For those who so quickly crowned Dreamworks the new king of animation

[hopemax]

But it's dependance on the older crowd to push it to block buster status will be felt with the glut of other movies coming out within weeks of it's release. MIB2, Scooby Doo, etc will battle for the Teen & Adult ticket money...and I don't think it's a battle L&S can win.

Random, meaningless tidbit for the day...

I don't know if you guys have seen the interactive "Aloha Stitch"...my Mom's Disney Store had 8 of them, they sold the last one today. All 8 were sold to adults with no kids living in their household.

 

[All Aboard]

Spirit (the next Lion King) v. Atlantis (major Disney flop) update number 2.

Through day 11:

Spirit - $39.9m
Atlantis - $45.2m

 

[airlarry!]

In keeping with Greg's update, let's update the Bids for Labor Day. Who will win the "REJECTED" inkstamp and pad set personally autographed by Paul Pressler and used in many responses to requests for budget restoration and maintenance.

(numbers in millions)

• airlarry! shoots for $135
• Scoop orally argues his case for $110
• gcurling, the scalawag, outbids airlarry! with $136
• bstanley swings wildly between Poco & Tarz at $150
• Capt Crook bids $180 billion....check that...$180 million (unless Eisner wrote and produced this one)
• bob o says "B&M Coaster!!!!!" .... err.... he bids $1 (proxy by scoop) or less than $100
• Another Voice has lunch at the Peninsula Hotel, orders a double-decaffe late with extra mocha sprinkles, and gets his assistant to bid $85 or $250 (whichever is correct)
• kidzmom3 cleans up with a $100
• yoho, while kicking the tires on car #3, shouts "Rum! $175"
• testtrack321 cuts class for $149 (none from highschoolers)
• hopemax says movie $210 and Disneystores $0
• planogirl says $142 scooby snacks
• Disduck guesses $165 in tickets and plush alone
• d-r $225
• mistermouse says 205.6 million --the .6 is a tip AV leaves the hat check girl at the El Capitan
• hb2k says Lilo throws off the Emperor's Groove and bids the same
• cindyfan hopes for a hit -- this is not a bid, cindyfan!
• daaannnnnzzzz Blinks $187
• dznynut is crazy about the number $161

We are missing some regulars here....Jeff(s) & Baron most notably.

 

[Another Voice]

The Peninsula Hotel? Please, Samantha Brown of the Travel Channel watches my travels for all the hot and happening places….


While the buzz on ‘Lilo’ is not picking up as much as I’d like it too, this might be a very good time for the movie to come out. ‘Spirit’ is definitely a miss at the box office and the other family-acceptable films (‘Spider-man’ and ‘Star Wars’) are fading quickly now. The competing films after ‘Lilo’ – ‘Men in Black 2’ and ‘Scooby Doo’ all reek of the big-opening/fading fast trend of the last couple of summers. This leaves a good opening for a film with wide appeal. Hopefully ‘Lilo’ is that film

One of the new ideas in Hollywood is that children’s movies may now longer work at the box office. With the video release of movies coming just a few months after the theatrical, many parents may simply wait to rent the tape or buy the DVD than go through the hassle a theater visit with children. Only movies with broad appeal – children, teens and dating adults – have a chance for big numbers. The next test should come with ‘Stuart Little 2’, a film that seems to have the exact same demographics as ‘Spirit’ had.

 

[Testtrack321]

hehe

cut class

any way, Sprit has somewhat spreading in the high(school) class. Spidie and Wars was huge in school. Kids skipping (but not me ) to see it.

Lilo- $149 mill
Spirit- $65 mill
Scooby- $125 mill

 

[cindyfan]

Okay, looks like I need to throw in a bid....
$157.

IMHO......It will do much better than Scooby!

 

[Another Voice]

The rule is that a children’s movie – one that only draws children – in no longer viable. The “cross-over” hits that can attract substantial teenage and some adult audiences are the real money earners. The surprise of ‘The Princess Diaries’ was the substantial number of teenage girls paying to watch the film.

‘Spirit’ only attracted the six year olds and is not a box office hit. ‘Lilo’ will be a hit if it’s able to attract a broader audience.

P.S. – Many of us go to great lengths to avoid any connection to the City of Los Angeles.

 

[Killer Fish]

I am in college and twenty years old and I can't wait to see this movie. I think it looks great. Unfortunately a lot of my friends just see it as another kiddie disney movie. I will say $140 million.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Domestic gross for L&S is $185M, worldwide 300M.

 

[ohioMickey]

It's anyones guess....

But since I am HOPEFUL and America does need a lighthearted, fun movie this summer....

I will go out on a limb and (hope for)... $250 million domestic through Labor Day

Now I have to get out there and start campaigning for it!!!!

Of course, Disney marketing will likely crush my dreams.

 

[DC7800]

I'll say about $130 million by Labor Day, though I really do hope Lilo & Stitch surprises all of us and is a runaway blockbuster. Seems to be an awful lot riding on this movie. A success here surely bodes well for the long-term prospects of Disney Feature Animation, while another percieved failure (ie, Atlantis) could be a complete disaster for the animation department (more "proof" such films really aren't feasible anymore).

 

[Planogirl]

We saw Spirit today and now I'm really worried about Lilo. Spirit was quite good IMO and had all of the ingredients that I would think is necessary for box office success. It was certainly more original and more heartwarming than Ice Age. Horses are supposedly very difficult to animate and these moved quite well and were also expressive. I saw no need for dialogue. As a matter of fact, the movie made me teary-eyed more than once and that's what the "good" Disney movies have always done. (My 9 year old DS got teary-eyed too but I promised not to tell. ) I hope that Spirit somehow does better somewhere? Overseas? Video?

I don't really understand why Spirit isn't doing well. And if it can't, can a little blue alien? Time will tell...

 

[AKemel]

I will say $180,525,000.00.
If it does more I think the rumor of adding Hawaii to EPCOT will resurface.

 

[MikePezz]

$142,376,598.45 exactly

 

[JRJStarman]

Put me in for $170 million.


Jason J.

 

[raidermatt]

$219 million.

 

[airlarry!]

Raidermatt & ohiomickey, your predictions are looking good right now...although Mike Pezz still has the most accurate. Is the .45 a tip? Ann Landers would not have approved of the amount.