As part of one of the most anticipated Memorial Day weekends in box office history, the only two new titles that will enter an already busy marketplace that I will watch are The Hangover Part III and Fast & Furious 6.
The Hangover Part III
PROS:
- The first two films are among the
highest grossing of all-time when it comes to R-rated flicks and the comedy
genre as a whole.
- Online activity--Flixster in
particular--is relatively strong.
- Getting a one-day head-start on the
busy weekend could help to spread awareness and word of mouth.
- The synergy provided by Bradley
Cooper's rising stardom in the wake of Silver Linings Playbook, Zach
Galifianakis' steady popularity, and Ed Helms' heavy media exposure thanks to
"The Office" finale could help offset lack of interest from
disappointed fans.
CONS:
- The already-crowded market.
- The Hangover Part II burned some
audiences, meaning lessened demand for this sequel is very likely.
- Opening against another
male-focused film in Fast & Furious 6 won't do it any favors as that
franchise is at its peak in popularity.
- Reviews have been unkind thus far.
- Twitter activity has been lagging
behind the previous film.
Fast & Furious 6
PROS:
- Fast Five became the biggest hit of
the franchise to-date in 2011, bolstered by strong word of mouth.
- Online activity has been
continuously strong for the sixth entry dating back to its Super Bowl ad in
February--when it was the most well-received trailer shown during the game.
- Opening on a major holiday weekend
is a first for the series, increasing potential for a big opening.
- Not many recent releases have
catered to the urban crowd--this series' target audience.
CONS:
- Fast Five opened the summer with no
competition in the market. As the fifth big release of May this time, will
there be enough room to expand on that film's $86.2 million opening?
- In the wake of Iron Man 3 and Star
Trek Into Darkness, demand from action fans could be slightly more muted this
time around.
- Every franchise experiences fatigue
at some point. Six films in, does the Fast series have another peak to hit?
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