Trek XI's Take vs. The Rest of the Franchise

[CoveTom]

I thought it might be interesting to get a detailed look at where the current Star Trek film stands in relation to the other ten films in the franchise. Here are how the numbers (domestic only) break down, according to data compiled from BoxOffice.com:

RAW NUMBERS:
Star Trek (147,611,000)
The Voyage Home (109,713,132)
First Contact (92,027,888)
The Motion Picture (82,258,456)
The Wrath of Khan (78,737,310)
The Search for Spock (76,389,860)
Generations (75,671,125)
The Undiscovered Country (74,888,996)
Insurrection (70,187,658)
The Final Frontier (52,210,049)
Nemesis (43,126,129)

ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION:
The Motion Picture (239,115,674)
The Voyage Home (212,328,919)
The Wrath of Khan (192,290,437)
The Search for Spock (163,237,856)
First Contact (149,493,266)
Star Trek (147,611,000)
Generations (129,980,545)
The Undiscovered Country (127,720,425)
Insurrection (107,451,468)
The Final Frontier (93,951,918)
Nemesis (53,387,173)

Whichever version of the numbers you look at, it's clear that the current film is doing well. Also, whichever version you look at, you will see The Motion Picture and The Voyage Home being very successful. Which should, I would think, put to rest this idea that the only way to generate good revenue on a Trek film is action, action, action, but no one from Paramount has yet asked my opinion...

 

[Basil]

Do the figures outside of Star Trek represent the total box office or just what the films did in the first two weeks of release?

 

[Falconfire]

Do the figures outside of Star Trek represent the total box office or just what the films did in the first two weeks of release?

Entire run, which means Star Trek could very well be the highest grossing as we are not even at 2 weeks of a month to 2 month run. nor has it opened in Japan (typically Star Trek accepting) or Mexico.

 

[CoveTom]

Total box office, which is why it's not really a fair comparison of how the current film will ultimately perform. Still, it gives you an idea of where it stands. On raw numbers, it's already beaten all the other films, even after being out only 2 weeks. And if it continues to perform as predicted, it will move up the inflation-adjusted ladder. It may not surpass The Motion Picture or The Voyage Home when adjusted for inflation -- although it could -- but it looks in a good spot to beat just about all the others.

 

[Basil]

Thanks, Falconfire and CoveTom -- I do agree that we need to see the figures adjusted for inflation and against the budget to see how this truly compares, but the film does seem to be doing well.

 

[donners22]

It would be quite interesting to see the performance of those films relative to budget. I know TWoK was produced for quite a minimal amount, while this had a massive figure.

 

[TEACAKE'S PLEATHER DOME]

Wow, Nemesis really bombed.

 

[Jolantru]

It would be quite interesting to see the performance of those films relative to budget. I know TWoK was produced for quite a minimal amount, while this had a massive figure.

That would be a pretty unfair comparison. Production budgets are high for all films, even in non-effects laden movies.

For a heavy effects movie, 150 million is actually pretty reasonable. There are very few scenes in this movie that don't have some kind of effects shot. Compare this to the Dark Knight, which by comparison had very few effects shots, and had a budget of 185 million.

The big thing here, is it's more than made back it's production costs, and it's still will be running in theaters for another 6 to 8 weeks. Plus with DVD/Blue Ray sales, this was a huge success.

 

[Borgminister]

Funny... 2 of the movies ahead of Star Trek adjusted for inflation are flat-out action movies--TWOK and FC.

Plus, it hasn't even been a full two weeks yet, and box office comparisons are being made?

Crazy.

 

[Thrawn]

I'm thinking it won't have any trouble at all clearing $200 million, and may just hit $250 or even $300 on the outside. It would be very interesting if it managed to top TMP.

 

[Borgminister]

I'm thinking it won't have any trouble at all clearing $200 million, and may just hit $250 or even $300 on the outside. It would be very interesting if it managed to top TMP.

If this one doesn't, I've every confidence the next one will...

Did I just use "confidence" relative to a Star Trek movie?!?

 

[Thrawn]

I'm thinking it won't have any trouble at all clearing $200 million, and may just hit $250 or even $300 on the outside. It would be very interesting if it managed to top TMP.

If this one doesn't, I've every confidence the next one will...

Did I just use "confidence" relative to a Star Trek movie?!?

Yeah. After the positive buzz on this one, if the next doesn't open to a $100 million weekend I'll be shocked.

 

[Amaris]

I would crap a gold brick (then I'd pick it up and be rich!) if Star Trek outperformed The Motion Picture!


J.

 

[Blue_Trek]

The Motion Picture (82,258,456)

I am sorry, but this movie sucked really bad, FOR ME worse than Nemesis.
I saw it first run in 1979 too. Just hated it, one of those things with me and the Trek Universe.

I really want Star Trek to beat TMP

 

[Cyrus]

Seems like my 3 favorite Trek movies (TMP,STXI,TVH) will be the top 3. I am OK with that.

