Early Warning Signs For PIXAR's Cars 2

[Dustysage]

Generally, PIXAR films wow the critics and there has yet to be a bomb. However, the early reviews of PIXAR's latest are not promising. While we haven't seen the upcoming movie ourselves and can't give you a review, some well known movie critics have weighed in on the site RottenTomatoes.com.

While previous PIXAR titles came close to perfect scores on RottenTomatoes, Cars 2 is off to a horrid start. With 27 reviewers reporting in, nearly half have given the movie a "Rotten" score.

As a comparison, here are the freshness scores for the previous Pixar films.

• Toy Story 3 (2010).... 99%
• Up (2009) ................ 98%
• WALL·E (2008) ......... 96%
• Ratatouille (2007) ..... 96%
• Cars (2006) .............. 74%
• The Incredibles (2004) 97%
• Finding Nemo (2003) . 98%
• Monsters, Inc. (2001). 95%
• Toy Story 2 (1999) .... 100%
• A Bug's Life (1998) .... 91%
• Toy Story (1995) ...... 100%

• Cars 2 is currently at 54%

The new film will introduce an international cast of cars and characters designed to help keep the wildly popular merchandise franchise alive and well for years to come. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter as much how popular the film is as how many toy cars it can sell at Walmart and Target. Cars is a MAJOR franchise for Disney on the scale of Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.

Please share YOUR reviews of the film when it is released. Word of mouth is often the most powerful driver behind the success or failure of any film. We'd like to know if you think Pixar's latest is a full throttle effort or runs out of gas.

[ALIASd]

A Popcorn movie, especially a G-rated animated feature film, can probably lean on being review proof. Kids don't read reviews, most of their parents probably don't or won't bother either with a Disney/Pixar release. And better yet they not only buy tickets for their kids but their kid's friends, playdates and birthday parties are built around a film like 'Cars'. So are massive theme park attractions.

And before and after they see the movie they go shopping...

An article in Monday’s Wall Street Journal deemed Cars 2 a Hit Already—in Stores. The article made it clear that the franchise earns an obscene amount of money for Pixar’s parent company, Disney, and that basically means they’re going to continue making sequels and spin-offs until the cows come home (or until kids stop buying crap related to the film, whichever comes first).

Below are some of the key facts and financial figures from the WSJ piece:

* Disney believes it is on track to sell more tie-in merchandise with Cars 2 than any single previous film. The current record holder, Toy Story 3, sold $2.8 billion (yes, with a B) worth of merchandise last year.
* A yearly average of $2 billion worth of Cars merchandise has been sold since the release of the first Cars in 2006.
* Disney Consumer Products initially wondered what everyday products for boys could be branded with Cars before they realized, “All of them,” in the words of division chairman Andy Mooney.
* Cars earned $2.5 billion in revenue last year making it was the sixth most valuable character franchise in 2010. The top five were Mickey Mouse ($9 billion), Winnie the Pooh ($5.7 billion), Disney princesses ($4.4 billion), Toy Story ($2.8 billion), and Barbie ($2.7 billion).
* Disney’s average royalty rate for products licensed with the Cars characters is estimated to be between 10-13%.
* The new Cars has an estimated production cost of just under $200 million, which is slightly cheaper than Toy Story 3’s production cost.

“Cars 2″ is Already a Hit Whether You Like the Film Or Not | Cartoon Brew: Leading the Animation Conversation

[RiversOfAmerica]

Kids don't read reviews, most of their parents probably don't or won't bother either with a Disney/Pixar release.

Excellent point! Even if the tomatometer hovers at 54%, it's still higher than Tron Legacy, which got a rating of 50%, and did $400 million worldwide. Why? Even though the story was just okay, it was still enjoyable.

[Dustysage]

I agree that the film will most likely be a blockbuster whether the reviews are wonderful or not. However, if PIXAR starts turning out films which disappoint, I double they'll be able to hold on to their unbroken string of hits forever.

