2023 Summer Blockbuster Movie Pool

[The Natural]

Oppenheimer (2023) opens to $175 million worldwide. Budget was $100 million. Christopher Nolan and Universal Pictures win. Warner Brothers massively miss out when they badly needed a win. Remember, Christopher Nolan was with Warner Brothers for:

• Insomnia (2002).
• Batman Begins (2005).
• The Prestige (2006).
• The Dark Knight (2008).
• Inception (2010).
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
• Interstellar (2014).
• Dunkirk (2017).
• Tenet (2020).

Edited July 23, 2023 by The Natural

[John from Cincinnati]

43 minutes ago, The Natural said:

Warner Brothers massively miss out when they badly needed a win

Umm

[RIPPA]

I saw something - and I think I am getting this right - that Oppenheimer was on track to have the biggest opening ever for a movie that didn't finish #1

I am sure there is some sort of weird caveat I am missing

[John from Cincinnati]

54 minutes ago, RIPPA said:

I saw something - and I think I am getting this right - that Oppenheimer was on track to have the biggest opening ever for a movie that didn't finish #1

I am sure there is some sort of weird caveat I am missing

I think this is caveat-free

 

 

[tbarrie]

I find it interesting to see the pairing of Madagascar: Europe's Most Wanted and Prometheus on that list, because I'm pretty sure I'd have to think a few minutes to remember what the fuck those two movies were. I'd expect the contenders for any kind of meaningful box office record to be memorable.

Edited July 23, 2023 by tbarrie

[odessasteps]

Funny the one superhero movie on the list is Wanted. 

[Ingobernable]

32 minutes ago, tbarrie said:

I find it interesting to see the pairing of Magascar: Europe's Most Wanted and Prometheus on that list, because I'm pretty sure I'd have to think a few minutes to remember what the fuck those two movies were. I'd expect the contenders for any kind of meaningful box office record to be memorable.

There’s some inherent redundancy to box-office earnings as a measure of success because it’s not inflation-adjusted. I know that’s not entirely your point but those records will continue to be broken forever because ticket prices increase even if fewer people go to the cinema regularly. I’d love actual ticket sales to be published but if that was the case I’m almost certain ET or something would retain the top spot forever. 

[Stefanie Sparkleface]

24 minutes ago, Ingobernable said:

There’s some inherent redundancy to box-office earnings as a measure of success because it’s not inflation-adjusted. I know that’s not entirely your point but those records will continue to be broken forever because ticket prices increase even if fewer people go to the cinema regularly. I’d love actual ticket sales to be published but if that was the case I’m almost certain ET or something would retain the top spot forever. 

If Wikipedia is to be believed, it's Gone with the Wind, at least for the United States and Canada.

[odessasteps]

Those lists also depend on if you count revivals/reissues, which skews the lists for things like Disney cartoons.

[Elsalvajeloco]

1 hour ago, tbarrie said:

I find it interesting to see the pairing of Madagascar: Europe's Most Wanted and Prometheus on that list, because I'm pretty sure I'd have to think a few minutes to remember what the fuck those two movies were. I'd expect the contenders for any kind of meaningful box office record to be memorable.

Eh, I mean looking at the list, it's a big animated movie and a big live action movie with likely two different demos. Even if you don't remember Prometheus, it was still like the first Alien or Alien adjacent movie in like a decade. Everything ain't going to be Home Alone or Titanic or Avatar where because it was in the theaters for like a half a year, everyone has seen it. Over the last several years, no film has the entire week to itself. Marvel is probably the only exception, but it's probably only because they deliberate take holiday weekends or weeks they have had all success traditionally and get those dates years in advance. Thus, people can schedule around them.

Other studios would release movies against tentpoles, but it would moderately budgeted comedies or horror films against those films. Those films have been killed off. Now, you have tentpoles against tentpoles. Studios aren't even phased at doing it because they know one of them is going to either get panned critically or underwhelm commercially. This is a rarity where BOTH films are huge critical and commercial successes.

So there is no way you're going to remember all of them. If this was 1993 and not 2023, Barbie and Oppenheimer would be 2-3 weeks apart and the is next biggest film on those two weeks would be have a $10-20 million budget max.

[J.T.]

Nolan dropping a biopic in the middle of Summer Blockbuster season is the most Nolanest thing he's ever done.

Oppenheimer was pretty good, BTW.  Three hours zoomed by and it was one helluva story.

The extraness of some of the sensuality in the movie was a bit much and this is from the dude that loves lady bits.

It also looked like Nolan was inspired by the Harold Edgerton photos of the Tumbler-Snapper nuclear tests because the mock Trinity explosion looks like it was shot in a way to have the same surreal quality as the Edgerton pictures.

Edited July 24, 2023 by J.T.

[odessasteps]

I think I’d prob still rather watch Fat Man and Little Boy.

