# Why on Earth would Captain America not open on July 4th? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646 "2011-03-31T16:33:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/21 "2011-03-31T20:06:57Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > John Belushi? > > That must have been when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor. Nah, I was talking about Illinois Nazis. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/22 "2011-03-31T20:18:10Z")
Some movies open on Christmas day even if it’s a Monday. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/23 "2011-03-31T20:24:18Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > In the US at least, or at least the July 4th weekend. It’s actual US release date is July 22, so it’s not like the movie wouldn’t already be finished. Maybe there’s a practical reason I’m missing, like they’re dodging some big competition, but still. > > Of course I’m in no way convinced of its quality yet. I am hopeful. [ul] [li]Because it’s a Monday?[/li][li]Because you want an entire weekend to draw an audience, not after the weekend has already happened?[/li][li]Because lining up movie releases for biggest impact in relation to competing movies has to take into account a lot more important factors than whether it coordinates with a symbolically-linked holiday (Hey! Why not Veterans’ / Flag / Memorial Day)?[/li][li]Because it’s about World War II, not the Revolutionary War?[/li][li]Because they wanted to give Thor enough time to run before it cannibalized its potential viewership?[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/24 "2011-03-31T20:25:29Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Some movies open on Christmas day even if it’s a Monday. Because that’s a time of year when most people are taking multiple days off from work producing a similar effect as a weekend draw. ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/25 "2011-03-31T20:27:12Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > July 29th - Cowboys & Aliens and The Smurfs I would pay to see that movie. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/26 "2011-03-31T22:28:36Z")
**"Why on Earth would Captain America not open on July 4th?..In the US at least, or at least the July 4th weekend."** See, you’re sitting there thinking how cool it would be to tie an All-American Super Hero into the consummate American holiday. That’s why you’re not a movie producer. 🙂 Studios want movies to open with a bang and develop viewer-number momentum quickly. That’s why they almost always open on Friday, and why they don’t open one that has good potential numbers on a holiday weekend when hordes of people are traveling, visiting, thissing, thatting, and everything BUT going to the movies. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/27 "2011-03-31T23:32:35Z")
Yeah, but I also said 4th of July weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/28 "2011-03-31T23:40:06Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > What a lineup. Are any of these going to be any good? Kung Fu Panda 2 looks like it’ll be pretty worthy, and Cowboys & Aliens will just be ludicrous and fun. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2011, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/29 "2011-03-31T23:58:05Z")
> [@Bosstone](#): > > Cowboys & Aliens will just be ludicrous and fun. Fred van Lente co-wrote [the comic it’s based on](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboys_%26_Aliens_(comics)). If they’re at all faithful to the source material, it will, therefore, be awesome by definition. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/30 "2011-04-01T00:23:39Z")
My guess about Hydra over Nazis is that Captain America is just one of a zillion Marvel superhero movies that are coming out and will all be cross-referenced just like the comic books are. Captain America will be in the Avengers movie - this origin movie is even called Captain America: the First Avenger - and any sequels. Nazis would look stupid in the present. Hydra is forever. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/31 "2011-04-01T00:47:48Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > My guess about Hydra over Nazis is that Captain America is just one of a zillion Marvel superhero movies that are coming out and will all be cross-referenced just like the comic books are. Captain America will be in the Avengers movie - this origin movie is even called Captain America: the First Avenger - and any sequels. Nazis would look stupid in the present. Hydra is forever. That’s my thought, as well. I’m guessing that Hydra is going to be the bad guys in the Avengers movie that’s coming out in the next couple years. I’m also pretty sure there are going to be Nazis galore in this movie, but it’ll be revealed that Hydra has been pulling the Nazi’s strings all along. That’s pretty much what they did in _The Ultimates_ comic, except the Nazis were secretly controlled by Skrulls, not Hydra. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/32 "2011-04-01T01:08:45Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Yeah, but I also said 4th of July weekend. Allow me to repeat myself (bolding mine ;)): > [@Gary\_T](#): > > That’s why…[studios] don’t open [a movie] that has good potential numbers **on a holiday weekend when hordes of people are traveling, visiting, thissing, thatting, and everything BUT going to the movies.** ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/33 "2011-04-01T01:18:12Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Allow me to repeat myself (bolding mine ;)): Yet Transformers: Dark of the Moon Release Date is July 1, 2011. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/34 "2011-04-01T01:39:36Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Yet Transformers: Dark of the Moon Release Date is July 1, 2011. Well, it gives them a good excuse if it tanks. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/35 "2011-04-01T02:07:31Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > In the US at least, or at least the July 4th weekend. It’s actual US release date is July 22, so it’s not like the movie wouldn’t already be finished. It isn’t possible it won’t be finished by the 4th, but finished by the 22nd? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/36 "2011-04-01T02:11:05Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > That’s my thought, as well. I’m guessing that Hydra is going to be the bad guys in the Avengers movie that’s coming out in the next couple years. I’m also pretty sure there are going to be Nazis galore in this movie, but it’ll be revealed that Hydra has been pulling the Nazi’s strings all along. That’s pretty much what they did in _The Ultimates_ comic, except the Nazis were secretly controlled by Skrulls, not Hydra. Hmm. I’ve never read any Ultimates comics and I still figured that out as a plotline. I’d say it’s encouraging that they were as good as me, but I’d never do anything as stupid as that Skrulls plot. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/37 "2011-04-01T02:16:13Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > Nah, I was talking about Illinois Nazis. I _hate_ those guys. For some reason, I thought you were referring to “1941”, but the Japanese were the bad guys in that one. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/38 "2011-04-01T02:18:52Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > My guess about Hydra over Nazis is that Captain America is just one of a zillion Marvel superhero movies that are coming out and will all be cross-referenced just like the comic books are. Captain America will be in the Avengers movie - this origin movie is even called Captain America: the First Avenger - and any sequels. Nazis would look stupid in the present. Hydra is forever. Also, they probably want to sell small plastic toys in bulk; small plastic toys with swastikas on have a more limited market appeal. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/39 "2011-04-01T04:27:43Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > July 29th - Cowboys & Aliens and The Smurfs Reach for the smurfin’ sky, you dirty Smurf! ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2011, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646/40 "2011-04-01T06:34:49Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > \*\* > Studios want movies to open with a bang and develop viewer-number momentum quickly. That’s why they almost always open on Friday, and \*\*why they don’t open one that has good potential numbers on a holiday weekend \*\*when hordes of people are traveling, visiting, thissing, thatting, and everything BUT going to the movies. Huh? The July 4th weekend is often a time for [big box office receipts](http://boxofficemojo.com/alltime/weekends/july-4th.htm?page=JULY4TH&p=.htm). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-on-earth-would-captain-america-not-open-on-july-4th/576646.md?page=3)