This week’s report takes a first look at several releases scheduled for August 24, along with updates on key July titles.
Ant-Man and the Wasp Opening Weekend Range: $70 – 90 million (up from $65-85M)
Social media and general tracking footprints continue to pace slightly behind Doctor Strange and Thor: The Dark World, but remain consistent in terms of the film’s overall positive outlook now that early critics’ reviews suggest another crowd-pleaser.
Skyscraper Opening Weekend Range: $30 – 50 million (down from $40-60M)
A myriad of factors could still develop to help this reach the optimistic end of expectations, but the slew of male-targeted films in mid-to-late July skews models across the board. Dwayne Johnson’s latest effects-driven actioner is thus far trending more closely to Rampage than San Andreas. Given the lack of any built-in fan base (other than Johnson’s own audience), we’re not ruling a late pop in buzz closer to release.
Equalizer 2 Opening Weekend Range: $18 – 28 million (up from $15-25M)
Tracking has improved in recent weeks, but much like Skyscraper, a major holiday and a handful of films aiming for a similar audience next month could make tracking more volatile on this one. Denzel Washington’s reliable star power will be a key factor.
A.X.L. Opening Weekend Range: $1.5 – 5 million
Early trends for this tween-driven film are comparable to past titles like Max Steel and Middle School.
The Happytime Murders Opening Weekend Range: $14 – 24 million (first tracking)
Strong trailer reactions represent the bulk of optimism behind this R-rated Muppet comedy. Melissa McCarthy gives the film some star power to rely on, although her usual fan base (adult women) isn’t likely to be in this film’s wheelhouse. Fans of Sausage Party and Team America: World Police will be the target here, although pre-release reviews will be crucial.
Slender Man Opening Weekend Range: $15 – 25 million (first tracking)
The horror genre has a knack for consistent success in recent years, and early trends suggest this may be the next late summer sleeper for the genre. A PG-13 rating could go a long way toward increasing expectations. For now, a run similar to LightsOut or Don’tBreathe is on the table.
Friday Report: Sony’s Sicario: Day of the Soldadotook in a strong $2.0 million from Thursday night’s opening shows, coming in on the high end of expectations. Direct comparisons are few and far between, but that comes in notably higher than Den of Thieves‘ $950,000 start earlier this year. With summer business and the sequel factor in play, projections from the Thursday figure tend to vary, but a weekend in the mid-to-high teen millions looks very doable at this point.
Uncle Drewmade a splash in his own right with $1.1 million last night, setting up for a healthy weekend ahead. That figure topped the $860,000 of Boo! A Madea Halloween, although the latter film opened in fall. Again, Thursday business isn’t entirely indicative of where this film is heading, but it too could land on the high end of pre-release forecasts.
Santa Monica, CA, June 28, 2018 – Today Atom Tickets, the social movie ticketing platform, announced the launch of its Independent Exhibitors Program. The move brings independent exhibitors BG Cinema Inc, Ruby Cinemas, 8k Cinemas, Aksarben Cinema (Main Street Theatres), Midwest Movies Inc., Nexus Cinema Dining, Taylor Theatres, and Empire Cinemas to Atom’s growing network. With more than 20,000 screens and a rapidly growing list of partners, Atom is the partner of choice for exhibitors of all sizes.
In order to unlock a seamless path for independent exhibitors, Atom has integrated with Veezi, the cloud-based cinema management solution for independent cinemas. Veezi is engineered by Vista Entertainment Solutions, the world leader in cinema management software solutions.
“Independent cinemas are an integral part of movie culture, and we are thrilled to welcome them to the Atom Tickets family,” said Steve Joudi, Head of Operations & Exhibitor Relations at Atom Tickets. “Many independent theaters are located in the heart of thriving college towns where mobile ticketing is crucial to reaching a younger demographic. We are excited to offer them a better way to reach that audience and drive attendance to local theaters.”
“We’re thrilled to offer Veezi customers a complete, seamless back-end integration with the Atom Tickets platform,” said Matthew Preen, President, Veezi. “Our partnership with Atom enables Veezi customers to reach new audiences and ultimately sell more movie tickets.”
These new independent exhibitors join Atom’s already impressive list of theater partners that includes AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas, Regency Theatres, National Amusement’s Showcase Cinemas, and Southern Theatres, among others. These recent partnerships are expected to be available to moviegoers in the coming months, with several already available on Atom. For exhibitors that want to learn more about partnering with Atom Tickets visit https://atm.tk/mx.
LEAWOOD, Kan.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– After an overwhelmingly positive response to the announcement last week, AMC Theatres® (NYSE:AMC) is excited to announce that movie-lovers can now join AMC Stubs A-List and see up to three movies per week, along with all of the benefits of AMC Stubs Premiere, for just $19.95 (plus tax). On top of those incredible benefits, through AMC Stubs A-List, members can enjoy all available showtimes*, at all AMC locations in the United States, and in all formats — including IMAX at AMC, Dolby Cinema at AMC, RealD 3D, Prime at AMC and BigD. AMC Stubs A-List members can watch movies at AMC at the spur of the moment or can plan ahead days or weeks in advance, as securing tickets is made easy via the reservations capabilities on the AMCTheatres.com web site, or on the AMC Theatres smartphone app.
Guests can sign up online now at amcstubs.com/alist. Once signed up, members can begin using the program immediately.
AMC Stubs A-List joins AMC Stubs Insider and AMC Stubs Premiere in AMC’s fast-growing AMC Stubs loyalty program. In addition to seeing up to three movies per week, AMC Stubs A-List members also enjoy all the benefits of AMC Stubs Premiere, including free upgrades on popcorn and soda, free refills on large popcorn, express service at the box office and concession stand, no online ticketing fees and 100 points for every $1 spent for the AMC Stubs A-List monthly fee and food and beverage spending at AMC theatres. AMC Stubs Premiere members receive a $5 reward for every 5,000 points earned, which translates to a 10% credit toward future AMC purchases.
“The overwhelmingly positive response we heard since announcing AMC Stubs A-List last week only reinforces our belief that our guests are very excited about this new AMC program, as it offers all of the benefits that make movie-going great at AMC Theatres,” said Adam Aron, CEO and President, AMC Theatres. “AMC Stubs A-List rewards guests with something that no one else offers: the very best of AMC, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema and RealD 3D up to 3 times per week, for one simple, sustainable price.”
Timed for traditional new movie openings, each and every “week” starting from Friday through the following Thursday, AMC Stubs A-List members can see up to three movies at any U.S. AMC location through their A-List membership, however there is no carryover from week to week if fewer than 3 movies are seen. They can even see all three movies on the same day, provided there are no simultaneous or overlapping showtimes. And they can see individual movies they have previously seen. Guests can get their ticket online, and in advance, allowing them to reserve that opening night seat for the hottest blockbuster on the horizon. Advance reservations can be held for a maximum of 3 movies at any one time in the current or for future weeks.
For more information and to sign up for AMC Stubs A-List, visit amcstubs.com/alist. To find showtimes and purchase tickets to this weekend’s movies, please visit www.amctheatres.com or the AMC Theatres app.