[AxB]

20 hours ago, The Natural said:

Oppenheimer (2023) opens to $175 million worldwide. Budget was $100 million. Christopher Nolan and Universal Pictures win. Warner Brothers massively miss out when they badly needed a win. Remember, Christopher Nolan was with Warner Brothers for:

• Insomnia (2002).
• Batman Begins (2005).
• The Prestige (2006).
• The Dark Knight (2008).
• Inception (2010).
• The Dark Knight Rises (2012).
• Interstellar (2014).
• Dunkirk (2017).
• Tenet (2020).

I think a lot of people are unaware that the reason why Oppenheimer and Barbie opened on the same day is, Warner Brothers are using Barbie as their killer weapon, intentionally targeting Oppenheimer as a way of punishing Nolan for leaving them.

It absolutely is a Blur vs Oasis situation.

[The Z]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnt1EdUZ1E8

Well, I'm sold on the new Ninja Turtles movie! This is going to be great.

[The Natural]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem is 97% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. This Summer has had a lot of 90%+ with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, Oppenheimer, Barbie and now Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.

[John from Cincinnati]

Quote

The studio also shifted its release plans for August racing pic Gran Turismo as it scrambles to figure out another way to market the movie without stars such as Orlando Bloom and David Harbour promoting it. It will now open wide on Aug. 25, with sneak previews on its original weekend date of Aug. 11, as well as on the weekend of Aug. 18. Further out, the studio relocated Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s Kraven the Hunter from October. It also dated two big films for the first time: Bad Boys 4 (June 14, 2024) and Venom 3 (July 12, 2024).

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spider-man-beyond-the-spider-verse-delayed-1235547084/

[S.K.o.S.]

UPDATE 12 OF 20 - through July 27

Standings
1 [↑ 4] The Z - 28 points (16/12, tiebreak 0.04)
2 [↓ 1] JRGoldman - 28 points (22/6, tiebreak 4.592)
3 [↓ 2] Phantom Lord - 38 points (22/16, tiebreak 0.945)
4 [↓ 3] Hail Sabin - 38 points (26/12, tiebreak n/a)
5 [- 5] DreamBroken - 42 points (18/24, tiebreak 0.41)
6 [↑ 7] S.K.o.S. - 42 points (24/18, tiebreak 0.517)
7 [↑ 11] Elsavajeloco - 46 points (22/24, tiebreak 0.646)
8 [↑ 9] John from Cincinnati - 46 points (28/18, tiebreak 0.751)
9 [↑ 10] Kuetsar - 52 points (32/20, tiebreak 0.523)
10 [↑ 12] The Natural - 54 points (38/16, tiebreak 0.712)
11 [↓ 6] J.T. - 54 points (36/18, tiebreak 0.712)
12 [↓ 8] Rippa - 56 points (34/22, tiebreak 0.556)

Box office
1 [- 1] Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - $328,371,821 (28 days)
2 [- 2] Guardians of the Galaxy 3 - $312,511,454 (28 days)
3 [- 3] The Little Mermaid - $261,567,764 (28 days)
4 [NEW] Barbie - $258,402,851 (7 days)
5 [↓ 4] Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - $163,084,867 (28 days)
6 [↓ 5] Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - $141,723,312 (28 days)
7 [↓ 6] Fast X - $140,383,585 (28 days)
8 [↑ 9] Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 - $128,508,033 (16 days)
9 [NEW] Oppenheimer - $127,860,430 (7 days)
10 [↓ 7] Elemental - $116,589,287 (28 days)
11 [↓ 8] The Flash - $106,086,978 (28 days)
12 [↓ 10] Insidious: The Red Door - $74,906,584 (21 days)
13 [↓ 11] Asteroid City - $25,753,061 (28 days)
14 [↓ 12] Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken - $15,555,475 (28 days)

Rotten Tomatoes
1 [- 1] Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 - 381/397 = 96% (16 days)
2 [- 2] Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - 327/341 = 96% (28 days)
3 [NEW] Oppenheimer - 362/385 = 94% (7 days)
4 [NEW] Barbie - 339/379 = 89% (7 days)
5 [↓ 3] Guardians of the Galaxy 3 - 297/363 = 82% (28 days)
6 [↓ 4] Elemental - 171/232 = 74% (28 days)
7 [↓ 5] Asteroid City - 214/291 = 74% (28 days)
8 [↓ 6] Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - 271/391 = 69% (28 days)
9 [↓ 7] The Little Mermaid - 210/314 = 67% (28 days)
10 [↓ 8] Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken - 60/91 = 66% (28 days)
11 [↓ 9] The Flash - 226/352 = 64% (28 days)
12 [↓ 10] Fast X - 160/286 = 56% (28 days)
13 [↓ 11] Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - 112/210 = 53% (28 days)
14 [↓ 12] Insidious: The Red Door - 39/104 = 38% (21 days)

[S.K.o.S.]

