The star wars spoiler thread

[Eoghann]

You said most people won't care about seeing it on the first day. Obviously that's not the case since they broke the record. This is the type of movie people won't care when it's convenient they'll go as soon as possible instead.

No, even breaking the record doesn't mean most people cared to see it on the first day. Putting aside the fact that the records are measured in dollars so it doesn't immediately translate to people the simple fact that it will make most of its money after the first day (and not exclusively from repeat watchings) means that most (not all, but more than half) of the people who watch it did not care about it so much they had to watch it on the first day.

I honestly can't see why this is even an issue, it's just a simple statistical fact.

 

[Flyerjab]

This thread has some great discussion going.

I will be seeing it again, either today or sometime this week as I will be taking the kids this time - 9, 12 and 14 year olds. I cannot wait to see what they think of it. They are not as familiar with the original trilogy so to them the comparisons will not be as easily made. I am especially excited to see what my daughter thinks of Rey.

One thing that is clever here is that this IP has been touted as the IP for boys and that DHS will be the antecedent to what MK has been for girls. Sneaky of Ms. Kennedy and JJ to cast a strong female as the lead (well played indeed, when you consider the target demographics of the 3 new protagonists - female, african american and latino). I suppose Disney found a way to sneak in their newest Disney princess, even though she will never be marketed with those words. Daisy Ridley was fantastic though and I cannot wait to see how she develops throughout the rest of the story line.

 

[BadPinkTink]

2nd year Marketing Major here

as regards the box office tacking numbers discussion, its actually classic marketing theory for a new product launch. There are 5 target audience sections and what you are seeing at the moment is the power of the first two.

The 5 sections are
Innovators
Early Adopters
Early Majority
Late Majority
Laggards

The Innovators and Early Adopters are the most important. They are the ones who can decide if the product will succeed or not. In the case of the new Star Wars films, the Innovators were critics and writers who had a positive opinion about all the pre release promo. This in turn lead to excitement with the Early adopters ie the main hard core Star Wars fan base. It is the main hard core Star Wars fan base, who would have bought tickets anyway, but thanks to the Innovators and the spread of positive pre release feed back, are already starting to influence the Early Majority.

Example, John Doe who is a Star Wars Fanatic, goes to conventions etc, might just have gone alone to day one screening but now thanks to the critics and pre release promo excitement, his girlfriend Jane Doe, who tolerates his Star Wars fanship, and her brother Mike Doe, who might not go until the crowds die down, all decide to go with John Doe to the day one screening, cos if Jon Doe, the Star Wars expert says its good, then it must be good.

Thats why the first day figures are so huge. The core target market have already started the repeat screenings, which in turn is influencing those who are in the next section, the early majority. Each section has an impact on the following section.

 

[umichigan10]

I actually thought it scene was great the first time.

Really thought it was done well. The touch of the face was solo's most emotional moment from the entire franchise...

I thought for all his unoriginal flaws...Abrams did that like a boss.

The fall was great...he wasn't a corpse...he was a legend

Second time through I really appreciated it more since I knew what was coming. Also the dialogue by ren is really great too.

Ford definitely forced their hand but they did a phenomenal job handling it and sent Han off the way he deserved

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I'm not sure what all that above means...ill take you're word for it...

But what is known is that Star Wars has licensed likely north of 50 or 55 billion dollars worth of products over 36/37 years...which absolutely destroys any other property over a similar stretch of time.

As far as the opening day/week and who will care to see it and when.

Indicators - while still applicable - probably will work the least well on this movie than we have seen in a long time.

If it's good...you'll see a much larger mass pool of people doing repeats. I think that's setting up for a ridiculous final total.

If it didn't/doesn't have legs...then you would see a steep backlash that may shrink the numbers lower. If I recall attack of the boned movie had that.

Because far more people take this stuff personally than any movie you will find. That stance is hard to dispute.

We'll see how it all plays out and where Disney goes from here.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

This thread has some great discussion going.

I will be seeing it again, either today or sometime this week as I will be taking the kids this time - 9, 12 and 14 year olds. I cannot wait to see what they think of it. They are not as familiar with the original trilogy so to them the comparisons will not be as easily made. I am especially excited to see what my daughter thinks of Rey.

