Is 'Speed Racer' in Trouble?
Filed under: Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Warner Brothers, Box Office, Family Films, Movie Marketing
Well, as probably the biggest Speed Racer booster on this blog (I see the movie Tuesday night, and James's review was music to my ears), I guess it falls to me to report the bad news as well. If you believe tracking numbers -- and you might justifiably be skeptical about them (David Poland likes to hammer on the point that they don't capture the teen demographic) -- then there's good reason to think that the movie might come in a distant second to Iron Man when it hits theaters this Friday. The Hollywood Reporter's sources peg it at $25-35 million for the weekend, which would be perfect positioning for it to eat Iron Man's dust. Warner Bros.' efforts to control expectations notwithstanding, it would also be a pretty big disappointment for one of its major summer tentpoles.I can't say I'm surprised -- as I warned a couple of weeks ago, this is an expensive brand-name release where the target audience has never heard of the brand name. As someone with a soft spot for the Wachowskis (I only abandoned ship on The Matrix after Revolutions rather than Reloaded, and one day I'll write up a defense of the latter film), I was hoping to see them return to the top of the A-list. But if we're being honest, the Hollywood Reporter's estimate seems right to me. So I'd settle for a bow that isn't embarrassing.
Who's going this weekend? Anyone?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
5-06-2008 @ 12:46PM
BondsBabe said...
I was going to go this weekend, but my boyfriend, and my sister out voted me, so it's Iron Man again, and since I ran to the restroom instead of watching the after credit scene at the end of Iron Man (darn you mega large drink!) I did want to see it again to catch what I missed.
I do plan on seeing Speed Racer, because I love the original cartoon, what I've seen the movie looks really fun, and cartoony. I'll probably wait until the weekend after this, waiting for Indy 4 is released..
It's going to be an expensive summer for me!
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5-09-2008 @ 10:49PM
momofAngus said...
Just took 5 kids to Speed Racer. Absolutely AWFUL!! More importantly, one of the boys had a migrane triggered by the flashing animation in the film. He has a tendency to have light sensitive migranes and this film did it for him. Do not see this movie! Go see Ironman -again!
5-06-2008 @ 12:49PM
Philpott said...
No F-ing way. I loved this series in reruns on MTV back in the day. I was and still am a big Speed fan but this looks like Joel Shumacher's Speed Racer. While I am sure it is a loving tribute, as Batman Forever was to the 60's TV series, this is too hip for Hollywood's own good. Speed IMO cannot translate well to the screen and it was never inspired by Timothy Leary. Let it die.
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5-06-2008 @ 12:56PM
eugene said...
Nope, not a chance in hell. Not even on DVD. This movie looks like absolute crap to me and not entertaining crap in a Transformers sort of way, but the sort of dull lifeless crap that ultraviolet was.
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5-06-2008 @ 5:45PM
Peter Bacareza said...
I really don't know about this movie. Just watching the trailer and if you go to the movie site where there are some extended clips, I am disappointed with the accuracy of what the Mach 5 does. Some of the buttons on the steering wheel are not correct. I hope there is an explanation to this. I am very upset. I watched this cartoon when I was young and to see the changes they did made me mad. I will still watch this movie, but will have many opinions once it's finish.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:07PM
DAVID F said...
I will happily be in the minority then. I saw this movie at a screening last Saturday and It was great! I had a fun time at the movies. Isn't that what this is supposed to do? Remember fun, people? It's an all-ages film that's vibrant and colorful with a great cast. Is that so bad? Sure, "Iron Man" will deseredly be numero uno again but "Speed" will fall in at 2nd place....easily!
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5-06-2008 @ 1:10PM
bob loblaw said...
I'm definitely going to see it this weekend. For some reason, this is the movie I've been anticipating the most this summer. It's something different, and I'm excited to see how it'll unfold on screen (which is the same reason why I'm also really excited for wall-e). Of course I'm looking forward to TDK and Indy, but I think we all already have a general idea of how those films will play out. Speed Racer, at least stylistically, looks new and innovative. I'm excited and curious to see if the Wachowski's pop art, visual experiment will pay off.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:13PM
dan2ktj said...
