# Extra Extra "New Moon earns One Billion Trillion US$ opening night!!!" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 23, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684 "2009-11-23T20:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Iridescent\_Orb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@Iridescent\_Orb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iridescent_Orb)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/21 "2009-11-28T09:34:14Z")
Comparing box office figures for older movies is further complicated by the fact that movie theaters played a different role in pre-TV days. The pre-movie newsreels were like the nightly news (or at least the weekly news), and on a hot summer’s day people would often go to an air conditioned theater just to get out of the heat. In many ways, the movie theater was like a communal living room, and movie attendance figures were in many ways more comparable to today’s TV ratings. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/22 "2009-11-30T07:21:14Z")
Is there another thread for discussion of the movie itself or is this it? lol ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/23 "2009-11-30T07:55:29Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > We’ll see how the second weekend goes. I predict a 70% drop, at least. [70.2%](http://www.boxofficeguru.com/weekend20.htm). As predicted, the film doesn’t have legs. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/24 "2009-11-30T08:44:25Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > [70.2%](http://www.boxofficeguru.com/weekend20.htm). As predicted, the film doesn’t have legs. Sorry, but this is just about the stupidest post I’ve ever seen. The film was number 1 for a second straight weekend, taking in $40+ million. So far it’s broken several records and has racked in nearly $500m worldwide. And the film was made for only $50m! The film doesn’t have legs? Frankly, it doesn’t need legs to become one of the most profitable films in history. Is it a stupid movie? Yes, of course, but to dismiss it is to be completely ignorant of the film industry and the power of the female dollar. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/25 "2009-11-30T09:08:46Z")
> [@leander](#): > > Sorry, but this is just about the stupidest post I’ve ever seen. The film was number 1 for a second straight weekend, taking in $40+ million. So far it’s broken several records and has racked in nearly $500m worldwide. And the film was made for only $50m! Eh? **Alessan** said it wouldn’t have legs and he was right (to within a fraction of a percent!)? I don’t see how anything you said makes his post stupid. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/26 "2009-11-30T09:18:01Z")
I’m not saying the movie isn’t a huge success; all I’m saying is that it probably won’t hit $300 million in the U.S. ---
**Author:** ![leander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bcef8e/32.png) [@leander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leander)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/27 "2009-11-30T12:01:42Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’m not saying the movie isn’t a huge success; all I’m saying is that it probably won’t hit $300 million in the U.S. And you’re going to be wrong about that as well. When a movie makes $140m in its first weekend (do you know how often that happens?) then a 70% drop is absolutely expected, because that’s still $40m+. 99% of all films produced will never make $100m+, much less $140m in 3 frickin days. The movie will make $300m easily, and $700m worldwide. That’s insane for a movie that cost $50m to make. To say that Moon doesn’t have legs is simply ignorant of how the film industry works. Sorry, but that’s the truth. The movie was crap but it’s incredible in how (a) popular, (b) profitable and (c) female focused it was. 80%+ of the audience was female. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/28 "2009-11-30T12:12:41Z")
And I’m saying that everyone who was going to see the movie has already seen it. All the really big blockbusters have crossover appeal - they’re watched by young and old, female and _male_. The fact that 80% of the viewers are female proves that it \*doesn’t \*have crossover appeal. Yes, every teenage girl in America has seen the movie, along with all of the 15-35 females who weren’t too embarrased to go. Now what? At this point, I can’t see where the new tickets will be coming from. Good word of mouth? There isn’t any. Repeat viewings? We’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/29 "2009-11-30T12:14:15Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I’m not saying the movie isn’t a huge success; all I’m saying is that it probably won’t hit $300 million in the U.S. > [@leander](#): > > And you’re going to be wrong about that as well. There is absolutely no good reason you two shouldn’t arrange a wager. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/30 "2009-11-30T12:18:04Z")
Yes, notable flops such as _Titanic_ proved that teenage girls just hate going to see the same film over and over again. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/31 "2009-11-30T12:26:41Z")
> [@SecondJudith](#): > > Yes, notable flops such as _Titanic_ proved that teenage girls just hate going to see the same film over and over again. I actually thought about that - which is why I said “we’ll see”. How were repeat viewings with the first film? ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/32 "2009-11-30T12:36:47Z")
Ok, _I’ll_ wager with you, **Alessan**. I’ll give you 3:2 on New Moon coming in under $300M US. Up to $100 American. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/33 "2009-11-30T12:59:44Z")
Sorry, I don’t wager money. I’ll buy you lunch if you’re ever in Tel Aviv, though. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/34 "2009-11-30T13:15:46Z")
Deal! If I can set up enough free-lunch-equity in cities around the world, it’ll have to pay off eventually. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/35 "2009-11-30T13:18:10Z")
Oh come now… Wager something interesting. Such as, the loser must make and upload a video of themselves singing “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General” while dressed as an anime character. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684/36 "2009-11-30T14:17:30Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Oh come now.. Wager something interesting. > > Such as, the loser must make and upload a video of themselves singing “I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General” while dressed as an anime character. Naaaaw…I’m thinking a YouTube video declaring their undying love for Edward. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/extra-extra-new-moon-earns-one-billion-trillion-us-opening-night/518684.md?page=1)