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"Though profitable for the last nine years, Universal has been noticeably short on blockbusters to call its own," N.Y. Times reporters Michael Ciepley and Brooks Barnes observe in the 7.16 issue.

"That is largely by design. In a strategy that is starkly different from other top film studios, [studio chief] Ron Meyer has determined that Universal should stay well behind the leaders, allowing the flashiest and most expensive projects -- and typically the biggest payoffs -- to go elsewhere.

''We gauge ourselves to be in the middle,' Meyer said. Universal currently ranks last among major studios at the domestic box office and hasn't placed higher than third in the last seven years."

How does Meyer's "stay in the middle" strategy square with the $175 million spent on Uni's Evan Almighty, which every box-office handicapper considers a flat-out flop in relation to cost? Evan "will lose money for both Universal and its financing partner, Gun Hill II," Ciepley and Barnes report, "though not a large amount," says Meyer.

So goes a noteworthy piece about a mild-mannered studio honcho pursuing a prudent, mild-mannered filmmaking policy. Apologies to Ciepley and Barnes, but it nearly put me to sleep. I had to repeatedly stab myself with a push pin in order to stay awake.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on July 15, 2007 at 11:29 PM

comment #1

BurmaShave says ...

You had to stab yourself? Torture Post!

Also, isn't he by far the longest tenured current studio chief? Does he have nukes and a large standing army or something, so they leave him alone?

Posted by BurmaShave at July 15, 2007 11:51 PM

comment #2

jse33 says ...

Universal has been quiet over the years, rarely having multiple films finish in the top 20 for the year. Knocked Up's $138+ million certainly helps this year. They also have I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry this weekend, and 3 possible Fall releases that could do well: The Kingdom, American Gangster, and Oscar contender Charlie Wilson's War. Next year they have Hulk 2 and The Mummy 3 for the Summer. Not sure if those are going to help.

Posted by jse33 at July 16, 2007 4:14 AM

comment #3

EDouglas says ...

I didn't realize it until I read it on BoxOfficeGuru that Evan Almighty was Universal's first #1 movie in a year and while that might not seem too important especially at a time when you're having hits like Knocked Up, but they're going from having no #1 movies in the year to having three in the course of six weeks presuming that Chuck and Larry can surpass Harry Potter in its second weekend.

Posted by EDouglas at July 16, 2007 6:02 AM

comment #4

Chad says ...

Universal doesnt make the smartest choices. They are also the ONLY major studio NOT to release titles on Blu-Ray... they still believe in dying HD-DVD, and because of this, they alone are the cause of this ongoing HD format war. If Universal would get its head out of its ass, this HD format war could end today with an announcement that they are going Blu-Ray.

Posted by Chad at July 16, 2007 6:27 AM

comment #5

Rich S. says ...

Another collateral effect of the lack of blockbusters has been Universal's failure to create the type corporate synergies necessary to position itself as the new Disney. Yes, I understand this kind of thing has nothing to do with producing "art," but art is not what this post is about.

Universal started its venture into this territory with Universal properties like Jaws, E.T., King Kong, Psycho and its monster trademarks. As Universal's blockbusters fail, they have become increasingly reliant on other properties, like the recently-announced partnership with Harry Potter. I'm not sure what effect this has on the studio itself, but it certainly doesn't help the overall corporate bottom line.

Posted by Rich S. at July 16, 2007 7:31 AM

comment #6

corey3rd says ...

Universal focus is on coming up with another crappy cable channel that will allow them to beat their recent vault titles to death while low balling their profit sharing partners: Sleuth, Chiller and SciFi (home of crappy cinema).

Wasn't Van Helsing supposed to be a major blockbuster?

The biggest success for Universal-NBC is to Catch A Predator. They should do a feature film of it.

Posted by corey3rd at July 16, 2007 7:46 AM

comment #7

erniesouchak says ...

Someone has to be last!

Posted by erniesouchak at July 16, 2007 8:42 AM

comment #8

Doug says ...

Thanks to Universal for its Focus Films releases, which consistently are among the best films every year.

Posted by Doug at July 16, 2007 11:10 AM

comment #9

p.Vice says ...

So today we're bashing movie studios who don't make it a point to play the bigger/louder/stupider game with everyone else? I think you're right! Screw the Oscars, fuck the concept of good movies altogether... if it doesn't cost $200 million and promise at least three sequels, it ain't worth a goddamn dime. Maybe we can sign a petition or something to get them to fold Focus Features and sink all of that money into another F/X-heavy comic-book tentpole.

I don't know... the last time I checked there were enough terrible movies being made without needing to chide a company for not keeping up.

Posted by p.Vice at July 16, 2007 12:34 PM

comment #10

WJ says ...

Props to Universal for actually making decent films, regardless of how they affect the bottom line. The studio gave a semi-wide release to what I thought was the best film of last year, Children of Men, so they are alright in my book. Fuck the shallow blockbusters being chucked at audiences like rancid chum thrown to sharks.

Granted, Universal still plays the bigger, louder, dumber game, as evidenced by Evan Almighty and Chuck & Larry.

Posted by WJ at July 16, 2007 7:17 PM

comment #11