I have to agree with Gun.

This is precisely why I don't expect the Avatar sequels to outgross Avatar.

Really? You use words like self-aggrandizing on a daily basis on an internet forum and I'm the one with ego issues. This thread is not about me, or you, so don't start a pissing match for no reason. And besides, this isn't a masochism website last I checked, if every poster on here doesn't think they're the best poster, they are fooling themselves.

Back on topic to Gunslinger: They are exceptions but to get technical, Austin Powers 3 sold about 10% less tickets then Spy Who Shagged Me. And Supremecy didn't even sell 30 million tickets, we're talking films that have sold over 50,60,70,80 million tickets. Even you have to admit there are untapped demographics for them to reach.

And I don't buy the Spiderman 3 argument because at the end of the day, it is a "What if" argument. The terrible truth about these films is usually the one that reaches the Mass General audience is usually the one that is the stinker. The case with the Spiderman 3, is that it reached its mass potential with the original film, and even if Spiderman 3 was not as good as 2 (Though as Ryo has said, good films are never objectively judged on general audiences on here, so are the films considered terrible on here. A lot of people still enjoyed the 3rd film, and if it was a better film, I doubt it still would have matched the original. The third film only had 69% of the same audience that saw the original.

Umm, Austin Powers 2 DID get to mass audiences. It grossed $200+ million back in 1999! It was the 26th-biggest movie ever domestically at that point. The current #26 domestically is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone with $317 million, so I'd argue that it definitely did get to VERY wide audiences.

Yeah, totally. I'd never think of the Austin Powers movies as niche. Everyone was fucking crazy for The Spy Who Shagged Me back then. Kids saw it, old folks saw it, etc.

I guess there's mass audience and then there's MASS audience.

That's right. But Austin Powers 2 reached that MASS audience. Seriously, #26 all-time is quite a big thing.

Okay then, there's MASS audience and then there's MASS audience.

BTW - - can we have that Dr. Evil movie soon please Mike?

I'm not saying it wasn't a huge film, especially for comedies, but as I said already, Goldmember did about 10% less admissions wise, and passed it merely on inflation. Also based on the "objective criticism" it sounds like you were the exact main demographic and so were your friends, as was I, so I doubt you were looking for people that weren't into Austin Powers at the time. There was certainly a lot of people that found the films offensive.

Yes PLEASE!

I completely agree, Myers takes too dam long between films, I know he loves characters. But I'm a huge fan of So I Married and Axe Murderer, I'd love just another film even with just him. Apparently there is an SNL Alumni film coming out soon that he is starring in.

The Matrix Reloaded broke records, but still had a pretty narrow audience. Maxing out a large segment of the audience can bring in a huge gross, but it doesn't make it play by the same rules. Bourne always skewed older and was somewhat limited by its concept and style.

I think the problem for many mega blockbusters is that they play to such a broad audience that it becomes difficult to avoid erosion.

America loves Batman. Four out of the six modern films have beaten the opening weekend record.

Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, and Jim Carrey's deaths must have been the reason the first three opened so high, right?

Transformers 3 was about 62% male, up by a lot from 2 years ago. That could explain the changes in daily patterns.

Not really so good, but it will still do quite a bit better than was possible.