I'll wait for the Blu-Ray. It's Iron Man tonight. If the kids twist my arm we might go but they've showed no interest in going. They'd rather watch Kappa Mikey on the big screen. They don't know Speed Racer.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:14PM
Geoff said...
I'm not planning on going, it really looks like a joke to me. There are so many other good movies coming out in the next couple weeks and months this will not even get into the top ten most successful movies of the summer.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:17PM
GL said...
Not ever. No way.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:28PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
No idea who this movie is aimed at. I'm 33, culturally aware and my exposure has been limited to the cartoon - which is awful. Why would anyone sub-35 have a soft-spot for this thing?
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5-06-2008 @ 1:40PM
pete thomson said...
Personally Im looking forward to seeing Speed Racer. I think the style of the film will be visually groundbreaking. The plot may be simplistic but If the design an CGI is strong I can forgive that for the impact it will have on the big screen. I guess it is something a little off the wall so will not appeal to the same easily pleased fanboys who are happy to overlook Ironmans many flaws an the fact that its plot was shallow and descended into Transformers withouty wheels 25 minutes before the end. I will of course reserve judgement until having seen the movie, an good luck to the Warchoski ? brothers for trying something new!!!! Thank god.
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5-06-2008 @ 2:19PM
YouFaceTheTick said...
Agreed about Iron Man - no villain, no supporting characters, no build-up, no dramatic tension and no climax hurt the film greatly.
5-06-2008 @ 1:47PM
MosquitoControl said...
I won't be going. The Brothers lost me with the second Matrix. I don't see how you can defend it; I can't think of a single worthwhile aspect of the movie. I think the whole "vampires and ghosts are just programs gone wrong" aspect was pretty lame, but nothing compared to the hour long car chase that killed any pacing. After a few minutes it got boring. I know "hour long" is exaggerating, but that thing was pretty much the entire movie. How many Caddies can I see get smashed when Neo jumps on them before I'm asking the guy in the projection booth to change the channel.
Such a bad movie. As were the few pieces of the next Matrix that I saw. Left such a sour taste in my mouth that I'll certainly avoid paying $12 to see their next film. Fair? Maybe not. But that second Matrix was worse than anything Uwe Boll did, as it just felt so much like the Brothers slapping themselves on the back.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:49PM
eugene said...
I find it so amusing that on one side we have folks who don't want to see the movie and on the other hand we have people who do want to see the movie, but are unable to express their desire without insulting the other side.
So for you people:
Yes, I like happy fun movies... when they're done well, Pixar and Miyazaki movies are amoung my all time favorites.
No, there's nothing new about Speed Racer, it's an old anime staple and there have been movies with a similar over the top CGI world, notably the very bad ultra violet.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:51PM
DAVID F said...
People....PEOPLE....It's a FUN movie!!!! You know....fun....um, like as in a good time at the movies> Think back....remember? I'm 36 years young and I had a great time.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:55PM
Ralph said...
Looks like a blast of a film. I'm a big fan from my kid years (the 70s) and my kids have been eating up the previews (and Hot Wheels) so we'll all be there this Saturday afternoon, just like IRON MAN last weekend.
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5-06-2008 @ 1:58PM
AJ Wiley said...
I'm one of the few freaks who loved both Matrix sequels, and even I think that Speed Racer looks absolutely terrible. However, curiosity will get the best of me, and I will most definitely see it. This weekend, though? Not sure about that. I might just give Iron Man another spin.
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5-06-2008 @ 2:03PM
Bakk said...
@DAVID F; When they give me the four+ hours i wasted on the Matrix sequals, then I will be able to have fun again
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5-06-2008 @ 2:05PM
Ryan said...
I would see it if there weren't so many other movies I want to see this summer and frankly with a recession imminent, I'm holding on to my money more tightly than ever.
Having said that I will watch Iron Man next weekend. And I'll catch The Dark Knight when it comes out. Indy is on my maybe list, but I'll probably end up seeing it. And finally Mamma Mia is on my list. What? I'm a Meryl Streep fan.
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