betting it will make tons of money, but I haven't laughed at any of the clips I've seen from it yet.
As for the thread topic, even though I kinda want to see it, I didn't get why a Lone Ranger movie preview would pretty much ignore the Ranger and focus on some white dude playing an Indian. Too much for me to go out of my way to see it.
Originally posted by lotjxI think the idea of Depp playing an iconic Native American like Tonto probably rubbed some people the wrong way. If Depp was the Lone Ranger, cool, but not Tonto.
From Wikipedia: (en.wikipedia.org) In a 2002 interview, Depp stated that he believed he has Native American ancestry;[8] in 2011, he specified, "I guess I have some Native American [in me] somewhere down the line. My great-grandmother was quite a bit of Native American, she grew up Cherokee or maybe Creek Indian. Makes sense in terms of coming from Kentucky, which is rife with Cherokee and Creek."[9] He has also stated that he "apparently" has Native American ancestry, and that "There are so many different things you're told [growing up] in Kentucky" [about his heritage].[10] His Native ancestry came under question when Indian Country Today Media Network stated that Depp has never inquired about his heritage nor does the Cherokee Nation recognize him as a member[11] (see also Controversy (Comanche adoption) below). Research published by Ancestry.com in 2013 stated that Depp is a descendant of Elizabeth Key Grinstead (b. 1630), a biracial woman, who was the first woman of African ancestry in the North American colonies to sue for her freedom from slavery and win.[12]
Not that whether Johnny Depp has any Native American heritage ultimately mattered to most people.
The tally is:
Johnny Depp funny makeup/goofy accent pirate? Yes. Johnny Depp funny makeup/goofy accent vampire? No. Johnny Depp funny makeup/goofy accent Injun? No.
The key problem here is whoever green-lit $225 million for a Lone Ranger reboot. That's a bigger budget than Iron Man 3, Star Trek: Into Darkness, or Fast & Furious 6 reportedly had.
If they couldn't do "Lone Ranger" for $50 million or less, it should not have been made. I don't care if it ultimately makes money...throwing this much money at an old west franchise whose exposure since the 1950's has been half-ass retreads is just absurd.
I saw it over the weekend. Yeah, it has a wildly impressive finale, but the two hours leading up to it are pretty drawn out and dumb, often absurd.
It was better than I expected it to be, but I had seriously low expectations.
Originally posted by Mr Heel IIYeah, it has a wildly impressive finale, but the two hours leading up to it are pretty drawn out and dumb, often absurd.
It was better than I expected it to be, but I had seriously low expectations.
I concur wholeheartedly. I didn't think it was terrible, but I didn't think it was great. My biggest beef is the way that John Reid/the Lone Ranger was portrayed. The Lone Ranger I recall was more stoic & authoritative; not the almost-bumbling idiot portrayed by Armie Hammer.
Could it be who they're going against? If it were released on a quieter movie opening weekend, it could have done better. In fact, a lot of so-called flops have occurred because of who opened alongside them at the same time.
I seem to recall seeing that said about Weird Al's awesome UHF movie.
Originally posted by Mr Heel IIThe key problem here is whoever green-lit $225 million for a Lone Ranger reboot. That's a bigger budget than Iron Man 3, Star Trek: Into Darkness, or Fast & Furious 6 reportedly had.
That man would be Rich Ross. I'm pretty sure Disney thought it would be a bomb. In 2011 the production was halted because of concerns about the movies that Rich Ross had greenlit and the money he was spending. At that point I think it was too late for them to turn back though but the director, producer and two stars had to cut their pay day by 20% just to get down to the budget they ended with. Ross was in charge for some massive hits (On Stranger Tides, Toy Story 3, Alice in Wonderland) but his last three movies (John Carter, Mars Needs Moms and The Lone Ranger) are why he no longer works for Disney. (To be fair to Ross he DID knock it out of the park for Disney's television product before that. He was in charge for Hannah Montana, The Suite Life, Wizards of Waverly Place etc.)
