A steep drop-off in box office is not all that surprising after a film opens to huge numbers, but an 80% drop-off? That cuts worse than a machete to the head. Jason must have worn out his lower half doing all that running in his new film because he sure doesn't have any legs.
Platinum Dunes' Friday the 13th reboot helped break box office records last weekend with a near $50 million President's Day weekend haul. The second weekend's take saw Jason being the one getting mauled, down a whopping 80% with a paltry $7,825,000, according to Box Office Mojo. From first place to sixth and not even able to claim the top horror movie spot either since Coraline out grossed it this weekend.
So what the heck happened? Did just about everyone that planned to see the movie in theaters go last weekend? Was the word of mouth disappointing enough to drive people off, at least until the DVD release? Did none of the people that did like it still not like it enough to go back a second time? Could it be that Jason is just no match for Tyler Perry? Or Slumdog Millionaire? Or He's Just Not That Into You? Or Taken?
Butane hated the joke I made at the end of our Friday the 13th edition of Dinner For Fiends about how if you wanted to see a good thriller that has teens, sex, drugs, and an unstoppable badass who kills everyone that gets in his way you should go see Taken instead, but if you look at the numbers, that's exactly what people are doing in droves.
I'm sure Platinum Dunes is crying all the way to the bank since "Extreme Makeover: Jason Edition" is already well on its way to being a moneymaker and will most likely make even more when the DVD arrives. Still, a colossal drop in box office like this is something to give everyone involved some pause.
Now how long until we finally get Tyler Perry Goes to Hell: The Final Madea?
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Give your reasons for it doing so badly below or in the Dread Central forums!
Submitted by Foywonder on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 6:29pm.
Taken was a good revenge flick, better than any f13 flick, but it's like saying the original Hitcher is better than Madman...different fuckin genre and style..The f13 remake was at least better than most of the originals. The first half hour was killer but then the movie slowed down and the kills were not that impressive...I'm waiting for the uncut dvd since a lotta of stuff was cut out...
The mind is like a parachute...it only works when it is open.
F.Zappa
Submitted by DeTuinman on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 1:31pm.
I am going to remake I, Madman.
Submitted by Heather Buckley on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:35am.
It had a death curse.
Submitted by Uncle Creepy on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 1:27pm.
Uncle Creepy, did you unleash some bad mojo on F13?
Submitted by hellbilly_drp on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 4:59pm.
He doesn't say so in the article, but I'm pretty sure we're all in agreement that it was our DFF that did it. I mean, people were on the fence, listened to that, and chose (wisely) to go see Coraline instead. Now Platinum Dunes will know who to make movies for, damnit!
Submitted by Johnny Butane on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 5:35pm.
I'm sure the lesson they took away from it was "Hey, let's make ALL of our subpar remakes in 3D!!!"
Submitted by Chainsaw on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:16am.
An interview I did that is not on the site yet (?) are my interviews with the Friday producers. They did look into making F13 3-D.
Submitted by Heather Buckley on Tue, 02/24/2009 - 1:30am.
Minority here: I liked the remake!
Honestly. It was a good time, I don't know what anyone would want in a slasher other than that.
I can't believe that nobody has hit on the reason for the severe drop. It's plain as the nose on your face. It was the single motivation for us to see it opening night:
It was Friday the 13th. Seriously, how often do you get to see Friday the 13th in a theater on Friday the 13th? Thus you have extreme front-loading. (Plus the usual horror drop-off as most who want to see it, see it early.)
Mr. Dark
Part-Time Dread Central Gaming Guy
Full-Time Freelance Smartass
Submitted by Mr. Dark on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 11:56am.
morons (people here). u killed jason for ever!
Submitted by ryan74 on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 4:41am.
Do you mean Mormons?
Submitted by PelusaMG on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 4:57pm.
Jasons always comes back you know that... even sometimes if he is in space.... O_O :D
Submitted by Heather Buckley on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 9:47am.
And when he's in space he fucking RULES.
Submitted by Johnny Butane on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 10:53am.
Especially when he gets to kill David Cronenberg for making successful mainstream films. What a hack!*
*This is a joke. Honest!
Submitted by Rottenjesus on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 3:36pm.
"Jason X" had some of the sexiest women, and one of the best screen kills:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpjkXO_MjcE
Submitted by PelusaMG on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 5:00pm.
Having seen both, Taken was honestly a better movie. I was really disappointed with the new Friday...sigh.
Submitted by Blockbuster on Mon, 02/23/2009 - 1:12am.
Look it's quite simple really... people have been busy sorting out their dresses for the Oscars this weekend!
Submitted by PelusaMG on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 11:11pm.
Sadly this won't sway them from making a sequel where Jason takes hostage a family why cause their daughter looks like his mom as a young girl lol I'm joking but they probably will take me seriously :(
Submitted by zombiekiller81 on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 9:57pm.
Nicely put-together sentence there...
Submitted by G.D. on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 10:00pm.
I'd rather go see Taken as well, Foy.
Submitted by Chainsaw on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 9:17pm.
I hope it's due to word-of-mouth.
I know I told everyone I possibly could that the movie was a gigantic piece of shit. And they all said, "damn, I'll just catch it on dvd".
So, I DID MY PART......If I could save a few people some time and money, I'm happy with that...
Submitted by kiddcapone on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 9:14pm.
I was one of the people who saw Coraline this weekend instead of Friday the 13th. I saw Friday last weekend. At least where I live, Coraline was being advertised as "This is the last chance to see it in 3D!" Maybe that pushed it's numbers up, or the fact that Coraline was a better and family friendly movie. I'm not knocking the new Friday the 13th, I thought it was OK. I just thought Coraline was better.
Submitted by shaneg on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 8:11pm.
Why does this not surprise me?
Submitted by Feenix on Sun, 02/22/2009 - 6:34pm.