Hopefully, the new film will be entertaining enough to keep folks coming back for more.

[BlueSkyDriveBy]

The new film will introduce an international cast of cars and characters designed to help keep the wildly popular merchandise franchise alive and well for years to come. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter as much how popular the film is as how many toy cars it can sell at Walmart and Target. Cars is a MAJOR franchise for Disney on the scale of Mickey Mouse and Winnie the Pooh.

You knew this film was in trouble once John was brought on board to rescue it from Brad Lewis, a first-time director. Pixar has a nasty habit of hiring directors who aren't fully qualified to take the feature helm. It's a 16-hour per day job for years on end. Very few can do it well and still be functional and lucid. E-Ville isn't much of a learning company, from what my Pixarian friends have told me over the years.

As for franchise merch... that's the only reason this sequel was made. Seriously. It's all about the billions that Disney makes from these characters. Probably why a newbie director was given the project. Film quality and ticket sales don't really matter with Cars. Merch sales are first and foremost.

KA-CHING!!

[socalkdg]

Prediction #1:

Cars 2 makes more money world wide than Cars 1.


Prediction #2:

It does it in 4 weeks.



Anyone notice that Pirates 4 will go over the billion mark world wide this weekend and it only had a 33% rating.

[ALIASd]

Disney's 2010 'Alice in Wonderland' and 2007 'Pirates of the Caribbean At World's End' each pulled in over a BILLION dollars both with 50% or lower R.T. ratings. 'POTC 4' looks to be on course for the same Billion club with an even lower rating. The majority of movie-goers worldwide just want to be entertained, they don't care if the Peoria Herald thinks it's a great/good/bad film.

Popcorn movies are made for audiences not film critics or GuyWatchingVideosInBasement.com sites.

[sir clinksalot]

Prediction #1:

Cars 2 makes more money world wide than Cars 1.


Prediction #2:

It does it in 4 weeks.



Anyone notice that Pirates 4 will go over the billion mark world wide this weekend and it only had a 33% rating.

These "Highest Grossing" or "Grossed more $$ than previous films" are VERY decieving.

You need to look at the "Attendance" for these movies, which is FAR less than previous movies, especially for Pirates.

When you factor in the higher ticket prices + premium 3D charges, it's really not that impressive.

Weekend Report: 'Pirates' Rides Smaller 'Tides' - Box Office Mojo

Relative to its predecessors, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sank: At World's End drew $114.7 million on its first weekend in May 2007 (not including $13.2 million in Thursday night previews), while Dead Man's Chest raked in a then-record $135.6 million opening weekend back in July 2006. Adjusted for ticket price inflation, those grosses would be the equivalent of $131 million and $163 million, respectively. Since the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie was the franchise establisher, its early grosses were in a lower league, though still bustling ($70.6 million in its five-day launch, or $92 million adjusted). On Stranger Tides's start was also less than that of the last Johnny Depp spectacle Alice in Wonderland (2010), which began with $116.1 million.

So while Cars 2 is going to make a TON of money ... attendance wise, it will probably not match Cars or any previous Pixar movie.

[ALIASd]

Pixar has a nasty habit of hiring directors who aren't fully qualified to take the feature helm. It's a 16-hour per day job for years on end. Very few can do it well and still be functional and lucid. E-Ville isn't much of a learning company, from what my Pixarian friends have told me over the years.

Elevating artists from within the company and giving them the opportunity to direct a feature or short seems less than a "nasty" thing to do. It's not like they've recruited kids right out of CalArts and stuck them in director chairs over other Pixar veterans. Some have been able to handle it and excel, some haven't been able to. It's obviously an extremely difficult and arduous position that would test even a experienced professional. Same as in live-action.

