comment #1

mutinyco says ...

Great. So next week when Tropic Thunder comes out, the headlines can all read: Iron Man beats Batman!

comment #2

Josh Massey says ...

That reminds me of the dumbest marketing miss of all time: failing to make toys for the release of Toy Story. Kids who wanted their own Woody and Buzz figures had to wait until months after the film's release.

comment #3

storymark says ...

The smaller, 6-inch version (same sculpture, just scaled down) of The Joker, which was sold in stores like Wal-Mart, was pulled from the shelves before the film was even released. Those go for 5-7 times their original price, now.

comment #4

Ponderer says ...

I'm also reminded of the action figures debacle with the original Star Wars action figures. They couldn't get the figures ready in time for XMas, so when it came time to unwrap the bounty under the tree, thousands of kids got...a box.

Of course, that box is probably worth a fortune now...

comment #5

NC Gary says ...

If Sony had waited until Friday to open the movie it would have certainly won the weekend. Does anyone think the audience for Pineapple Express is the slightest bit interested in the Olympics?

comment #6

thatmovieguy says ...

It was a similar story with NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS: almost no merchandise available when it was released. A few storybooks and Burger King tie-ins, but all the collectors' piece you see these days were issued long after the movie's initial run.

comment #7

Balthazar says ...

Great success news for Dark Knight

And great lack-of-success news for a pointless pro-pot flick

comment #8

Mgmax says ...

"That reminds me of the dumbest marketing miss of all time: failing to make toys for the release of Toy Story."

Naw, the dumbest was not making them for Star Wars-- because Fox thought their big sci-fi hit was going to be Damnation Alley, and Hasbro had put its efforts into toys for The Island of Dr. Moreau.

comment #9

iamwhoiam says ...

Excellent. I hated every minute of PE.

comment #10

Balthazar says ...

Holy crap -- Damnation Alley. Haven't seen that it 20+ years. Is that the one where the guy gets eaten by cockroaches and then, at the end, the earth's magnetic field suddenly shifts back into its proper place and everyone is happy again?

comment #11

lazespud says ...

"Manufacturers should have instantly realized after Ledger's death that they needed to double or triple up on production. Did they do this? Of course not."

Ah... perfect hindsight clarity. I remember folks wondering if Ledger's death might destroy the chances of the film being a success. I also remember some wondering how the film would do considering the first one "underperformed." I also remember as the release date got very close that suddenly people were realizing it was going to hit big (months and months after the toy orders would have been placed).

Jeff, you can't be arguing that Ledger's death should have inspired toy manufacturers to drastically ramp up production because of a perception that millions of kids will want an action figure of the Joker because the guy playing him died... are you? That's kind of dopey...

The licensed merchandise game is really, really tough. I'm sure the toy companies and fast food companies etc who were pitched Ant Bully and Happy Feet for the 06 Holiday Season probably sweated bullets over which would be successful. The fact that Happy Feet pulled in almost half a billion and the Ant Bully made about 50 million certainly didn't mean in retrospect that the folks who chose to go with Happy Feet were geniuses. It's just basically a crapshoot. No one knows anything.

comment #12

Edward says ...

I don't remember cockroaches, but typical of Hollywood they ruined a good Zelazny book. I used to see the vehicle from the film parked in the lot of a garage when I drove by it while on - I think - the Hollywood Frwy.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075909/

comment #13

Mgmax says ...

I like to think of Damnation Alley as "Road Warrior meets RV."

comment #14

Mgmax says ...

Wow, and it had Kip Niven. There's one of those guys you saw in everything in the 70s, and haven't seen in anything in years. Like Eugene Roche.

comment #15

btwnproductions says ...

In boxoffice terms, the inexpensive PINEAPPLE EXPRESS is a hit, which will return its cost and then some by Sunday. It's likable if unremarkable.

comment #16

corey3rd says ...

I prefer to think of Road Warrior as Damnation Alley without Ark II action. One of the pay channels ran it a few months back. It better come out on DVD soon - at least around the time that Jackie Earle Haley blockbuster.

Pineapple Express has a P&A budget equal to the production budget.

Rumors of undercover cops busting dope smokers in theaters on Wednesday night have probably made this a "DVD" title for its intended audience.

comment #17

Scott Mendelson says ...