*Fathom Events shows, special fan events and some Indian Cinema titles may not be included
It was an ingenious idea, executed perfectly. NBA star Kyrie Irving, donning hair and makeup that disguised him as a 70-year-old man, walked onto public basketball courts around the country and joined street ball games against unwitting opponents. This was the central conceit of theUncle Drewweb clips produced in 2012 to promote Pepsi Max, PepsiCo’s low-calorie and sugar-free soda, under the slogan, “A zero-calorie cola in disguise.” The clips went viral and ultimately led to the production of this summer’sUncle Drew. The feature film uses the original web clips as a launching pad to tell the story of Dax (Lil Relationship Howery), who spends his life savings to enter a team in Harlem’s Rucker Classic street ball tournament. When his rival, Mookie (Nick Kroll), steals his squad, Dax draws upon the legendary Uncle Drew (Kyrie Irving) to assemble a team of not-quite-over-the-hill veterans to compete for the tournament’s cash prize. The ensemble cast forUncle Drewincludes a spate of former basketballs stars, includingShaquille O’Neal, Chris Webber, Reggie Miller, Nate Robinson, and Lisa Leslie.Boxofficespoke with the film’s director, Charles Stone III, on how he adapted the short-form hit into a feature film.
How did you come across this project?
It came across my desk through my agent. The producer Marty Bowen, who knows me, he actually was my agent many, many, many moons ago. So he knew my work and felt like I’d be a good person to put the story together. Initially, I read it, then I came in and pitched my version of how to tell the story. He really liked that, as well as Lionsgate. We just moved forward from there.
You have experience with short-form content, both in the commercial world and music videos, so you’re familiar with how different it is in tackling a narrative feature film. What were some of the challenges in adapting something that worked really well in short form into a feature film?
It’s interesting you bring that up, because I did a short film back in 1999 calledTrue, which actually became the Budweiser “Whassup?” campaign in 2000 and 2001. It’s a very similar situation here, a short-film series that kept getting created and sponsored. It was similar in that, “Okay, here’s this short form content that I have to expand into a story.” I guess it’s sort of a reverse of what I did with the “Whassup?” campaign, in that I’m actually taking the short-form piece and blowing it up into a long-form film.
It’s hard to, in the script, to put it together. I knew from watching the short films tonally where I wanted to go. The short films gave just a slight [sense of] who this person was and the people in his life. But Jay Longino, the writer, put together a much larger story that involved this older character. That question is really good for both Marty Bowen, the producer, and Jay Longino, the writer, who actually put this story together. But for me, the challenge and the goal is to make sure there’s a real story behind it.
It’s very easy to get caught up in what I call the hook of the shorts. That hook to me was, “NBA basketball player dresses up or disguises himself as an old man, and starts to challenge the real young players on a real public basketball court, and not announce to them or all the real people who are at the court.” So it’s more of aCandid CameraorJackasskind of format. You get to see real people going, “Oh my goodness!” and being caught off guard by this old guy. We the viewers know that old guy is really a young guy. A lot of what makes that short film successful is that kind of hook, that surprise hook.
I couldn’t tell a story purely based on that hook line, because that would get tired real quick. It needed to be a story that helps define that superpower, so to speak, that Uncle Drew has. This old guy can actually play like a young guy. So we had to actually really create a story about this person. We did that by actually designing a young man who’s desperate to win this big tournament with a dream team he puts together, but that dream team gets picked by this bully nemesis of his. So he hears about this old guy who apparently can still play like a young guy. He doesn’t believe it until he witnesses it himself on the court. Sure enough, he gets the old guy to join him.
But again, it was important to design a story that emotionally we as viewers can connect to. That will then allow us to enjoy the eye candy or the superpower or the hook line: this old guy is schooling young guys on the court. That was really important for me. When I did the short filmTrue, how can I make a resonant story about guys who are yelling “Whassup?” on the phone. I really went through that whole couch potato thing, of basically guys holding hands through the phone, which is what all of us do. It’s a universal thing.
Another interesting aspect of the film as a narrative feature is the ensemble cast you’ve put together. Can you tell us a little bit about building that specific dream team of talent?
It’s actually quite sobering, the process, because you start off with lists of potential NBA players. Then certain NBA players don’t become available. It’s sort of a back-and-forth thing. But I will tell you, it’s amazing how the process rewards the intent or the goal of the movie. In our case, that really happened.
When Chris Webber came in to meet me to play the character Preacher, I couldn’t see it at all. He’s got a really very steady and smooth demeanor, not like how I envisioned the Preacher character, who’s very fiery—sort of a cross between James Brown and Al Sharpton. But Chris came in and read for me as the character, and he totally brought that fire. I was totally taken by surprise. That was a wonderful revelation.
Shaquille O’Neal, we always knew wanted to play Big Fella. Number one, he’s so big! Number two, Shaquille has had experience in making films and he’s quite the cutup, he’s quite the ham, very funny. He just wants to make people laugh. So that was an exciting get.
Nate Robinson worked out really well. He’s five-nine but yet he used to be a slam-dunk champion and did pretty well in the NBA. So him playing Boots, being this little guy who appears to not be able to walk—and spoiler alert, he ends up getting his shoes and being able to actually slam dunk. Visually, that worked out very well.
Reggie Miller was also a surprise. Reggie had done the Lights character. His superpower is that he could shoot from long range; he was really deadly from the perimeter. Who else is deadly from the perimeter besides the classic Reggie Miller? There was the idea of maybe going to someone like Stephen Curry, because he’s also deadly from the perimeter. But Reggie Miller, we loved that idea. He’s a vet; he’s an alum of the NBA with a little bit more age on him. So that worked out well for the Lights character, especially because the Lights character is blind, which adds a comedy to it.
Lisa Leslie was the perfect person for Betty Lou, also because she’s one of the greats of the WNBA. And stunning to boot, on top of that. She looked really good with Chris Webber.
And then Kyrie Irving, who’s just reprising the role of Uncle Drew as well. So it’s the term “the stars are in alignment.” With this one, literally and figuratively, the stars just came into alignment. These guys all really got along and worked well together. It was just the perfect motley crew of talented players.
Working with non-actors is always a challenge. Working with non-actors who are also multimillionaires—I’m sure that isn’t the world’s easiest task! How much of it was directing a performance, and how much of it was—for a lack of a better word—coaching them in these roles?
So there are two things there. One is that because I had so many players to work with, and because a lot of them were inexperienced in terms of narrative acting, I also brought on a wonderful acting coach by the name of Adam Lazarre-White. Adam had a lot of experience with television as an actor himself, and he has an acting studio and coaches. So he was a great asset, in terms of really being able to handle the ensemble cast.
The other part of it is that for me, what my intent is in working with non-actors is to explore their personal lives, see just how they think and how they move, how their life experiences can potentially be applied to these characters they’re making.
A perfect example is that Reggie Miller had a relative, an older man who had this really bad back and used to have this funny walk. It was really great to embrace that. His character has this kind of strut, but because he’s much older he’s got this crick in his back. That helped to create the character.
Chris Webber’s father is a preacher, so Chris Webber grew up in the church. He’s well versed in what it’s like to be a real preacher. He was able to apply that knowledge and the mannerisms that he’s grown up experiencing of real preachers, especially his father, to the Preacher character in the movie.
So each person I would talk with, then both Adam and I would discuss their past experiences and family life, try to find things that could help to anchor them into the character. Then we just take it from there.
Making any film, you’re beholden to working with a number of different schedules—managing the availability of your stars. Sometimes people are available for reshoots, sometimes they’re not. With Kyrie [Irving], the preseason starts and that’s basically it, so you have a tight window to work with. It was also a very transitional time for Kyrie, both personally and professionally, with his trade from Cleveland to Boston. How did you manage those constraints?
Being a director, it’s not just realizing or executing your version of the story. It’s also managing all of the various personalities and conflicting schedules and time restrictions. I’m having to realize my vision but make it fit within a structure that has lots of challenges.
