Report: ‘Battleship’ numbers could sink studio’s bottom line
May 21st, 2012 | Movies Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Navy Secretary (and "Battleship" star) Ray Mabus, left, and director Peter Berg attended a May 14 screening of the film in Washington. Other screenings at other theaters last weekend weren't as crowded. (Navy photo by MCC Sam Shavers)
There were special screenings for sailors stateside and promotional events abroad. There was a massive marketing campaign that involved sandwich shops and soda makers. There was a positive review from Military Times’ octoplex guru. There was a cameo by the Navy Department’s top civilian.
Despite all that, and despite an overseas box office take worth more than $220 million, movie-industry reports are pretty much unanimous: “Battleship” bombed.
Deadline Hollywood reports a $25.3 million take for the film over its debut weekend in U.S., well behind “The Avengers,” which topped $55 million in its third weekend. One analyst quoted in this Reuters report said “Battleship” needed to hit $50 million in its opening weekend if it wanted to break even on production costs that topped $200 million. The numbers are low enough to drag down profits for the movie’s studio, Universal, owned by media giant Comcast, according to the Reuters report. The studio makes back about half the money from each ticket sold and even less on overseas tickets, according to Reuters, so $245 million in sales on a $200 million release doesn’t add up to movie magic.
Box Office Mojo, which tracks ticket sales in-depth, reports “Battleship” fell short on opening weekend no matter how you measure it: It was beaten in opening-weekend take by other toy-based movies (“GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra” and the first “Transformers”), other alien invasion movies (“Cowboys and Aliens” and “Battle: Los Angeles”) and even other special-effects-laden disasters (“John Carter” took in $30.2 million its first week).
In other words, Navy officials hoping for a cameo in “Battleship 2: Battleship Harder” may have a long wait.
Intel leak? Chinese, Russian moviegoers get first glimpse at “Battleship” in IMAX
April 4th, 2012 | Battleships Entertainment Navy | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Keeping with the "family game night" theme, Lt. Cmdr. Dave Hecht describes the carrier George Washington's "Oujia board" to "Battleship" star Brooklyn Decker after a Monday news conference on the carrier's flight deck promoting the film. (Navy photo by MCSA Brian H. Abel)
Nations including China and Russia will get an inside look at some of the U.S. Navy’s most advanced tactics.
Specifically, how the Navy would deal with an alien invasion. If Liam Neeson ran Pacific Fleet. And if the director of “Friday Night Lights” ran everything.
It might not be much of an intel edge, but international audiences will be the first to see the Hollywood blockbuster “Battleship,” which debuts overseas in IMAX theaters April 12, according to an IMAX news release. More than 100 international theaters will screen the movie before it hits U.S. cinemas May 18. Gawker Media’s I09 website included the item in its “Morning Spoilers” report, appropriately enough.
As of early Wednesday, RottenTomatoes.com said 88 percent of its audience reviewers are eager to see the special-effects showcase — not quite the anticipation level for “The Avengers” (98 percent), but at least a little higher than “The Three Stooges” (82 percent).
Director Peter Berg and some of the film’s stars, including Rihanna, Taylor Kitsch (“John Carter”) and Brooklyn Decker (Sports Illustrated), visited troops Monday at Fleet Activities Yokosuka, Japan, and held a news conference on the carrier George Washington to promote the movie. Bookmark this link for the latest official trailers.
‘Battleship’ preview set for Super Bowl
February 3rd, 2012 | Battleships Movies | Posted by Kevin Lilley
Cmdr. George Kessler, executive officer of the destroyer Spruance, and Cmdr. M. Tate Westbrook, the ship's commanding officer, give a tour to Peter Berg, director of "Battleship."
It’s shaping up to be a traditional Super Bowl Sunday: A six-hour pregame show followed by football, snacks, drinks, aliens, surface warships and Liam Neeson.
The last part might need an explainer. “Battleship,” the action movie somehow based on the board game of the same name, will debut in theaters this May, but you’ll get a new 60-second sneak peek during the first quarter of Sunday’s big game, Deadline New York reports.
We’ve shown you earlier, longer trailers for this one before, but this’ll be the biggest audience yet for the SWOs-vs.-aliens adventure, which stars Neeson, “Friday Night Lights” youngster Taylor Kitsch, hip-hop artist Rihanna, Sports Illustrated eye candy Brooklyn Decker and, maybe, a sensible plot (not pictured in any previews so far).
Deadline also reports director Peter Berg will use Kitsch in his upcoming movie treatment of “Lone Survivor,” a real-life tale of heroism by retired Special Warfare Operator 1st Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell. IMDB pegs that film for a 2013 release.