The Box Office Podcast

Scott Mendelson

A weekly conversation about the weekend box office between myself (Scott Mendelson) and a few younger (Jeremy Fuster), hipper (Ryan Scott) and cooler (Lisa Laman) entertainment journalists. Spoiler: I am what they grow beyond. scottmendelson.substack.com

  1. 2d ago

    Maybe It's Time to Let The Old Ways Die...

    As Bradley Charles Cooper once sang, it takes a lot to change your plans, and a train to change your mind. Yes, Chrissi Michael is back to chat about Supergirl and all the fortune and glory it most certainly did not achieve. Alas, with $40 million in North America and $68 million worldwide as of Monday, this wasn’t quite the upbeat episode we were perhaps expecting up until a month or two ago. Much of the conversation centers on the artistic choices this new DC Studios flick did and didn’t make, making it almost irrelevant to current generations of general moviegoers. Yes, it’s still beyond diabolical that Hollywood waited until near the tail-end of the superhero domination era to start diversifying the DC/Marvel line-ups. No, online troll farms (the ones who do it for money and those who do it for sport) didn’t move the needle among anyone who doesn’t live online. However, it’s beyond odd that Supergirl feels less like the next chapter of a new DC cinematic universe than a (comparatively so-so… Aquaman or Wonder Woman this was not) relic of the prior one. Jeremy Fuster is in London but, like Bill Murray in the 2016 Ghostbusters remake, pops by for an extended, momentum-destroying cameo. That’s a joke, although I forgot to answer the weekend’s intro question about the best comic book superhero movie needle drops. For the record, it’s What’s Up Danger” from Into the Spider-Verse, followed by the cut-to-credits smash-cut to “All the Stars” from Black Panther (so much so that I don’t really care for either of that film’s otherwise harmless credit cookies). Jeremy focuses on the macro implications of a shiny new DC box-office flop in the shadow of Skydance’s attempts to buy Warner Bros. and, presumably, make its properties its own. And he does this while standing next to Big Ben**, like the show-off that he is. That said, between Lisa not watching Amazing Digital Circus and Chrissi not yet getting around to Voicemails For Isabelle***, I’m starting to doubt their commitment to The Box Office Podcast. The other subjects of discourse are: -- The challenges in adapting an acclaimed comic story in which Supergirl was not the arc’s primary character -- Too much Lobo, not enough Comet --Why (most of) James Gunn’s MCU/DC song cues work -- Why today’s youth (understandably) doesn’t give a damn about, in the abstract, comic book superhero movies -- The challenges of and opportunities for comedies (romantic or otherwise) in a laugh-starved ecosystem -- Why horror movies are more relevant to the kids than rom-coms, capers, melodramas or almost any other genre --Apparently, I should be watching Off Campus? And more!! ** Speaking of Big Ben, by sheer coincidence, this Thursday marks the 40th anniversary of the very best Walt Disney animated film of the 1980s, The Great Mouse Detective. Sure, The Little Mermaid is fine, but does that Katzenberg-era smash hit feature TWO karaoke-friendly supervillain songs? Why yes, Aaron, I AM a big fan of big movies that climax with a big fight in Big Ben, which ends with the big bad guy suffering from a fatal case of “too much gravity.” *** Between Voicemails for Isabelle, Minions & Monsters and Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass (which… my god, there were spots where — while sitting in a theater watching it solo — I almost fell out of my chair in laughter), Zoey Deutch is having a very not-so-bummer summer. Recommended Reading… Not doing a recommended reading/listening list this week, if only because (as a consequence of posting this episode earlier after having dropped the last one later in the week) there isn’t much “new” from our participants. That said, as always, if you like what you hear, please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com. * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap * Lisa Laman - Land of the Nerds, Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper and Autostraddle * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse * Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone * Chrissi Michael - c(ine)m(a) studies And if you are able and willing, please consider donating to a GoFundMe related to a Dallas local trying to raise the necessary funds to escape an abusive and homophobic living situation. — URGENT: Help A Lesbian Find Safe Housing Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 32m
  2. Jun 24

    To Infinity And Beyond... Again!

