Looks like Birth of a Nation may end up being a Bust...

[Complex]

When they talk about white films they compare it to the budget. You always hear "Blair Witch did 250 Mil with a 60k budget" for example. It always stipulations with black film numbers.

And even based on the other numbers, 10 mill day 1 is good, metric wise.

This movie is different. It was a movie already made and they brought the rights to the movie. They didn't finance it. So Parker probably sold it for 17.5 and then negotiated for back end money.

It has nothing to do with black movies. It's any movie. They call movies flop that break even all the time.

It's why a lot of sequels never get green lit.

 

[TheyCallMeBe]

This movie is different. It was a movie already made and they brought the rights to the movie. They didn't finance it. So Parker probably sold it for 17.5 and then negotiated for back end money.

It has nothing to do with black movies. It's any movie. They call movies flop that break even all the time.

It's why a lot of sequels never get green lit.

I know the history of it. So you don't think it's a bit premature to call a film with a 60% ROI, on limited screens, after its first day a flop?

 

[durham]

Black folks only want to see laugh and giggles....just the way it is. Cant' fault Tyler Perry for selling homosexuality, some laughs mixed with Christianity if that is our preference.

 

[Blackmayne]

Just got back from seeing it rough movie, but the story needed to be told .... RIP Nat Turner American Hero

 

[Blackmayne]

FYI....The film can never be a bust Fox bought the Movie from Nate answer his investors the investors already in the money several times over when it comes to profits

 

[KrafMatik]

This is a very common practice that I'm shocked no one has ever written an article, did a youtube vid, documentary, news investigation nothing.

Shit is a myth that started when some kid fucked up and sold the wrong tickets to a Tyler Perry movie. The lady called a popular radio show about it and it blew up. A movie theater don't give a damn whats selling as long as people are buying concession stand items.

 

[militantmidget]

Shit is a myth that started when some kid fucked up and sold the wrong tickets to a Tyler Perry movie. The lady called a popular radio show about it and it blew up. A movie theater don't give a damn whats selling as long as people are buying concession stand items.

This goes back before Tyler Perry movies. The earliest I've heard of theaters printing different movie tix for black movies is Malcolm X back in the early 90s.

 

[lazarus]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weekend-box-office-girl-on-train-birth-of-nation-936292

Birth of a Nation, Parker's directorial debut, hoped to cross at least $10 million in its debut after transforming into the darling of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, where a fierce bidding war resulted in a record $17.5 million sale to Fox Searchlight. Instead, the movie grossed $2.6 million Friday from 2,105 theaters for a sixth-place finish and projected $7.5 million weekend, despite strong reviews and and A CinemaScore.

The period drama, centering on the Nat Turner slave rebellion of 1831, seemed the ideal antidote to the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and was widely viewed as an obvious contender in the upcoming Oscar race. But over the summer, Parker came under fire over a 1999 trial in which he and Jean Celestin, who later co-wrote Birth of a Nation, were accused of raping a classmate at Penn State University. Parker, who maintained the sex was consensual, was acquitted, while Celestin was convicted. (Celestin's case was overturned on appeal.)

Just days after Parker made new comments about the incident in interviews, it was revealed that the accuser committed suicide in 2012.

Birth of a Nation boasts a large footprint for an indie film and is one of the widest releases ever for Searchlight, and intended play to all audiences. On Friday, the majority of the audience was African-American (60 percent). In addition to directing, Parker stars opposite Armie Hammer, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Penelope Ann Miller and Gabrielle Union.

hoping for a number but still making a profit is not a bust.
you are clueless about the entertainment business.
straight dvd action flicks can cost about 15-20 mil and they make money without even touching the theatre.
follow me now.
a film that sold for 17.5 is making 7.5 this weekend alone, and still has more time in the box office AND DVD sales.
it's going to make money.

A bust is making something that cost 100 mil plus and making 10-20.

Also, it was even more low budget to create it. Fox bought it and assume rights. So it's Fox that took on responsibility and Parker already got paid.

 

[playahaitian]

Shit is a myth that started when some kid fucked up and sold the wrong tickets to a Tyler Perry movie. The lady called a popular radio show about it and it blew up. A movie theater don't give a damn whats selling as long as people are buying concession stand items.

So it's not true?

Cause it's happened to me a few times.

You know what? I actually know someone you manages a theatre and I never asked...I will and I'll see what she says.

 

[The G.O.A.T.]

I saw it today in Times Square and there were about 5 whites in a packed theater.
What was unusual is that there were ASSIGNED seats.
I've been to many movies in many theaters and never once was I ASSIGNED a seat.
Great movie though. Oscar worthy for sure.

 

[SPECTRE1]

He could be the modern Sam Greenlee, films about black uprisings are attacked and shutdown. They do not monetize that well but develop a cult following.

 

[GuessWho21212]

It's not in theatres in Baltimore city.Gotta travel way out to see it.Wonder how many cities have the same issuse....

I saw it out in Towson on opening night. It was the late show so General Admin wasn't full but the Reserved seats were. I think it was playing in White Marsh and at the Charles Theatre too. My only gripe with the film was that the actual revolt seemed way too short. I imagine with a larger budget he could have done more with those scenes, but overall I enjoyed it.

Unfortunately, the bedwench brigade has spoken. From here on out the only black films getting greenlight will have to feature sassy black mammies down with the swirl (i.e. Hidden Figures). Its that or black guys who are either effeminate or tired stereotypes. The movie that cost $6-7M to make, I wonder how much was spent to make sure it didn't succeed?

 

[BronxBomber]

Taking moms to see. Hurricaine messed up Friday night plans, and my little man wanted to play plants vs zombies all day.

