8 replies to this topic

[ShawnMR]

Full Article: http://www.boxoffice...eyond-trilogies

 

 

We often critique franchises whose peak of success has come and gone--whether creatively, financially, or both. Usually that peak comes early on. Sometimes it's a slow crescendo into greatness.

 

This weekend sees the release of the latest installment of the Die Hardfranchise. Bruce Willis is now in rarefied territory as he reprises the character of John McClane for a fifth time. That exceeds (for now) the number of times Harrison Ford has portrayed Indiana Jones, Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, and Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto. If you can believe it, he's just two shy of Roger Moore's seven-film run as James Bond (Connery did six--officially).

 

Willis has firmly cemented his place in the history of action franchises. The question is: what is the identifiable point between a justified, organic expansion of a franchise and a cash-grab? Many of us hold firmly to the notions that all good stories must end and that good business decisions should be fueled by stronger creative ones.

 

There are amendments to every rule, though.

Edited by ShawnMR, 13 February 2013 - 12:31 PM.

[CJohn]

This is no MI4 or Fast Five. Reviews are terrible and marketing has been mediocre. This will disappoint. I can see it failing to do 100M. They don't have mighty Liam Neeson to save their asses like they did last October with that terrible movie called Taken 2.

Edited by CJohn, 13 February 2013 - 12:37 PM.

[Cmasterclay]

Reviews don't matter for this on opening weekend and they've done a fine job marketing- the entire NFC playoffs were sponsored by the Yippie Kiy Kay postgame show. Doesn't get any better than that.  And the trailer's been in front of every movie I've seen since Skyfall.

[JackO]

It has too good of a release date to fail epically. Could still see it not hitting 100M but with OS it will be box office success. 

[Alpha]

This is no MI4 or Fast Five. Reviews are terrible and marketing has been mediocre. This will disappoint. I can see it failing to do 100M. They don't have mighty Liam Neeson to save their asses like they did last October with that terrible movie called Taken 2.

 

Meh, I think it'll be fine. If Neeson can pull Taken 2 to a $49M opening, Bruce Willis will do the same.

[ladyevenstar22]

the later films almost feel like another franchise, so i dunno...the first few had a specific 80/90s vibe 

[Walt Disney]

My opinion is that a franchise should end when there is nowhere to take the concept anymore. Die Hard isn't just a cash grab to me because there are plenty of police stories to tell. There's no difference if a new police character is created or they just use an already existing one. OTOH, the Terminator franchise is a cash grab because they had to completely destroy the point of T2 in order to make more movies.

[mcclaine]

I think the only good thing Fox did for/with this movie was marketing. 

They did the "Permanent Mural" on Fox studios, which grab a lot of attention.

Trailers everywhere.

Big premiere on London.

Somehow pull some strings to get Bruce Willis (just 2 days before worldwide opening) honored in France. 

Bruce Willis even got the cover of GQ Magazine.

What else are they going to do in terms of marketing?

[CJohn]

I think the only good thing Fox did for/with this movie was marketing. 

They did the "Permanent Mural" on Fox studios, which grab a lot of attention.

Trailers everywhere.

Big premiere on London.

Somehow pull some strings to get Bruce Willis (just 2 days before worldwide opening) honored in France. 

Bruce Willis even got the cover of GQ Magazine.

What else are they going to do in terms of marketing?

There is a chocolate Bruce Willis in Japan.