Soundwave said:
Ghostbusters didn't have a huge marketing budget, the VOD/home video/TV/streaming revenue the movie will more than cover the marketing costs and they did have some merchandising and product promotion in the film to offset costs too. And also all this during COVID, so you have to factor in Sony is looking at a sequel that releases post-COVID. ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’s Jason Reitman & Gil Kenan Sign Sony Pact – Deadline Sony signed a deal with the Ghostbusters Afterlife writer + director for more movies after they saw the box office for Afterlife, which is basically industry code for "we want more Ghostbusters, but the director and writer want a guarantee we'll at least give a first look to some of their other projects". But there's no way Sony signs this deal if they were unhappy with Ghostbusters Afterlife and/or didn't want a sequel. This is the deal you sign with a studio when you've had a success as a director and/or writer in Hollywood, they get a sequel to a movie they want and you get maybe another passion project you have on the side greenlit or at least moved into first look status. It's easy to say "Hollywood should make more original stuff!" when it's not you financing it with your own money, lol, if that was the case, you probably would want to some guarantee there's a built in audience so you have a better chance of seeing your money come back. |
That was November 29th. They probably didn't realize the movie was going to drop so dramatically in December, with few repeat viewings. It's a bad look that it's not even going to come close to hitting 2016's numbers. Might not even hit $200M. Companies don't make movies to break even after all the deals are included. They want to make profit at the box office, and then profit on top of that with the streaming rights and home video purchases.
Actually, your argument is exactly what Sony tried doing for the 2016 film. They said they would make money when you include the product placement, toy sales, tax breaks, and even, pathetically, new purchases of the OG films. We know how that turned out for 2016's sequel. I'll just say, I'm not going to hold my breath for a sequel to Afterlife.
Also, stop with the Covid excuse. That may have worked last year, but not this year. Spider-Man, and to a lesser extent movies like Quiet Place 2, already proved Covid isn't keeping people away from the theater.
And I never said they can't make movies with established audiences. I said they have to stop relying on member berry films, as well as mediocre hero films, hoping the DC or Marvel name will make it profitable. Actually put some freaking effort into the movies, paying respect to OG source, but also telling your own interesting story. Not try to blind people with nostalgia, while the bad taste of the previous failed attempt at a sequel is still in people's mouths, while just copying off of the OG film. TFA is now remembered for the slightly above average member berry film it was at release, and I think Afterlife will be no different in a couple of years.
Last edited by thismeintiel - on 26 December 2021
