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by **LOLtron** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:11 am

Hollywood Has Worst Weekend of Year; Joseph Gordon-Levitt to Blame?

The weekend's top-grossing film makes only $13.5 million dollars as moviegoers abandon Hollywood en masse.

Source: Box Office Mojo

It was only a few short months ago that the movie industry was on top of the world. With almost $1.5 billion dollars in worldwide gross, Marvel's The Avengers seemed to promise a banner year for cinema. However, beginning with the flop of The Expendables 2 last weekend, ticket sales have taken a dive from which the industry may never recover.

Though there were three new releases this weekend - Premium Rush, Hit and Run, and The Apparition - the top three spots on the chart were held by older movies: The Expendables 2 ($13.5 million), The Bourne Legacy ($9.5M), and ParaNorman ($8.7M). The total gross for all movies over the weekend was $83.4M, less than half what The Avengers made in it's opening weekend. It was the lowest grossing weekend of the year.

"Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes a nice scapegoat," said one Hollywood insider. The actor, popular amongst message board posters, seems unable to carry a movie, even one with as exiting a premise as "bike messenger thriller." Premium Rush made just $6.3.

"This was JGL's shot at headlining a blockbuster movie," said the insider, "and he blew it. It's back to supporting roles in movies carried by actors with actual box office draw, despite the undying devotion of internet fanboys. Kind of like Nathan Fillion." It is unknown whether the abysmal failure of the film is related to recent revelations about bicycle superstar Lance Armstrong being a juiced out dopehead.

"Maybe people hate movies. Maybe they hate bikes. Maybe they hate Gordon-Levitt," mused our insider, clearly depressed. "Whatever the reason, things are not looking good. Hollywood may need to sue a few people from Bit Torrent just to keep our swimming pools heated over the winter."

All totals listed above unless otherwise noted, are domestic gross.

Written or Contributed by Jude Terror

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by **CountD** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:25 am

I blame.....the title "Premium Rush"

corny.

I rest my case.

by **Chesscub** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:29 am

CountD wrote:I blame.....the title "Premium Rush"

corny.

I rest my case.

As I said on Facebook, for a movie with the title "Premium Rush" I didn't seen any bottles of poppers in the promo.

by **Doc Jon** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:31 am

I didn't even know JGL was in that movie. :-D

by **habitual** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 11:33 am

I would bet that every year that this past week has low returns considering how many kids started school last week across the country.

Hab

by **US Agent** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:22 pm

That's what you get when you release nothing but what should be direct to video movies in theaters.

by **e_galston** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:27 pm

Chesscub wrote:
As I said on Facebook, for a movie with the title "Premium Rush" I didn't seen any bottles of poppers in the promo.

isn't it Maximum Rush though??

by **MrBlack** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 12:49 pm

"Premium Rush" sounds like a coffee-flavored energy drink.

by **Lord Simian** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 3:18 pm

MrBlack wrote:"Premium Rush" sounds like a coffee-flavored energy drink.

Starbucks makes those. Not bad.

by **Johnny Smith** » Mon Aug 27, 2012 5:42 pm

habitual wrote:I would bet that every year that this past week has low returns considering how many kids started school last week across the country.

Hab

I agree. The summer season is over. Most theaters are back on their normal schedules (no matinees before noon) and Hollywood tends to release less than spectacular films.