LOS ANGELES: If that film looks familiar there´s a reason: Hollywood is relying more than ever on the cash cow that is the safe-bet sequel.
HunzaNews, Aug 09,2014
From “X-Men” to “Transformers” to “Planet of the Apes,” this season´s blockbusters increasingly are sequels — and sequels of sequels — to escape ever more unwelcome financial risks.
“Sequels are like safety nets for studios and investors; they consistently deliver the most potent box office punch,” said Jeff Bock, a spokesman for industry tracker Exhibitor Relations, which keeps the numbers at US and Canadian box offices.
“Consider this: seven of the 10 top-grossing movies this year are sequels and/or reboots. And that´s very typical, as the last few years have trended the same way,” he said giving examples like “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” which has earned a whopping $715 million worldwide.
“The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” has netted $710 million; “22 Jump Street” a more than respectable almost $300 million; and “How to Train Your Dragon 2” with a noteworthy $465 million.
The northern hemisphere summertime is famously thick with sequels, with many people on vacation and most children with more time than usual to catch a movie. A few weeks later, roughly from September onwards, films that are hoping to get attention as potential Oscar candidates jockey for moviegoers attention. (AFP)