This five-day number is pretty impressive, but the front loaded Wednesday prevented what could have been a $35 million or so three-day, which would have easily taken number 01 for the weekend and allowed bragging rights on two levels. A: The biggest Apatow-related opening weekend of all time (besting the $30 million hauls for Superbad and Knocked Up). B: Allowing Pineapple Express to brag about taking down The Dark Knight and being the number one film of the weekend. Now there is a real risk that it will come in second.

$40 million+ in five days is terrific, especially when you consider the genre (it will have out grossed both Harold And Kumar films by Sunday), its budget ($25 million) and the previous filmography of director David Gorden Green, who's previous (justifiably) critically acclaimed intimate dramas about poverty and struggle in rural America have grossed, in total, $134,527 . For once, I finished watching a David Gorden Green film and didn't feel the need to make a donation to the local food bank. I can say with certainty that Pineapple Express is the least depressing film he has ever made (though to be fair, I have yet to see Snow Angels, but I'll catch it on DVD as soon as it becomes available). Still, I wonder if Sony would have rather had the bragging rights of debuting at number 01 for the weekend and dethroning The Dark Knight by a large margin. Tomato/Tomata I suppose.

comment #18

btwnproductions says ...

Roche died four years ago. He and Niven kept going after their heydays; I think the last time I saw Roche was in THE WOMAN CHASER in 1999, but he did a considerable amount of TV before and after that.

PE will be comfortably in the black by next weekend then, if that is the yardstick. (I think the P&A budget=production budget is a pretty fungible equation.) It's no flop.

comment #19

corey3rd says ...

Apatow nailed an opening of $47 million off Talladega Nights

comment #20

Scott Mendelson says ...

Crap, I completely forgot that he was involved in Talladega Nights. Thank you for the correction.

comment #21

BurmaShave says ...

Balthazar, I didn't realize there was anyone still against pot. Are you a fucking Mennonite?

comment #22

jse33 says ...

The Dark Knight is also playing at almost 1,000 more theaters than Pineapple Express. I'm sure that's a factor. PE's per screen average was higher on Friday.

comment #23

Balthazar says ...

There's plenty of people against pot. If there weren't, it would be legal and we'd be a third-world country.

comment #24

JasonGeyer says ...

ThatMovieGuy: Nightmare before Xmas had a full toy line when the movie was released but they were total duds. Most movie lines do not sell well, untilt he movie is a hit. The exception to this is strong pre-sold fan properties (Batman, Spiderman, etc.) but even then Hulk didn't sell well this time and Superman didn't either.

Jeff, it takes 12-16 months to go from start of production to delivery for a toy line. These toys were well on their way before Ledger's death. Also, you have to reserve time in the factories well in advance, so it is very tough to quickly go back into production on anything. You'll see a ton more of these during the holiday season, and the Joker's will be easy to find then.

comment #25

JasonGeyer says ...

Also, there is no Two-Face figure until 2009 simply because they couldn't finalize his look before the toys went into production. Just the way the biz works, unfortunately.

comment #26

D.Z. says ...

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/daily/chart/?sortdate=2008-08-08&p=.htm

comment #27

BurmaShave says ...

As opposed to a puritan second-world one, like we are now. I'm not a smoker myself, but jesus christ, pick your battles. Oh wait, I just looked out my window and saw all the kids dead on the street from the scourge of pot.

comment #28

Aladdin Sane says ...

Wells,
There are two different 12 inch Joker figs based on Ledger - the $80-$100 is from DC Direct; the more expensive is from Hot Toys - both were limited edition from the word go. I don't think it would be a wise business move for either company to pump more out. I went with the DC Direct version myself - I think the likeness is better.

DC's: http://www.dccomics.com/dcdirect/?dcd=9617&lst=all&cat=ACTION+FIGURES

Hot Toys: http://www.hottoys.com.hk/product.php?cat=66&pid=370

That's enough toy geeking out for me (for now).

comment #29

Jolloray2008 says ...

Recently, quite a few celebrities and pro athletes were said to appear on the millionaire luxury club "R I C H L O V I N G.C O M" to hook up with hot girls, ladies, models... OMG!!! Are these famous guys fond of internet dating for now?? Maybe they are indeed so rich that they feel boring sometimes to need new things? It was reported on MSN Charlie Sheen has found his girl there last May

comment #30

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comment #31

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