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

Bruce Hall: I agree that this is a great thing overall for the industry. A high tide raises all boats, after all. But I will not be surprised if The Hunger Games is the biggest hit of 2012. Yet, I'm not convinced this particularly has any effect on The Avengers, The Amazing Spider-Man or The Dark Knight Rises. None of those are the same type of film, and each of them is already whatever it's going to be. Originally, I cared as much about The Avengers as I do about what happened to my ninth grade physics teacher (read: zero). But the trailers are starting to intrigue me. A little.

I'm still not convinced it will be as big a hit as some people do, but whatever happens to The Avengers, it will be on its own merits. And in the end, will anyone really care whether it's the second, third or fourth biggest film of the year? Because no matter what happens it will probably be one of those things. Ditto with Spider-Man. I am encouraged by what I've seen (except for that awful suit, with the big red arrow pointing to his dong), but I think the year's most unnecessary Friendly Neighborhood Reboot is anything but a known quantity at this point. It will succeed or fail based on whether or not it's actually any good.

Meanwhile - and I don't think I'm going out on a limb here -The Dark Knight Rises will be a smash. Take your screen shot now.

Max Braden: I would love to know how economists see movies as indicators, because to me, this much money flowing into the box office suggests the economy is on its way to being fixed. Was everyone saving up since before Christmas? I think there is more pressure felt by the comic book movie producers, but on the other hand this huge weekend is probably a catalyst for moviegoers. Get it in their minds that there are big things happening in theaters, and they'll probably return for other movies. This summer could turn into a feeding frenzy. I feel comfortable saying that because I don't get the impression that there's any buyer's remorse from The Hunger Games. It's not a movie I'd immediately call up there with the best blockbusters of all time, but for those who felt they just had to go see it this weekend, I think they were satisfied that they did.

Brett Beach: Echoing some of the comments, I would switch out The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey for Amazing Spider-Man in the list. It has the scent of reboot too quickly to it, that I think may tamp some of the excitement. On a larger scale, the excitement may be building and the awareness may be there for what lies ahead this year, but ultimately what follows after the first weekend will depend on how much the movies deliver. I never thought I would be asking this question but: Do The Avengers and/or The Dark Knight Rises have what it takes to deliver a $200 million opening weekend? Maybe... maybe.

Continued:       1       2       3