In reference to Kyrie Irving specifically, there was a lot going on for Kyrie. We didn’t know about the potential trade until he found out, which was when LeBron leaked something. It was out in the public that he was potentially going to be leaving Cleveland or being traded. So that was happening during the process. Then his getting traded to the Celtics happened in the middle of that. So that was going on. I tip my hat to Kyrie, because he was pretty good about keeping that away from his acting and what needs to be done in front of the camera.
But there were other things. A lot of the really successful ballplayers are brands; Kyrie is a brand unto himself. The brand is of great value obviously to himself, but to other people: the NBA, Nike, and so on. So the brand needs to be protected. Essentially, we could only shoot him playing two hours of basketball every other day. I get it! I totally respect that. I’m sure the insurance policy on his body alone is probably worth millions of dollars. We had to deal with that challenge.
And that was just Kyrie; we’re not even talking about Shaq and Reggie and Nate. At one point, Nate Robinson couldn’t make it for a couple of days’ shooting because he was trying out for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Or Shaq had to go to China for some event, some previously engaged event. Reggie had to go to the Hall of Fame ceremony to speak.
There are other lives outside the film, which was definitely something we had to deal with on a day-to-day basis, which in many ways was almost impossible. But I also had an incredible assistant director, Benita Allen, who was great at helping to really just manipulate the schedule in order to try to accommodate everything that these ballplayers needed, as well as what we needed.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom took a T-Rex-sized bite out of the domestic box office this weekend.
The sequel to 2015’s Jurassic World took in an estimated $150 million in North America over the three-day period (including Thursday night previews), bringing it in at the high end of expectations. While that’s a far cry from the $208.8 million brought in by the previous installment on its opening weekend, no one expected the follow-up to reach those same heights. By every other measure, this is a fantastic debut; among 2018 releases, it’s the fourth-biggest opening weekend of the year so far, behind only Avengers: Infinity War ($257.6 million), Black Panther ($202 million), and last weekend’s Incredibles 2 ($182.6 million). If estimates hold, it will also rank as the 20th highest debut of all time, just ahead of Furious 7 ($147.1 million) and just behind Spider-Man 3 ($151.1 million). It is also the second-highest opening weekend in the studio’s history behind Jurassic World.
The first Jurassic World was a genuine phenomenon when it debuted three years ago, setting the bar for the franchise extraordinarily high. But as we’ve noted before, that film followed a 14-year franchise drought, being the first film in the series to hit theaters since 2001’s Jurassic Park III. Because of that, much of the film’s box office performance was the result of a nostalgic pull for audiences who had been craving more dino action in the decade-plus that the series had lain dormant. Additionally, while the first film also brought in mixed reviews from critics, its Rotten Tomatoes average came in “Fresh” at 71 percent, whereas Fallen Kingdom finished in “Rotten” territory with a score of just 50 percent as of this writing (its Cinemascore was an A-). While the effect of Rotten Tomatoes scores on audience turnout is by no means an exact science, with the review aggregator’s ubiquity, one can’t help but put some stock in its ability to affect a film’s box office performance.
Fallen Kingdom may also have taken a hit from the presence of Incredibles 2 in the marketplace. With an estimated $80.9 million in its sophomore frame (higher than the first Incredibles‘ opening weekend), the animated sequel is hitting a much broader audience segment than nearly anyone predicted going into its release. Indeed, its $182.6 million opening weekend set an animation record that rivaled the debuts of top-tier MCU and Star Wars releases, and it continues to make a strong statement in weekend two.
The Disney-Pixar release now stands at a truly incredible $350.3 million after ten days, 18 percent higher than previous Pixar record-holder Finding Dory at the same point in its run. That said, it was considerably more front-loaded than its predecessor, as its 56 percent second-weekend drop was considerably heftier than Dory‘s 46 percent (though in fairness, the latter film wasn’t up against a behemoth like Jurassic World). In any event, Incredibles 2 will certainly set an all-time record for a Pixar release by the end of its run, easily eclipsing Dory‘s $486.2 million total. Amazingly, the sequel surpassed the lifetime domestic gross of the first Incredibles in just seven days.
Third place went to Ocean’s 8, which took in an estimated $11.6 million in its third weekend for a grand total of $100.3 million. The Warner Bros. release crossed the $100 million mark after 17 days; by comparison, that milestone was reached by Ocean’s Eleven in 19 days, Ocean’s Twelve in 22 days, and Ocean’s Thirteen in 23 days, though ticket prices were of course much cheaper in the early-to-mid aughts. This weekend’s total gives the long-running franchise a total domestic cume of over $526 million over four modern-day installments.
In fourth place, last weekend’s opener Tag held well in its sophomore frame, dropping 45 percent to an estimated $8.2 million. That brings the R-rated comedy’s total to $30.3 million after ten days. For comparison’s sake, that’s roughly 9 percent behind Game Night and 19 percent behind Blockers at the same point in their respective runs.
Fifth place went to Deadpool 2, which crossed the $300 million mark with an estimated $5.2 million in its sixth weekend of release. The superhero sequel now stands at $304.1 million, roughly 11 percent off from the first film at the same point in its run.
In sixth was Disney’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, which took in an estimated $4 million in its fifth weekend, putting it over the $200 million mark in North America. While that milestone would be cause for celebration for most any other movie, the fact that it took the Star Wars spin-off a month to reach that total ranks as a severe disappointment given that the three previous entries each topped the $200 million mark in just a few days. With $202.2 million domestically and $353.3 million globally, Solo is now slated to finish as the lowest-grossing installment in the history of the franchise worldwide – and that’s including Episodes IV-VI. Domestically, it should finish somewhere between the original runs of The Empire Strikes Back ($209 million in 1980 dollars) and Return of the Jedi ($252.5 million in 1983 dollars).
Seventh place went to A24’s Hereditary, which grossed an estimated $3.8 million for a total of $35 million after three weeks of release. The scarefest is currently the second highest-grossing film in the indie distributor’s history after Lady Bird, which finished with $48.9 million earlier this year.
Rounding out the Top 10, Sony’s Superfly dropped to eighth place in its sophomore frame with an estimated $3.3 million. The remake’s domestic total now stands at $15.2 million. In ninth, Avengers: Infinity War grossed an estimated $2.5 million in its ninth weekend for a $669.5 million total. And just cracking the Top 10 was Focus Features’ Won’t You Be My Neighbor? with an estimated $1.87 million from 348 theaters in its third weekend of limited release, giving it a fantastic total of $4.1 million. The documentary’s per-screen average of $5,388 is even better than that enjoyed by the third weekend of this year’s RBG, which grossed $1.25 million on 375 screens for a per-screen average of $3,341.
Overseas Update:
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom grossed $106.7 million overseas this weekend, giving it an international total of $561.5 million and a global total of $711.5 million. You can check out a more detailed analysis of the film’s overseas performance here.
Incredibles 2 took in an estimated $56.8 million internationally this weekend, a total that included openings in China, India, and Thailand. In China, the film debuted to $21.2 million, giving Pixar its biggest opening weekend in the country ever. With $137.7 million overseas to date, the sequel’s worldwide cume now stands at $485 million.
Early tracking and social trends are conservative for now, but it’s nature as the first Hollywood film in a quarter century to star an all-Asian cast could generate stronger momentum heading into August. This may be a sleeper to watch for if the novel’s fans respond well to the adaptation.
Mile 22 Opening Weekend Range: $12 – 17 million
Mark Wahlberg should help drive his latest collaboration with director Peter Berg. Lingering competition for action fans from July’s releases and/or end-of-summer fatigue could still be factors to watch out for, but the two-week release delay aids prospects. Early tracking models compare to American Assassin and Den of Thieves.
Friday Report: Universal confirms this morning that Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdombowed to $15.3 million from Thursday night’s first domestic showings beginning at 7pm in 3,600 theaters.
