Box-Office Analysis: 'Warcraft' Avoids "Utter Failure" But Will Still Lose Money

[Tempguy]

It cost $160,000,000 to make - and has made $500,000,000+ so far.
It has an IMDB rating of 7.4.

Seems like far from a failure by the numbers.

You also do not understand the full picture.

The production cost of a film is not the total cost. After that you have to market it and the rule of thumb is the production cost goes into marketing. So at a bare minimum, Warcraft's total strain on the studio is $320 million.

Then you have to account for theaters. They don't play films for free. They get a cut. So if your film makes 10 million, you may actually only get back a % of that.

Then you have to understand that China is another beast. Hollywood gets back an even smaller portion from ticket sales. Wanda Group owns legendary so that may negate this, but for now we don't know.


So no, you are 100% wrong. 160 million is not at all the total cost of Warcraft. So it is possible that it could make 161 million and be at a loss.


Funny how you all lash out vs actually backing up the claim of "Hollywood Accounting".

[Demsi]

I thought it was on the low end of average quality and enjoyability, so this sounds about right. Needed more paladins.

Paladins weren't present in the first war. But we might see them in a potential sequel

[TheFirstOnes]

Someone paid for me to see it with them, because I refused.

It was tacky. If you had no clue who the characters were, then you couldn't follow along. There was too much happening all the time to grasp the impact and implications of the action of the main characters.

You have this gate, this gate leads to another world. For some unknown reason Orcs world is dying(you only get vague hints 1/3 into the movie), and they need to find a different world to inhabit. Yet, Orcs don't find one uninhabited, they just rend into Azeroth just cause.

Then you have opposition of the Orcs invasion based on need, with characters you have no reason to care about.

The Alliance is just there, with no introduction and no explanation. You have Khadgar with no explanation on his abilities nor his reason for leaving the Kirin Tor, the movie never explains what the Kirin Tor's role is in Azeroth, and the importance of it.

Never explains Medivh and his Guardianship. Never explains his important role in things. You just get the vague sense he is important. Medivh was possessed but it doesn't really explain that, and you don't have a clue to the importance of his possession and even WHO was possessing him.


I could go on more, but I'm done. If you had no clue about any of the lore surrounding Warcraft, then the movie made little sense. I had to explain 3/4 of the movie to my wife afterwards.


I enjoyed the movie, because I understood what was going on without explanation. Wife thought it was cool looking, but felt the movie was made for people on the inside. This wasn't a movie made for people, but made for fans.

I'm laughing to shit on how your post is in general. I got this movie 100%, despite me not being into WC1 much. LOL! I'm usually a fan when it comes to just WC2, and beyond. I could forget about WC1 lore. But still, nothing confused me! the story was so simple! So simple, it infact worked as a 2 and a half hour long movie. Sure, some parts didn't make sense, nor did some parts get explained or get more developed, but for duncans first big movie, and a first movie for a big cinematic universe, can you blame him? NO! I think he did well honestly.

Also, to shed a little light as to what I mean by "This story is simple af", take a LOOK: Planet is dying, orcs invade other planet, they invade human cities, humans prepare for war, they gain help from a mage, he gets corrupted by a demon slowly but surely, some orcs hate other orcs, those orcs help humans, half orc and half human helps with both sides, humans invade orcs, orcs have civil war, 2 orcs fight to the death, 2 human guys fight human demon possessed mage, mage is source, mage dies, orcs portal closes humans defeat orcs, alliance is created.

THE FUCKING END! It's not that confusing once you look at it a second time. Jesus christ.

[Tempguy]

THE FUCKING END! It's not that confusing once you look at it a second time. Jesus christ.

1: You shouldn't have to see a movie twice to understand it. Usually the second time is for picking out subtle stuff and easter eggs.
2: Subjective opinion is subjective. Who woulda guessed.

[TheFirstOnes]

Fixed that for you.

Fanbois not withstanding, it just wasn't a good movie. Not even by action flick standards. Fantasy fiction needs to stand up to LoTR and the Harry Potter movies, and this just didn't.

