Okay… I’ll give it up… Warner Bros has not done a job to try to cover the cost of their big summer film (aka MEFE, aka The Most Expensive Film Ever). This is an entry in a Worth1000 Photoshopping content called “Superhero Dayjobs.”
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[twitter-widget username="DavidPoland" hiderss="true" hidereplies="true" hidefrom="true" items="3" showts="60" title=" " targetBlank="true"][twitter-widget username="MCNTweets" hiderss="true" hidereplies="true" hidefrom="true" items="3" showts="60" title=" " targetBlank="true"]
It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” ā some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it ā I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury ā he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” ā and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging ā I was with her at that moment ā she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy namedā” “Yeah, sure ā you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that Iām on the phone with you now, after all thatās been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didnāt seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. Thereās not a case of that. He wasnāt using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had ā if that were what the accusation involved ā the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. Iām not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, āYou know, itās not this, itās thatā? Because ā let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. TimesĀ piece, thatās what it lacked. Thatās what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
Is UPS now offering fudge-packing?
Hey, DP, who are you making fun of with your constant repetition of “most expensive film ever”? Is this another media story that everybody knows about except me?
Haha–It’s like how Mike Lupica mentions the Yankees have the biggest payroll every chance he gets.
jeffmcm,
Yes.
Best Regards,
– Everybody
Okay, but can you explain the joke to me (or will that ruin it?). DP’s irony suggests that he thinks there’s something suspect about Superman being The Most Expensive Movie Ever Made…?
I do not think Poland is joking or using any sort of irony. Supes Returns has become the most EXPENSIVE film ever made. Even if Poland ignores the close to 300 MILLION to make Goblet of Fire. Which, I guess, does not cost as much as Supes. So, Supes, cost a lot of frakkin money. So much money that Poland will remind us all Summer.
I’ve heard conflicting things about Supes cost. I first heard $250M on Sunday Morning Shootout when they were talking to Singer at ComicCon…Singer seemed to mention the number simply for shock value. But then, months later after the quarter billion had run around the press hadn’t Singer backed off that number and said that it was an exaggeration?
Granted we can’t trust what Singer says about the cost…or the studio for that matter. And given that they’ll never release the actuals, I’m guessing most of this is just fun idle talk. What is the conventional wisdom on its cost? More importantly, if it’s over $300M, where did that number come from? I wouldn’t be surprised if it just appeared in the media because some hack heard the $250 and figured that many big movies run over buget by 20%.
For only 60 Million dollars, WB could have made a Smallville movie. I wonder if the EXECS would think about taking that bet in the future? If Supes Returns has a hard time making substantial cash WORLD-WIDE. Singer must have really been aided by the producers of the X-Men films. Because if he spent more than those TWO FILMS combined on ONE FILM. Somebody better be looking at new directing candidates for the next Superman film. This might be all sorts of conjecture. However, 300 million for one film, absolutely makes no sense in a variety of context. Especially for a HUGE TENT POLE film, that does not have a new trailer, a final poster, or any TV spots at close to two months out during big events such as the NCAA or even Idol.
Are we ever going to find out the budget for Superman Returns? Probably not.
I’ve heard:
$180 million
$250 million
$300 million
My guess would be that the price tag for production and prints and advertising would be around $300 million. IMHO.
With worldwide P&A, no less than $425 million.
Is that ironic?
Ironic? How? In an Alanis Morissette kind of way?
425 MILLION? Again, that Smallville movie, should really be considered in the future. Especially if the CW can garner a bigger audience than the WB and UPN combined at this time not when they combine to form the CW. 425 million dollars and they dont even have a FINAL POSTER YET! The comedy never ends with this flick.
So that’s the entire joke? Like saying “I hope you’re all ready for Poseidon, aka TUDCLME, or The Upside-Downest Cruise Liner Movie Ever”…?
What’s your source on that budget, DP?
Good thing Singer has the Logan’s Run remake scheduled next…what an amazing sure-fire hit that one will be (ugh).
So at $425 m, basically Superman needs to make a billion dollars (at the very very very least) at the worldwide box office to be seen as a hit. And in the entire history of film, only two films have hit that mark. Good luck, Singer!
Actually, they’re starting a franchise with this movie (they hope) which is why they’re overspending. If they break even here, then make a ton on the next couple movies, I guess they figure they come out OK. If this movie finishes up with like $200 mill or so domestic and is seen as a modest flop, then there will be trouble. If it does $300 domestic and barely breaks even, they will keep their heads up and soldier on to a hopefully more profitable sequel. Starting a business requires a lot of capital, and with these franchises its basically that, starting a business, forget about art at these prices.
There’s a great thread about the history of this film, from the Salkinds to Tim Burton to the Abrams fiasco at http://www.agonybooth.com/forum/topic2730.htm, but ends around mid-2004. I’m not really up on Singer’s reign; anyone care to fill the gap?
They basically hoping for Spiderman 1 numbers. However, Spiderman had never had a film about him before (or, i don’t think he did anyway). And Spiderman starred Kirsten Dunst as the love interest which was much more interesting that Kate Bosworth. ew.
I’ll still see it though.
Kate Bosworth garners an, “ew?” Okay. I doubt Dunst helped the numbers of the original Spidey. Since Dunst remains one of the downsides of the Spidey franchise in many a fans mind. Ew? Seriously?
maybe not ew, more like blah.
I’m with James…I want to know DP’s source for his numbers. $425 with prints?! This reminds me of the early reports (or mis-reports) of War of the Worlds’ $250M budget.
A friend of mine at Fox told me that the actual negative cost of TITANIC was $315 million, but they kept it quiet so as not to piss off the stockholders. If so, that’s truly the number to beat.
Dave,
If you’re saying $425 million for production plus worldwide P&A, what would be the breakdown?
$200 million production + $225 million P&A?
$225 million production + $200 million P&A?
$250 million production + $175 million P&A?
$275 million production + $150 million P&A?
$300 million production + $125 million P&A?
$325 million production + $100 million P&A?
It’s kind of scary that even if the $315 million negative cost on Titanic is true, it’s still one of the most profitable films in history. Of course, $1.8 billion in box office receipts will do that. š
I always thought UPS guys were sexy.
“$275 million production + $150 million P&A”
I’m being conservative on both.
How much do you think WotW cost, Eric? Do you believe that numbers you read on websites are official?
If there is a $315 million number on Titanic, it sure includes the studio, which is still operating profitably in Mexico.
Batman & Robin was the first $200 million production cost movie.