That lines up with pre-release expectations as the film had been tracking for anywhere between $115 million and $140 million in its domestic opening weekend, a range that holds up with last night’s early results as the film is expected to generate more walk-up business than fan-heavy franchises reliant on massive pre-sales.
Here’s how Fallen Kingdom compares to other films for the usual comparisons’ sake:
8.5 percent ahead of Solo: A Star Wars Story ($14.1 million)
18 percent behind Deadpool 2 ($18.6 million)
10 percent behind Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($17 million)
17 percent behind Jurassic World ($18.5 million)
Follow us and check back here throughout the weekend for continued updates.
AMC has officially launched its own subscription service. The program, AMC Stubs A-List, will serve as an additional premium tier of the circuit’s popular Stubs loyalty program and will offer 3 admissions per week for a monthly fee of $19.95. All 3 admissions can be used within the same day, as long as the showtimes are separated by a 2-hour period, and no unused admissions will be carried over to following weeks.
AMC Stubs A-List can be used at all AMC locations nationwide, including at premium format screenings like IMAX, Dolby Cinema, RealD 3D, Prime and BigD. Members can also book tickets online in advance, including at theaters with reserve seating capabilities, meaning audiences can reserve a seat for the opening night of a highly anticipated new film. The service will include all of the benefits from lower tiers of the Stubs loyalty program, including waived online ticketing fees and discounts on concessions. The program will function directly from the AMC smartphone app, with no need for additional cards or payment methods.
“We believe that our current and future loyal guests will be interested in this type of program, as AMC Stubs A-List rewards guests with something that no one else offers: the very best of AMC, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema and RealD 3D up to 3 times per week, for one simple, sustainable price,” said Adam Aron, CEO and President, AMC Theatres in a press release announcing the service.
Aron added, “Since its inception in 2011, AMC Stubs has continued to evolve to meet the needs of its customers, as it did in 2016 when we introduced the free tier, AMC Stubs Insider. AMC Stubs A-List is AMC’s next evolution of delivering amazing benefits to our loyal customers, and we’re excited to continue to grow the program by leaps and bounds.”
“Bringing new entertainment options to the neighborhood helps us offer a more vibrant Village where people can shop, live, work and play.”
“We are excited to be a part of The Village at Totem Lake,” said Mark Zoradi, Cinemark CEO. “Our brand-new Cinemark theatre will be the entertainment anchor to this exciting mixed-use lifestyle center, providing an unparalleled entertainment experience for the Kirkland area.”
The Village at Totem Lake is an urban lifestyle village in the heart of the Eastside community. In addition to Cinemark’s state-of-the-art cinema, this growing mixed-use center features premier retailers and restaurants, urban apartments, creative office space, a Village plaza and park featuring a show fountain, and other modern amenities.
“We’re excited to roll out the red carpet for Cinemark,” states Paul Brett, general manager, CenterCal Properties. “Bringing new entertainment options to the neighborhood helps us offer a more vibrant Village where people can shop, live, work and play.”
At the Cinemark Village at Totem Lake theatre, guests will experience cutting-edge technology and customer-preferred amenities, including the features below.
A Cinemark XD auditorium – the number one, private label Premium Large Format (PLF) in the world
Cinemark’s Luxury Loungers – electric-powered, plush, oversize recliners with footrests and cup holders in all auditoriums
Reserved seating in all auditoriums with convenient online and kiosk ticketing
A state-of-the-art viewing environment with wall-to-wall screens and enhanced sound systems in all auditoriums
4K digital projection powered by Barco projectors; RealD 3D capability
An inviting lobby, complete with a full-service, traditional concession stand
Two vibrant event rooms available for private parties and rentals
Moviegoers from Kirkland to Bothell, Kenmore, Redmond and Woodinville can get the most out of this upcoming theatre by joining Cinemark Movie Club, a unique monthly movie membership program offering ticket and concession discounts, along with other exclusive benefits for just $8.99, plus tax where applicable, per month.
The highly anticipated theatre, which is scheduled to be complete in late 2019, will be the development’s premier entertainment destination and complement the neighboring retailers, including Nordstrom Rack, Whole Foods, Cycle Bar, Ulta, Anthony Vince’ Nail Spa, Trader Joe’s, ROSS Dress for Less, AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, Wells Fargo and Key Bank, and many more to come. Dining options will include several new restaurants near the theater, in addition to MOD Pizza and Chipotle, both of which are already open.
For construction progress on the new Cinemark in The Village at Totem Lake development, visit Cinemark.com and stay connected through Cinemark’s social media channels at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@Cinemark or #Cinemark). You can also follow updates from The Village at Totem Lake by visiting The Village at Totem Lake and on Facebook or Instagram (@shoptotemlake).
Could you sum up 2017 for UNIC territories, not only in terms of box office but also legislative issues?
Despite what many were predicting, 2017 has been another year of growth for the European cinema industry, with more than 1.34 billion cinema visits (+2.5% from 2016) and €8.6 billion at the box office (+1.8% from 2016). Most impressively, Russia was the biggest UNIC territory in terms of admissions for the first time, with over 212 million cinemagoers in 2017, just ahead of France and the UK.
The above figures are of course very encouraging, and it’s crucial that the success of the industry is reflected in suitable legislative proposals. The commission continues to push for cross-border access to content, although the industry’s efforts in combating measures that would undermine the exclusivity of the theatrical window have been very successful in terms of the regulation on geo-blocking. Another area of concern for the audiovisual sector is the European Commission’s effort to apply the country of origin principle (CoO) to the licensing of ancillary broadcasters’ rights, and UNIC continues to monitor developments very closely.
On the Audiovisual Media Services Directive (AVMSD), an agreement was reached on April 26, 2018, including positive steps on article 13.2 concerning contributions from all audiovisual media services.
Elsewhere, and in light of the current discussions surrounding the future of the MEDIA program, UNIC and its fellow industry bodies have endeavored to ensure that the MEDIA budget is preserved and that the program becomes more market-oriented heading into the next period.
The parliament and council are also discussing the “value gap” proposal as part of the new Copyright Directive, namely the need for financial contributions from internet intermediaries when it comes to remunerating right holders online. In relation to this, and following up on the communication of September 2017 dedicated to the removal of illegal content, in February 2018 the commission published a recommendation on “measures to effectively tackle illegal content online.”
We were also lucky in getting a new commissioner for digital economy and society—Mariya Gabriel—who has shown great support to our sector.
Looking ahead, in light of the upcoming European Parliament elections and the appointment of a new European Commission, we will do our utmost to ensure that policy makers understand and support our industry.
2018 is off to a good start at the global box office; are there any early highlights from the UNIC territories that you can share?
Preliminary reports for the first quarter of 2018 have already been promising, and upcoming releases such asSolo: A Star Wars Story,Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,Ocean’s 8, andThe Incredibles 2will thrill cinemagoers of all ages. As opposed to 2017 and despite the FIFA World Cup, the summer is shaping up nicely for the industry and should be particularly successful for cinema operators around the world.
What are some of the key issues currently affecting the European market?
The European cinema industry is currently facing a wide range of challenges and opportunities. Most strikingly, the film business is becoming increasingly global, and we continue to witness consolidation across the industry. In 2017 alone, two UNIC members—Cineworld and Kinepolis—have acquired cinemas across the Atlantic. At a more operational level, cinema exhibitors benefit from a growing and more diverse range of content, which enables them to cater to the changing needs and preferences of cinemagoers. As audiences evolve, operators continue to invest in cutting-edge digital technology and creative marketing strategies—including the use of data analytics—to improve the big-screen experience, both inside and outside the screening room. And, of course, it’s always important to raise awareness of European legislation that impacts cinemas, such as the Audiovisual Media Services Directive and the Copyright Directive. Moreover, and connected to the importance of copyright, cinema operators and their partners from the industry are working hard to fight film theft.
