Comments on: Is Avatar Too Expensive To Be Successful?

By: Avatar Breaks Opening Day Blu-Ray Sales Record - Screen Rant

Avatar Breaks Opening Day Blu-Ray Sales Record - Screen Rant — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:24:51 +0000

[...] the people who didn’t expect the movie to do all that well – or did you know all along it would be a juggernaut success? (Be honest! )Sources: 20th Century Fox, Coming Soon and The Wrap var [...]

By: Official High-Res Avatar Pics - Screen Rant

Official High-Res Avatar Pics - Screen Rant — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 17:09:23 +0000

[...] something which was very much needed and expected, considering the film’s overall budget is reported to be close to the $500 million mark (that includes [...]

By: Alphonse

Alphonse — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:16:16 +0000

If this film is good, which I’ve been banking on for months and months, I will happily pay the premium for an IMAX several times over. Regardless of whether the film is any good or not it is still an experience. If it has a generic archetyped narrative, (which it probably will) but has a great cast of characters whose individual stories engage you enough that they aren’t lost in the scale of “epicness”. (see 2012) I personally think the film will do just that! And I have a gut feeling it will do more, in every sense – much more! My advice to myself and anyone who agree’s with me is enjoy the experience while you can! I would do anything to watch Terminator 2 or Aliens at the cinema again, and I intend to soak up the whole experience while it’s laying at my feet. I cannot wait!

By: JessSayin

JessSayin — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:52:32 +0000

Being an old man myself..I agree with ‘the old man’.

James Cameron masterpieces not withstanding, and I agree you ALWAYS get something new and innovative with his films, it still looks like a REALLY expensive video game to me. (IMO)

I have a feeling the words, “video game” are going to be in a LOT of reviews of this one. He’s good but only Pixar is batting a 1000 these days from what I’ve been reading.

I’ll catch it on dollar Tuesday at the Main Place Mall.

By: Janet

Janet — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:22:53 +0000

Kevin Costner said in an interview awhile back that Waterworld made some 400 million dollars so it wasn’t a “flop” as it’s been wrongly labeled!

By: the old man

the old man — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 04:26:18 +0000

Good point Josh. I wonder if they will exempt Senior discount or matinée pricing as well? Wouldn’t be surprised if concessions didn’t go up 20% till the end of the year too.

By: Skyjunkie

Skyjunkie — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:08:45 +0000

It cost 230mil to make even in the new york times article.. they added 150mil for marketing and they got 500mil outta that (idk how) and basically put up a headline “AVATAR COSTS $500 MILLION TO MAKE!!!”.. how ridiculous is this “reporting”

By: Ken

Ken — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:36:36 +0000

Cameron is a perfectionist. That is why Avatar ended up costing half a BILLION dollars. If any other director tackled this project, it probobly would have cost much less. Still, I am sure that Avatar will be a great movie. In that case, I don’t care if it does poor or great. Just bring on Battle Angel Alita and I’ll be the happiest guy on Earth!!!!

By: Josh Rose

Josh Rose — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:31:52 +0000

Surprised to see no one’s brought up the fact that tickets for a 3D showing cost a heck of a lot more than tickets for a regular screening, and honestly, this is the ONE movie that you have to see in 3D to appreciate.

That’s going to help a lot in the end.

By: Chad

Chad — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:21:17 +0000

I am looking forward to seeing “Avatar” but I will only see the 3-D version at the only real IMAX theatre here in Seattle. With all the theatres now installing 3-D projectors, I wonder who will be running them? The same incompetents that push the buttons today? I’m tired of seeing blurry and fuzzy pictures, hearing muffled, mono audio and having to leave after the first minutes to complain to management who then come and say “Uuuuhhhh…you’re the only one complaining, so it must be YOU that has a problem.” Yeah, I’m talking to you, REGAL CINEMAS! I saw the preview in 3-D last weekend just before “A Christmas Carol” and it was so much better than the regular showing in an ordinary theatre. I believe this movie will succeed creatively and financially. So many people were ready to write off Cameron before “Titanic” came out–just wait until the movie comes out and then decide!