    With Jeremy Fuster having to bow out for the week, Caroline Siede, she of The AV Club, the podcast Role Calling (each episode is “a five-film retrospective starring an actor they love”), stops by to discuss all things Toy Story 5, with a few brief notes related to Obsession’s ridiculous legs, hopes and fears for Supergirl and last weekend’s other three releases (The Death of Robin Hood, Leviticus and Girls Like Girls). Among the subjects of discourse… * All of the reasons (some less obvious than others) that Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story remains a top-tier artistic and commercial franchise * The miracle that is Jessie, beginning as a supporting character in Toy Story 2 and then almost immediately becoming a co-lead going forward * Why you can’t make a Toy Story movie without Woody or Buzz * Whether any franchise can match Toy Story’s artistic batting average * The value of keeping theatrical IP almost exclusive to theatrical release * How A24 has positioned itself, whether it works each time out, as a genuine brand name for moviegoers * The commercial value of LGBTQIA-friendly movies during Pride Month * To what extent Taylor Swift gave the film a commercial boost or merely hitched her wagon to a preordained blockbuster (and why WB should have offered up Supergirl trailers and TV spots featuring modern music*) * And more…! *Okay, so WB eventually did exactly as hoped, natch… Recommended Reading/Listening… * Scott Mendelson went long on how the wave of youth-skewing sleeper hits, alongside older franchise flicks breaking out partially because they are attuned to today’s kids, is reminiscent of the great box office readjustment of 2001. * Jeremy Fuster goes deep into attempts to pitch the federal government (the executive and legislative branches) on a federal film tax credit. * Lisa Laman offers her picks for the best neo-westerns of all time. * Ryan Scott dug into the commercial failure and complicated post-debut legacy of what is technically the first Black superhero movie (at least of remotely modern times), Robert Townsend’s The Meteor Man. * Caroline Siede explained, quite correctly, I might note, how and why The Adventures of Robin Hood (or, as I call it, the best Hollywood action movie up until, I dunno, From Russia with Love) is the ideal gateway drug to get kids (and adults) into classic cinema. If you like what you hear, please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com (which I finally fixed so that it’ll forward to my personal business email, natch). * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap * Lisa Laman - Land of the Nerds, Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Autostraddle * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse * Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone * Caroline Siede - GirlCulture, The AV Club and Role Calling Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 23m
  3. Jun 19

    'Disclosure' Yay!

    This won’t exactly be the most hard-hitting critical discussion about Disclosure Day. I probably liked it least among the four of us, and yet my thumb is still firmly pointing upward. Nonetheless, Aaron Neuwith, fresh from a trip to Japan with 2 Black Guys Talk Godzilla co-host Terrance Johnson, returns to the fourth chair to discuss The Furious (since he ended up quoting in the trailer and on the film’s German poster) and — of course — the $44 million domestic/$94 million worldwide opening weekend for Steven Spielberg’s latest sci-fi thriller. The curtain-raiser question is everyone’s pick for their favorite performance in a Steven Spielberg movie, after which the subjects of discourse are… * The $2.75 million domestic and $17 million worldwide debut for The Furious and how that compares to recent overseas action movies and (offhand) the late-90s run of English-dubbed, domestically-targeted Jackie Chan releases. * The big drops for Scary Movie 6 and Masters of the Universe, although obviously one is more problematic than the other. One question is whether we get a Scary Movie 7 before we get a Scream 8. * Whether the social media divisiveness over Disclosure Day will prove indicative of general audiences’ sentiment or merely an online-specific back-and-forth. * How the film was marketed, whether it was or wasn’t indicative of the film itself, while noting that it clearly worked in terms of opening weekend interest. * That a new Spielberg film succeeded on its own terms, right alongside massive overperformances from the likes of Obsession and Backrooms, is actually the best-case scenario. * The usual “Spielberg makes movies good, actually” conversation, which is still always worth reiterating. * Spielberg’s willingness and seeming desire to work with newer and younger onscreen talent. * And more, including opening weekend predictions for Toy Story 5. Recommended Reading/Listening… * Scott Mendelson went long and annoying over Amazon, trying to spin Masters of the Universe’s poor box office as an irrelevant trivia point. * Jeremy Fuster noted that AMC’s previously scheduled series of concert films, set for this summer, has been canceled because the box office is so damn healthy that the theaters don’t need them right now. * Lisa Laman offers her picks for the five most underrated Pixar flicks. * Ryan Scott offers a retrospective on one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time, the mostly-forgotten Warren Beatty/Diane Keaton comedy Town & Country. * Max Deering couldn’t make this episode’s recording, but this week’s Action For Everyone features an extensive interview with The Furious director Kenji Tanigaki. * Aaron Neuwirth and Terence Johnson took a detour with an episode centered on director Shusuke Kaneko’s late-1990s trilogy of Gamera movies. I actually saw (the genuinely awesome) Gamera 3: Revenge of Iris in a movie theater with my parents while visiting Japan in early 1999. Sure, the episode is a delight, but you’re only delaying the inevitable. Dread it, run from it… Roland Emmerich’s Godzilla still arrives all the same. If you like what you hear, please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com (which I finally fixed so that it’ll forward to my personal business email, natch). * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap * Lisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Comic Book and Autostraddle * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse * Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone * Aaron Neuwirth - The Code is Zeek and We Live Entertainment Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 32m
  4. Jun 10

