Sunday, December 22, 2024

Box Office: Worst Memorial Day Take Since 2001 as “Tomorrowland” Bodes Ill for Future

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This weekend’s box office will be the worst for a Memorial Day since 2001. “Tomorrowland,” a bad movie, narrowly edged out hold over “Pitch Perfect 2.” An unnecessary remake of “Poltergeist” was a close third. Surprisingly, “Mad Max: Fury Road” has not proven to be a blockbuster, although it’s doing ok. Theaters are living on the dribs and drabs of “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Furious 7” for audiences.

The movie business is now consumed with Marvel and DC comics movies. And sequels to things no one liked in the first place. Instead of the potentially great new filmmakers being encouraged to make new films, brave new worlds, the money is entrapping them in this stuff. What a shame. What happened to originality? The studios are too scared to get involved in it. And the movie audience has other things to do, apparently.

Fun fact: “Tomorrowland” is the 44th highest ranking number 1 movie for Memorial Day in history. It ranks between “Dinosaur” (2000) and “Beverly Hills Cop 2” (1987).

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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