Tomorrow for sure. Brothers be talking support but dont go see this are sus.

 

[bigsuge]

I sholl ain't seen no marketing/commercials for it.

Skraight word of mouth. Despicable

 

[godofwine]

Took my girl last night, theater was half empty ... the coons did a good job killing this movie.

There is this chick going hard against BOAN and Nate Parker as well as Chadwick Boseman for saying, "We Building" while taking a pic with NP.

I loved the movie. Pissed me off something fierce, but I loved it. I can't say anything bad about it. I said the way thru to my date that the Bible is mind control to Black people, but Nat Turner said himself during the movie that for every passage there is saying a slave must obey his master is another 3 saying he should rebel and the master will burn in hell for enslaving him.

IDGAF his wife is White. IDGAF about his rape case

Well I have bought 21 tickets so far...and I ain't done...brah

I meant to buy a ticket for Queen of Katwe, too, but forgot.

 

[JimJones]

I saw it today in Times Square and there were about 5 whites in a packed theater.
What was unusual is that there were ASSIGNED seats.
I've been to many movies in many theaters and never once was I ASSIGNED a seat.
Great movie though. Oscar worthy for sure.

I only fuck with theaters that have assigned seats. We have a quite a few of them here in Houston. Don't have to rush to get there or pass up concession trying to get a seat don't have to deal with folks holding seats and shit. It's the best thing a movie theater can do

 

[ThaBurgerPimp]

I sholl ain't seen no marketing/commercials for it.

Skraight word of mouth. Despicable

There was one TV spot i saw for it that had spliced-in footage of present-day Black Lives Matter protests.. wtf

 

[TooTrilla]

Took my girl last night, theater was half empty ... the coons did a good job killing this movie.

Yup. Went twice and the theater was barely half full both times. Not a single white person in there either. When I went to see Straight Outta Compton, it was a full house and mostly cacs.......

 

[naijachief]

Did anybody really expect this movie to be a box office hit? Forget about the rape situation for a minute and let's honestly discuss the general consensus on slave movies.........which I thought was we have had enough of them.

 

[stretchwallz]

12 years a slave was a flop financially until the Oscars.

Mainstream America has no interest in this story, they want to see themselves

 

[phanatic]

I'm going on Monday after work.

 

[muckraker10021]

The film was excellent!!!!
Those expecting huge box office $$$ numbers clearly don't understand how the Hollywood corporate Zeitgeist works.

Meanwhile make sure you see 13th on Netflix

 

[shaddyvillethug]

Tomorrow is a holiday for that fsggot columbus

We all should go see it

 

[trstar]

To comingle his 1999 case, which he was found innocent, and this movie is bullshit.

But a black slave rebellion movie with no white savior is going to have a limit box office expectation. You cant expect to see Gladiator type numbers.

 

[safado]

Packed midnight show ...
Can't say that represents all theatres yet Saturday night support was in full effect

 

[southrue]

I've heard marketing on the Steve Harvie morning show and during NFL games

I sholl ain't seen no marketing/commercials for it.

Skraight word of mouth. Despicable

 

[Ill Paragraph]

Peace,

I've heard marketing on the Steve Harvie morning show and during NFL games

There were commercials for it on ESPN even. Not sure what my man is talking about.

 

[Bluelaser]

The difference is that we've been DEMANDING a movie like this forever. They've made so many shucking and jiving for the longest and we finally got an unapologetically BLACK movie where there isn't a white savior to save negros.

And if this does bad expect more Madea and Butler movies from here on out.

Man...I concur 100%

 

[playahaitian]

I only fuck with theaters that have assigned seats. We have a quite a few of them here in Houston. Don't have to rush to get there or pass up concession trying to get a seat don't have to deal with folks holding seats and shit. It's the best thing a movie theater can do

Man I had two cave bitches in my seaTS and they just stared at me when I looked at them to get the f*ck up...the girl I was with with starting mumbling bloody murder under her breath...

I just waited. The smart one was like f*ck this and actually left the theatre...the other had the nerve to take her sweet time and leave her empty container...

Shocked the hell out of me security made her come back take it off apologized and gave us 2 passes for the future.

 

[playahaitian]

Yup. Went twice and the theater was barely half full both times. Not a single white person in there either. When I went to see Straight Outta Compton, it was a full house and mostly cacs.......

Oh them cacs loved them some Compton and had the nerve to criticize Dre right after in the theatre lobby.

 

[Lower9Nupe]

I guess white people don't want to see it

That doesn't surprise me. Truth be told I can see why Black people wouldn't want to see it. The demographic for this type of movie is pretty much your middle-aged Black adult who actually likes going to a movie versus waiting for that shit to come out on Direct TV. I can't begin to think of the last time my wife and I went to a movie versus doing exactly what I just described. My son and I do movies all the time.

 

[code_pirahna]

Yup. Went twice and the theater was barely half full both times. Not a single white person in there either. When I went to see Straight Outta Compton, it was a full house and mostly cacs.......

That s Milwaukee for you....bunch of racist whites

 

[TooTrilla]

That s Milwaukee for you....bunch of racist whites

Yeah, because Im sure cacs came out strong everywhere else. Lord help me in this Klan run city.

 

[Ceenote]

I sholl ain't seen no marketing/commercials for it.

Skraight word of mouth. Despicable

I was watching tv show on TvOne called Fatal Attraction n i seen the commercial on it..this past week

 

[ShortyCumStain]

What difference does it make to you? Are you a producer? Are you getting residuals from the box office? Did you really think this movie was going to do "numbers"?

Sometimes I worry about you people.

Good question. If it's good, fuck da numbers. Numbers don't determine if da shit is good or not.