For all things Episode VIII related info including spoilers.
The release date is now December 15, 2017.
The Official Synopsis from Star Wars.com
“In Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Skywalker saga continues as the heroes of The Force Awakens join the galactic legends in an epic adventure that unlocks age-old mysteries of the Force and shocking revelations of the past.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi opens in U.S. theaters on December 15, 2017.”
And there it is: YOU may not care about Luke's fate but millions of others didn't like it. Word of mouth killed this film's chances of even getting close to The Force Awakens box office draw.
Either you have a bunch of people on ignore or you just haven't read all of the posts in this thread because it's been clearly explained why people didn't care for this movie.
Okay, again, I'm really not.
And there it is: YOU may care about Luke's fate but millions of others loved it. The movie was never going to get close to TFA's box office draw, so take that off the table.
I don't have anyone on ignore. That's pretty idiotic, isn't it? To ignore people on a message board? Even Chiefs Planet where so many are insufferable. I'm not asking why people didn't care for the movie. I understand why people didn't care for the movie. I disagree but I understand. And I won't argue with subjective opinion. That's completely stupid. What I'm trying to understand is how the film is a financial failure based on real world numbers, not on critical opinions of the film. If standard conventional wisdom is that a movie needs to make 2.5 times it's budget to make a profit... and TLJ did that and then some. And there is a strong case that at least 75% of the world wide audience liked the movie and that the people that didn't are a loud and vocal minority (which seems to be the case) then how is this movie an abject failure?
I get that you're "in the industry" and "know people" and I get that you hated the movie. A lot of people did. And that's fine. I'm not arguing opinion. I'm sorry that you didn't like it. That sucks. I don't want to discount others' opinions at all.
I happened to love it. I wish everyone had. But it feels to me like the people that liked it are calling it a success and those that didn't are calling it an abject failure. Both seem disingenuous and biased. So is there a truth? Is there a mathematical, factual reality?
What was the budget for the film? How much did it make? What is the correlation between those numbers? How is the biggest film of the year and 1.3 BILLION dollars ever a failure? That's what I'm getting at.
And, I'm sorry, as smart as you guys are, the only answers you're providing are "I HATED THIS MOVIE, RIAN JOHNSON RAPED MY CHILDHOOD, THIS MOVIE SUCKS, WHAT ABOUT LUKE, THIS MOVIE IS A FAIL!"
On an artistic level, folks see it and have defended why they think it's a failure. I get that. But financially, the numbers don't seem to add up. So what am I missing? [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud:
You're acting like a dick.
How am I acting like a dick? Because I disagree? There's plenty of room for honest, friendly discourse here. I'm not trying to be a dick. You're obviously confusing me with some other poster. I'm literally just trying to have a conversation, my friend. [Reply]
Do you have a link showing before the release that they expected this to fall short of TFA? I personally expected the return of Luke Fucking Skywalker to boost it past TFA.. at least equal it.
I don't have any saved links, no. Most of the info I got and conjecture I heard regarding this issue can from podcasts and other such media. I'll see if I can find something. But even common sense seems to support that there was no way this was going to do TFA numbers. The first Star Wars film to feature the OT cast in 30 + years? An "undoing" or "soft reboot" of the PT. Also the highest domestic gross of all time. I can't believe Disney expected TLJ to top that. But maybe I'm wrong. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn:
Cool. That's helpful. What have you read? What was the budget? I'd love to know. I'm just trying to figure out how this movie is the "bomb" that people around her are projecting. Given the real world numbers and staying away from anecdotal statements like "I don't know anyone who liked it" or "fans hated it." Because there are just as many examples of fans loving it as hating it. I've seen articles that state, mathematically, 75 to 90% of fans are in favor or reacted favorably to the film. So... all of that is just he said/she said bullshit. I just want to look at the numbers. And I can't figure out how 1.3 billion is a disappointment in any real world metric.