What are some of UNIC’s top priorities and initiatives in 2018?
As mentioned above, we have certainly been stepping up our outreach efforts this year to ensure that policy makers don’t lose sight of the value of cinemas in the change-over period at the parliament and commission. Our conference at the European Parliament was a great success, and we’ll be sure to keep our fingers on the pulse on an institutional level as the year progresses.
We’re also very pleased to announce that the second edition of our Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme will be launched at CineEurope this summer! We at UNIC are committed to promoting more gender-balanced leadership within the industry, something we believe to be imperative in terms of the continued health of the sector and equal representation amongst professionals and audiences alike.
Towards the end of the year, we’ll also hold our annual UNIC Cinema Days in Brussels, welcoming senior executives and key figures from across both the European and international cinema landscape. We very much hope to build on the success of previous years through putting together a dynamic program of debates, workshops, and opportunities for networking.
Continuing in a very much international fashion, in collaboration with the world’s leading cinema operators and our colleagues from the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), we launched the Global Cinema Federation at CineEurope 2017 and will be working throughout the year to extend its reach and raise its profile.
And of course, as always, we’re looking forward to this year’s edition of CineEurope, our annual conference and the largest of its kind in Europe. We very much hope to see some of you in Barcelona—there’s still time to register!
UNIC recently signed a letter of support for the Creative Europe Media Programme. Could you share with us the impact the program had for European Cinema and its importance in the industry?
As you may have seen from the statement, MEDIA’s impact and support for the European cinema and film sector is greatly appreciated by a variety of industry stakeholders. Its substantial investment—over €2.4 billion over the past 27 years—has been integral to the success of cinemagoing in Europe and the regard in which European cinema is held globally.
More specifically, MEDIA’s support for initiatives such as Europa Cinemas has been instrumental in promoting the circulation of European films and enabling cinemagoers across the EU to experience the rich cultural diversity of their European neighbors through the power of the big screen.
As such, we were very happy to learn of the ambitious budgetary proposal recently put forward by the European Commission for the next Creative Europe MEDIA Programme. This would go a long way to ensuring the prosperity and growth of European cinema in the coming years, and we now have to convince the member states who will have the final say on the matter.
You launched the UNIC mentorship scheme last year; can you give us an update on the program and its direction for the second year?
The UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership program, which we launched last year at CineEurope as a one-year pilot, has proved to be a great success. The feedback we received so far reinforced our conviction that support mechanisms for women in the industry are very much needed. It was rewarding to see how empowering the mentoring process has been for both mentors and mentees. Many of our participants have underlined the importance of having an opportunity to discuss personal and professional concerns with a leader outside their company. Others pointed out how liberating it was to acknowledge that all women, regardless of their career level, shared and continue to share many of the same struggles.
UNIC will launch the second edition of the program at CineEurope in June, involving new mentors and mentees. While we are still working on the format of the second edition, we can already say that it will be much in line with what we had as part of the pilot, and will include workshops, one-to-one career advice, and networking opportunities for six up-and-coming female professionals from cinema exhibition and their respective mentors.
Barcelona, Spain and Los Angeles, CA, June 14, 2018: At CineEurope this week, CJ 4DPLEX announced a new partnership with Reel Cinemas, the ultimate destination for movie-lovers in the UAE by Emaar Entertainment, to bring the first ScreenX – the world’s first multi-projection system that provides a 270-degree panoramic film viewing experience within a theatre setting – to the UAE. It will be among the first ScreenX screens ever in the Middle East. The new ScreenX screen will open at the Reel Cinemas in The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest and most visited retail and entertainment destination, which welcomes over 80 million visitors every year.
Damien Latham, CEO of Emaar Entertainment, said: “At Reel Cinemas, we are constantly redefining our visitor’s experience by introducing world’s first technologies. ScreenX will be a leading addition to our technology showcase that assures a stunning 270-degree panoramic film viewing experience that will further cement our market leadership. This is part of the transformation we are bringing across our cinemas by bringing innovative technology to the region first.”
Setting a new standard for cinema experiences with its flagship megaplex at The Dubai Mall, Reel Cinemas has continued to redefine the cinematic landscape. Reel Cinemas also has a boutique cineplex at Dubai Marina Mall as well as the region’s first dine-in cinema – the Guy Fieri’s Kitchen & Bar and Dine-in Cinema by Reel Cinemas at Jebel Ali Recreation Club.
“We are excited to announce that we have expanded ScreenX footprint to the UAE with Reel Cinemas,” said Byung-Hwan Choi, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX. “Opening the first site at The Dubai Mall, we will deliver unmatched cinematic experience that will transform the movie-going experience in the UAE.”
CineEurope takes place from June 11-14 in Barcelona, Spain.
SHANGHAI – (June 18, 2018) – Christie®, a leader in creating and delivering the world’s best visual and audio experiences, is marking a decade of collaboration with the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) as the event’s exclusive cinema projection partner.
“This is the tenth consecutive year that Christie has partnered with the SIFF, which is one of the largest and most prestigious film festivals in Asia, by serving as its exclusive cinema projection partner,” said Lin Yu, Vice President, Cinema Sales for Asia, Christie. “It is an honor for us be associated with the SIFF, supplying our cinema projectors for screening feature films from around the world that are distinguished by their artistic excellence. It is a perfect combination of ‘art and technology’, and we are fully committed to delivering the best possible image on screen that allows all audiences to enjoy an immersive and highly satisfying cinema experience.”
Christie’s cinema projection technologies have lit the screens of numerous film festivals around the world, and the company is well-regarded as a trusted partner. Besides the SIFF, Christie is proud to be associated with major film festivals such as the Cannes Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, enthralling their audiences with unmatched cinema projection technology, and which brings the creative visions of filmmakers to life on the screen.
Currently in its 21st year, the star-studded festival kicked off in style with the screening of Chinese director Yan Han’s latest film Animal World starring Yifeng Li, Dongyu Zhou and Hollywood star Michael Douglas, which is based on a Japanese manga series named Ultimate Survivor Kaiji. This year the 4K resolution lamp-based Christie CP4230 cinema projector, known for its high-performance and dependability, has been deployed to screen both the opening and closing films at SIFF, which are attended by numerous international and regional celebrities.
In addition, Christie has supplied a Christie CP2215 cinema projector for the adjudication of films nominated for the prestigious Golden Goblet Award for Best Film. More than a dozen films from around the world will be vying for this coveted award this year.
In conjunction with SIFF, Christie is participating in the CinemaS Shanghai International Film Forum and Exhibition, which takes place at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center from June 20-22, 2018.
During this event, visitors can check out the Christie CP4325-RGB pure laser cinema projector, which is the first in the Christie CineLife Series that features Christie RealLaser illumination, making premium RGB pure laser technology affordable for mainstream cinema exhibition. It features a compact ‘all-in-one’ form factor that eliminates the need for sub-ambient external cooling, while providing rich colors and ultra-high contrast.
Also on show is the cutting-edge Christie Vive Audio cinema audio solution, which utilizes the superior sound quality of ribbon driver technology, as well as the precise directional performance of line-array speaker design and powerful Class D amplification. It is the ideal solution for the accurate reproduction of today’s digital cinema audio formats.
