Jesus Christ. From Variety:
Twentieth Century Fox’s Avatar reached a worldwide cume of $1.02 billion through Sunday, leading the most lucrative Christmas season in history.
Avatar becomes the fourth highest grosser ever, behind James Cameron’s Titanic ($1.8 billion), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($1.12 billion) and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest ($1.07 billion). Avatar should soon eclipse the latter two pics.
Yeah. Avatar—which as been out a mere 18 days—just booted The Dark Knight out of the top five, and it’s still going. Higher ticket prices for 3D-equipped theaters are a big part of that, but that still seems insane, and I suspect it will continue to seem insane until Avatar 2 comes out and makes even more goddamn money. Thankfully, those talented and trusty purveyors of the zeitgeist, The Asylum, have us covered until then.
Man. Have Andrew Stanton and Michael Chabon seen that trailer yet? I bet they’re shaking in their boots.
We are doomed! Nice choice with the Arrested Development pic. ; D
@Will: It was Ned’s idea. I am creatively bankrupt.
Wow, I didn’t know Andrew Stanton was moving to live action. That trailer should serve as a reminder to him
ARE the ticket prices higher? I saw it in 3D at the Roseway, and thought it was $8, the same as a normal movie?
I paid $9 at Roseway, which I think is $2 more than usual.
Antonio Sabato Jr. and Traci Lords? How can I never have heard of this wonderful movie?
@Alison: When I say Up at the Roseway they had a sign up explaining that they were forced to charge more by the distribution company, otherwise they would’ve just charged the usual seven bucks. Also, their popcorn is wicked good. And I hate popcorn usually.
@Reymont, Alison, and Graham: 3D tickets usually run a couple bucks more than normal tickets. Plus, the Roseway’s a lot cheaper than most first-run and chain theaters–at the Roseway, normal films are always $7, regardless of showtime; 3D films are always $9.
Meanwhile, at Regal’s Lloyd Cinemas (and I’m guessing this is true for most theaters owned by Regal Cinemas, but don’t quote me on it), a normal nighttime ticket is $10, and a nighttime 3D ticket is $13.50.
So if you combine that price hike with the fact that (for now) it’s impossible to bootleg 3D films, you can see why studios are so bullish about this 3D business. (BECAUSE THEY ARE GREEDY.)