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[iblauralee]

I guess I forgot that Outpost was direct to DVD here.  I think it was in theaters in the UK.  That is good.  I just hope that after this movie, it is just onward and upward for him.  I need to see him in more stuff!!!

[Toduo]

I guess I forgot that Outpost was direct to DVD here.  I think it was in theaters in the UK.  That is good.  I just hope that after this movie, it is just onward and upward for him.  I need to see him in more stuff!!!

It was in the theatres here, Iblauralee. It didn't get a long run though unfortunately. I have actually yet to view it I hope it is onward and upward too. I'd like to see Ray work on an independent production, rather than one attached to a studio. Just a gut feeling that it will fair better for him next year,

[frank]

I believe Ray has already had a movie go straight to DVD - in the States anyhow.

Yes, there are quite a few stars that have had films slip through the cracks like that.  So direct-to-dvd doesn't always have to mean Z grade films with actors like Seagal or Van Damme just collecting an easy paycheck.

If Ray could direct a sequel with a $25 million budget, it could turn out just as well as P:WZ.  The question is whether or not he would consider the directorial experience to be a worthy trade-off.

But I'd much rather have Ray direct a series of direct-to-dvd sequels than a tv series or animated show.  (The latter are two options that many fans have suggested elsewhere.)

[Toduo]

Frank, as Ray has only just got on the 'Hollywood' circuit, not sure that I'd like him to run before he can walk! A directorial debut sometime down the line maybe...............not in the near future though, me thinks.   I'd like to see him directed by a Tarantino or Scorcese in the near future..............that would be a g*d send! 

[frank]

Frank, as Ray has only just got on the 'Hollywood' circuit, not sure that I'd like him to run before he can walk!

Oh, I know.  I only mention it because it's an idea Ray was interested in (according to Lexi).  It's also the only way I could see him agreeing to star in a DTV project, since that would be a relatively low-pressure way to gain some directorial experience.  Of course, this is all just idle speculation at this point, since no one in their right mind is currently planning a sequel to P:WZ.   

[Nomad]

... this is all just idle speculation at this point, since no one in their right mind is currently planning a sequel to P:WZ. 

Which is very likely the exact reason I'm promoting just that!   


 

[frank]

... this is all just idle speculation at this point, since no one in their right mind is currently planning a sequel to P:WZ. 

Which is very likely the exact reason I'm promoting just that!   

And why I've already cleared shelf space for the eventual release of a Punisher dvd boxset.   

[britmys]

... this is all just idle speculation at this point, since no one in their right mind is currently planning a sequel to P:WZ. 

Which is very likely the exact reason I'm promoting just that!   

And why I've already cleared shelf space for the eventual release of a Punisher dvd boxset.   

Hey, Frank, I like your optimism.  We could all use a bit more of that.  We love Ray and wish  all the best for him, whatever that may be.

[iblauralee]

I'm looking forward to the DVD release too!  I rarely race out to buy a new movie but I will for this one! 

[iblauralee]

I'm so sad.  I was hoping the movie would pick up a bit in theaters over Christmas break but it went from being shown in all of the theaters in my town with 4-5 showings a day to 1 theater with only 2 showings - 8 & 10 pm.    I really liked the movie.  I saw it 4 times.  I'm just so bummed. 

[frank]

P:WZ lost over 2,000 theaters this weekend, and will likely end its box office run after only three weeks.  This was an incredibly bad time to try and release such a violent movie.  On Christmas alone, there are four major releases opening up- all of which are a lot more family-friendly.

Punisher's only chance was to have a big opening- and that just wasn't going to happen the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Toss in a relatively low-key marketing campaign, and it would've taken a miracle for this film to have been a box office hit.

It should've never been moved from its original September release date.  The chances for a decent opening were higher, and the lack of competition would've allowed it time to find an audience.

[Toduo]

P:WZ lost over 2,000 theaters this weekend, and will likely end its box office run after only three weeks.  This was an incredibly bad time to try and release such a violent movie.  On Christmas alone, there are four major releases opening up- all of which are a lot more family-friendly.

Punisher's only chance was to have a big opening- and that just wasn't going to happen the weekend after Thanksgiving.  Toss in a relatively low-key marketing campaign, and it would've taken a miracle for this film to have been a box office hit.

It should've never been moved from its original September release date.  The chances for a decent opening were higher, and the lack of competition would've allowed it time to find an audience.

Frank, i totally agree with your last two paragraphs!

[Nomad]

Actually, Frank, there was a lot of competition on September 12th.  Righteous Kill with both Robert De Niro AND Al Pacino, and the Coen Brothers film, Burn After Reading, with both Brad Pitt AND George Clooney opened that day.  And Righteous Kill had a revenge theme, as well, so would have competed, arguably, for the same audience.

More to the point, though, is I don't believe the film was ready by September 12th.

Far be it from me to want to defend Lion's Gate, but selecting opening dates is far from a science.  If it were a science, it could be predicted and no mistakes would be made.

[frank]

True, but both were relatively modest films that debuted in the $15-20 million range.  This would've been a much better market that the current one, in which studios are releasing their holiday blockbusters.  (December may have even been a better time for Lionsgate to have released the family-themed "Family That Preys" movie.)

Even though there's no exact science, there are a few rules that studios tend to observe.  Avoiding the weekends after Labor Day and Thanksgiving is one of them.  No one has been able to crack them- especially with little to no promotion.

[Nomad]

True, but both were relatively modest films that debuted in the $15-20 million range.  This would've been a much better market that the current one, in which studios are releasing their holiday blockbusters.  (December may have even been a better time for Lionsgate to have released the family-themed "Family That Preys" movie.)

Those films are perfect examples of how in-exact film scheduling is!  Who would have predicted they would have been so tepid at the box office?

Even though there's no exact science, there are a few rules that studios tend to observe.  Avoiding the weekends after Labor Day and Thanksgiving is one of them.  No one has been able to crack them- especially with little to no promotion.

I'm not really sure there was little promotion of PWZ.  I'm not in the demographic they were advertising to, but I know from those who ARE in that group that they saw a LOT of television ads...just in places I wouldn't usually see.  The one network show I know there were ads placed was Monday Night Football.  A lot of guys saw them there as well as on late night adult-oriented cartoon networks.  And they were all over the internet in likely places.  Lots of guys told me they saw the ads on wrestling programs, too.  We have to face that the demographic for this sort of film is pretty limited. 

Moreover, the cultural "misery index" is not currently of the same nature as it was in the 70s when revenge films touched such a strong chord in so many.  The misery index right now is more akin to what it was in the 30s, when light comedy fare was so popular.