Incredibles 2 more than lived up to its title this weekend, grossing more than any other animated film in history with an estimated $180 million including Thursday night previews. The Disney-Pixar release not only broke the record set by Finding Dory back in 2016, it obliterated it – outgrossing that sequel’s $135 million opening by a whopping 25 percent. If estimates hold, this will also rank as the eighth highest domestic debut of all time – just edging out Captain America: Civil War‘s $179.1 million – and the biggest opening ever for a PG-rated movie, beating Beauty and the Beast‘s $174.7 million debut from last year. Additionally, it ranks as the second-highest June opening of all time, just behind Jurassic World‘s $208.8 million.
Expectations for the Disney-Pixar release became more and more optimistic in the lead-up to release, with predications soaring after it took in a stunning $71.5 million on Friday (including $18.5 million from Thursday night previews). With an expected bump from Father’s Day Sunday, the film is not only hitting the high end of predictions, it’s surpassing the opening weekends of most of its live-action superhero contemporaries. Indeed, among superhero films it now boasts the fifth-highest opening weekend of all time, behind only Avengers: Infinity War ($257.6 million), Marvel’s The Avengers ($207.4 million), Black Panther ($202 million), and Avengers: Age of Ultron ($191.2 million).
To put things even more in perspective, Incredibles 2 opened an eye-popping 60 percent ahead of the first film, which took in $70.4 million in November 2004 (or $92.7 million adjusted for inflation). That’s an even bigger jump than the one enjoyed by Finding Dory over Finding Nemo ($135 million vs. $70.2 million), which is truly the best comparison we have in the realm of Pixar sequels given the length of time that transpired between the first and second films in each of those series.
With a CinemaScore of A+ and a Rotten Tomatoes “Fresh” rating of 94%, Incredibles 2 seems destined to enjoy strong legs in the weeks ahead, particularly given the dearth of similarly family-friendly films on the horizon. If it performs in line with Finding Dory, which had a strong multiplier of 3.6x and finished with $486.2 million in North America, it could potentially reach as high as $600 million domestically by the end of its run. Of course, it’s too early to assess just how front-loaded the film will end up being, given that we’re more or less in uncharted territory here when it comes to an animated release. In any event, this is a truly phenomenal opening and another feather in the cap for the Pixar brand.
Falling 53 percent in its sophomore frame, last weekend’s champ Ocean’s 8 took in an estimated $19.5 million this weekend, bringing the reboot of the long-running franchise to a very good $79.1 million after ten days. That drop is on the higher end for films in the heist series, falling about in line with 2004’s Ocean’s Twelve (53.7 percent second weekend drop). Nonetheless, it’s currently pacing about 8 percent ahead of series high Ocean’s Eleven at the same point in its run (not adjusting for inflation).
Also opening wide this weekend was Warner Bros.’ Tag, which brought in an estimated $14.6 million on 3,382 screens. That’s a decent opening for the adult-oriented comedy, which stars Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Ed Helms, Jake Johnson, and Hannibal Buress as a group of 40-something men who have engaged in a long-running game of tag since they were kids. The film garnered mixed reviews (it’s at 56 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) but fared better with audiences (the Cinemascore is a B+). The film’s opening weekend audience was split almost evenly between men and women, 49 to 51 percent.
Compared to other similar R-rated comedies as of late, Tag opened slightly lower than both Game Night ($17 million) and Blockers ($20.5 million). Both of those films (particularly Game Night) held up well during their respective runs, finishing with $68.9 million and $59.8 million, respectively. With its leaner opening weekend, Tag will need to hold up exceptionally well to finish in either of those ballparks.
The weekend’s other wide opener, Sony’s Superfly, got an early jump on the weekend by opening Wednesday, where it grossed $1.2 million. Through Sunday, the actioner is looking at an estimated $8.4 million (and $6.3 million over the three-day period). In the realm of “blaxploitation” remakes, the only viable comparison to be made here is 2000’s Shaft starring Samuel L. Jackson, which opened to $21.7 million and grossed a total of $70.3 million domestically. Of course, that film greatly benefitted from Jackson’s starpower in the lead role. Superfly has a reported budget of $16 million.
Dropping to fourth place is Disney’s Solo: A Star Wars Story, which eased 42 percent to an estimated $9.1 million, bringing its grand total to $192.8 million after four weeks of play. In fifth place, Deadpool 2 held steady with an estimated $8.8 million in its fifth weekend for a total of $294.6 million. Look for the Merc with a Mouth sequel to cross $300 million next weekend.
Sixth place went to A24’s acclaimed horror film Hereditary, which brought in an estimated $7 million in its sophomore frame, a drop of 48 percent from its robust $13.5 million opening. That gives the film a healthy $27.1 million after ten days, putting it about ? percent ahead of the similar 2016 horror film The Witch at the same point.
In eighth place, Avengers: Infinity War grossed an estimated $5.3 million for a total of $664.2 million in North America, effectively surpassing Titanic to become the fourth-highest grossing film of all time domestically.
Rounding out the Top 10, Adrift took in $2.1 million in ninth for a $26.8 million total after three weeks, and in tenth Book Club collected an estimated $1.8 million in its fifth weekend in theaters. The latter film now has a robust $62 million in the bank as it begins winding down its theatrical run.
Finishing outside the Top 10 was Vertical Entertainment’s Gotti starring John Travolta, which stumbled out of the gate with an estimated $1.6 million from 503 locations.
Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom opened in an additional three markets this weekend, including China, where it has an estimated opening weekend of $125.3 million (RMB 815 million).
Including holdovers from 48 markets, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom will gross an estimated $184.7 million for the weekend bringing the estimated International total through Sunday to $381 million. Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom has now opened No. 1 in all 51 territories where it’s released prior to its North American opening.
With this weekend’s results, the Jurassic Park franchise will cross $4 billion worldwide and breaks into the top 10 franchises of all time, counting only five films.
Some highlights out of China include:
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom had an opening day of $33.5 million (RMB 215 million) which is the seventh-highest-grossing opening day for an imported film. It was Universal’s third-biggest opening day ever in China behind Furious 7 (RMB 347 million) and The Fate Of The Furious (RMB 392 million) and more than double the opening day of Jurassic World (RMB 101 million).
China’s estimated opening weekend of $125.3 million (RMB 815 million) is the sixth-biggest three-day opening of all-time in that market, the third biggest three-day opening of all-time for an import film behind The Fate of the Furious (RMB 1.3B) and Avengers: Infinity War (RMB 1.2B).
For comparison, Jurassic World opened in China with a three-day total of $67 million (RMB 417 million) but it also had two full days of previews for a total weekend of $97.5 million (RMB 604 million).
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom opens in North America and 17 additional markets next week, including Australia, Brazil and Latin America.
Middling reviews from early screenings are a notable factor ahead of next week’s release, although the sequel’s social media footprint remains healthy as it outpaces Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. With over $151 million in the overseas bank so far, the sequel still has a positive global outlook ahead of it despite competition from the World Cup beginning this weekend. Still, we’re slightly lowering our domestic opening range this weekend, previously marked at $130-150 million.
Ant-Man and the Wasp Opening Weekend Range: $65 – 85 million
First appearing on traditional tracking metrics this week, Marvel’s upcoming sequel registered interest levels slightly further behind Thor: The Dark World and Doctor Strange than previously expected. The film also comes in somewhat behind Solo: A Star Wars Story, while social media trends currently trail the first Ant-Man itself. Given the two dominant blockbusters opening ahead of it, though, there’s still plenty of time for this modestly budgeted MCU film’s buzz to build momentum.
TheMeg Opening Weekend Range: $10 – 20 million
Buzz for this Jason Statham-led homage to classic B-rate flicks is strong among genre fans, although early social media buzz isn’t indicative of a breakout yet. This could over-perform as a fun escapist flick in late summer if positive reviews precede the release, but we’re conservative for now.