    Masters of the Scary Circus

    As expected, Masters of the Universe became the latest example of “good movie, don’t care” IP adaptation in the tradition of Power Rangers, Transformers One, and (at least overseas) Predator: Badlands. And, as somewhat expected, Scary Movie 6 was a nostalgia-skewing relaunch that successfully played to the kids. At the same time, The Amazing Digital Circus was the latest example of a YouTube-created IP successfully transitioning from streaming to cinema. Luke Y. Thompson, as a lifelong He-Man fan with an encyclopedic knowledge of the nearly 45-year-old franchise, still has much to say about the decades-in-development franchise reboot that ended up with an opening weekend that was barely above the second weekend for Backrooms and the fourth frame for Obsession. Meanwhile, Jeremy Fuster goes long on the frustrating double standard often applied to mega-budget theatrical flops released by “money doesn’t matter” tech giants. At the same time, everyone remembers to give Paramount its Scary Movie 6-specific flowers. Also on the docket is discourse related to Dan Lin’s “filmmakers who want theatrical releases can buzz off” New York Times article, favorite Regina Hall roles, whether the YouTube-to-cinema pipeline will have a quality curve, Jared Leto’s inconveniently excellent performance as Skeletor and my personal annoyance over Masters of the Universe’s false-hope mid-credit cookie. Recommended Reading… * Scott Mendelson discussed the reasons why Chris Nolan likely had little issue with convincing Universal to let The Odyssey go out with an R-rating. * Jeremy Fuster digs into what companies might be making a play to buy IMAX. * Lisa Laman notes the four actors who were previously cast/almost cast as He-Man in various previous unmade iterations of Masters of the Universe. * Ryan Scott kicks yet more sand in the face of Desert Warrior. * Luke Y. Thompson uses the new “Action Man” figure to discuss the ins and outs of toys that resemble actors and movie stars. If you like what you hear… Please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com (which I finally fixed so that it’ll forward to my personal business email, natch). * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News* Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap* Lisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper and Autostraddle* Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse* Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone* Luke Y. Thompson - Mortal Cinema, TV Line and SlashFilm Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 28m
  5. Jun 4

    An Hour With... Fathom Entertainment CEO Ray Nutt

    Having already announced his intentions to step down from his role as the Chief Executive Officer of Fathom Entertainment at the end of this year, Ray Nutt also stopped by for a brisk 35-minute chit-chat for another irregular “an hour with” episode of The Box Office Podcast. On the eve of Amazing Digital Circus becoming the latest “from YouTube to movie theaters” success story, and weeks after Fathom’s first trailer for Laika’s Wildwood broke the Internet, the departing CEO discussed hopes that recent success with the 15th anniversary rerelease of Coraline (with $34 million in North America alone) and the aforementioned Wildwood teaser trailer (100 million views in a day or two) will translate into actual butts-in-seats interest for what will be Fathom’s first conventional nationwide theatrical release, on October 23, for a “new” movie. Mr. Nutt also discusses the recently announced Jimmy, a KJ Apa-starring Jimmy Stewart biopic set for November 6 and what will likely be his proverbial swan song. Among the subjects of discourse are what he believes he accomplished during his nine years in the top spot, as the company has sought to expand what it offers theaters, even as it emphasizes quality and variety over sheer quantity. From the expected anniversary releases to brief theatrical runs for faith-based titles like The Blind and comparatively secular flicks like Rob Zombie’s Three from Hell and Peter Jackson’s World War I documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, alongside semi-regular offerings in the realm of opera, Broadway, sporting events and episodic television, the goal has been offering something for everyone without necessarily saying “Yes” to everything. Along with this of-the-moment discourse, there’s time for history lessons on how the digital revolution made any of this possible and how the company weathered both the pandemic and a pre-COVID decline in casual moviegoing. Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    37 min
  6. Jun 3

    I Believe The Children Are Our Future!

    Chrissi Michael, content strategist by day and box office nerd by night, returns to talk shop for what could be a line-in-the-sand weekend for movies and movie theaters. This weekend’s episode was mostly metaphorical high-fives and champagne-popping, a momentary moment to exhale for a podcast that began on the opening weekend of Argylle. Hollywood might finally be pulling its head out of its ass in terms of (re)discovering the value of newer adaptations of newer IP aimed at today’s kids and/or of-the-moment offering films from talent closer in age to when Orson Welles starred in Citizen Kane than when Orson Welles starred in Transformers: The Movie. Yes, the perennially online generation has finally been given at least a few keys to the kingdom, and recent breakouts like Iron Lung, Obsession and Backrooms show that the so-called YouTube generation has the touch and/or the power. No, one weekend and a few youth-skewing breakouts do not signal an industry-wide revolution. It’s worth remembering that Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu will likely outgross all of these sleeper smashes. Heck, The Devil Wears Prada 2, let alone Toy Story 5, will likely outgross all of them combined. But there’s certainly cause for hope that the theatrical ecosystem might not be entirely dependent upon whether each officially designated all-quadrant, nostalgia-chasing, franchise-friendly, globally-designed would-be tentpole can perform as required. Among the specific areas of discourse, much of the first 1/3 is spent recounting formative horror-movie experiences (even amid a quartet where only Scott Mendelson watched much horror as a youth). Much of the middle is spent discussing how well Kane Parsons’ Backrooms works even for those who don’t give a damn about the source material. Likewise, we all pipe in on the promise and peril of YouTube as a new talent pool. We discuss why horror remains such a viable breakout genre (even beyond budgetary advantages) and how these successes again show that IMAX and other PLFs are supplemental, not essential, to top-tier box office success. And yes, we spend a few minutes discussing whether other genres (and more “not a white guy” talent) can take similar advantage of this new talent pool, which often comes with a baked-in fanbase for the person or property in question. No “recommended reading” this week, mostly because I want to get this episode out a little faster. That said, if you like what you hear, please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com. * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap * Lisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, and Autostraddle * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse * Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone * Chrissi Michael - C(ine)m(a) Studie Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 39m
  7. May 28

    "I Wish Audiences Still Loved 'Star Wars' More Than Anything Else in the Entire World”

    Will The Mandalorian and Grogu begin to make things right? That’s the key subject of discourse as our original fourth-chair co-host returns to dissect yet another example of a once-towering franchise pulling merely okay opening weekend grosses. It’s a reunion of the, uh, “core four.” Scott Mendelson, Jeremy Fuster, Lisa Laman and Ryan Scott (does Kermit flail) spend 80 minutes digging into the nitty-gritty over a new Star Wars spin-off that kids and general audiences seem to enjoy and will unquestionably be of more value to Disney as a theatrical movie than it would have been as the fourth season of The Mandalorian. Meanwhile, since Obsession had to go and make box office history and steal all of Star Wars’ pop culture thunder, we spend a sizable portion discussing all of the good news concerning Focus Features and Blumhouse’s $750,000 horror flick that should be passing $100 million worldwide by the end of this sentence. Along with the (should be) obvious takeaways in terms of what Blumhouse should be prioritizing, who Hollywood should be targeting and the breakout potential for non-franchise newbies, there’s some chatter about the still-unanswered (and thus probably still undecided) question of how long Obsession will remain exclusive to theaters. And yes, we spent a surprising amount of time, I say that as a “compliment,” discussing Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters while making a point to offer proverbial “flowers” to Passenger. Paramount’s original chiller opened with $10.5 million over the holiday despite a comparatively under-the-radar marketing campaign and (comparatively speaking) tentpole-sized competition from Obsession. Oh, and I’ll be hosting a paid subscriber chat on Thursday, May 28 and 9:00 a.m. PST. So if that’s the thing that entices you to go from “free subscriber” to “paid subscriber,” well, there you go. Recommended Reading (or Listening)… * Scott Mendelson gets mournful and melancholy about the notion that IMAX is (potentially) yet another company whose success is merely a step toward being bought up by a larger one. * Jeremy Fuster digs into the AI protections in the new SAG-AFTRA contract. * Lisa Laman argues that Disney can help make Star Wars more popular for younger/newer fans by embracing the kind of gleeful goofiness typified by the 2008-2013 “Hyperspace Hoopala.” If it leads to the return of “Darth By Chocolate,” I might buy a Disneyland season pass again… * Ryan Scott offered a handy guide to the history and origins of this weekend’s Backrooms movie. However, I’d advise you to see the movie beforehand, as it’s even creepier and more disconcerting if you go in cold. * Max Deering (who couldn’t make the recording, natch) says his peace about The Mandalorian and Grogu on this week’s episode of Action For Everyone. If you like what you hear… Please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com. * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap * Lisa Laman - Land of the Nerds, Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Autostraddle * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse * Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 21m
  8. May 21