One thing that is clever here is that this IP has been touted as the IP for boys and that DHS will be the antecedent to what MK has been for girls. Sneaky of Ms. Kennedy and JJ to cast a strong female as the lead (well played indeed, when you consider the target demographics of the 3 new protagonists - female, african american and latino). I suppose Disney found a way to sneak in their newest Disney princess, even though she will never be marketed with those words. Daisy Ridley was fantastic though and I cannot wait to see how she develops throughout the rest of the story line.

Clearly the story had a dictated Disney agenda...but they managed to get it done well so I can't complain.

The most accurate thing leading in was all the PR saying that the new cast was great - ford called them "phenomenal" - and he was right. All four...five if count Hux (very understated I think so far) and Even snoke (I typically hate motion capture but the tease in this movie was really good)...we're really as good as it could get. I'd put the overall acting quality on par with empire...which had really good acting if you just watch it in a vacuum.

The least accurate was Abrams publically saying "I don't want to be a sequel guy"...now that I've gotten over he completely lied and made a reboot...it's much more comfortable a few days later.

I bought 4 tickets on 10/19...I really intended on only taking my 8 year old son. But my wife - never watched stars wars other than ewoks - and my daughter decided to go.
They were all engaged the whole time and everybody has been chattering about it since. Didn't think either would realistically happen.

I think that's a sign of the franchise really getting back on its feet. And I'm sorry - my strong opinion is that it was nowhere near its potential because Lucas lost his mind (he and Michael Eisner should get a group therapy session going) - and I think that's what Disney identified and made the purchase due to.

 

[Budshark]

Questions:
Why is C3POs arm red?
Who did Warrick Davis play?
What happens now that an entire system has been destroyed including the new Senate?
Obviously, who is Rey?

The other question is, are we about to see another commentary on current political climate? Do we enter into a proxy war - where Luke and Snoke stay in the background, building up their new proxy armies to fight on their behalf? Or does Luke come out of hiding with Rey and lead the battle?

I wish the movie had been deeper, but that is selfish interest in the world. I'm not sure they could have made it longer (3 hr Star Wars would be hard for kids), and I think to truly build the arc and wrap up the new characters they had to move at this pace. Although I think they truly had 2 movies worth of material there... simultaneous filming (ala Lord of the Rings) and release them less than a year apart would've been great. But of course, I'm still in the "more please" phase.

 

[Teamubr]

I'll chime in on the impact of this movie and the hype since opening. I'm a normal, run of the mill, SW fan. Saw all the movies. Liked them. Appreciated the original trilogy, but didn't deplore the prequil as bad as others.

I hadn't planned on seeing TFA until after the holidays when the super fans died down, but all the hype since Thursday and the reviews got me to order tickets last night. Going to the 1115 showing this morning. So my $20.45 will contribute to the record weekend take.

j

 

[umichigan10]

Clearly the story had a dictated Disney agenda...but they managed to get it done well so I can't complain.

The most accurate thing leading in was all the PR saying that the new cast was great - ford called them "phenomenal" - and he was right. All four...five if count Hux (very understated I think so far) and Even snoke (I typically hate motion capture but the tease in this movie was really good)...we're really as good as it could get. I'd put the overall acting quality on par with empire...which had really good acting if you just watch it in a vacuum.

The least accurate was Abrams publically saying "I don't want to be a sequel guy"...now that I've gotten over he completely lied and made a reboot...it's much more comfortable a few days later.

I bought 4 tickets on 10/19...I really intended on only taking my 8 year old son. But my wife - never watched stars wars other than ewoks - and my daughter decided to go.
They were all engaged the whole time and everybody has been chattering about it since. Didn't think either would realistically happen.

I think that's a sign of the franchise really getting back on its feet. And I'm sorry - my strong opinion is that it was nowhere near its potential because Lucas lost his mind (he and Michael Eisner should get a group therapy session going) - and I think that's what Disney identified and made the purchase due to.

Eh just some incomprehensible jabber heaping on praise on my end. My point being ultimately it was a good movie and everybody and their mother should see it

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Eh just some incomprehensible jabber heaping on praise on my end. My point being ultimately it was a good movie and everybody and their mother should see it

I think mom is gassing up the car far and wide and will for the majority of the winter.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

A couple of things I noticed today.

Ewan macgreggor came in an recorded a line for the movie...I honestly did catch it because too much was going on...

Abrams said he rode in on his motorcycle...shot some BS with the crew for a while. Recorded it once, hoped on his bike and rode off. Nice.

And ford made...um...at least 76 times the salary of any other actor.