Friday Update: Disney announced this morning that Pixar’s Incredibles 2 blasted off to a massive $18.5 million, more than doubling the previous record Thursday night opening for an animated title — formerly Finding Dory‘s $9.2 million. An anonymous studio confirms that figure includes earnings from Wednesday night’s double features, although those did not contribute a significant amount to the total.
All told, this is quite simply unprecedented territory for an animated film. For reference, Incredibles 2 even soared past the Thursday night openings of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 ($17 million) and Spider-Man: Homecoming ($15.4 million), while matching Jurassic World ($18.5 million).
Weekend projections are highly volatile at this stage as this kind of performance almost certainly indicates that the film is performing more like a typical live action sequel with huge anticipation and audience interest behind it, backed by the loyal Pixar and Incredibles fan bases — but nothing is certain until we see how Friday proper plays out. Sunday’s holiday in the form of Father’s Day adds another X factor into the mix, one that will surely play to this film’s advantage toward the end of the weekend.
At this point, we’re not deviating significantly from our pre-weekend forecast that called for an opening weekend range of $136-165 million. For example, if the film plays out similarly to Spider-Man: Homecoming from here on out, it would take in approximately $140 million this weekend, while a performance similar to Guardians Vol. 2 would net closer to $160 million. Extrapolations from Dory and Jurassic World would be significantly higher, but it’s too early to speculate about those kinds of daily holds for the reasons mentioned above.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros.’ Tag got off to a solid start with $1.325 million last night. Key comps for that ensemble-driven comedy include Blockers ($1.5 million Thursday / $20.6 million weekend), Game Night ($1.0 million / $17.0 million), and Mike & Dave Need a Wedding Date ($1.6 million / $16.6 million). The latter may be the more representative given its similar summer release date.
Follow us throughout the weekend for continued updates.
Kortrijk, Belgium – June 13, 2018 – Cinionic, the Barco cinema joint venture, will be the exclusive laser projection partner for Kinepolis, launching the replacement wave by outfitting hundreds of existing and new screens with Barco laser over the next three years across Western Europe and Canada.
Laser powers the premium experience in every auditorium
Citing the wide breadth of Barco’s laser projector portfolio – more than 18 projectors – Kinepolis will deploy the full complement of Smart Laser models throughout its circuit, which now includes Canadian based Landmark Cinemas acquired last year. Cinionic will provide the perfect match for every screen, from smaller cinemas to complete multiplexes, including future “Laser Ultra” premium large format (PLF) venues.
“After fantastic results from our earlier Barco laser projector deployments, we’re excited to strengthen our partnership with Cinionic and roll-out laser to new theaters and other existing sites,” comments Eddy Duquenne, CEO of Kinepolis. “As a pioneer for many of the Barco’s cutting-edge cinema technologies we are proud to offer our customers the ultimate moviegoing experience they’ve come to expect from us. And what’s more, Barco laser projectors provide superior image quality, while saving energy compared to Xenon based projectors.”
The perfect solution for an all-laser multiplex
Featuring the world’s first 4K smart laser phosphor cinema projector, Cinionic’s full range of Barco Smart Laser projectors offer an excellent value proposition for movie exhibitors: consistent laser image quality over the entire lifetime, 2K and 4K native resolution, enhanced ANSI and native contrast, proven DLP technology, and a long lifetime.
“We are honored that our long-term cinema partner Kinepolis has chosen Barco laser as their exclusive projection technology to expand their international footprint in premium cinema,” comments Wim Buyens, CEO of Cinionic. “It is our fondest desire to empower Kinepolis with a full complement of cinema experiences that help them differentiate their entertainment offering for today’s moviegoers.”
Typical teenager Tony Rydinger has just asked out his classmate Violet Parr and is enjoying a sunny day outside a track and field competition. Suddenly a supervillain bursts out from underground with a gigantic drill hundreds of feet long. Proclaiming himself “The Underminer,” he threatens his device will destroy the entire peaceful city of Municiberg. “I am always beneath you,” he declares, “but nothing is beneath me!”
Suddenly, a family of five appears on the scene, dressed in red, black, and yellow superhero outfits. Tony blinks his eyes in disbelief. One of the superheroes, a teenage girl with the power to create force fields using only her bare hands, looks suspiciously like someone he knows …
So begins Incredibles 2, in theaters June 15, the newest Disney release from animation powerhouse studio Pixar. This new entry’s story opens mere moments after the conclusion of the 2004 modern classic The Incredibles. And it takes things to the next level from the original film, in ways large and small—visual designer Philip Metschan provides an example.
“The Underminer’s original drill was five-sided, with five treads in a kind of star pattern. For the purposes of that film, it looks cool. It bursts out of the ground and lands; that’s as much as it needs to do. But for this film, we go inside it and needed to drive it down the road,” Metschan says.
“In initial [animation simulation] testing, we tried different things out, like could we drive this five-sided thing down the road? And the answer was no,” Metschan says. “It was like an overweight dachshund dragging its belly on the ground. So we had to redesign that to make it six-sided.”
As the Incredibles attempt to stop the titanic drill—and the Underminer as he speedily rolls through the city in a destructive barrage—the animators had to design the entire city from scratch.
“We built the city working backwards,” production designer Ralph Eggleston explains. “Looking at shots from the original film, when we hadn’t actually designed the entire city, we tried to reconstruct Municiberg as best we could.” For example, if a character in the original film had turned a corner at the bank and ended up at the town hall, then that would be reflected in the sequel’s citywide design.
The city even remains consistent in ways no typical viewer would notice. For example, the skyline remains precisely true to the city they designed even when viewed in the background through a window during an office scene or when the characters drive to the top of a hill. That’s the kind of attention to detail Pixar has become legendary for.
Greenlighting the sequel
The original 2004 Incredibles followed a superhero family forced into a governmental protection program after superheroes have been outlawed. The movie was a smash, earning $261.4 million domestically and winning the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture. The sequel is the brainchild of director and screenwriter Brad Bird, who also wrote and directed the 2004 original. After helming that film and Pixar’s beloved 2007 Ratatouille, he switched to live action for a decade, directing Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol and George Clooney in Tomorrowland.
So why release a sequel now? It’s no secret that Pixar has primarily turned its attention in the past five years to follow-ups, with 2013’s Monsters University, 2016’s Finding Dory, 2017’s Cars 3, and summer 2019’s upcoming Toy Story 4. Yet Bird rejects the notion of his film as a cash grab.
“There’s an expression in this business”—and here Bird briefly switches to an Italian mobster accent—“‘You’re leaving money on the table.’” Switching back to his normal voice, Bird continues, “If it was a cash grab, we wouldn’t have waited 14 years. It would make no sense.”
“I had actually been talking to Pixar on and off about doing another Incredibles movie forever. Finally, the time seemed like it was almost past due. After all, you want to work with most of the people who made the first movie work so well,” Bird says. “I felt like if I waited any more, that chance would slip by. And if there’s another Incredibles movie, I’m the guy to do it.”
Although 14 years have passed in real life since the original film, the last thing Bird wanted was the sequel to take place about 14 years later, noting that the characters’ powers correspond to their ages.
“Teenagers are defensive and insecure, so Violet has invisibility and a force field. Ten-year-olds are unstoppable balls of energy, so Dash has super speed and never slows down. Babies are unknown, which is why we had Jack-Jack’s powers be unknown [for most of the first film],” Bird explained. “So I’m not interested in a college-aged Jack-Jack.”
The opening sequence takes place mere moments after the original’s conclusion, while the majority of the sequel’s run time takes place approximately three months later. That three months makes just enough of a difference—while all the other characters look the same, if you look very closely, you can see Jack-Jack’s two front teeth just barely starting to poke through his gums.
