The Outhouse - The Greatest Comic Book Forum

by **Victorian Squid** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 6:15 pm

outsider wrote:I'm excited for the Hunger Games.
My kids want to see The Lorax (and so do I, honestly).

I guess that makes John Carter third on my list for March. There's a chance I may go, but not for sure.

Are you going to see The Lorax in 3D?

by **rdrsfn82** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 6:41 pm

This is the least surprising news ever.

The trailers don't explain why the character or story is unique. I don't even think most people know it's on Mars or that he's from Earth and is basically a superhero due to the lessened gravity, instead he just looks like a guy on a planet with some aliens and some normal human looking types that should all be able to do the same kinds of stuff he does (I know this isn't the case, but that's because of people online who like the books and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, not anything in the trailers). I don't know anything about The Hunger Games, I've never read a book, but the trailer spells it all out. It's a girl in a terrible future where random kids are picked to fight to the death to get food for their area. Her sister is picked, and she steps up to volunteer to take her place. She then trains, and eventually has to fight in a show that's broadcast all over the world/country, along with a love interest. If I'm wrong, feel free to point it out, but that is the basic plot as far as the trailer is concerned and is way way closer to the plot than anything from the John Carter trailers.

The title is horrible and generic. Saying they cut "Of Mars" or "And The Princess of Mars" to try to appeal to a wider audience is just ridiculously stupid, even if it's true.

The action just looks OK for the most part. There's really nothing that stands out as amazing.

Since the character is not well known by most people under 50, there's no familiarity with the characters to add in a level of "wow I can't wait to see how they do ______" like you get from The Hobbit or The Avengers or The Hunger Games or Twilight or any adaptation really. The Prometheus trailer is nothing but cool looking moments that evoke an iconic trailer to a really popular movie. Batman has Batman. This one has some alien dog thing and a giant monkey monster.

It has no big name stars to attract people, and despite Stanton doing great stuff on the Pixar cartoons, he's far from a household name and isn't capable of being a huge draw yet.

And then they went and spent way way way way way way way too much on it anyways. I can't see any way, even if it does OK, that it isn't considered a huge bomb. It would have to be The Dark Knight or Avatar to turn a significant profit. If it's Iron Man, it's still nothing. If it's the first Twilight it's a bomb. :smt102

It's entirely possible it's a really fun movie and that it later becomes somewhat popular on DVD, but the marketing has been awful, some old people with a passion and access to a checkbook way overestimated the public's desire for this to exist, and despite the fact things like Star Wars ripped ideas from here, it's coming so far after the fact it looks like the one ripping off ideas. I'm sure there's some older people that will love this movie and that have waited decades to see it, but it's not shocking at all that it's not resonating with most of the general public.

by **Jubilee** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 6:44 pm

A sci fi film tracking horribly? Really? You're telling me a film set in space which isn't part of the public consciousness flopping? REALLY?!?!?!

by **Lord Ice** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:20 pm

Problem with the title is that sounds like a movie based on a true story about a high school track coach, played by Denzel Washington.

by **rdrsfn82** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:23 pm

It sounds like an ER spin-off.

by **Victorian Squid** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:24 pm

rdrsfn82 wrote:This is the least surprising news ever.

The trailers don't explain why the character or story is unique. I don't even think most people know it's on Mars or that he's from Earth and is basically a superhero due to the lessened gravity, instead he just looks like a guy on a planet with some aliens and some normal human looking types that should all be able to do the same kinds of stuff he does (I know this isn't the case, but that's because of people online who like the books and League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, not anything in the trailers). I don't know anything about The Hunger Games, I've never read a book, but the trailer spells it all out. It's a girl in a terrible future where random kids are picked to fight to the death to get food for their area. Her sister is picked, and she steps up to volunteer to take her place. She then trains, and eventually has to fight in a show that's broadcast all over the world/country, along with a love interest. If I'm wrong, feel free to point it out, but that is the basic plot as far as the trailer is concerned and is way way closer to the plot than anything from the John Carter trailers.

The title is horrible and generic. Saying they cut "Of Mars" or "And The Princess of Mars" to try to appeal to a wider audience is just ridiculously stupid, even if it's true.

The action just looks OK for the most part. There's really nothing that stands out as amazing.

Since the character is not well known by most people under 50, there's no familiarity with the characters to add in a level of "wow I can't wait to see how they do ______" like you get from The Hobbit or The Avengers or The Hunger Games or Twilight or any adaptation really. The Prometheus trailer is nothing but cool looking moments that evoke an iconic trailer to a really popular movie. Batman has Batman. This one has some alien dog thing and a giant monkey monster.

It has no big name stars to attract people, and despite Stanton doing great stuff on the Pixar cartoons, he's far from a household name and isn't capable of being a huge draw yet.

And then they went and spent way way way way way way way too much on it anyways. I can't see any way, even if it does OK, that it isn't considered a huge bomb. It would have to be The Dark Knight or Avatar to turn a significant profit. If it's Iron Man, it's still nothing. If it's the first Twilight it's a bomb.

It's entirely possible it's a really fun movie and that it later becomes somewhat popular on DVD, but the marketing has been awful, some old people with a passion and access to a checkbook way overestimated the public's desire for this to exist, and despite the fact things like Star Wars ripped ideas from here, it's coming so far after the fact it looks like the one ripping off ideas. I'm sure there's some older people that will love this movie and that have waited decades to see it, but it's not shocking at all that it's not resonating with most of the general public.

That's fairly insightful, who did you steal it from?

by **rdrsfn82** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:33 pm

Victorian Squid wrote:
That's fairly insightful, who did you steal it from?

by **Jubilee** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:36 pm

Why did they drop "from mars"? Star wars and E.T did really well twenty years ago.

/the outhouse'd

by **rdrsfn82** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:39 pm

Nobody loves me wrote:Why did they drop "from mars"? Star wars and E.T did really well twenty years ago.

/the outhouse'd

You are such an ass.

John Carter of Mars (or John Carter and the Princess of Mars) at least sounds unique and gives an idea of what the movie is about.

John Carter is about the most generic sounding title possible.

by **Victorian Squid** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:43 pm

The "Of Mars" part is what ties all the books together, makes them look cool next to each other on a bookshelf!

by **Strict31** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:48 pm

rdrsfn82 wrote:
You are such an ass.

John Carter of Mars (or John Carter and the Princess of Mars) at least sounds unique and gives an idea of what the movie is about.

John Carter is about the most generic sounding title possible.

"John Carter"

Hmm. It's like "Forrest Gump", but with slightly more space-karate.

by **fieldy snuts** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:51 pm

Victorian Squid wrote:The "Of Mars" part is what ties all the books together, makes them look cool next to each other on a bookshelf!

Maybe back when everyone was fascinated with the notion of life on Mars..but these days that's a different story.

by **Victorian Squid** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:52 pm

John Carter sounds like an old, out of date politician most people didn't like much.

sorry Jimmy

by **Jubilee** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:54 pm

I agree it sounds better than the generic title rds! I'd much prefer it that way.

I'm just saying it is another bit of evidence that supports what I've been saying for a while now.

by **rdrsfn82** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 7:59 pm

Nobody loves me wrote:I agree it sounds better than the generic title rds! I'd much prefer it that way.

I'm just saying it is another bit of evidence that supports what I've been saying for a while now.

I don't think it's a property that needed a budget this big. If they made this for $100 million, I'd say it is a pretty safe bet to be a hit.

Also, you are an ass. :lol: