July
15
Recession Hits Movies
While the studios will continue to spend $250 million on sure bets like the Harry Potter franchise, they are cutting back everywhere else. The town is feeling the pinch, as production starts decline, budgets are slashed and risks are not being taken. Ask Steven Soderbergh, who sounds depressed indeed in this Guardian interview on Che. (That four-hour Spanish-language money-loser for French financier Wild Bunch is the main source of Soderbergh's Moneyball woes.) For the moment he may direct a play for Cate Blanchett's theatre company in Sydney. Luckily, his Matt Damon whistleblower comedy The Informant! could score at September's Toronto Film Fest.
Here's the line-up for the Toronto Fest, which opens September 10 with Jon Amiel's Charles Darwin biopic, Creation.
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There is nothing wrong on "The Taking of Pelham 123" box office; it may not do well, but it isn't a totally flop.
After "Out of Time" (which did surprisly well on DVD market), all of Denzel Washington-starrers had opened to more than $20 million and grossed higher than $60 million. (except two lower-budget films which Denzel Washington directed himself)
http://boxofficemojo.com/people/chart/?view=Actor&id=denzelwashington.htm
Furthermore, another Denzel Washington/Tony Scott film "Déjà Vu" was also cost more than $100 million to make (according to Bill Marsilii), and that film still only grossed $64 million (despite of its PG-13 rating and Jerry Bruckheimer's support). But "Déjà Vu" did very well in overseas box office and DVD market.
Afterall, I think Denzel Washington still have box office draw and he has no need to reduce his salary. Denzel Washington had reduced his salary in the past, though (ie. he reduced his salary for "Inside Man"), maybe Denzel just thinks that it doesn't worth to reduced his salary for Fox.
Posted by: marychan | July 15, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Rumor is that Steven Soderbergh is going to direct a very big-budget commercial film. (maybe he will direct a superhero film?)
http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/archives/2009/07/more_money_more.html
Posted by: marychan | July 15, 2009 at 10:14 PM
The article about Soderbergh in The Guardian has already been retracted. It was from an interview done months ago and the quotes were taken out of context. The play for Cate Blanchett has been in the works for over 2 years.
Posted by: Blake | July 16, 2009 at 02:43 PM