Other super hero teams comparing themselves to TMNT

[Andrew Modeen]

You know what ever you say, you're not going to convince me this was a flop.  

I know.

[WolfofMibu]

You know I know TMNT wasn't a blockbuster, but I certainly can't agree that it is a flop. To me a flop is a film that doesn't even break even to its budget, TMNT has surpassed it budget and slowly keeps adding little bits more.

Even Blades of Glory which has been hailed by the movie industry as a success has made just about as much past it budget as Turtles. Turtles was budgeted at around 35 and made 52, Blades of Glory was budgeted at around 61/65 I can't recall and has made in the mid 80's. I really wish I could find numbers for what Meet the Robinson's buget was so I could compare those films.

I think flop is far too harsh of a term... moderately successful, I will give you that.

But really was anyone expecting 300 type numbers here?? Not really. I have faith between the box office and DVD sales we will be seeing another Turtles film.

[Andrew Modeen]

You know I know TMNT wasn't a blockbuster, but I certainly can't agree that it is a flop. To me a flop is a film that doesn't even break even to its budget, TMNT has surpassed it budget and slowly keeps adding little bits more.

Production budgets never include the marketing and distribution costs... which are pretty monumental in any big budget film like this.

I think flop is far too harsh of a term... moderately successful, I will give you that.

Maybe "flop" is a bit harsh. It'll roughly break even if you factor in the bigger picture, maybe earn a couple million in the wings... call it, then, "not a loss, but well below expectations and a box office disappointment."

But really was anyone expecting 300 type numbers here?? Not really. I have faith between the box office and DVD sales we will be seeing another Turtles film.

Of course no one expected 300-type numbers. That's the opposite extreme.

Fantastic Four, even Hulk-calibre numbers? It coulda.

[WolfofMibu]

Fantastic Four, even Hulk-calibre numbers? It coulda.

Your examples really don't make much sense:

Hulk:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hulk.htm

Production Budget: $137 million

Domestic Total Gross: $132,177,234

Hmmm its getting a second movie and it didn't even make its budget.

Fantastic Four:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fantasticfour.htm

Production Budget: $100 million

Domestic Total Gross: $154,696,080

Did better but still not THAT much better then Turtles is currently doing

TMNT:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=daily&id=tmntcg.htm

Production Budget: $34 million

Domestic Total as of Apr. 22, 2007: $52,331,930

And it still has at least a week or so more to make a little more plus DVD sales...

I still think you are being a little too doom and gloom and I still call the film a moderate success.... heck the HulK makes it look amazing.

[Michaelangelo]

Man the Hulk was bad, and the ONLY reason it did as well as it did do... was because of promotions.. Every where you went there was Hulk stuff, and the difference between that and the TMNT movie stuff.  They couldn't get that stuff off the shelfs, it wasn't selling.  Though the TMNT movie toys are selling.  Big difference there.

Depending the area you're in, the movie could be in theaters even longer than a week.  My theater said it'll still be there the week of May 4th, 5th, and 6th... so that's two more weeks at least.  And than there's the $1 shows.  I know some people don't seem to have these anymore, but we do and they keep busy.  So it all depends where you are, and till the movie is no longer on the big screen anywhere, I know I don't count it out.  

Thanks for the numbers Blue!   That's some nice info there  I think TMNT is better than Fantastic 4 as well, I went there excepting so much more out of it and was disappointed.   I'm hoping the second one is better with the Sliver Surfer in it.

[Andrew Modeen]

Your examples really don't make much sense:

Hulk:
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=hulk.htm

Production Budget: $137 million

Domestic Total Gross: $132,177,234

Hmmm its getting a second movie and it didn't even make its budget.

Er, http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2003/HULK.php

It earned $225,000,000, Wolf.

Fantastic Four:

http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=fantasticfour.htm

Production Budget: $100 million

Domestic Total Gross: $154,696,080

Did better but still not THAT much better then Turtles is currently doing

I'd call two times what TMNT did domestically a pretty big jump.

At any rate...

http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2005/FFOUR.php

Fantastic Four earned $329,000,000.

Sorry to burst bubbles, but the proof is in the pudding.

Oh, and Blades of Glory? Even though it looks like rubbish and I'm certain it is (I'll never know as I'll never watch it willingly), has made 109,000,000.

http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2007/BLDGL.php

[Andrew Modeen]

Man the Hulk was bad, and the ONLY reason it did as well as it did do... was because of promotions.. Every where you went there was Hulk stuff, and the difference between that and the TMNT movie stuff.  

Agreed, more or less, though with a name like Ang Lee attached to Hulk -- to say nothing of Jennifer Connelly (who I've loved since Labyrinth, and even in things like "Requiem for a Dream") and Bana -- it commanded a lot more in terms of "Hey, we should really market this." A video game director attached... it's a little tougher, but simply because you're asking financiers (the people that actually pay for things like marketing and such) and the like to bank not on big name actors or a known director, but rather just the name of the property itself. In this case, it just didn't pay off.