 

[Overgeeked]

I'm just really surprised that ST3 did as well as all that.

But notice how well ST1 did (adjusted for inflation). There was what, a ten year lag between the series and that film, then the next few did less and less at the box office, with none of the followers doing as well.

Generations would be the next post to look at for comparison, but it was mixed crew and was released the same year as TNG ended.

We've had a five year span between the last Ent episode and this film (almost five years to the day, actually).

I won't project that this will be the latest high water mark for the next few films, but there is precedent.

 

[MvRojo]

I'm just really surprised that ST3 did as well as all that.

I'm sure part of that was word-of-mouth from TWOK and people wanting to find out what was going on with Spock.

 

[Eddie Roth]

Also you will notice that the five highest-grossing of the films (I'm counting Star Trek as #5 already, it will pass FC in a day or so) are those released while there was no first-run Trek series on television. And if you consider the rather sizable drop in revenues from that to the films in between, I'd say this can't be a coincidence.

 

[VulcanJedi]

I thought it might be interesting to get a detailed look at where the current Star Trek film stands in relation to the other ten films in the franchise. Here are how the numbers (domestic only) break down, according to data compiled from BoxOffice.com:

RAW NUMBERS:
Star Trek (147,611,000)
The Voyage Home (109,713,132)
First Contact (92,027,888)
The Motion Picture (82,258,456)
The Wrath of Khan (78,737,310)
The Search for Spock (76,389,860)
Generations (75,671,125)
The Undiscovered Country (74,888,996)
Insurrection (70,187,658)
The Final Frontier (52,210,049)
Nemesis (43,126,129)

ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION:
The Motion Picture (239,115,674)
The Voyage Home (212,328,919)
The Wrath of Khan (192,290,437)
The Search for Spock (163,237,856)
First Contact (149,493,266)
Star Trek (147,611,000)
Generations (129,980,545)
The Undiscovered Country (127,720,425)
Insurrection (107,451,468)
The Final Frontier (93,951,918)
Nemesis (53,387,173)

Whichever version of the numbers you look at, it's clear that the current film is doing well. Also, whichever version you look at, you will see The Motion Picture and The Voyage Home being very successful. Which should, I would think, put to rest this idea that the only way to generate good revenue on a Trek film is action, action, action, but no one from Paramount has yet asked my opinion...

Some of you younger folks don't realize the goodwill that was squandered with Trek fandom. I believe Trek peaked with Voyage Home...the numbers show it. There was a lot of goodwill from the general public to Trek...then it got all bogged down in vague, political double speak and jargon and weird messages that most people couldn't relate to..the fun was sucked out. Star Trek 3 was exciting...they were exciting films to look forward to.

I wasn't aware of the stat that shows VOYAGE HOME was so successful, but I've always believed ST4 was the last GREAT trek.

Voyage Home touched people's hearts like nothing has done since... until now perhaps.

With TMP, you have to attribute its success in part to it being the first film ever, and the first Trek since 1968.

Voyage Home is the true champion---because it beat the others--even as a fourth entry.

 

[Eddie Roth]

I pulled up the budgets for the films and adjusted them for inflation. So here for comparison with the B.O. takes. For a quick relative overview, I'll do the simple math for you of subtracting the budget from the grosses. Actual profits are of course different because of the cuts theaters get and additional revenues from home video or merchandise sales, but for the purpose of evaluating which of the films were actually "successful" thsi will do I guess. The numbers are based on estimates (boxofficemojo.com and imdb.com). As it's been requested

The Motion Picture
$239,115,674 at $102,500,000 budget
+ 137m.
This must have been profitable for Paramount. The film made more than twice its budget.

The Wrath of Khan
$192,290,437 at $24,600,000 budget
+ 168m
This probably became the template for making ST films on relatively modest budgets in order to maxime profits.

The Search for Spock
$163,237,856 at $34,700,000 budget
+ 129m
Again a very good result.

The Voyage Home
$212,328,919 at $48,400,000 budget
+ 164m
Same here. Nearly as profitable as the kinda low-budget TWOK, but the film was twice as expensive to make.

The Final Frontier
$93,951,918 at $47,700,000 budget
+ 46m
It's easy to see how this would be considered a huge disappointment after the profits of the earlier films.

The Undiscovered Country
$127,720,425 at $46,800,000 budget
+ 81m
A big improvement over V for sure.

Generations
$129,980,545 at $50,200,000 budget
+ 79m
Almost no change. Slightly bigger BO, but slightly bigger budget as well.

First Contact
$149,493,266 at $61,100,000 budget
+ 88m
If anything, this comparison shows that the success of FC has been somewhat overstated. It did a little better than the previous two, but far from the first four in profits.

Insurrection
$107,451,468 at $76,200,000 budget
+ 31m
Here we see why Paramount didn't make another film for 4 years, whereas the other BO disappointment, TFF, got a sequel two years later nonetheless.

Nemesis
$53,387,173 at $71,400,000 budget
- 18m
Ouch.