Monday, we told you Hollywood is looking for big box office from the new movie “Tranformers: Revenge
of the Fallen,” when it begins playing in U.S. theaters on Wednesday. (Read about it here). And to give the studios hope, tickets for the movie have been hot items online.
As of late Tuesday, only hours ahead of midnight screenings, advance tickets remained highly sought. MovieTickets.com was reporting over 1,000 sellouts in theaters, including 600 midnight screenings. The movie was accounting for some 93 percent of all tickets sold at the website.
But if the action-packed adventure from director Michael Bay (that’s him at right) wants to reach the $700 million-plus box office of 2007’s first “Transformers,” it needs to get audiences on its second, third and fourth weekends. Typically that only happens for movies with good fan buzz, and so far “Revenge of the Fallen” has been panned by many critics. At rottentomatoes.com, which aggregates reviews, only 27 percent of critics polled have had good things to say. Read that here.
To see how big “Revenge of the Fallen” can be, astute box office watchers (like Viacom and Paramount Pictures honchos Sumner Redstone and Brad Grey at left) will be looking less at the first few days box office and more at the percentage drop off as days go by. The percentage drop from week No. 1 to week No. 2 will be especially telling. For a splashy, effects-filled movie like “Transformers,” the drop off should be around 50 percent.
For a reality check, look at mildly disappointing “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (37 percent positive on rottentomatoes.com) it opened big at $85 million, then dropped a whopping 69 percent in its second weekend to $26 million as fan interest waned. “Star Trek,” a better-than-expected hit (95 percent positive on rottentomatoes.com), debuted at $75 million and dropped only 43 percent to $46 million on weekend No. 2 due mainly to good fan buzz.
We bet some of you went to one of those midnight screenings, so what do you think? Good or bad. And any predictions on box office?
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9 comments so far
this movie was the TRUTH, Im going back to watch it in Imax. the fight scenes were awesome the only thing i wish for the third movie is when someone dies can they stay dead so that new lead characters can be introduced
- Posted by mack dimeI never rely on sites like rottentomatoes to decide whether a movie is good or not, if the kids like it and enjoy themselves then its a good movie.
- Posted by DaisyTransformers was awesome. Going to see the sequel in about 10 hours, can’t wait!
- Posted by Dannythe movie was amazing! i hope it doesnt drop because i am looking forward to the third installment.
- Posted by Johnnon stop action (which is saying a lot for a 2 1/2 hour movie)-as much, if not more, humor than the first one-roaring applause at the end of the packed midnight showing-and most importantly looooots of slow motion Megan Fox scenes
i don’t know what movie these ppl that gave it bad reviews were watching, maybe they got it mixed up with Terminator Salvation :p
go see T2!!!
- Posted by MikeI have already seen the movie twice (went with two groups of people) and loved it both times…its not a movie designed to please critics, it is a movie that is just mindless fun, maybe some critics should consider letting their inner youngster out and try and enjoy the film instead of critically dissecting every aspect of the film. Its a movie about alien robots beating the crap out of each other, its not designed to win an Oscar, just provide 2+ hours of fun!
- Posted by DavidWhat you have to realize is that transformers is like rock and roll or pop music, most critics hate it, but the masses eat it up. It’s not shakespeare. Movie critics want everything to be dramatic and gut wrenching or speak about the intricacies of existentialism; not beat ‘em up robots. So go to hell critics, everyone else go see this movie, the effect are big and impressive, the robots are awesome, and the main characters have some modicum of acting talent. Don’t listen to the critics unless you are going to a drama or some other serious movie! Listen to ratings from normal people on yahoo movies and rottentomatoes!
- Posted by dudeYea the movie was just great great fun.
- Posted by DannyMichael Bay has done it again. He has created another horrible movie that appeals to no one but the retarded infant in all of us. Nothing but hours of robots (that all look the same; how about some originality?) trying to kill each other, the only grace the movie did have was the amazing graphics. However, it lacked good acting (Fox and LeBeouf are RETARDED), character development, and, uh, PLOT?! Plus, I was REALLY annoyed by all the tittage. I’ve been to some crazy college parties in my life time, and I’ve NEVER EVER been to one where every single girl was tall, thin, and smoking hot, and every guy was a zitty NERD. Plus, the “twins” were obviously racist satire. They’re black and stupid; we get it, and we’re HORRIBLY offended. The green one even had buckteeth, one of which was GOLD. All in all, I wish I’d slept through it. I could have, too. Rating: D. Not an F, because the graphics were great. Everything else: F.
- Posted by Suzie