Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Will "TROY" recoup it's production costs.?

This is topic Will "TROY" recoup it's production costs.? in forum Ground Level at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://ft-forum.com/ft/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=001138

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 05-05-2004, 12:39 PM:

There was a very good article about Brad Pitt and his latest film "TROY" in USA Today, yesterday and it had reported that the film had cost 200 million to produce. I am not sure if that amount had also included advertising and production. costs but if it did, the film will have to gross over 300 million to show a profit. I have seen the trailer many times and I must admit, the film looks very good and I will see it in a theatre. Having Orlando Bloom in the film is also a great plus. If the film is as good and exciting as the trailer, it should do very well. Even if it falls short during it's theatrical engagements, it should recoup it's costs from home video. I do not know what the final numbers were for "THE LAST SAMURAI" but I also know this was another expensive Warner Brothers film and from the large crowd eager to buy a DVD yesterday of the film at Circuit City here in Honolulu, it should do well. I predict the same for "TROY" as long as the film does not suck. If the film is just as good as the studio's similar 1956 film, "HELEN OF TROY" , I know I will enjoy it. By the way, does anyone know the films running time?

-Claude

Posted by Richard Greco (Member # 2032) on 05-05-2004, 12:50 PM:

According to boxofficeprophets.com

Total Running time: 165 minutes

This is going to be towards 3hrs with previews

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 05-05-2004, 02:39 PM:

Thanks, Richard

I had a feeling the movie was going to have a very long playing time. Although I had enjoyed the movie very much, Brad Pitt's other three hour film "MEET JOE BLACK" bombed at the box office. If "TROY" can generate the same kind of interest "TITANIC and the "LORD OF THE RINGS" trilogy, the other films with 3 hour plus running times, it will do well. If not, Warner Brothers will be in the same situation as Disney with "THE ALAMO".

-Claude

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 05-06-2004, 06:59 PM:

"Will Troy recoup it's (sic) production costs?" It could with a little creative Hollywood accounting. [Smile]

Maybe we should ask if it will turn a profit? Creative Hollywood accounting again! [Wink]

Posted by Kyle McEachern (Member # 2250) on 05-06-2004, 09:15 PM:

quote: Hawaii 50
Brad Pitt's other three hour film "MEET JOE BLACK" bombed at the box office.

Are you honestly comparing Meet Joe Black to Troy in terms of how well Troy will do at the box office? Yes, they're both three hours, and yes they both have Brad Pitt. But a three-year-old could watch the trailers to each and see that there's absolutely NO other relation between them. That's like comparing a TeleTubbies movie to Showgirls because they both got made with Kodak VISION color print film.

Posted by Alex Rolfe (Member # 1648) on 05-07-2004, 06:48 PM:

We had a preview screening here at MIT on Wednesday. It filled our 550 seat auditorium and we had to turn more than 200 people away, so it certainly seems to have generated plenty of interest. It was good, though not great IMO, and the audience laughed at a number of parts that weren't intended to generate laughter.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-07-2004, 11:36 PM:

Who really cares if it does or not??? I certainly don't. If the studios are not more careful in how they spend and what they make, then they deserve to lose their shirts.

Mark

Posted by Claude S. Ayakawa (Member # 1401) on 05-08-2004, 01:03 AM:

I agree with you, Mark

I just purchased Robert Wise's 1955 version "HELEN OF TROY" today and it too cost a lot of money to produce at $6 million when most films at that time were being made for under a million. No matter how many times studios take a risk and fall far short of their production cost after spending an obscene amount of money like Disney did with "THE ALMO" , they will continue the practice and it will only be a matter of time when a film will costs three hundred million dollars to produce. Although "HELEN OF TROY" was an expensive film to produce, it was very well received in theatres. It was and still is one of my favorite films about ancient Greece. I have been reading all kinds of reactions from people who have seen early screenings of "TROY" and the majority is not very good. If this is any kind of indication of how the film will be viewed by the public, it will fail just like "MEET JOE BLACK" did. For your information, Kyle, that was my point when I asked how "TROY" will be accepted by the public and critics when they watch another Brad Pitt three hour film like "MEET JOE BLACK" I liked that film but almost all of the critics and the majority of the public did not. If "TROY" is trashed by the majority of the ciitics, it too fill fail. For your information, my name is Claude and NOT Hawaii 5-0, Kyle !

