Variety: 'Star Trek' moved from Christmas '08 to May '09

[Tulin]

BalthierTheGreat said:
I don't see ANY potential of a Summer Blockbuster. I've said so in other threads, but Trek is very much a niche product. Teens think Trek is for losers wearing Spock ears. It's not like they'll be taking a date to see Trek XI, they'll see anything else available, and unfortunately, in May, there are other good movies, cool movies that a mainstream audience doesn't associate with nerdity.

http://www.movieweb.com/movies/releases/month.php?m=200805

Trek if it comes out May 8th '09, has to compete with Iron Man and Speed Racer. That seems like strong competitiion to me -- and going to the next weekend, probably Meat Train (a horror movie) and Indy on the 22nd. I would expect any one of those movies to beat a movie that appeals to people who already like Trek.

I'm revising my BO prediction from $100 Million to $75 Million. Good Job.

Finally, a voice of reason!

Like The Inquisitor, searching for the right man, at the right time, in the right place, I have FINALLY found you!

Who would have thought there'd be a ST fan left who could actually reason logically?

 

[Tulin]

Mistral said:

nostradamus said:
I´ll be too old for Star Trek in 2009.

Really? What age is "too old"? I'm really curious. Do they card at the theater door? Is there some insidious Thought Police organization which breaks into your mind and makes you stop liking Star Trek at a certain age? Or do you have plans to be commited to a rest home sometime between Xmas'08 and May'09? Tell me! Expiring minds want to know!

I think he was referring to the other silly kiddies who lamented they will be 20 and "old" by the time the film comes out.

 

[Franklin]

Tulin said:

BalthierTheGreat said:
I don't see ANY potential of a Summer Blockbuster. I've said so in other threads, but Trek is very much a niche product. Teens think Trek is for losers wearing Spock ears. It's not like they'll be taking a date to see Trek XI, they'll see anything else available, and unfortunately, in May, there are other good movies, cool movies that a mainstream audience doesn't associate with nerdity.

http://www.movieweb.com/movies/releases/month.php?m=200805

Trek if it comes out May 8th '09, has to compete with Iron Man and Speed Racer. That seems like strong competitiion to me -- and going to the next weekend, probably Meat Train (a horror movie) and Indy on the 22nd. I would expect any one of those movies to beat a movie that appeals to people who already like Trek.

I'm revising my BO prediction from $100 Million to $75 Million. Good Job.

Finally, a voice of reason!

Like The Inquisitor, searching for the right man, at the right time, in the right place, I have FINALLY found you!

Who would have thought there'd be a ST fan left who could actually reason logically?

Maybe I'm misinformed, but I thought "Speed Racer", "Iron Man", and the Indiana Jones movie all come out in May of 2008.

 

[archeryguy1701]

They do. The article messed up its years.

 

[Tulin]

Franklin said:

Tulin said:

BalthierTheGreat said:
I don't see ANY potential of a Summer Blockbuster. I've said so in other threads, but Trek is very much a niche product. Teens think Trek is for losers wearing Spock ears. It's not like they'll be taking a date to see Trek XI, they'll see anything else available, and unfortunately, in May, there are other good movies, cool movies that a mainstream audience doesn't associate with nerdity.

http://www.movieweb.com/movies/releases/month.php?m=200805

Trek if it comes out May 8th '09, has to compete with Iron Man and Speed Racer. That seems like strong competitiion to me -- and going to the next weekend, probably Meat Train (a horror movie) and Indy on the 22nd. I would expect any one of those movies to beat a movie that appeals to people who already like Trek.

I'm revising my BO prediction from $100 Million to $75 Million. Good Job.

Finally, a voice of reason!

Like The Inquisitor, searching for the right man, at the right time, in the right place, I have FINALLY found you!

Who would have thought there'd be a ST fan left who could actually reason logically?

Maybe I'm misinformed, but I thought "Speed Racer", "Iron Man", and the Indiana Jones movie all come out in May of 2008.

My reading of his post was that if ST XI were coming out THIS YEAR, it would be up against these films. I guess it's just a matter of changing a few titles around and substituting '08's sequels to the sequels/remakes/re-imaginings of films from '07 and you have the next year's lineup.

No, I aint cynical.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

"Star Trek" in the big leagues with "Wars", "Transformers"

Well, here's what they're sayin' at Paramount, courtesy trekmovie.com:

Studio spokesman Michael Vollman said the switch was a business move, not because of any problems with the film caused by the Writers Guild of America strike that just ended.

"Star Trek" will be finished by fall in time for its original release date, but studio executives decided to hold it until next summer, the film could pull in more money, he said.

"'Star Trek' is in fantastic shape," said Paramount spokesman Michael Vollman. "This is all about box-office potential. Summer is where you see the 'Star Wars' and the 'Spider-Mans' and the 'Shreks' and the Transformers.' 'Star Trek' is in that league."

w00t!

