Monday Morning Quarterback Part II

By BOP Staff

January 5, 2010

Bring on Usain Bolt!

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Michael Lynderey: Avatar has officially become a worthy follow-up to Titanic, in just about any way you look at it. Those numbers are awe-inspiring, and they're a perfect demonstration of why you can't judge a December opening weekend by its cover (or a James Cameron opening, for that matter). Avatar's a case of old-fashioned legs operating on the massive modern scale of casual $70 million weekends, something that we almost never see. Looking to the future, I could go ahead and say that I don't think Avatar will get to $600 million, or even $500 million - but if I do that, or even if I don't, the movie will probably just go ahead and prove me wrong anyway.

Josh Spiegel: Avatar is a monster, plain and simple. The movie making a billion dollars worldwide is an amazing fact by itself. The movie making a billion dollars in under three weeks is ridiculous. How is that even possible? As impressive as the number is, I do expect the amazing numbers to drop somewhat, now that schools are going back in session and the holidays are officially over. Still, it's hard to do anything but drop our collective jaws at how much money this movie continues to make. James Cameron is going to have the top two films, in terms of worldwide gross, and he's going to have done so with Avatar in under a month. Crazy.

Shalimar Sahota: Well I figured it would finish somewhere around the $600 million mark worldwide, but now it's pushing a billion, after just THREE WEEKS! I'm sure inflated 3D ticket prices are to blame here. Plus, I guess Cameron does have the ability to attract everyone with this film. Although my parents would never watch it, the screening I was in had every kind of demographic in there on opening day. There were children as young as ten with their mummies, and even those old enough to be grandparents. A part of me still sees Titanic's $1.8 billion as safe (there's some stellar films for January, with Daybreakers, The Book of Eli and Edge of Darkness likely to take Avatar's audience), but a part of me would like to be wrong. And with no big 3D film till March, I think I will be!

Matthew Huntley: My opinion of the film remains the same - that it's a visually stimulating, beautiful movie that's only partially burdened by its derivative story. Nevertheless, it's that visual stimulation that's giving the film its electric word-of-mouth and urging people to see it again for the visceral experience. As far as its box office performance, I, like most people, am caught off guard by how well it's doing, especially given all the reports of its enormous budget. I bet you the ads for James Cameron's next movie will read, "From the Director of Avatar," instead of the "From the director of Titanic."




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Reagen Sulewski: I had thought I was being optimistic by predicting $400 million or more domestically. That's now a wild underestimation and should be passed by this time next week. At lot is going to hinge on this upcoming weekend and how long the 3D novelty holds, but it's definitely going to be at least number three all time domestic, number two can't be ruled out, and Titanic numbers are no longer flights of fancy even if I think it ultimately falls short.

The burning question: If Avatar does pass Titanic, does Cameron create a congratulatory ad to himself? I think he's just the kind of guy to do that.

Kim Hollis: I think the lesson we can all learn here is Trust in Cameron. Sure, he might be an egomaniac, but he backs it up every single time.

David Mumpower: Cameron's jubilance in realizing what the worldwide box office totals are must be what having 35 simultaneous orgasms feels like.


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