-Claude

Posted by Brad Allen (Member # 470) on 05-08-2004, 01:02 PM:

Troy will most likely crash & burn in the smaller towns/markets, just like Gladiator did.

Posted by Tim Lockridge (Member # 1346) on 05-08-2004, 02:10 PM:

quote: Brad Allen
Troy will most likely crash & burn in the smaller towns/markets, just like Gladiator did.

Those pesky small towns and their aversions to Oscar winning films.

Posted by Adam Martin (Member # 641) on 05-08-2004, 05:48 PM:

Small towns didn't like Gladiator because it was rated R. Troy is rated R as well.

Meet Joe Black had a budget of $90 million. Apparently, some retard at the studio thought that the movie would gross more than that. But it didn't because it sucked.

Legends of the Fall (another movie over 2 hours with Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins) had a budget of $30 million and grossed $66 million. And it didn't suck.

Troy at least has Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom prancing around in skimpy costumes going for it. [Razz]

Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 05-08-2004, 06:47 PM:

Claude:
"Troy" - danish prints will run 163 mins

I too have only seen the trailer yet, but i'm convinced, it will be something real great. -Just sad, we have so little time for it: opening in Denmark may, 19th., with Potter to follow allready june, 11th. -But thats a luxury problem ! [Big Grin]

Per

Posted by Kamakshipalya Dhananjay (Member # 1391) on 05-09-2004, 12:27 AM:

Well, the review at Hollywood Reporter is hardly negative, yet the Rottentomatoes conversion takes that review for a negative. The Review at HR is definitely more positive than negative.

All in all, I feel critics are not going to lightly dismiss off this film. When more reviews come in, this one will feel fresh at RT.Com.

Also, I cannot really appreciate what makes anybody think this film will not turn out a profit for the distributor. Even if this film does not cross 150 million theatrically in the US, there are many other revenue streams that count.

However, I predict this film will have a shattering opening next week.

BTW, Van Helsing seems to be just a 'three day' movie. So, competition for TROY next week is very slim or near absent.

Posted by Paul Linfesty (Member # 214) on 05-09-2004, 01:41 AM:

quote: Claude S. Ayakawa
If "TROY" is trashed by the majority of the ciitics, it too fill fail.

"TROY" is probably a more critic-proof film than "MEET JOE BLACK."

John Wayne had cameos in two Cinerama roadshows, "How the West Was Won" and (ok, UP70 marketed as "Cinerama") "The Greatest Story Ever Told" ("Truly He waz the son of God"). The success of the first did not lead to the success of the second.

George C. Scott was in both D-150 films, "The Bible" and "Patton." Again, the failure of the first did not lead to the failure of the second (and both were VERY close in running time).

Julie Andrews was in two Todd-AO films that each ran close to three hours. "The Sound of Music" and Star!" AND they shared the same director. One was a hit (an understatement) and one was an outright disaster, even though its really not that bad.

Get the picture, Claude?

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-10-2004, 01:13 AM:

Let's not forget, the currently reigning box-office champ (at least in terms of dollars, not attendance numbers) is "Titanic," which had a running time of 3 hours 14 minutes.

I doubt if "Troy" will do $600 million in North American box-office the way "Titanic" did. But its running time will not be an issue for or against its success. If the movie is really good, the audiences will find a way to see it.

Posted by Rich Granata (Member # 2285) on 05-13-2004, 10:12 AM:

Our 10 screen theatre is set to recieve 3 prints today. Is that overkill?...we will see tomorrow.

Another 22 screen theatre near me in our company will get 6 PRINTS! They will be there till morning building up 6 x 9 reels of film. Thats a lot to me, maybe not to them.

They could potetially start the movie every 30 minutes all day.

The reviews aren't great so far. I don't know if Troy will pull through at the box office. Besides, its R.

Posted by Tim Lockridge (Member # 1346) on 05-13-2004, 08:39 PM:

Many of the larger multiplexes are getting 5+ prints of Troy. I read that the film company was willing to distribute as many prints as theaters wanted without holding them to a time-based contract.

I don't know how much truth that holds, however.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 05-13-2004, 11:04 PM:

Ooh. That's a sure sign of movie suckage, if it's true.

Posted by Chris Medley (Member # 2145) on 05-14-2004, 04:08 AM:

Thats not a sign of movie suckage...the studio understands that if the movie is going to do well...it will do well in the first couple of weeks. Theaters will not maximize prints on time based contracts and the studio wants its money so lots of bookers comprimised. At least that's the way it has been in my area.

