Ghostbusters heading for $70 million loss

[MatParker116]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ghostbusters-heading-70m-loss-sequel-918515

Immediately upon the opening of Ghostbusters in mid-July, top Sony executives boldly declared a sequel to Paul Feig's all-female reboot of Ivan Reitman's 1984 classic was a given. "While nothing has been officially announced yet, there's no doubt in my mind it will happen," said Rory Bruer, president of worldwide distribution at Sony.

That was the studio's last public mention of a sequel. As of Aug. 7, Ghostbusters had earned just under $180 million at the global box office, including $117 million domestic. The film still hasn't opened in a few markets, including France, Japan and Mexico, but box-office experts say it will have trouble getting to $225 million despite a hefty net production budget of $144 million plus a big marketing spend. The studio has said break-even would be $300 million.

Sony hardly is alone in suffering from audience rejection of sequels this summer. But film chief Tom Rothman and his team, along with partner Village Roadshow, had high hopes for launching a live-action Ghostbusters "universe." Now they are preparing for steep losses (think $70 million-plus) and an uncertain future for the franchise.

Typical Paul Feig film in all honesty I've forgotten all the joke's. Couldn't give too shits about the controversy about the genderswap but I am disappointed this didn't do better. Could they of marketed the film worse by the way?

 

[Mr.Mattress]

I mean, this is what happens when you make a movie that the fans never wanted, with people no one wanted to see in the film, with one of the worst trailers of all time for a modern film, and with the director responds to legitimate criticisms with "You're all being sexist nerds! Stop being sexist nerds! Fite me scrubs!" It also doesn't help that this was a Sony film...

Of course this film was going to flop. It's a shame too, because it's apparently a lot better then it should be.

 

[circularlogic88]

Tom Rothman is a cancer on the industry as a whole. To know that he was involved with this project doesn't surprise me in the slightest. The sad thing is, I'm certain he's not going to face any of fallout or repercussions from this flop as this venture was conceived mainly by Amy Pascal and Paul Feig.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

Yeah that sounds about right. Lesson learned: stop putting Melissa McCarthy in movies.

 

[BrawlMan]

I mean, this is what happens when you make a movie that the fans never wanted, with people no one wanted to see in the film, with one of the worst trailers of all time for a modern film, and with the director responds to legitimate criticisms with "You're all being sexist nerds! Stop being sexist nerds! Fite me scrubs!" It also doesn't help that this was a Sony film...

Of course this film was going to flop. It's a shame too, because it's apparently a lot better then it should be.

I hate to say this, but I am glad I took James Rolfe's advice and didn't see it. He got shit from one SJW type website calling him "sexist", "a nerd living in his basement", and calling his wife "a paid slut posing as his wife". That's incredibility rude and childish, and makes the writer look like a *****, because someone did not want to see the movie. Everyone has a choice, if they want to see a movie or not, it's up to them and no one else has a say in that. Sony is just as guilty as well playing the whole he hates women narrative, despite the fact that Rolfe had legitimate complaints, criticism, and reasons why he was not going to see the remake.

They got what was coming to them, and I bet ya that nobody will learn from this, put their finger in their ears, and go "LALALA CAN'T HEAR YOU!". Sony still hasn't learn a damn thing since the whole, Spider-Man reboot no one asked for, and they went ahead did another reboot nobody asked for. What the hell is wrong people in this industry?

 

[Fox12]

Well, this just warms my cold, little black heart. Every time one of these expanded universe films fail an angel gets its wings. It doesn't help that the studio was hugely disrespectful. I mean, really, just look at their add campaign. "Women are funny. Deal with it."

I know a lot of people say this, but I honestly could run this company better then them. Where do all of these incompetents come from?

 

[Breakdown]

So that's one cinematic universe aborted. Now there's just Marvel, DC, the planned Universal horror universe, and god knows what else.

 

[Dizchu]

What people think this will mean: Fewer reboots
What it will actually mean: More reluctance from studios to put female characters in their action films

I mean that's what'll happen at the end of the day. It doesn't matter if Ghostbusters 2016 was any good, this is an industry that is so risk-averse that it doesn't know what an original IP is anymore. Especially Sony, who have had a terrible track record when handling these properties. They're gonna look at the controversy surrounding Ghostbusters 2016, assume that it was about having women in their film and decide "nah, we're not gonna try that again".

I hope Rogue One does well (it's hard for it not to, really). Normalising female characters in action films that aren't there simply for eye candy can't be anything other than a good thing.

 

[Mr.Mattress]

So that's one cinematic universe aborted. Now there's just Marvel, DC, the planned Universal horror universe, and god knows what else.

There's also going to be a Warner Bros. Hanna-Barbera Animated Universe that starts with a Scooby-Doo Reboot (which will be a 3D Cartoon instead of a Live-Action CGI Hybrid). Slightly looking forward to that, in all honesty, but it'll probably be bad.

 

[Lightspeaker]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/167802-Sony-Pictures-Chairman-Asks-for-More-Ghostbusters-Reboot-Haters

When asked about how he thinks "online bashing" will impact the reboot, Rothman said: "It's the greatest thing that ever happened. Are you kidding me? We're in the national debate, thank you. Can we please get some more haters to say stupid things?"