Beyond that... I guess I don't understand how the opposite of your post isn't true. Meaning, I get that you didn't like the movie but 1.3 billion is a success. Maybe we can argue about the word staggering. But how is 1.3 billion, the highest grossing film of 2017 and one of the 15 highest grossing films of all time not a success? How is that "dangerously under-performing?" Especially when no one at Disney expected it make 2 billion?
I'm really not trying to argue, I'm just trying to understand. There are people who are more connected and way smarter than me posting on the internet. I admit that. But this really feels like a smear campaign by butthurt fans who can't let go of the OT or their own personal expectations and wants for Luke ****ing Skywalker.
Honestly, I'm just trying to get it.
You say that you're not trying to argue, but trying to argue is precisely what you're doing. You're not just trying to get because, if you were trying to get it, you'd have gotten it long ago, because it's so obvious to see and get. So, when you're done trying to argue while pretending you're not trying to argue, let me know. Until and unless that happens, you'll just have to pretend you're not trying to argue while you deliberately argue with Dane. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn:
I don't have any saved links, no. Most of the info I got and conjecture I heard regarding this issue can from podcasts and other such media. I'll see if I can find something. But even common sense seems to support that there was no way this was going to do TFA numbers. The first Star Wars film to feature the OT cast in 30 + years? An "undoing" or "soft reboot" of the PT. Also the highest domestic gross of all time. I can't believe Disney expected TLJ to top that. But maybe I'm wrong.
But you did open the link I sent with it sitting at 49% on Rotten Tomatoes right? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn:
And, I'm sorry, as smart as you guys are, the only answers you're providing are "I HATED THIS MOVIE, RIAN JOHNSON RAPED MY CHILDHOOD, THIS MOVIE SUCKS, WHAT ABOUT LUKE, THIS MOVIE IS A FAIL!"
Again, either you haven't read the entire thread or you're deliberately acting like a dick.
Either that or you did read the entire thread and still decided to be a dick. [Reply]
No one at Disney expected such a huge dropoff and negative fan reaction.
Not one single person.
Okay, that makes some sense to me and seems fair. Thank you. This is the kind of thing I was driving at. Sorry if I wasn't clear or came across as argumentative.
Is Disney really concerned from what you've heard? Is there "panic" or is it just a simple re-evaluation? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Just Passin' By:
You say that you're not trying to argue, but trying to argue is precisely what you're doing. You're not just trying to get because, if you were trying to get it, you'd have gotten it long ago, because it's so obvious to see and get. So, when you're done trying to argue while pretending you're not trying to argue, let me know. Until and unless that happens, you'll just have to pretend you're not trying to argue while you deliberately argue with Dane.
Jesus. Okay. Fine. Thanks for the reply. I'm glad you listened to what I had to say and took it seriously. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn:
Okay, that makes some sense to me and seems fair. Thank you. This is the kind of thing I was driving at. Sorry if I wasn't clear or came across as argumentative.
Is Disney really concerned from what you've heard? Is there "panic" or is it just a simple re-evaluation?
Rian johnson is on a Damage control Tour.
As she says in this video he is crumbling.
There is no way in hell Disney doesn't have concerns going forward. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Red Brooklyn:
Okay, that makes some sense to me and seems fair. Thank you. This is the kind of thing I was driving at. Sorry if I wasn't clear or came across as argumentative.
Is Disney really concerned from what you've heard? Is there "panic" or is it just a simple re-evaluation?
Yes, Disney is concerned. They're concerned about their new Star Wars Land theme parks, slated to open in 2019, that are centered around Rey, Poe, Finn & Kylo Ren instead of the original trilogy characters.
They're concerned with how Solo and Episode IX will be received. There's serious concern about the direction of the franchise.
These movies were supposed to be no-brainers. Rogue One overperformed their expectations so there was legitimate hope that Episode VIII wouldn't see much drop off from The Force Awakens.
But $700 million? A Rian Johnson "Apology Tour"? Issues with Solo?
