When The Going Gets Cheap, Hollywood Turns To Ideas

mara · a grateful fan

RE: When The Going Gets Cheap, Hollywood Turns To Ideas

Tracy · Senior Member

Yes Mara, you are right on... even though movies make millions of dollars, people are simply going to the movies less and less these days because of the economy. Would you rather spend $9 per ticket at the box-office or, put that towards gas or groceries? People believe it's that serious.

Disney dropping "The Chronicles of Narnia" series, is a huge indicator on how bad the movie companies think they're hurting. The Chronicles should have been huge for Disney but, they simply can't put that kind of money on the table and expect to make double what it cost to make the movie, back.

It really does suck for A-list actors because you've got washed up actors like Mickey Rourke (whom I love) making a comeback with an almost invisible paycheck for "The Wrestler" and, Liam Neeson hitting gold with "Taken" this week... and yet, our a-listers like Nic Cage bombs with "Bangkok Dangerous" and Tom Cruise drops off the radar with "Valkyrie"???

It's tough for a-listers and movie companies but, we shouldn't feel too sorry... I'm sure, Nic ponders his next career move inside one of his many mansions and movie executives are probably feeling the pinch with a $2000 bottle of champagne!!!

THEY'LL BE JUST FINE!!!

mara · a grateful fan

Very insightful analysis, Tracy... I´m afraid you´re right on all accounts. Hard times too from the Hollywood perspective.

-- Edited by mara at 18:13, 2009-02-02

PITA B · Guru

It's a cut-throat business, that's for sure...........

Tracy · Senior Member

Here's the downside for Nic and actors like him, when movies like "Mall Cop" and "Twilight" make millions at the boxoffice with D-rated actors, it's hard for any A-list actor to ask for that $20 million pay check when movie companies now know, they can still make the same amount of cash money with less bankable actors which means, actors like Nic will either take the pay cut or lose out on the gig all-together.

I agree, Nic is well worth the money, but movie companies are only concerned with $$$$$$ nothing more.

-- Edited by Tracy at 18:49, 2009-02-01

Gerfalcon · Moody 'Wolverine' Freak

It's true that Nic should get the money he deserves, but I think however much they pay him, it's important for him to keep acting well, despite the fact that he earns less from it. That's an indispensable trait a great actor should have, IMHO.

PITA B · Guru

Seriously................why the heck should Nic have to take a pay cut for NT3 when the first two have made so much money for the studios. Seems ludicrous to me.

Tracy · Senior Member

As the world plunges into recession, even movie stars are feeling the pinch. Hollywood is turning away from big names and big price tags towards cheaper, more high concept movies. Good news for science fiction?

We've already told you about Marvel trying to lowball Mickey Rourke for his role in Iron Man 2 but, as Variety points out, that's just part of a growing trend at the major studios to either lowball actors' money demands, or ignore stars altogether in favor of newer, cheaper actors:

Unless youre Will Smith, Johnny Depp or a handful of others, nobody is earning their quote right now, said dealmakers. Stories of tough negotiations are widespread: Disney asked Nicolas Cage to cut his price on the next "National Treasure" sequel, and that same studio cut loose a third "Chronicles of Narnia" film... Dealmakers said studios that once bought projects that could be bait for movie stars now prefer high concepts that dont require big stars and directors with their big paychecks. The perfect example is "Twilight," which became a big hit despite the lack of bankable stars.