I guess the movie isn’t following in the book’s successful footsteps:
SATURDAY AM: Friday night only $8.6 million from 3,528 theaters with anemic per screen average. Weekend estimate for $27 million. Cost of movie: $200+ million. Wildly expensive flop should sink New Line Cinema chairman Bob Shaye’s chances to stay on when his contract expires in 2008…
I recently re-read the book and will offer my thoughts here soon. Now, I wonder if I should spend the money to see the movie.
In the blockbuster fantasy franchise business, there are three huge successes: Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Narnia. And three bombs: A Series of Unfortunate Events, Eragon, and now Golden Compass. That should be enough data to draw sweeping conclusions!
The three successes include two New Zealand productions, and a UK production with zero American actors. Could it be… the less Hollywood, the more box office?