And is this a movie that has had 7 books before it, gaining millions of fans, while having a director that is good creating such a movie, like harry potter? And if this a badass film like loTR that had a great director that did awesome movies in the first place, while being an iconic legend for so long? NO! This is a movie directed and created by an OK director that has played the first game, but has only created such OK movies, creating a movie that is mainly for the ones that played the game. When will people understand that sometimes the first good artpiece doesn't start out perfect, but with some few adjustments it can turn into a master piece?! No one?! Oh yah...it's the internet, I forgot.

[schwarzkopf]

You also do not understand the full picture.. [/I]

It was just a big advertisement for WoW/Hearthstone etc ..... and it made money, and it was well received.

Seems that you are just a bit salty that it did exactly what it intended to do.

[TheFirstOnes]

1: You shouldn't have to see a movie twice to understand it. Usually the second time is for picking out subtle stuff and easter eggs.
2: Subjective opinion is subjective. Who woulda guessed.

1. Well maybe some people must see the movie a second time if their first time got interupted by a fool that was on his/her phone for a while. :I

2. And I gave you a subjective response to go ahead with your subjective opinion! Now we can be happy.

- - - Updated - - -

I live in the US and I have yet to watch it. My main "problem" is that the movie deviates heavily from the novels. I think that's the problem in the US, most fans have read the novels.

Oh yah, it's not like it's doing own universe thing, that'd be SILLY! Oh wait...THEY ARE!

[oplawlz]

And is this a movie that has had 7 books before it, gaining millions of fans, while having a director that is good creating such a movie, like harry potter? And if this a badass film like loTR that had a great director that did awesome movies in the first place, while being an iconic legend for so long? NO! This is a movie directed and created by an OK director that has played the first game, but has only created such OK movies, creating a movie that is mainly for the ones that played the game. When will people understand that sometimes the first good artpiece doesn't start out perfect, but with some few adjustments it can turn into a master piece?! No one?! Oh yah...it's the internet, I forgot.

And how do you think any of that matters to viewers? Oh yeah . . . it's the real world, I forgot. The movie is going to be compared to it's contemporaries . . . there is no trophy for trying really hard. I agree that the director was a problem, but that doesn't change the movie being bad . . . it makes the choice of director bad as well (not saying he's a bad director, i'm neutral on him - just wasn't a good choice for this movie).

[Arkthugal]

I live in the US and I have yet to watch it. My main "problem" is that the movie deviates heavily from the novels. I think that's the problem in the US, most fans have read the novels.

Most of the novels around that time period are terrible and nobody likes them, so I'd figure that'd be a good thing. You should watch it, it really is good.

[Tempguy]

It was just a big advertisement for WoW/Hearthstone etc ..... and it made money, and it was well received.

Seems that you are just a bit salty that it did exactly what it intended to do.

What? Where is this even coming from?

I just want to know where the fuck people are getting this "Hollywood Accounting" shit from. I give fuck all how the film did.


I just want one of these tinfoil hatters to show me something that shows that Warcraft is pulling this Hollywood accounting thing. That is all. I am just curious for proof.

Especially more now since it is borderline illegal and often used to scam actors and other folks out of royalties.

[ZazuuPriest]

i blame the acting (abysmal), the direction (pretty not good), the pacing (really bad), the marketing was pretty much a non issue. People shouldn't expect anything, ANYTHING, of quality from Legendary anyway.

[Post]

I loved the movie but can see why people who don't know anything about Warcraft wouldn't enjoy it.

i blame the acting (abysmal), the direction (pretty not good), the pacing (really bad), the marketing was pretty much a non issue. People shouldn't expect anything, ANYTHING, of quality from Legendary anyway.

Weird, I thought these were all fine.

[schwarzkopf]

What? Where is this even coming from?

Look - currently it is at around -$30million, but that hasn't taken into account merchandising, rebroadcast rights and media (BD/DVD) sales.