 

[Rat Boy]

This makes no business sense to me whatsoever. While there is more money that possibly could be made in the summer movie season, there's also more competition. With the Wolverine movie opening the week before and Angels & Demons the week after, Star Trek is going to have a very brief time to shine. This could easily backfire on Paramount; who's to say that Trek won't get trounced by another Maid in Manhattan even if it does beat out Wolverine? The previous release date was far better, with zero competition and yet still a decent market. If they moved it because of script changes, it'd be one thing, but doing it based on what the studio has stated feels foolish to me.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Rat Boy said:
This makes no business sense to me whatsoever. While there is more money that possibly could be made in the summer movie season, there's also more competition. With the Wolverine movie opening the week before and Angels & Demons the week after, Star Trek is going to have a very brief time to shine. This could easily backfire on Paramount; who's to say that Trek won't get trounced by another Maid in Manhattan even if it does beat out Wolverine?

No one and nothing but the abilities and judgment of the people making this movie and the people distributing it.

But if they don't have that kind of confidence and belief in this movie - given the amount of money they're investing - it was a mistake to make it at all.

The kind of thinking and planning they're doing carries the risk of big-time failure. The kind of play-it-safe(r) thinking that a number of folks are suggesting is a formula for disappointment and (again, given the resources invested) the kind of sad failure that comes to those aiming for mediocrity.

"Good enough," whether measured artistically or financially, has some satisfactions when you hit the target dead-on. You fall a little short of it, though, you lose altogether.

I'm disappointed to have to wait longer for this movie. I'm thrilled at the studio's confidence in it, as reflected by these decisions and statements.

 

[Rat Boy]

Starship Polaris said:
The kind of thinking and planning they're doing carries the risk of big-time failure. The kind of play-it-safe(r) thinking that a number of folks are suggesting is a formula for disappointment and (again, given the resources invested) the kind of sad failure that comes only with aiming for mediocrity.

I'm disappointed to have to wait longer for this movie. I'm thrilled at the studio's confidence in it, as reflected by these decisions and statements.

If the film's a hit in December, then where's the disappointment? It stands a better chance of being an also-ran in May than doing that.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Rat Boy said:

Starship Polaris said:
The kind of thinking and planning they're doing carries the risk of big-time failure. The kind of play-it-safe(r) thinking that a number of folks are suggesting is a formula for disappointment and (again, given the resources invested) the kind of sad failure that comes only with aiming for mediocrity.

I'm disappointed to have to wait longer for this movie. I'm thrilled at the studio's confidence in it, as reflected by these decisions and statements.

If the film's a hit in December, then where's the disappointment? It stands a better chance of being an also-ran in May than doing that.

The people who actually are making and selling this movie think otherwise. They think this movie has the potential to be a first-rate success that can stand toe-to-toe with the most formidable competition out there.

 

[Eternality]

I look forward to seeing droves of new fans come May 09.

 

[Rat Boy]

Starship Polaris said:
The people who actually are making and selling this movie think otherwise. They think this movie has the potential to be a first-rate success that can stand toe-to-toe with the most formidable competition out there.

Or, more likely, they think 2008 is overloaded and need some revenue in their quarterly statement before Transformers 2 comes out later on in the summer.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Rat Boy said:
Or, more likely, they think 2008 is overloaded and need some revenue in their quarterly statement before Transformers 2 comes out later on in the summer.

Actually, not more likely. If they didn't think Trek will be a huge success in May of 2009, they'd have kept it where it was.

 

[Rat Boy]

Starship Polaris said:

Rat Boy said:
Or, more likely, they think 2008 is overloaded and need some revenue in their quarterly statement before Transformers 2 comes out later on in the summer.

Actually, not more likely. If they didn't think Trek will be a huge success in May of 2009, they'd have kept it where it was.

You're assuming they'll be right.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Rat Boy said:

Starship Polaris said:

Rat Boy said:
Or, more likely, they think 2008 is overloaded and need some revenue in their quarterly statement before Transformers 2 comes out later on in the summer.

Actually, not more likely. If they didn't think Trek will be a huge success in May of 2009, they'd have kept it where it was.

You're assuming they'll be right.

Not at all.

I'm simply not assuming that they'll fail.

See, unlike most posters on "Star Trek" boards I'm not a professional or expert in the areas of film marketing and distribution with all of the relevant numbers and direct information about this film to base my conclusions on. So I don't have the solid grounds for second-guessing them that many posters do. I'd have to rely on casual analogies, a few figures snatched via Google, my memory, and my anxieties.

So, until they do fail or until there's some concrete reason to suspect it I'll be giving them the benefit of the doubt.

I'm biased - I'd like the next ten years of "Star Trek" movies to be different than the last twenty-five, rather than a middling replication of what's been called "success" so far.

 

[BalokINACTIVE]

blockaderunner said:
Has there been an example of a movie pushing back its release date resulting in its success?

Titanic comes to mind.

 

[Rat Boy]

Balok said:

blockaderunner said:
Has there been an example of a movie pushing back its release date resulting in its success?

Titanic comes to mind.

But that was to the winter.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

There are certainly examples of enough movies opening on time and bombing.

 

[CaptainDave1701]

This is going to be a Star Wars Year.....perhaps they felt that they need to distance themselves from that animated thing that looks pretty good.

 

[Woulfe]

I'll be 44 years old next year.
Don't see why these 20 somethings are all worked up about.
Not like they'll be in their mid 40's allasudden.
- W -
* smirking *