How To Make A Billion Dollars At The Box Office Your guide to making one of the biggest movies of all time
Avatar became the second highest-grossing film of all time this week, after romping past the $1billion mark at the worldwide box office (unadjusted for inflation) only three weeks after its release. It joins Titanic, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and The Dark Knight, an exclusive group of ten-figure earners. But for all you would-be blockbuster directors out there, what are the essential ingredients for a film that will enter this exalted company? Here's what we've learned about the billion-dollar club... WORDS HELEN O'HARA
How To Make A Billion Dollars At The Box Office 1. Make A Fantasy Film
With the admittedly glaring exception of the number one film, Titanic, all of the billion-dollar club members are either science fiction or fantasy films. In fact, with the exception of Titanic the top 30 is entirely composed of sci-fi and fantasy films, and you have to go down to Mamma Mia! at number 49 to find a 'real life' film that doesn't feature nonsensical conspiracy theories, debatable religious figures or Tom Hanks as an improbably successful idiot. And in real life, people don't usually break into song so regularly as they do in the Abba blockbuster, so that might qualify as "fantasy" too. Ken Loach, in other words, will probably never enter this company, and that pasty-looking character who used to sit reading books with dragons on the cover during lunch hour should become your new best mate.
Have Your Say
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Your Comments
1
nice!
Posted on Monday January 11, 2010, 11:24 by sieraaj.ahmed
fun read; thanks empire! :)
re avatar: love it! have seen it twice in 3d, and my boyfriend and i are planning to see it at least once in 2d and then maybe again in 3d ;) Read More
2
I hate trailers...
Posted on Friday January 8, 2010, 00:23 by zccab35
...most of the time. They include a line of dialogue a character says in the film, which is annoying, Once you see the trailer the 2nd time, for me that line becomes hated. Example: Avatar trailers. They showed 2 trailers, and both had the line "Its great!". Now I hate that line. Same goes for distinctive laughs and other things etc.
Lucky I did not see The Dark Knight trailer properly, else I might have hated my beloved Joker lines and laughs! Read More
3
RE:
Posted on Thursday January 7, 2010, 16:04 by Chrisseh
L: lona_no_friends
So basically make a film that doesn't aspire to tell a decent story or conform to any of those rules for actually making a heartfelt film and go for something that idiots will love. Good
o sh!t sherlock. This isn't a how to make a fantastic film article, its a how to make a crap load of money article. Not everyone in the world is a keen eye movie critic.
Read More
4
Posted on Thursday January 7, 2010, 03:40 by lona_no_friends
So basically make a film that doesn't aspire to tell a decent story or conform to any of those rules for actually making a heartfelt film and go for something that idiots will love. Good Read More
5
Avatar
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 21:17 by jcallan
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 17:15 by SpiderBat
ie, dumb enough for the dumb masses to consume en masse. Nicely disguised commentary, Empire. Each of these "billion" movies is the cinematic equivalent of flushing yourself down the toilet, while grinning and sucking on an anaesthetic. Read More
7
Avatar is a see again and again movie!
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 11:45 by Sendemast
I find myself willing to watch Avatar over and over again. The world is just so fascinating. While for The Dark Knight, it only goes like three to four times a year (if you watch it too much, the middle part just gets boring).
Avatar benefits basicly from the same phenomenon as the original Star Wars. I mean, let's face it, Episode IV is quite poor in pace, acting, storytelling and to be honest the whole directing was bad. Yet the movie is so good because the world is so incredibly fascinating. Same goes for Avatar (only that it's not bad in pace, acting, and directing). Read More
8
Avatar
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 10:51 by Pixaroholic
Avatar is an amazing EXPERIENCE! Whether or not it's a great movie can, of course, be discussed. But I would love to see it again in theatres! Read More
9
Good shout
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 10:22 by Grizzlers
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 10:13 by tysmuse
Avatar is such a one-time see movie. It'll be about 3/4 years until I decide to sit through it again.
The Dark Knight, however, is a film I could happily re-watch once a week. Read More
11
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 09:43 by Timon
"A great sense of pace"
I know a good film can never be too long, but I think many would disagree and say all the Billion Club could do with some trimming - namely Dead Man's Chest. Read More
12
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 08:27 by crazymoviesdude
They weren't all screened in 3D, you guys take every opportunity to rip down Avatar don't ya? Read More
13
Add 50% to the ticket price for the "3D Experience"
Posted on Wednesday January 6, 2010, 00:18 by boredbluekoala