Alan Horn is chairman now. He was in charge of Warner Brothers during the Harry Potter yeas and at least the beginning of the Batman franchise. Hopefully that means better decisions ahead for Disney.
I hope this doesn't damage Armie Hammer's career. Unlike Taylor Kitsch, I think he's a talented young actor but was probably not right for this part and also had the misfortune of being overshadowed by Depp's old act.
Originally posted by QuezzyI hope this doesn't damage Armie Hammer's career. Unlike Taylor Kitsch, I think he's a talented young actor but was probably not right for this part
I think Armie Hammer wasn't right for the part the same reason Taylor Kitach wasn't right for the part in John Carter. Most movie viewers had no idea who they were.
As for Johnny Depp, I think this movie is a good sign that people are tiring of his act, or just getting tired of him period.
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
It would be nice if Depp did something that wasn't Disney or a Hunter S Thompson type thing. Donnie Brasco was on the other night and I got into a debate whether Depp had another role like that in him. I would think so, but I am also not sure.
Originally posted by QuezzyI hope this doesn't damage Armie Hammer's career. Unlike Taylor Kitsch, I think he's a talented young actor but was probably not right for this part
I think Armie Hammer wasn't right for the part the same reason Taylor Kitach wasn't right for the part in John Carter. Most movie viewers had no idea who they were.
Actually, Armie Hammer was one of my favorite parts of this movie. I think he's got great comedic timing. The movie's biggest sin was the same as Pirates 4: the script was a jumbled mash of parts that only mostly fit together. You could have cut 40 minutes off this film with a tighter script. The utterly pointless framing device alone would have given you about 15 or 20. For my money, Gore Verbinski is the best director of action sequences working today. Focus in on about 90 minutes of that, an you could have had a real winner.
1. The Lone Ranger 2. White House Down 3. After Earth 4. The Hangover 3 5. The Internship 6. Tyler Perry Presents Peeples 7. The Bling Ring 8. The Big Wedding
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
Johnny Depp Disses Acting as He Sets the Stage for His Final Bow
And here we thought his great love for playing outlandish characters would carry him into his twilight years.
Johnny Depp is letting it be known — he plans to quit the business. More than that, he's taking a pot shot at his profession in the process, calling his career "an insane option." Harsh words for a man who was listed by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012 as the world's highest paid actor after earning $75 million for the fourth "Pirates" installment. "I wouldn't say I am dropping out any second but I would say it's probably not too far away," the 50-year-old actor said during an interview with the BBC.
One reason he gave for his impending departure — that he utters more words from movie scripts than he speaks of his own volition. "You start thinking about that as kind of an insane option for a human being," he said.
Hey, the guy has been pretty busy over the past 10 years ever since the success of the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" installment. He recently indicated the wear and tear that comes with filming big would-be blockbusters, telling Yahoo! Movies, "I'm an old man," alluding to the difficulty that comes with working 14-to-16-hour-long days on set. And his most recent one, "The Lone Ranger," took longer than planned to make, requiring more money and much more time than its originally scheduled four-month shoot to complete.
Depp's comments come on the heels of "The Lone Ranger" tanking at the box office, still nowhere near breaking even. And Depp may be road weary, as he's been pounding the pavement for more than a month promoting the film in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, Tokyo, and now London. Add to that his latest leading roles, which failed to make a major splash — especially in the U.S.: "Dark Shadows" (which cost $150 million to make, and garnered only $79.7 million in the states — with more money made overseas, but not quite enough to claim even marginal profits) and "The Rum Diary" (which only made back half of its $45 million production budget).
Depp said that after he calls it quits with Hollywood, that he wants to embark on "quieter" pursuits, though he didn't explain what exactly that meant.
Depp has been seen more frequently in public with his girlfriend, 27-year-old actress Amber Heard, following his split with Vanessa Paradis (with whom he has two children). Perhaps the soon-to-be-former-actor plans to spend more time with Heard on his private islands, one of which is rumored to have a beach named after her.
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill
After five years, I finally broke down and bought a new computer. I went through one of the deals on the Extreme Overclocking site, which link back to GotApex.com's deals.