Box Office: 'Atlas Shrugged' collapses

[cindy25]

http://www.nypost.com/p/blogs/movies/box_office_atlas_shrugged_collapses_1oWcoz9xOxcmfdaik24uFN

 

[sevin]

Too bad. I was hoping it would do well enough to justify the sequels.

 

[JohnGalt1225]

Disappointing. I really liked the movie.

 

[Nate-ForLiberty]

A movie like this should be released online. Not in theaters. DVD sales will be stronger.

 

[puppetmaster]

never made it to Reno.......still limited releases, what do they expect

 

[sailingaway]

A good book does not guarantee a good movie.

 

[Lucille]

Aglialoro whines to the LA Times:

'Atlas Shrugged' producer: 'Critics, you won.' He's going 'on strike.'

I don't what he expected. He did zero advertising.

It probably should have been a TV miniseries on one of the cable channels, like AMC or FX, and longer than three episodes. I suppose it still could be.

 

[libertybrewcity]

they only spent 10 million on it. They should have sold the movie rights to someone who would have spent more. This movie should be a hollywood flick.

 

[Lucille]

they only spent 10 million on it. They should have sold the movie rights to someone who would have spent more. This movie should be a hollywood flick.

I think J. Neil's right:

That movie could never be made. The people who okay writing checks that enormous share the values of the people Ayn Rand was attacking in Atlas Shrugged. They’re the big businessmen Atlas Shrugged skewers and damns to atheist hell.

 

[nelsonwinters]

Of course there was a huge opening weekend rush to see the movie for those of us anxiously awaiting for it to be released. However, it is important to remember that it was Easter. Check out how other movies did this past weekend (I see an awful lot of red on that page).

http://boxofficemojo.com/weekend/chart/

 

[aGameOfThrones]

2 weekends ago it had 295 theaters, last weekend it gain 166 theaters, not bad.

 

[RCA]

It was doomed from the beginning by releasing it in "parts".

 

[2young2vote]

And the fact that it is a movie about politics and business and a philosophy that most people don't care about at all.

 

[jmdrake]

they only spent 10 million on it. They should have sold the movie rights to someone who would have spent more. This movie should be a hollywood flick.

According to the linked article they spent 20 million on it.

"Critics, you won," said John Aglialoro, the businessman who spent 18 years and more than $20 million of his own money to make, distribute and market "Atlas Shrugged: Part 1," which covers the first third of Rand's dystopian novel. "I’m having deep second thoughts on why I should do Part 2."

Movies with smaller budgets have done better in the box office. (The "Left Behind" series comes immediately to mind).

 

[RileyE104]

They didn't advertise it well enough. I saw NO trailers for it on TV.

None of my family knew what the movie was because they had seen no trailer and I know that's why the movie didn't sell enough.

You can't release a movie in theaters and then not promote it on TV.


The movie was GREAT and it's a shame there wasn't better advertising.

 

[jmdrake]

They didn't advertise it well enough. I saw NO trailers for it on TV.

None of my family knew what the movie was because they had seen no trailer and I know that's why the movie didn't sell enough.

You can't release a movie in theaters and then not promote it on TV.


The movie was GREAT and it's a shame there wasn't better advertising.

They were trying to viral market it through talk radio and through the Tea parties. That worked for the "Left Behind" movies, but not this. And it's not surprising. I don't think your average talk radio head/teacon is a big Ayn Rand fan. In fact I'm not a big Ayn Rand fan.

 

[libertarian4321]

Well, they'll still get my $1 when it comes to Red Box, so all is not lost

 

[TheeJoeGlass]

I think this is a bit overblown. If they only spent 10 mil on the movie, and have already made 3 million, then with what they make on dvd sales and a larger release should make up the rest.

 

[Acala]

I'm not a big movie-goer to begin with, but the idea of a cinematic morality play on objectivism leaves me cold.

 

[emazur]

I think this is a bit overblown. If they only spent 10 mil on the movie, and have already made 3 million, then with what they make on dvd sales and a larger release should make up the rest.

from the latimes link in post #7

Though the film has made only $3.1 million so far, Aglialoro said he believes he'll recoup his investment after TV, DVD and other ancillary rights are sold. But he is backing off an earlier strategy to expand "Atlas" to 1,000 screens and reconsidering his plans to start production on a second film this fall.

"Why should I put up all of that money if the critics are coming in like lemmings?" Aglialoro said. "I’ll make my money back and I'll make a profit, but do I wanna go and do two? Maybe I just wanna see my grandkids and go on strike."

Aglialoro, who is chief executive of the exercise equipment manufacturer Cybex, said he is not completely finished with Hollywood, however. An avid poker player who won the U.S. Poker Championship in 2004, he has a dramatic script called "Poker Room" in development. "Maybe the critics will be kinder to that one," he said.

Sounds like he's get his money back, but there won't be much profit and he feels demotivated by the critics. Some might call him a crybaby, but I think most people in his shoes would feel the same way. Plus, making 2 more movies would be a LOT of work and time.