My general impression is that TTT has made much more pre-release hype compared to FOTR. Is that accurate? I don’t remember a major newsmagazine cover for FOTR. I don’t think there were so many LOTR threads a year back ( thought I didn’t hang around here much so I am not sure)
My guess is that before FOTR there was still some uncertainty about how good the films would be but now everyone is confident about the series so there is more excitement. Plus the two-part DVD release strategy has kept the series in the public mind and maybe won some new converts.
If I am right then will TTT beat the general trend of sequels doing worse than the original at the boxoffice? I wouldn’t at all be surprised. I am pretty sure it will beat Harry Potter:COS which is struggling to make 250 million.
Yes there were probably more commercials for FOTR. But that may be precisely because it had less hype that TTT from other sources. So it needed more commercials. So let’s restrict ourselves to non-advertising hype.
I think the hype is about the same, but TTT will do better at the box office because of those who have been “converted” since the first movie came out. I know an awful lot of people who didn’t see FOTR in the theatre, but subsequently rented (or bought) the video and are planning to see TTT in the theatres.
More major media sources are taking note of the second film, probably for the same reason.