    'Obsession' Compulsion and 'Shrek'-cavation

    Rendy Jones returns to discuss what went right with Focus Features’ Obsession (which actually opened with a $17 million opening weekend, with a very promising 2.46x multiplier) and what went wrong for Is God Is. - Rendy notes how Alisha Harris’ terrific crime melodrama caught between Michael (now at $705 million worldwide) last weekend and presumably Boots Riley’s more explicitely “light” I Love Boosters this coming Memorial Day weekend. - Lisa Laman sings the praises of Orion president Alana Mayo for greenlighting the likes of Till, Women Talking, Hedda, Bottoms, Nickel Boys and American Fiction. - Everyone agrees that Obsession is A) the kind of movie Blumhouse should be distributing and B) another strong example of a well-liked high-concept chiller aimed at present-tense moviegoers, hitting a commercial bullseye. - Everyone also agrees that Mortal Kombat II is proving to be a for-fans-only sequel, while Scott Mendelson wonders if the target demos just spent the weekend catching up on Karl Urban’s The Boys before the (pretty good) series finale. - There is some slight disagreement over whether The Sheep Detectives’s softer overseas grossers will somewhat mitigate its solid domestic earnings. Jeremy Fuster is more pessimistic and, thus, probably correct. - There are a few minutes spent offering salutes to Michael, Devil Wears Prada 2, Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and point-and-laugh scorn for In the Grey. - The opening third of this episode’s discourse features quite a bit of Shrek talk, since the first film returned to theaters last weekend for its 25th anniversary. You’ll never believe this, but the general consensus is that Shrek 2 > Shrek the Third! - And yes, there’s another Financial Flashback game, this time based around the highs, lows and “huh?” of 2001. Recommended Reading (or Listening)… * Scott Mendelson discusses why the best box office comp for The Mandalorian and Grogu is not a Star Wars movie but rather Batman Begins. * Jeremy Fuster interviews Drop Out CEO Sam Reich on Game Changer and more. * Lisa Laman argues that 2009 was an all-time great year for theatrical animation and that corporate consolidation means we won’t get another like it. * Ryan Scott champions the notion that The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is exactly the kind of modern-classic Stephen King book that should be prioritized for feature film adaptation. Here’s hoping Lionsgate optioning the rights (and hiring Strange Darling’s JT Molner to write and direct) bears fruit. * Max Deering pours one out for the 2006 Silent Hill movie. * Rendy Jones champions twenty movies, not just Netflix titles, that damn well deserve physical media releases. If you like what you hear... Please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com. * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop and Puck News * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap * Lisa Laman - Dallas Observer, Pajiba, Looper, Comic Book and Autostraddle * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm, Fangoria and Inverse * Max Deering - Fangoria and Action For Everyone * Rendy Jones - Rendy’s Reviews Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 30m
4.5
out of 5
17 Ratings

About

A weekly conversation about the weekend box office between myself (Scott Mendelson) and a few younger (Jeremy Fuster), hipper (Ryan Scott) and cooler (Lisa Laman) entertainment journalists. Spoiler: I am what they grow beyond. scottmendelson.substack.com

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