Opening in time for Independence Day
weekend are Illumination Entertainment's Despicable Me 2 and Disney's The Lone
Ranger. Both films release on Wednesday, July 3 with previews beginning Tuesday
at 7pm. I am not interested in The Lone Ranger, so it is all about Despicable Me 2 (c'mon the minions are SO cute).
Despicable Me 2
PROS:
- Minions, minions, and more minions.
- The original film posted a stellar
box office run three summers ago, sprouting some of the best legs for an
animated movie since the first Shrek.
- Twitter, Flixster, and Facebook
activity have been consistently strong, the former edging out Monsters
University this week.
- Impressive home video sales for the
first film.
- The all-star cast will continue
interesting adult audiences.
- The holiday opening.
CONS:
- Opening two weeks after the
successful Monsters University could arguably cut down on upfront interest.
- The already very busy marketplace.
- Not all animated sequels live up to
their predecessors at the box office (see Cars 2 and Kung Fu Panda 2).
The Lone Ranger
PROS:
- Johnny Depp.
- The Disney marketing muscle.
- The established brand name could
cater well toward older audiences not interested in Despicable Me 2 this
weekend.
- The disappointment of White House
Down could mean those looking for an action flick will opt for this instead.
CONS:
- Reviews are in the cellar.
- Being adapted on a very outdated TV
series likely means a lack of interest from younger audiences, despite Depp's
presence.
- Depp has become somewhat criticized
for taking on roles similar to his Jack Sparrow character--this one being the
latest subject.
- Westerns typically do not fare well
at the box office, especially in the summer (see Wild Wild West and Cowboys
& Aliens).
- Families that may otherwise check
out a new Depp-Disney flick will be more preoccupied with Despicable Me 2 this
weekend, among other competitors.
- The film has been the target of
frequent bad buzz since production began.
Thanks God is FriGay!!!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean :-)
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