Posted on 07/26/2013 7:02:51 PM PDT by dynachrome
At last week's Comic-Con event in San Diego, the film director Zack Snyder bounded on stage to announce a bold new merger. His next Warner Bros blockbuster would pit Batman against Superman, two costumed superheroes in one movie. "Let's face it," said Snyder, "this is beyond mythological." The fanbase was galvanised. Hyperbole hit the roof. But in Hollywood, alarm bells were ringing.
Industry insiders are referring to this season as "the summer of doom" – an overcrowded huddle of big-budget spectaculars, without the audience to sustain them. US box office takings are down 19% on the same period last year, while the studios are smarting from such high-profile casualties as The Lone Ranger, After Earth and the supernatural action-thriller RIPD. While the runaway success of Iron Man 3 and Despicable Me 2 helped soften the blow, major figures claim that the industry needs to adapt quickly or die.
Speaking on a panel at the University of Southern California last month, the film-makers George Lucas and Steven Spielberg suggested that the era of the $300m movie dinosaur may well have run its course. "There's eventually going to be a big meltdown," Spielberg said. "There's going to be an implosion where three or four or maybe even half a dozen of these mega-budgeted movies go crashing into the ground – and that's going to change the paradigm."
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Hollywood’s been overvalued for a long time. Glad to see their finally facing the abyss.
Let them wither away and stop tainting our culture.
“The Lone Ranger” lost Disney some big bucks Kemo Sabe.
Good.....Death to Hollywood.
Oh so sad.
NOT
Blockbusters? What block?
Most of the movies coming out of Hollywood are for “immature audiences”. Whether it is comic book, animated cartoons, half-a$$ed remakes, etc. they are for the 5-12 year old (mental maturity age) customer.
Batman is a man with some cool tech. Superman is basically godlike in his abilities. Heck, he can even turn back time.
Kryptonite notwithstanding, there is no contest. None. Zip. Nada.
A “battle” between these two is dumb.
My wife and I just rented Trouble with the Curve from the library and really enjoyed it. When we rent the “big budget” stuff, we’re finding few that are actually good movies.
Very true
I watch mainly foreign movies now.
Most of the movies coming out of Hollywood are for “immature audiences”.
I loved “Run Lola Run”.
And even though it was severely panned, I actually enjoyed “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”.
Maybe it is because I rented it for free and on a lark and had no idea what to expect.
Best movies for me are two other German movies, “Goodbye, Lenin!” and “The Lives of Others”.
We have a six plex movie theater near here. Each week I check to see what is on. It is always four si-fi fantasies, a teen comedy, a cartoon movie for kids.
Each week it is the same. I see no reason to go to the movies anymore.
Pirates of the Carribean out west.
Hollywood can’t die quick enough!
I hate too give Ted Turner a nod but TCM channel gets my attention nowadays.
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