Box Office Mojo Previews Predators

[Hunter]

Predators has targeted a high profile slot on the summer schedule despite a less-than-blockbuster history. The original Predator opened back in June 1987 and grossed $59.7 million, or the equivalent of around $115 million adjusted for ticket price inflation. In 1990, Predator 2 did about half the business, and then the franchise was resurrected in 2004 along with Alien in Alien Vs. Predator. That picture had a splashy $38.3 million debut but quickly fizzled, winding up with $80.3 million (or less than $100 million adjusted). Again, its sequel, Aliens Vs. Predator - Requiem, did about half the business. There's a good reason that Aliens had top billing in the Vs. movies: it was a bigger franchise.

When Predators was announced, it was described as a reimagining by Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), and his name was even part of the title for a while. What's more, the cast that includes Adrien Brody, Topher Grace and Laurence Fishburne is higher profile than the Vs. movies. The name talent, though, is not likely to make a lick of difference. The movie's potential will rest on the premise, the execution and the marketing. Unfortunately, none of that is officially available as of this writing, but it will be an uphill battle for Predators to expand on the fan base. Rumor has it that the movie is set on an alien jungle world where the humans are placed and then hunted by Predators. If that's true, it sounds like more of a fan fantasia than something that will break-out beyond the franchise norm: thus far, the appeal has been in these mysterious aliens hunting on our world and not in revealing the mystery of these aliens. If the characters are strong enough to sustain a location transplant, then maybe Predators can give the franchise a jumpstart.

Box Office Mojo

[Sebastian]

Not sure where "preview" fits in there...

[Hunter]

Box Office Mojo Previews Predators Box Office Potential

[Sebastian]

Right, sorry!

[dude]

So basically saying it will make AvP money, well good thing Fox gave it an AvP budget, then. Who wrote this article the cast of Baby Super Geniouses 2?

[Hunter]

Right, sorry!

No need to be sorry! I'm just trying to justify "preview"

[Hudson]

The name talent, though, is not likely to make a lick of difference. The movie's potential will rest on the premise, the execution and the marketing. Unfortunately, none of that is officially available as of this writing, but it will be an uphill battle for Predators to expand on the fan base.

Really? 

[dude]

That's a bit of an obvious statement. You've got a cast that isn't made up of anybody you'd pay to see in action movies (Machete being the exception and only for guys like me) and we've got no promotional material. No shit sherlock.

Couldn't he really wait for the trailer or some stills first? Really?

[deezelboy]

Kinda messes up the idea of doing a 2010 preview of the box office, though.

Love the 'fan fantasia' bit!

[dude]

Kinda messes up the idea of doing a 2010 preview of the box office, though.

Please explain. Because the other 2010 previews he's doing have promotional material. I.E. Sorcerer's Apprentice.

[deezelboy]

'Cos if you look at what they've written, regardless of whether there's any promotional material, it's not mentioned or included in their projection. 

What they've done is provided a like-for-like projection of the Box Office, so The Sorcerer's Apprentice is compared to similar films, regardless of whether the trailer or anything else makes it look any good or not.