2 hours ago, John from Cincinnati said:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spider-man-beyond-the-spider-verse-delayed-1235547084/

Appreciate the heads up!  So now we're going to have 20 updates instead of 19, because now this contest is lasting 1 week longer.

[Elsalvajeloco]

4 minutes ago, S.K.o.S. said:

UPDATE 12 OF 20 - through July 27

7 [↑ 11] Elsavajeloco - 46 points (22/24, tiebreak 0.646)

[J.T.]

On 7/28/2023 at 7:36 PM, S.K.o.S. said:

11 [↓ 6] J.T. - 54 points (36/18, tiebreak 0.712)

12 [↓ 8] Rippa - 56 points (34/22, tiebreak 0.556)

Edited July 30, 2023 by J.T.

[J.T.]

Well, if Rippa is the one with the booby prize for the pool and stays in the cellar, he'll save himself shipping and handling fees.

If not, I don't think it will be that expensive mailing the damn thing to my house.

Edited July 30, 2023 by J.T.

[RIPPA]

If you and I are are the bottom two - I am definitely shipping something terrible to your place

[S.K.o.S.]

UPDATE 13 OF 20 - through August 3

Standings
1 [- 1] The Z - 42 points (22/20, tiebreak 0.04)
2 [↑ 8] John from Cincinnati - 44 points (26/18, tiebreak 0.557)
3 [↓ 2] JRGoldman - 44 points (32/12, tiebreak 4.592)
4 [↓ 3] Phantom Lord - 48 points (20/28, tiebreak 0.73)
5 [↑ 9] Kuetsar - 54 points (34/20, tiebreak 0.523)
6 [↑ 10] The Natural - 56 points (40/16, tiebreak 0.522)
7 [↓ 6] S.K.o.S. - 58 points (24/34, tiebreak 0.349)
8 [↑ 12] Rippa - 58 points (36/22, tiebreak 0.384)
9 [↓ 5] DreamBroken - 60 points (26/34, tiebreak 0.41)
10 [↑ 11] J.T. - 64 points (32/32, tiebreak 0.522)
11 [↓ 7] Elsavajeloco - 66 points (24/42, tiebreak 0.646)
12 [↓ 4] Hail Sabin - 66 points (36/30, tiebreak n/a)

Box office
1 [↑ 4] Barbie - $406,381,413 (14 days)
2 [↓ 1] Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - $328,371,821 (28 days)
3 [↓ 2] Guardians of the Galaxy 3 - $312,511,454 (28 days)
4 [↓ 3] The Little Mermaid - $261,567,764 (28 days)
5 [↑ 9] Oppenheimer - $199,868,620 (14 days)
6 [↓ 5] Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - $163,084,867 (28 days)
7 [↑ 8] Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 - $144,531,988 (23 days)
8 [↓ 6] Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - $141,723,312 (28 days)
9 [↓ 7] Fast X - $140,383,585 (28 days)
10 [- 10] Elemental - $116,589,287 (28 days)
11 [- 11] The Flash - $106,086,978 (28 days)
12 [- 12] Insidious: The Red Door - $79,530,087 (28 days)
13 [NEW] Haunted Mansion - $33,049,808 (7 days)
14 [↓ 13] Asteroid City - $25,753,061 (28 days)
15 [↓ 14] Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken - $15,555,475 (28 days)
16 [NEW] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem - $15,073,468 (2 days)

Rotten Tomatoes
1 [- 1] Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 - 391/407 = 96% (23 days)
2 [- 2] Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse - 327/341 = 96% (28 days)
3 [NEW] Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem - 158/165 = 96% (2 days)
4 [↓ 3] Oppenheimer - 395/424 = 93% (14 days)
5 [↓ 4] Barbie - 371/421 = 88% (14 days)
6 [↓ 5] Guardians of the Galaxy 3 - 297/363 = 82% (28 days)
7 [↓ 6] Elemental - 171/232 = 74% (28 days)
8 [↓ 7] Asteroid City - 214/291 = 74% (28 days)
9 [↓ 8] Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny - 271/391 = 69% (28 days)
10 [↓ 9] The Little Mermaid - 210/314 = 67% (28 days)
11 [↓ 10] Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken - 60/91 = 66% (28 days)
12 [↓ 11] The Flash - 226/352 = 64% (28 days)
13 [↓ 12] Fast X - 160/286 = 56% (28 days)
14 [↓ 13] Transformers: Rise of the Beasts - 112/210 = 53% (28 days)
15 [NEW] Haunted Mansion - 74/190 = 39% (7 days)
16 [↓ 14] Insidious: The Red Door - 42/108 = 39% (28 days)

[S.K.o.S.]

That's a lot of movement in the standings. Happy to answer any questions about why someone jumped up or dropped down!

[The Natural]

3 hours ago, S.K.o.S. said:

That's a lot of movement in the standings. Happy to answer any questions about why someone jumped up or dropped down!

Do me, please. Cheers.