Hot Gates, Hot Box Office?
A few posts ago, I mentioned that I was going to mark-out for 300, and that Amy & I would likely go catch it this weekend at the local IMAX, so as to get the full theme-park experience of Thermopylae on a giant screen.
This morning, I went online and discovered that every single IMAX screening this weekend is sold out.
I have to admit, my powers of prognostication aren’t the greatest, when it comes to movies and other pop phenomena. I mean, Ghost Rider looks like a godawful movie, and it’s based on a godawful character from Marvel’s nadir. So of course it ran away with the box office and is going to pass $100 million in sales this weekend. Did I underestimate how bored and/or stupid teenagers can be in February? I guess so.
But 300? Projected to pull in $60 million in its opening weekend? I’m happy that it’s getting so much exposure, but I’m just afraid that it’ll give Frank Miller so much Hollywood cachet that he’ll pursue a bigscreen version of Give Me Liberty.
We underestimated the appeal of this movie when hitting a theatre with all sold out showings but thankfully got into one in Parisppany. Admittedly I know nothing of the history behind the story (whether in reality or in Miller’s fictional account of it), but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was nice to see some style added to the ol’ swords-and-sandals template. I can only imagine how amazing it will look on IMAX.
Comment by TheJTrain — March 10, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
Ronin and Sin City 2 are up next, I think.
Comment by Tom Spurgeon — March 10, 2007 @ 8:40 pm
Sigh. Well, as long as it’s not Elektra: Assassin, I guess it’s okay.
Comment by Gil — March 11, 2007 @ 8:45 am
Also, RoboCop Begins is in the pipeline.
Comment by TheJTrain — March 11, 2007 @ 8:55 am