So it will make money, and given its job was just a big advertisement - it seems pretty good value for an advertisement.

[Tempguy]

Look - currently it is at around -$30million, but that hasn't taken into account merchandising, rebroadcast rights and media (BD/DVD) sales.

So it will make money, and given its job was just a big advertisement - it seems pretty good value for an advertisement.

Okay. Good. Congratulations! Warcraft will make 50 bazillion dollars. Woohooo!!

Now what about that Hollywood Accounting" question that no one wants to fucking give me a source to?

if you are gonna make a claim (and try and defend it in so many silly ways) can someone at least provide me a source showing that Warcraft is engaging in "Hollywood Accounting" and the reason they are in the red is due to that?

[schwarzkopf]

Okay. Good. Congratulations! Warcraft will make 50 bazillion dollars. Woohooo!!

Most advertisements cost money ... one that makes money is pretty damned successful

[Tempguy]

Most advertisements cost money ... one that makes money is pretty damned successful

So no...Just gonna ignore the question? The question I have been asking since page one and the one that you have been running around trying to refute by pointing to everything around it but never addressing it?


Okay, got it. You have no idea if Warcraft engaged in hollywood accounting and you are just offended for some strange reason...Cool. Enjoy your night.

[Jokerfiend]

I'm laughing to shit on how your post is in general. I got this movie 100%, despite me not being into WC1 much. LOL! I'm usually a fan when it comes to just WC2, and beyond. I could forget about WC1 lore. But still, nothing confused me! the story was so simple! So simple, it infact worked as a 2 and a half hour long movie. Sure, some parts didn't make sense, nor did some parts get explained or get more developed, but for duncans first big movie, and a first movie for a big cinematic universe, can you blame him? NO! I think he did well honestly.

Also, to shed a little light as to what I mean by "This story is simple af", take a LOOK: Planet is dying, orcs invade other planet, they invade human cities, humans prepare for war, they gain help from a mage, he gets corrupted by a demon slowly but surely, some orcs hate other orcs, those orcs help humans, half orc and half human helps with both sides, humans invade orcs, orcs have civil war, 2 orcs fight to the death, 2 human guys fight human demon possessed mage, mage is source, mage dies, orcs portal closes humans defeat orcs, alliance is created.

THE FUCKING END! It's not that confusing once you look at it a second time. Jesus christ.

But it doesn't explain the reason why, which is why the movie got shat on. Are you so dense to the my point, or are you just that dense in general?

Or are you so simple minded that this movie actually made sense to you?

[Deleted]

I liked the movie, regardless of being different from the established lore, but I've said this before; Blizzard shouldn't let other people mess with their shit.

Back when they had PJD design the choppers for WoW, it was an utter failure, and both bikes came out looking pretty much nothing like the game they represented. Now, they gave the license to the movie to people who clearly didn't do it enough justice.

Having said that, like I said, I liked the movie. I didn't go in expecting anything, and I wasn't disappointed.

[TITAN308]

Well lets be honest, outside of pretty CGI the movie was just not very good.

My nine year old daughter loved it, but how many movies did we as adults see when we were kids, think they were great, then rewatch them as adults only to realize how terrible they were? (Star Wars is a shining example)

I'm not saying its anywhere close to the worst video game adaptation, but point being, it was a mediocre and forgetable film.

I mean, didn't the original Mortal Kombat do better in terms of numbers?

Edit: I think it cost $20 million to make and brought in over $120 million?

[I Push Buttons]

Well lets be honest, outside of pretty CGI the movie was just not very good.

My nine year old daughter loved it, but how many movies did we as adults see when we were kids, think they were great, then rewatch them as adults only to realize how terrible they were? (Star Wars is a shining example)

I'm not saying its anywhere close to the worst video game adaptation, but point being, it was a mediocre and forgetable film.

I mean, didn't the original Mortal Kombat do better in terms of numbers?

Edit: I think it cost $20 million to make and brought in over $120 million?

Lol Star Wars was a terrible movie?

Ok pal, lay off the crack pipe for a while.