Crafting the sequel
“I had even started developing the opening with the Underminer years before,” Bird says. “Then I got involved in other stuff, but I was always still thinking about the Incredibles.” The first order of business was creating a compelling story.
While the main character in the first film was Mr. Incredible, the focus here shifts to Elastigirl. New characters Winston and Evelyn Deavor are sibling billionaires who co-lead telecommunications company DevTech, which starts the public relations campaign to bring superheroes back into public view. They feel that Helen/Elastigirl will be a more appealing media figure for their cause than Mr. Incredible—and frankly, they’re probably not wrong.
Accordingly, Mr. Incredible is compelled, largely against his will, into much more of a stay-at-home-dad role than he would ideally prefer. “The only time you ever see Jack-Jack dressed in clothes instead of just his diaper,” costume designer Bryn Imagire points out, “is when Helen dresses him.”
Elastigirl receives her biggest solo action scene to date in this installment, in which she embarks on a high-speed chase through the city to stop a rogue train on her elasti-cycle, a fantastical motorbike with the capability to stretch, twist, and bend just like its rider. Story supervisor Ted Mathot took the lead on the elasti-cycle sequence. “In the script, all it said was something like ‘An amazing action sequence ensues,’” Mathot says, laughing.
So how to up the ante? Helen hears about the emergency on a police scanner, so the police get involved. The police cars come to a wall of traffic and hit a screeching halt, but Helen stretches and somersaults over it. So not only is it a cool action moment, but it visually demonstrates that existing law enforcement alone are insufficient to fight crime, and superheroes need to be brought back—tying into the sequel’s main plot.
The technology used for animation has also substantially improved in the past 14 years. “The superhero suits were actually just shaded onto the bodies of the character models in the first film,” explains character artist Deanna Marsigliese. “Now they’re actual costumes which stretch across the skin, so they look and feel more like real garments.”
Several other subplot elements were added to the sequel, too. A team of second-rate “wannabe” superheroes attempts to join the Incredibles’ ranks despite their lamer powers, including Screech with his high-pitched scream that can shatter glass, or Reflux who can breathe hot lava. Violet tries to navigate the early stages of her first relationship. And Jack-Jack discovers myriad superpowers in his arsenal, beyond just those revealed near the end of the original Incredibles.
Did Bird look to the likes of Finding Dory, Cars 3, or Monsters University in crafting this follow-up? “I didn’t really look at those films. I tend to think more of The Godfather Part II and The Empire Strikes Back and The Road Warrior,” Bird claims. One doesn’t exactly get a Godfather Part II vibe when watching Incredibles 2, but you can’t fault Bird for swinging for the fences.
Voices
The character of Dash required a new voice actor in the sequel. The original voice was Spencer Fox, who was 11 when the original film came out, but now at 25 he could no longer pull off the character. Pixar got a newcomer, the eerily similar-sounding Huck Milner.
Teenage daughter Violet is still voiced by author and journalist Sarah Vowell. Vowell originally landed the role after Pixar producers heard a 1997 segment she did for the radio program This American Life, in which she and her father—who hold opposite political views about guns and weapons—attempt to reconstruct and fire a 1700s-style homemade cannon as a father-daughter bonding experience.
Most surprisingly, Jack-Jack is again voiced by Eli Fucile, son of supervising animator Tony Fucile. The original vocals were captured over the course of about an hour in the early 2000s—baby Eli was followed around with an audio recorder. Though Bird had originally planned to cast a new Jack-Jack, as they had with Dash, “They went back to the original recordings and found a bunch of stuff they hadn’t used,” Fucile explains.
And is Eli, now 16, embarrassed that his baby recordings will once again be heard by tens of millions of people? “No, Eli is thrilled!” Fucile says. They did, however, bring in a new baby to record a select few lines, such as the one included in the trailer when Dash says “We want to fight bad guys!” and Jack-Jack responds with several syllables of gibberish that ends with a clearly enunciated “… bad guys!”
One character who will remain as only a voice in the sequel is Frozone’s wife, Honey, a one-scene but nonetheless memorable character from the original. During the original’s climactic battle sequence, Frozone frantically looks for his superhero suit as his wife, seen but not heard in the next room, explains that she put it away.
Lucius Best: “The public is in danger!”
Honey: “My evening’s in danger!”
Lucius Best: “You tell me where my suit is, woman! We are talking about the greater good!”
Honey: “‘Greater good?’ I am your wife! I’m the greatest good you are ever gonna get!”
While they considered finally showing Honey’s long-anticipated face, the creative team ultimately decided to keep her disembodied in order to preserve the mystery.
The importance of good voice acting can’t be overstated, says Bird. “What it takes an actor five seconds to say can take animators three weeks. They have to listen to it over and over and over again. If it’s flat or has no dimension, as an animator it can make you want to kill yourself.”
Bird would know, seeing as he returns to voice Edna Mode, the blunt fashion designer who creates the Incredibles super-suits. (“No capes!”) In pre-production for the original film, a female actress was originally planned for Mode’s voice, but Pixar staff so enjoyed Bird’s voice when describing what he wanted the character to sound like that he eventually took on the role himself.
And there may be a surprise in store for Edna Mode. “I’m very happy with [what we do with her character]. I think it’s an unexpected thing for her character to do—but still in character, if you think about it,” Bird teases.
Coming soon
One final question for Bird. The Pizza Planet truck from the first Toy Story has famously had a cameo in almost every subsequent Pixar film. It even appeared in The Good Dinosaur, which takes place 65 million years ago, as the shape of a rock. It’s appeared in every Pixar film, that is, except the first Incredibles. Will that be remedied in the sequel?
“I don’t know, maybe they just haven’t found it [in the original] yet.” Bird smiles mischievously. “Just because somebody can’t find it doesn’t mean it’s not there.” Where should we be looking? “That would take away all the fun. You’ve got to look.” Bird pauses, then adds, “Maybe this will be the first film that doesn’t have it.”
AT THE MOVIES
What is your all-time favorite moviegoing memory or experience?
Brad Bird, director and screenwriter: Seeing Purple Rain on opening day in San Francisco and being one of two white people in the theater. It was a wild audience, absolutely packed, and it was a blast. I didn’t get every joke that was in the film [laughs], but I loved having that experience. Magical, like what you hope movies are.
John Walker, producer: I may have been eight or nine years old, at a drive-in with my parents. We were seeing—the name of the movie is escaping me, but it’s a Western with a scene where the guy is drunk on his horse and the horse is also drunk?
Bird [interrupting]:Cat Ballou.
Walker: Yes. Lee Marvin is drunk, his horse is drunk, and they’re both leaning up against the building. I was a little kid and thought, “That’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen!”
Nicole Grindle, producer: For me, it was the first time I saw a movie. I saw The Sound of Music in a big movie theater. I think I was only four. I remember trying to work out whether this was real or not. I was completely absorbed in it. I just vividly remember sitting there with my aunt and uncle, mesmerized. Of course, I listened to the soundtrack repeatedly throughout my childhood. It’s the reason I wanted to work in my movies, how much I loved being in that world with those characters and believing their story.
What is your favorite snack at the movie theater concession stand?
Bird: It’s not exciting at all, but I go with popcorn every time. It’s just crunchy and salty and good. It makes you want the beverage that they want to sell you.
You directed Ratatouille with all that fancy food, but you’re still just a straight popcorn guy?
Bird: You’d think I should have foie gras.
Grindle: I take peanut M&M’s or Raisinets and put them in popcorn. You’re eating your popcorn when, “Hey, I’ve come upon a little chocolate.”
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