Anybody want to join me in the "he's in it for the money" camp?

 

[rteetz]

It's up to $517 million globally...

Estimated $238 million domestically

 

[Josh Hendy]

The other question is, are we about to see another commentary on current political climate? Do we enter into a proxy war...

I hope they don't try to get into big picture political manoeuvres. The pr******s attempted this and it came off as clumsy and even worse boring. Blowing up Coruscent says this - "no more boring senate debates". The identification of 1st order with Nazis although simple-minded is just to invoke Godwin's Law and end the political discussion. Yeah we know they're bad but how would a regular person deal with it?

The characters are already highly topical. Rey is an underemployed young dropout who is impoverished and disaffected by the economic mismanagement of the galaxy. Which is remote and incomprehensible. Finn is an ex soldier who doesn't understand anything about foreign policy except that he hates it. Poe is happy because although not wealthy he's working for an NGO.

Brilliant because it's topical and but it also reflects the amount of political engagement and understanding of the average person.

I'll give you my rundown of the old characters if you don't mind. Luke was an economically secure teenager with boring "we lived through the depression and WWII" parents yearning to get off the farm. Han was sort of a cynical ex hippie who's now just in it for the money. Leia was a rich girl who had a political awakening and became a woman of action, like a sane Patty Hearst. Very 70s.

 

[Goofy DVC]

It's up to $517 million globally...

Estimated $238 million domestically

Just read that some movie analysts are saying the $238 m number is Disney's number and it's conservative. They predict a number of up to $246 m or even higher.
Then again, theses are the same people who originally predicted $180 m.
We'll know soon enough, then the real telling numbers come into play, like the next two weeks.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It's up to $517 million globally...

Estimated $238 million domestically

That domestic number had to be an estimate for the end of today

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Just read that some movie analysts are saying the $238 m number is Disney's number and it's conservative. They predict a number of up to $246 m or even higher.
Then again, theses are the same people who originally predicted $180 m.
We'll know soon enough, then the real telling numbers come into play, like the next two weeks.

Agree...

Everyone has got stars in there eyes for the opening numbers...but the real indicators will be the next 3 weekends.

Having the second Friday all but taken out is gonna be an interesting twist...New Years - worthless to the majority of people - may be strength.

How it does jan 8-10 is actually more interesting to me right now.

 

[Eoghann]

Questions:
Why is C3POs arm red?
.

I believe this is going to be addressed in a Marvel Comic in February Star Wars: C3P0 #1. It was supposed to come out next week, but scheduling problems due to creative clearances derailed it.

 

[rteetz]

Oh Bob

http://www.mouseinfo.com/new/2015/1...eated-18-kt-gold-black-diamond-bb8-lapel-pin/

 

[Goofy DVC]

Deadline Hollywood News had the following
"11th UPDATE, Sunday AM: As we saw last night, Disney’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens is back in the upper echelon of its projections with an opening weekend of $241M-$246M per industry calculations. Disney is calling the weekend this morning at $238M, but others are telling us it’s much higher than that. As we always knew and saw, everyone can just say goodbye to the all-time domestic debut record that Jurassic World set back in June with $208.8M. Industry calculations show $69.1M for Saturday, while Disney reports $68.7M. Saturday was a steeper drop from Friday for Force Awakens at -43% than Jurassic World‘s -15% slip between those two days, but one needs to take into account how front-loaded the J.J. Abrams title was. Non-Disney sources are projecting a 20% slide between Saturday and Sunday, but at this momentum and whenever grosses are this high, the feeling is that Force Awakens will continue to surprise, especially as it heads into a week where 74% of schools are off. Every day is like a Friday this coming week. Disney sees a 29% dip from Saturday into Sunday with today grossing $48.8M. While Thursday and Friday’s tickets sales were dictated by advance sales, Sunday will be one of those days that relies largely on walk-up business. “Today is the day that these films can flex their muscles,” said one exhibition insider. Again, it’s just amazing to consider that this film will make more in a matter of days than any single Hobbit filmdid during their entire three-month-plus runs."

Also, read elsewhere a list of days with the most advanced ticket sales. In other words, these days were the top 3 of the $100m of pre sales:
1st- opening day Thursday- No surprise
2cd- following Friday- No surprise
3rd- Christmas Day- very surprised.

 

[Budshark]

Im surprised people keep saying Christmas is a surprise. Christmas is a very heavily attended movie day - bigger than many weekends.