New at BOP: Review: Matrix Resurrections Movie Review: Moonfall Movie Reviews: Scream The #1 Movie in America November Forecast The Many Saints of Newark October Forecast New Trivia Question All site updates Share & Save   Tweet Print this column

David Mumpower: There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that the folks at Fox who have watched District 9 are wincing over the thought of what might have been. Blomkamp has been asked point blank about the film several times in recent weeks. In each instance, he has stated that he doubts he would go back to it since he suffered so much turmoil and embarrassment last time. I don't completely believe him, though. He's only 29-years-old and he is clearly highly self-motivated. If that's the worst thing that has happened to him professionally, what he wants to do is prove that they made the wrong call. District 9 is a step toward that, but making the Halo movie he had always envisioned is an imperative. I know that Spielberg has recently been rumored as back on the project, but he's tight with Peter Jackson. I almost view him as holding it in case Blomkamp changes his mind. Given the quality of District 9 and the mega-popularity of the Master Chief character in Halo, this is a project that needs to happen. As was the case with Jackson and The Hobbit, cooler heads must prevail here and a deal should be brokered. If it does, we're talking about one of the next few $100 million openings on the schedule. It's a slam dunk all the way around.

Sean Collier: I agree that Jackson's faith would've been unwavering despite box office results (especially domestic box office results.) As for Halo - I imagine he'll continue to protest until Fox drives a dumptruck of money up to his house.

Oh, well. At least fans of Audrey Niffenegger's book have her new novel to look forward to next month.

Kim Hollis: The Time Traveler's Wife opened to $18.6 million. Should Warner Bros. be satisfied with this result?





Josh Spiegel: I'd say so. I imagine that Warner Bros. is hoping for a repeat of The Notebook's performance at the box office, what with Rachel McAdams once again playing the romantic lead in a swooning, melodramatic-seeming story; of course, had Ryan Gosling been the time traveler, who knows if the result would have been better? Even in this day and age, a movie that makes about $20 million in its first weekend is nothing to sniff at, especially considering competition like Julie & Julia.

Scott Lumley: On one hand, they just got whupped by a bunch of bug-eyed aliens and actors that nobody ever head of. On the other, movies like this are by definition niche films, and since Warner Bros. set a reasonable budget for this one at $39 million, $18.6 million should be a pretty confidence boosting result. It ought to be into the black by about the end of the month, with lots of profit to be made if this develops any legs at all.

Eric Hughes: WB satisfaction is all but guaranteed. The studio managed to turn an acclaimed bestseller into a critically ridiculed piece of movie AND STILL earned back nearly $20 million in three days.

Continued:       1       2       3       4