[MAH4546]

I saw the movie last weekend. I will admit that I love the original Cars and it's probably my second favorite Pixar film after TS3. Or at least was, because Cars 2 is just a much better film than the original. Lots of action and it's very funny. I think people need to remember it's a very different film than what Pixar usually turns out, which isn't a bad thing. It's non-stop action and it's not going to have you crying like Toy Story 3, Wall-E or Up, and I think that's where critics are getting disappointed. It's an excellent movie for what it is - a fun, action-packed summer blockbuster, not an emotional piece like many of the recent Pixar films.

Also, I predict it will be the second biggest Pixar domestic opening weekend and the second biggest Pixar global box office tally after Toy Story 3.

[lighttragic]

I saw the movie last weekend. I will admit that I love the original Cars and it's probably my second favorite Pixar film after TS3. Or at least was, because Cars 2 is just a much better film than the original. Lots of action and it's very funny. I think people need to remember it's a very different film than what Pixar usually turns out, which isn't a bad thing. It's non-stop action and it's not going to have you crying like Toy Story 3, Wall-E or Up, and I think that's where critics are getting disappointed. It's an excellent movie for what it is - a fun, action-packed summer blockbuster, not an emotional piece like many of the recent Pixar films.

Also, I predict it will be the second biggest Pixar domestic opening weekend and the second biggest Pixar global box office tally after Toy Story 3.

most insiders have it projecting at 62-65 million opening weekend... it wont top TS3, UP or WallE and adjusted for inflation it tops only a handful of pixars early pics

[shipsahoy]

I think people need to remember it's a very different film than what Pixar usually turns out, which isn't a bad thing. It's non-stop action and it's not going to have you crying like Toy Story 3, Wall-E or Up, and I think that's where critics are getting disappointed. It's an excellent movie for what it is - a fun, action-packed summer blockbuster, not an emotional piece like many of the recent Pixar films.

I agree. I think a film like this is great-- A nice, big summer action flick full of fun and thrills, and works also as a nice breather between the emotional rollercoaster that is Toy Story 3 (also my favourite) and what is sure to be a dark fantasy piece with Brave.

In short, Pixar has yet to dissapoint me, and I don't think they will this time, either.

and after all, like ALIASd said

The majority of movie-goers worldwide just want to be entertained, they don't care if the Peoria Herald thinks it's a great/good/bad film.

Popcorn movies are made for audiences not film critics or GuyWatchingVideosInBasement.com sites.

[MAH4546]

most insiders have it projecting at 62-65 million opening weekend... it wont top TS3, UP or WallE and adjusted for inflation it tops only a handful of pixars early pics

That's about where the original opened. I don't see that happening, with the 3D premium and the higher ticket prices in the past five years, not to mention Cars is a very well established franchise. I'd be surprised if it opened at or below the original.

That said, however, it's a children's summer blockbuster film, and with these kinds of films, there usually isn't the typical rush to see it. They have long legs at the box office and perform very well on summer weekdays, so Cars 2 might very well follow that path.

[Streamliner]

Hopefully the rest of the reviews will push the Rotten Tomatoes score up past the 60% threshold. Because even if Cars 2 makes a ton of money (and I'm sure it will), having a film listed as "rotten" by this site is very bad for Disney/Pixar. Even if you personally don't pay attention or agree with rottentomatoes.com and its critic aggregator, a lot of people do... especially the media.

So the general public will probably watch Cars 2 and keep giving Disney money, but this could also be the moment that Pixar's film quality is perceived as going downhill. That would be a bad thing for everybody in the long run.

Having said that, a lot of people thought Cars 1 would be the turning point in Pixar's film quality, when it got a 74% score. Of course Pixar then gave us Ratatouille, Wall-E, Up and Toy Story 3. So maybe a "rotten" Pixar movie won't hurt.

[Retrocool]

Critical reception has NEVER been related to box office performance. NEVER. Sometimes the critics love what audiences love, sometimes they hate what audiences hate, but film history is chock-a-block full of examples of films that critics loved and audiences hated, and vice-versa.