So how's that "all publicity is good publicity" thing working out for you, eh? Mr. Rothman?


Less sneeringly I am not surprised in the slightest. This was mishandled from start to finish. And frankly I don't think Paul Feig is a particularly good director.

My only concern is that their one take-away from this is going to be "don't put women in leading roles" as if that was the reason for the commercial failure. It was not. The things they SHOULD take away are things like "stop backing Paul Feig's movies", "don't attack your critics by screaming that they're all sexist monsters, try to be inclusive and not exclusionary" and "for the love of god learn to make decent trailers".

Oh and "stop trying to make every film franchise into a 'cinematic universe', make a good film; if people like it then make ANOTHER good film".

 

[Bob_McMillan]

So that's one cinematic universe aborted. Now there's just Marvel, DC, the planned Universal horror universe, and god knows what else.

Don't forget X-men!

Or do, it doesn't really matter.

 

[Breakdown]

What people think this will mean: Fewer reboots
What it will actually mean: More reluctance from studios to put female characters in their action films

I mean that's what'll happen at the end of the day. It doesn't matter if Ghostbusters 2016 was any good, this is an industry that is so risk-averse that it doesn't know what an original IP is anymore. Especially Sony, who have had a terrible track record when handling these properties. They're gonna look at the controversy surrounding Ghostbusters 2016, assume that it was about having women in their film and decide "nah, we're not gonna try that again".

I hope Rogue One does well (it's hard for it not to, really). Normalising female characters in action films that aren't there simply for eye candy can't be anything other than a good thing.

To quote Yoda, there is another...

The new Resident Evil film.

 

[Achelexus]

Schadenfreude in the morning is always good.

Yeah that sounds about right. Lesson learned: Stop letting Paul Feig direct movies.

FTFY

 

[Saelune]

So that's one cinematic universe aborted. Now there's just Marvel, DC, the planned Universal horror universe, and god knows what else.

I hope MCU lasts forever.

 

[circularlogic88]

Schadenfreude in the morning is always good.

I know, right? I took a huge schadenfreude this morning, felt 10 lbs lighter.

OT: Really can't say I feel one way or the other about this whole outcome. Sony released a bad movie trailer and instead of taking it on the chin, they leaned into it and decided to attack the audience and essentially decreed that anyone who didn't absolutely love every frame of the trailer was anti-women and a basement dwelling man child who lived with their mother. They kept focusing on the negatives, let the cast and crew blow up on Twitter, and made several late night talk show appearances making fun of detractors of the movie instead of ignoring the hate and promoting the positives.

So all in all what I took away from this is Tom Rothman is a terrible person who is actively making Hollywood productions worse when he's not denying multimillion dollar Deadpool movie franchises, not all publicity is good publicity, people won't go and pay to hatewatch a movie in a finacially meaningful way, and Sony is profoundly bad at marketing, producing and reinvigorating movie franchises that capitalize on nostalgia and built in pre-established lore.

 

[Private Custard]

What people think this will mean: Fewer reboots
What it will actually mean: More reluctance from studios to put female characters in their action films

Sad but true. I mean, forget the fact we live in a world where Ripley, Furiosa, Lara Croft, Leeloo, Nikita, Rey, Sarah Connor, Selene, Silk Spectre, Tank Girl, The Bride, and countless others exist, often with well fleshed-out back stories and decent character development. Apparently we're all sexist pigs!!

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

SNIP

Tomato, potato. They're both just awful.

 

[BrawlMan]

To quote Yoda, there is another...

The new Resident Evil film.

NEVVERRRRRRRR!!!!

Not with the trouble production it's been having; two stunt people died making what? The 7th film now. As far as I'm concerend there are only two Resident Evil movies, and either one ain't live action either.

So that's one cinematic universe aborted. Now there's just Marvel, DC, the planned Universal horror universe, and god knows what else.

I hope MCU lasts forever.

Be careful with your wish, you might regret it. I am not liking the whole one Star Wars movie every year from Disney already. Many people are going to get fatigued quickly no matter how good or bad the films will be.

 

[Saelune]

To quote Yoda, there is another...

The new Resident Evil film.

NEVVERRRRRRRR!!!!

Not with the trouble production it's been having; two stunt people died making what? The 7th film now. As far as I'm concerend there are only two Resident Evil movies, and either one ain't live action either.

So that's one cinematic universe aborted. Now there's just Marvel, DC, the planned Universal horror universe, and god knows what else.

I hope MCU lasts forever.

Be careful with your wish, you might regret it. I am not liking the whole one Star Wars movie every year from Disney already. Many people are going to get fatigued quickly no matter how good or bad the films will be.

Marvel Comics is garbage now. MCU is my Marvel Comics.

I wouldn't mind Star Wars every year, if it wasn't just poorly remaking A New Hope with poorly written characters. I like expanded universes and continuing stories. I like knowing what happens next.

 

[crimson5pheonix]

Schadenfreude in the morning is always good.

I know, right? I took a huge schadenfreude this morning, felt 10 lbs lighter.

It was probably better produced than this movie.

What people think this will mean: Fewer reboots
What it will actually mean: More reluctance from studios to put female characters in their action films

Sony might, they are idiots after all, but the rest of the industry is awash in strong female action protagonists characters. People are too scared that anything negative involving women in media is an indictment against women in media.