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 05-14-2004, 06:05 AM:

I've never been able to get past the hilarity of Brad Pitt as Achilles. Almost all of Greece was up in arms when Disney announced plans to make a cartoon of Hercules; Brad Pitt as Achilles has got to be even more ludicrous.

Achilles while in Troy spent most of his time in his tent with his VERY close friend Patroclus, then was sort of intimate with Troilus, & got then got hisself a new boy. I haven't seen the movie. Is this like a big image change move for Brad Pitt, doing all the nekkid bed scenes with guys? Or is this all sort of just sanded down to love story/horse/big fight and just another movie like those other movies that are like it?

Posted by Steve Scott (Member # 630) on 05-16-2004, 05:51 PM:

Kerasotes' Showplace 16 theaters here in the Minneapolis area are showing Troy on SEVEN screen. Damn near half of the place is taken up by this thing, just so they can have a show every half hour or so!
We booked four prints (the same amount as Van Helsing and Shrek 2) and it's been moderately busy. Everybody gets a seat when and where they want to see it. But seven? They've only got around six other movies now as a sad result of it. I've always believed that the people who like multiplexes like these enjoy the selection of films, not the bolstering of their booking power (or mistakes...)

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 05-16-2004, 08:17 PM:

Why so many Troy prints?

WB made an aggregate deal, so first-week business doesn't kill the exhibitor in the long run. The percentage is flat throughout the run.

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 05-16-2004, 10:40 PM:

Cinemark 17 got 3, Regal Cinema World 8 got 2. Today at noon, 20 mins. after the 1st show started, Cinema World's parking lot was practically empty.

Why does the idea of Brad Pitt in a Russell Crowe-type role seem like such a turnoff to me? [evil]

I have no desire to see this.

Posted by Tao Yue (Member # 836) on 05-17-2004, 06:41 PM:

$46.9 million opening weekend, that's pretty bad for a film that cost $186 million. Wonder how it'll do in Greece and Turkey ...

Posted by David Stambaugh (Member # 1102) on 05-17-2004, 07:31 PM:

This morning when I got to work, there were 2 people discussing Troy. They both said it is utter crap and laughably bad. One of them saw it at a late evening show, and said the audience was laughing out loud at it and doing MST3K-type running commentary.

Posted by Kyle McEachern (Member # 2250) on 05-17-2004, 07:50 PM:

quote: Tao Yue
$46.9 million opening weekend, that's pretty bad for a film that cost $186 million.

Troy had the third-highest grossing opening weekend for a non-sequel R-rated movie in history, behind The Too Many Threads to Count of the Christ and 8 Mile.

Gladiator opened at $34.8 million and ended up at $187.6 million in domestic box office alone.

I've heard about 70/30 good/bad reviews from people who have seen the film, but I wouldn't consider 47 million a bust for a 2hr 40minute movie that's rated R.

Posted by Bobby Henderson (Member # 840) on 05-17-2004, 10:09 PM:

The real test for "Troy" is how it will do over the long run. It is not really very necessary at all for a movie to make $100 million on its opening weekend.

Does anyone remember how "Forrest Gump" played? The show was in 2nd place behind a number of films (including "The Lion King" and "True Lies" if memory serves correct) yet it carved out a $300 million+ on North American box office grosses. That was a movie with real legs. But then it had great reviews too (and went on to win some Oscars, including Best Picture).

I guess that's where "Troy" differs. I have virtually no desire to see this movie now, especially with hearing all the liberties, departures and flat out changes made from Homer's epic poem. It's really bad when you have ordinary people watching the show and reacting to it with laughter. On top of that, I hear there is a gruesome scene where a guy is dragged behind a chariot or something like that. With all the bloodshed, bombings and videotaped decapitations we're having to deal with in real life, I guess I want to watch something that has perhaps a little less violence in it. On that note, look for "Shrek 2" to likely have an excellent opening and take the wind out of the sails of "Troy."

Posted by Dustin Mitchell (Member # 372) on 05-18-2004, 12:56 AM:

Troy might have had a good opening weekend for its R rating and genre (hell, a good opening weekend period-$46 million is nothing to scoff at) but I think it will drop off fairly quickly-not necessarily because its a bad movie (haven't seen it yet myself) but because there is so much competition coming in the next couple of weeks; Shrek 2, Day After Tommorrow, and Harry Potter 3 all open in the next three weeks.