By: Ken J

Ken J — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:02:30 +0000

If this movie doesn’t earn as much as Transformers 2, that’s a VERY sad statement about our movie-going public, lol. But as long as I get to see it, I don’t care, I’ll probably see it multiple times if it turns out to be good…

By: Avatar TV Spot 3 = Fantasy Adventure For Kids? - Screen Rant

Avatar TV Spot 3 = Fantasy Adventure For Kids? - Screen Rant — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:46:06 +0000

[...] of the film, or is Fox just trying to ‘rob the cradle,’ hoping for bigger returns on their risky venture?Avatar will have to prove itself in theaters (regular and IMAX) on December 18, 2009.Source: [...]

By: skyjunkie

skyjunkie — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:30:04 +0000

Avatar’s budget is not 500 million. That includes marketing, which usually equals the budget, but it’s still not part of the production budget.

Transformers 2 had a budget well over 200 million, but that too would have cost 400-500 million after marketing was done. Same with the likes of the newest Harry Potter, or any other of this year’s blockbusters.

Avatar is no different, budget wise.

By: DreamScape18

DreamScape18 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:04:56 +0000

It will make its money back. Easy. I can’t wait to start the I told you so train : )

By: LACreoleman

LACreoleman — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:16:03 +0000

This is less of a ‘Billion Dollar Money Making Machine’ for Cameron and more of a ‘Let Me Innovate The Industry’ film, because although he probably has crafted a well told story and gets good performances from his actors, its always been about the technology here, and its ability to do things to make jaws drop and audiences go ‘OMG…that’s AWESOME!!’.

He never really hyped the film’s story or gushed praise for his actors, he always talks about the technology behind Avatar and how he hopes it will change the way we all experience movies in the future. And I agree with Kofi, whether this is another billion in the film industries coffers or not, Cameron will have started something that every director involved in genre films (a couple have already asked about or shown interest in the technology) will be trying to get their hands on and use in their big budget epics.

Will Avatar be Cameron’s Titanic II or Waterworld II? I cannot say, although I am biased because the trailers have simply made me a puddle of goo with the excellent visuals and what I’ve seen tells me initially that it might hold up story-wise and will probably make its $500M and do +250-300M in domestic/worldwide sales over that, but that is just my fevered dreams for the film. Cameron will most likely, in the future, be considered one of the industry’s greats, not only as a director but as an innovator as well. Only time will tell.

By: John "Kahless" Taylor

John "Kahless" Taylor — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:38:05 +0000

I’m with Ken J on this one. James Cameron is a geek-god, and anything he’s involved with will garner instant appeal to me. The man knows how to tell a story and he knows special effects. It almost seems like people want this movie to fail because of the anticipation. If the movie is as good as directors are saying, why not see it? Are you naysayers saying that this movie can’t even make Transformers type money? Because that’s what I keep hearing and reading. After Star Trek, this was my most anticipated film of this year; and I still can’t believe someone is coming down on Kofi just because he is hyped for the film. Well, just add me to that bash-the-Cameron-lovers list.

By: joe

joe — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:04:12 +0000

Well I fell guaranteed that this movie will make it’s money back but will also have rely heavily on the mouth publicity too like Titanic did. Then only I think this movie will be able to make it’s money back as far as I see that will happen because it’s James Cameron’ movie no matter what people will say now they will change their opinion once they see the movie in 3d imax that for sure.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:45:08 +0000

A lot of you keep mentioning ‘Titantic’, and while very expensive and hugely successful worldwide, there’s a major difference. ‘Titantic’ had instant appeal to pretty much everyone based on name-recognition alone. ‘Avatar’ doesn’t have that. If you just say the word “avatar”, you’re not many people’s interest.

By: Joshi

Joshi — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:04:20 +0000

@DrSamBeckett

I only mentioned The Dark Knight because it grossed over a billion dollars, mostly on word of mouth. Avatar needs to emulate something close to that in order to be financially successful.

By: DrSamBeckett

DrSamBeckett — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:58:32 +0000

Ok I liked The Dark Knight as much as the next person but it is not the benchmark by which everything else should be judged.

It is by no means a perfect movie!