It sucks, I don't like it either, but it's true.

Thanks for the numbers Blue!   That's some nice info there  I think TMNT is better than Fantastic 4 as well, I went there excepting so much more out of it and was disappointed.

I'm divided on that myself. I found the first two thirds of Fantastic Four a fantastic (no pun intended) thrillride, really feeling for the characters... but as soon as we got near the end it was like the powers that be went, "Oh darn, our time is almost up... we gotta wrap this up! Hurry, time for showdown with Dr. Doom!" and it just went into this super-abbreviated and rushed climax that felt more than a bit rushed and nonsensical.

[Michaelangelo]

*blink*

Ok, that's just not right... with TMNT you're only counting the US Gross, but with these other movies you want to add in the other stuff?   And TMNT from what I understand had late releases in other countries so is still pulling in money in those areas so those areas still have a bit to come.

These movies we're debating on, are done in the box office.  So they made their money and it stops there, while TMNT has pulled in $52,331,930 (which is still a growing amount, since this debate started, since the movie is still in theaters) and International Gross $20,210,833, which is also a still growing amount.  The final numbers are NOT in yet for TMNT.

According to the daily charts on this page, they don't even have the up to date numbers from last week on there yet.  And if you look at it, you see the numbers have been going up and down on the charts, so it's not all down hill.   The sad thing to me is that so many movies are coming out that TMNT has been pushed out of a lot of theaters, as of the last day on their chart it was only at 1,855 theaters.   I know TN said it was out of theaters 2 weeks after she saw it, and she wanted to see it again.     Of course being out of theaters doesn't help with the sales.  

Though the fact that the sales are still coming in means the fans have their chances of giving these numbers a push.  If that count is from before last week than you can add at least $87.50 from me for Monday through Thursday of last week.  And $105 from me this week (by Thursday night that'll be how much I spend on movie tickets since yesterday).  I know it's not a horrible LOT of money, compared to those charts.  Though as I mentioned before, others are still going to the theater.  Out of seeing the movie 38 times, I've only had 4 private viewings.  So you can double those amounts by counting the other people in the theater... like Thursday there was two other people in the viewing so there's another $12, last night there was at least 7 other people in the theater, that brings that up to another $59.50.   True that only brings the numbers up to $52,332,182 though this is one theater out of over 1,000, counting only one two of the showings with other people, and the handful of showings I've gone to.  

Fans can make a difference and help encourage others to see it before it's gone.  And that's what I've been doing, I'm doing my part to help the TMNT as a whole.  Instead of sitting here giving it titles and ranting trying to get people to think this great movie is a failure.  So instead of trying to get us to feel bad about the movie, why don't you go and boost about the movie to help encourage others to see it as well, the more working with us the better the chances of it getting a better score in the box office.  

And we'll talk final budgets once the movie is really out of the theaters.  And that means all theaters, even the dollar shows.  

[WolfofMibu]

I was going with the domestic numbers because all three films have had there release in the US so it is more even... if you want to go worldwide numbers then we will have to pick this debate back up in August after TMNT has been released everywhere is it suppose to be released around the world.

Until then...  

[Lisardo]

I'll admit I'm not geeky enough to check out movie numbers and grosses, but I do know that the first week TMNT was phenominal!  TMNT was all over magizine covers.  One article had the voice actors from the movie even giving an interview.  But as the weeks passed I noticed how much it went down.  Seemed to fall out of popularity.  Although I must admit, releasing it in March, the usual time for TMNT movies, was probably wise since it'll now be competing with movies like Spiderman 3 (which always comes out in May, as do some of the early summer flicks).  I can't say it'll be much of a competition though, being Spiderman is a bigger film in general.  Hopefully the new movie will increase comic book sales, if nothing else.  I myself need to get back into collecting them, and admittedly the new movie coming out has once again piqued my interest to do so.

[Leonardo_Mystic]

I have a dollar theater here in my city. Well, actually $1.50 through the week, and $2.50 on weekends. I'm pretty sure once the movie has made its run in the bigger theater, it'll be going there, and when it does, I'm seeing it everyday.

When I declared this at work after mentioning I've seen it three times already, which I make no secret that I'm a TMNT fan, someone asked me wouldn't I get tired of it. I cheerily answered "Nope!"

[LenniluvsBrian]

I think TMNT did jsut fine & will continue to do jsut fine. I mean, c'mon! If people are going to it as much as some of us have, or going there wearing turtle masks, then yeah, it's a hit! I saw lil' kids there with their folks, & some old guy sitting all by his lonesome - lol. My Dad & I were there - my Dad enjoyed it! So there's NO way it was a flop!  


~Lenni~