From Flower Vase to Film Emperor in Hollywood

Everyone says that the autumn season is the off-season, and the film market in September and October is sluggish. This is a fact, and also a truth recognized by Hollywood.

However, movie theaters are open all year round. Even in the lowest point of the year, you can still see all kinds of movies in theaters in the fall.

What's more, don't forget that the last week of October is Halloween, which means that the carnival for horror movies and the gathering for holiday movies are coming soon. Therefore, the sluggishness of the autumn season is often limited to September. Entering October, movie theaters may become lively again.

This year, it is like this—

The second week of October, "Kill Bill", Quentin Tarantino's first work after being idle for six years.

The third week of October, "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", a remake of the classic horror film from 1974; and Jessica Biel starred as the female lead for the first time. Because of Chris Evans, Anson personally attended the premiere to cheer for Jessica, causing quite a stir.

The fourth week of October, "Scary Movie 3", a spoof movie. The fact that the series can be filmed to the third part already proves its super popularity.

Piling up!

Collective piling up! Extremely lively!

Although they are all low-to-medium budget horror movies, it is precisely because of the serious high degree of homogeneity in scale, type, and subject matter that the competition is even more intense.

After all, the market share for horror movies is just that one piece of cake. Now that similar movies are erupting, the final outcome may be mutual destruction.

A small piece of good news, the first week of November, which is Halloween weekend, has no noteworthy premieres, including New Line Cinema, which also avoided it, abandoning the plan to have "The Butterfly Effect" debut this week.

Reason?

First, on Halloween weekend, young people are all out partying, and family audiences give up movie theaters because of their children's "trick or treat" activities.

Second, the weekend after Halloween, there are sharks.

The second week of November, "The Matrix Revolutions", the final chapter of the series debuts. This summer, the release of "The Matrix Reloaded" has already raised expectations to the maximum. Then, the series finale finally arrives at the end of the year. You can guess with your knees that the ardent fans will vent all their enthusiasm to welcome the arrival of the third part of the series.

No one wants to encounter such a monster.

Accurately speaking, this is a series of works that can be compared with "Harry Potter" and "The Lord of the Rings" in the current film market, and its influence is even more far-reaching.

However, there is an exception—

New Line Cinema's "Elf".

Edgar spread his hands: I told you, New Line Cinema is unreliable.

"Elf", with an investment of 33 million US dollars, is considered a small-to-medium cost production, led by "Frat Pack" member Will Ferrell, and the director is Jon Favreau, an actor-turned-director, who later directed "The Avengers".

In the eyes of New Line Cinema's market distribution, "The Matrix Revolutions" is a science fiction movie, and "Elf" is aimed at the Christmas market. The two are completely unrelated; therefore, deliberately choosing such a schedule may also be able to use the other party's popularity to attract more attention to "Elf" when more audiences enter the theater.

With such a distribution strategy, I don't know whether to say it is smart or stupid.

Therefore, "Elf" deliberately staggered the gap in the first week of November and chose to collide head-on with "The Matrix Revolutions". Such an arrangement makes people exclaim—

I don't understand!

Accurately speaking, the first week of November is the only breathing space in this year's autumn season to the holiday season. After the brilliant debut of "The Matrix Revolutions", the cutthroat competition will slowly begin.

The third week of November, "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World", this movie is led by Russell Crowe, who has become extremely popular in the past two years. After climbing to a new career peak with "A Beautiful Mind" and "Gladiator", Russell is ready to go further, building his reputation like Tom Hanks. "Master and Commander" is the solid step he has taken.

This work cost 150 million US dollars and is directed by Peter Weir. His most famous works are "Dead Poets Society" and "The Truman Show". This is also Russell's third collaboration with an Oscar-level director after Ron Howard and Ridley Scott.

Heavyweight, undoubtedly a heavyweight.

The fourth week of November, "The Cat in the Hat", with a production cost of 109 million US dollars, aims at the Thanksgiving market, full of confidence and a thunderous attack.

The fifth week of November, "The Haunted Mansion", this work aimed at the Halloween market staggered the dense area where horror movies piled up in front and moved to debut during Thanksgiving. The distribution strategy should have been carefully considered, and the production cost of up to 90 million US dollars is even more outstanding in the always low-cost horror movie genre, and it looks particularly eye-catching.

The first week of December, "The Last Samurai", this work costing 140 million US dollars is undoubtedly the biggest focus after this year's summer season, because the leading actor is the unique Tom Cruise—

Not only aiming at the box office market, but also the focus of this year's awards season, it is hailed as this year's "Gladiator".

What about later?

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" is ready.

Then, this scene appeared.

The major film companies have adjusted their strategies, not putting all their eggs in the summer season basket, and the strategic position of the holiday season is showing a soaring trend.

As a result, the schedule is not only crowded, but also heavyweight players are emerging one after another.

Crises are lurking everywhere, and competition is fierce.

In this case, the release schedule and distribution strategy need to be more careful and cautious.

As a result, what about New Line Cinema?

The third week of November, not only closely following the release of "Elf" the week after, falling into the shadow of "The Matrix Revolutions"; but also facing off against "Master and Commander", followed by a long list of powerful opponents.

Edgar: I don't understand.

Edgar, in Anson's name, sent an email to New Line Cinema, asking why New Line Cinema didn't schedule the release for the first week of November, even if it collided head-on with the Halloween schedule, wouldn't it be more reliable than the third week?

Because Anson is the producer, the relevant person in charge of the distribution department of New Line Cinema replied kindly:

This year's holiday season can be described as chaotic. Thanks to the success of "Catch Me If You Can" last year, major film companies have thrown stones to ask for directions, and the pattern is difficult to judge.

This is a pool of muddy water.

Not to mention New Line Cinema, Warner Bros.' distribution strategy is also risky. "The Matrix Revolutions" is a work of Warner Bros., and they didn't care that it was fighting with New Line Cinema.

"This schedule is the result of our professional opinion discussion. We have confidence in the movie, and we also have confidence in Anson."