Almost a month before Wolverine hit the movie theaters a workprint copy of the movie was “leaked” onto the Web. It was a copy that was half finished as far as the special effects were concerned with green screens and wire framed character models visible for all the world to see. The great fight scene at the top of the nuclear reactor was more stickman like drawing that anything to do with the actors. In the end it was an incomplete movie that really only left the majority of those that watched it wanting to see the real thing.
In contrast Star Trek made it to the theater without a hitch and not a single “leak” to be found on the web. There were no FBI agents busting down doors and seizing servers or freelance reviewers losing their jobs because they reviewed something that they shouldn’t have. Everything was above board and unlike Wolverine the Star Trek movie became the darling of the weekend critics; which will last until the next great movie hits.
On one hand you have a great action movie without any pretentions of greatness getting panned and making movie executives fall all over themselves crying about how piracy was going to ruin the movie. On the other side of the coin you have a movie that made it to the theater with movie executives pleased as punch that they had kept those nasty criminal pirates from ruining yet another movie.
As we make our way through the weeks following the big weekend releases of both movies we have some serious dollar figures that obviously will show that those terrible pirate must have ruin the success of Wolverine while letting Star Trek surge ahead. There is only one problem with that assumption – it’s full of crap.
On opening weekend box office dollar figures we have the following:
- Wolverine earned more than $85 million
- Star Trek netted $75 million
So there you have it folks. The movie that caused the most uproar over piracy in recent time actually earned more money than the other hot movie that garnered critic praise and not a peep about piracy. In the process an ISP data host lost millions of dollars and had their reputation severely impacted. As well a long time FOX freelance movie reviewer has lost his livelihood. All because of the pirating of an incomplete film that ended up earning more money on opening weekend box office that the golden boy movie.
Someone care to tell me exactly how piracy is hurting the movie industry?
If the movie is good enough it'll make lots of money…
“Someone care to tell me exactly how piracy is hurting the movie industry?”
First, the Wolverine leak was of partially made film rather than the final product. A lot of piracy involves final products which do diminish the sales of the product. If you obtain a quality pirated copy of a DVD (not all are quality), you're not likely to purchase the real deal.
Second, different weekends. Star Trek competed with Mother's Day.
Third, Wolverine had more positive buzz compared to Star Trek (which was allegedly panned in early reviews).
That said, I saw Wolverine and liked it and also heard Star Trek was very good and will likely lead to the rebirth of that franchise.
Piracy sucks and your analysis doesn't prove otherwise.
Pretty simplistic view of B.O. dynamics.
Wolverine under-performed. $85m was at the lower end of expectations, beating only the first X-Men flick for opening grosses. Its part of a healthy current franchise and the anticipation was strong. Piracy will be the scapegoat, also for its precipitous 68% B.O. drop, even though the quality of the movie is to blame.
Star Trek didn't “net” $75m, it grossed $75m and that was well beyond expectations. Rebooting a dead franchise that is the limited domain of an aging fanbase, Star Trek had its work cut out for it. The studio were hoping for anything North of $50m!
Regarding piracy though, its established that it has negligible impact on cinema release revenues. DVD and BluRay sales are a different market though…
This is bullshit. This whole article is shit. Look at their gross revenues, they made profits in the millions, so shut the fuck up.
Suck my motherfucking dick u queers
but how is it hurting the industry? As movie productions – and their budgets – continue to soar show me one person in the movie industry itself who has lost a job because of piracy.
Really .. wow I guess that explains the constantly increasing sales of DVDs of movies regardless of their success at the box office.
Well that was a great concise contribution to the conversation and shows just how well you read the post. thanks and come again sometimes.
Fantastic reply you putz. It really drove to the heart of the post – I'm amazed.
you're an idiot
PiracyPwns that is
I'm a big fan of X-Men.While browsing through faceboook I came across this really really cool game that can be played on facebook its self.Check out the link: http://www.facebook.com/apps/application.php?id…
The acceleration of both formats' growth combined (to take into consideration the prior nonexistence of BluRay eating into DVD sales) is slowing. Disc sales are growing, but at a decelerating pace, indicative of changes in the industry despite the introduction of an excellent format like BluRay.
The growth of video on demand (like iTunes) and streaming (like Hulu) is having an impact on disc sales, but these are positive industry measures to avoid the fate of the music industry.
Gross revenues have nothing to do with profit. Grosses are simply the total box office take, without deducting exhibitor fees, distribution costs, marketing or production budgets.
Shut the fuck up? Fucked your shit up
I don't believe Startrek has brought its full share of the money in yet either! Trekkies will go to watch it multiple times especially how they have no series to follow and have waited years on the new game and have another year (possibly 10 months my sources say). Stigma will keep says down because IT IS Startrek but wait till the reviews really star sinking in. This together has probably made the sum of $75million but none Trekkie will give in now this weekend here in the UK especially…
because its been raining all day we're bloody bored with it!!! lol
I would bet money on it so lets see what happens. What does anyone else think then?
how piracy destroyed them?? sorry you need to change the title as it's wrong! There made $$$$$$$$ and if the films that great they make more. Too many news are short sited!
Piracy sucks and your analysis doesn't prove otherwise.
Nor does yours! as its VERY one sided! Corporate greed wants to control the internet. With Companys trying to push for laws that take freedom away in many ways!
Please learn the internet and how life goes than! sitting in your officer char read BS