Cowboys & Aliens

Release Date: July 29, 2011
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures
Director: Jon Favreau
ScreenwriterS: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Damon Lindelof
Cast: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell, Noah Ringer, Paul Dano, Keith Carradine, Clancy Brown
Rating: N/A
Premise: 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger (Craig) with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don't welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde (Ford). It's a town that lives in fear. But Absolution is about to experience fear it can scarcely comprehend as the desolate city is attacked by marauders from the sky. Screaming down with breathtaking velocity and blinding lights to abduct the helpless one by one, these monsters challenge everything the residents have ever known.

Now, the stranger they rejected is their only hope for salvation. As this gunslinger slowly starts to remember who he is and where he's been, he realizes he holds a secret that could give the town a fighting chance against the alien force. With the help of the elusive traveler Ella (Olivia Wilde), he pulls together a posse comprised of former opponents—townsfolk, Dolarhyde and his boys, outlaws and Apache warriors—all in danger of annihilation. United against a common enemy, they will prepare for an epic showdown for survival.

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This is Jon Favreau's next attempt at a big summer blockbuster after the two Iron Man films and it currently occupies the spot of the last big alive action summer blockbuster next year. July next year is quite crowded at this point and there'll definitely be a lot of HUGE blockbusters preceding Cowboys & Aliens. Here's the line-up at the moment:


July 1

- Transformers 3

July 8

- Zookeeper

July 15

- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (3D/2D theaters and IMAX 3D)
- The Sitter
- Winnie the Pooh

July 22

- Captain America: The First Avenger

July 29

- Cowboys & Aliens
- Horrible Bosses


So we're talking at least two $300+ million films released before it and another $150+ million grosser (Captain America). The marketplace will be quite saturated with blockbusters.

Now the film will likely be released in 3D, but considering The Smurfs is coming out a weekend later it'll lose some of its 3D screens to it. One other thing is the premise...it sounds fun and after Iron Man I think Jon Favreau is fully capable of doing fun blockbusters (though not as much staging good action sequences), but the Western setting might detract from the film's chances at success. Daniel Craig has had big success with the Bond flicks, but otherwise he's still far from a hot name, so the cast won't be a big selling point (except for Ford).

Should be a solid performer as long as it is not too expensive.



My early predictions:

Opening weekend - $49 million

Total Gross - $148 million

I think it could do really well, but I'm not expecting anything spectacular. The concept sounds like alot of fun and JF knows how to make a fun summer blockbuster. Also look at that fricking cast. How can no one not want to see James Bond, Indiana Jones/Han Solo, Clancy Brown, Olivia Wilde and Sam Rockwell fight aliens. The cast alone sells this movie.

:My Prediction:
$41M OW/ $154M DOM

I can see this do $150m or so as well. If it looks good (and is good) marketed properly and with a good release date, it could push towards an MIB type gross.

I think being the first blockbuster of the Spring would be good for it though not sure if it will be ready in time.

Being an original, this will benefit big time on the sequel shitload that is summer 2011.

60m/165m

First poster is online


I assume we migth see a teaser with Little Fockers. In a summer filled with endless sequels, I'm actually having a good feeling about this. Could become one of the summer's WoM hits.

The teaser trailer will be online Wednesday and will also be attached to every print of Harry Potter this weekend. So atleast it will be getting ALOT of attention.

Yeah I'm lowering my OW predictions too. It should have a solid opening, but it's legs should be alot stronger depending on how much audiences get tired of the sequels and reboots.

After reading the comicbook it's based on, I'm having a pretty bad feeling about this. The comic is bad. Very bad. I hope they stay away as far as possible from it, because it's so poorly written that you think it's done for kids with Down syndrome.

The people who wrote this article saw the first 40 minutes of the movie and are VERY high on it.



http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/motion-capt ... ew-trailer

I can't wait to see the trailer on the big screen. It sounds good.

Excellent trailer. Looks like a 200+ million grosser to me.

While Craig and Ford don't have much drawing power on their own... I think the combo is a major selling point here. The characters and their relationship come off as very interesting. I think a lot of people are going to really want to see both of these actors in these particular roles. Great casting.

I also expected a more humorous adventure movie, but I love how dark and moody this looks.

I was expecting a lighter tone. This is a bit too dark for me at the moment considering it's also about aliens and cowboys.

I'm not too impressed, kind of disappointed actually, but I do think that it will be a good movie, just not what I wanted from it I guess.

I don't like Olivia Wilde though. She doesn't seem to show much range in that small bit we saw of her. She's not a bad actress per se but I don't think she's got the role down. We'll see.

Is it time for the next Jonah Hex already?

Well the trailer's out now.

I'm thinking $150+ million total and a new franchise.

Heres the Superbowl Spot - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdy4eRKrf_8.

I'm calling this one of the biggest breakouts of the summer. If Universal can keep up the AWESOME marketing this movie can really end up suprising ALOT of people.

55/170

New Trailer - http://trailers.apple.com/trailers/univ ... andaliens/.

WOW! I never thought I would say this, but this should easily be one of the biggest breakouts of the summer. It just looks so damn fun and that's what summer movies are suppose to be. I wouldn't be suprised if it came close $250M DOM.

Excellent trailer. Still going for 200+ million.

Not feeling this. Looks boring to me.

Given the current state of the market, I see 40/110. And that only because Ford will attract adults. I think Super 8 is a much more appealing and intriguing alien concept, this looks silly, wild, and action packed. Which, in a market domianted by 18-25 year olds is gold. But that's not who's showing up to movies right now, so it will be a mediocre performer, if not a significant disappointment.

It strikes me as a problem the title always gets a HUGE laugh.

I'm sure it seemed clever in pre-production ("Cowboys...AND ALIENS! Yes!"), but now they have this big-budget, star-driven film which seems to be a serious Western/sci-fi hybrid, and it has this spoof of a title.

The title is obviously problematic, but when the film comes out, people have had 9 months to get used to it. I don't think it's that big of a problem.

But I do think this will be a leggy film, instead of a massive opener. 50/200 sounds about right.

There was only a handful of people when I was watching I Am Number Four yesterday, but the trailer for Cowboys and Aliens got loud WTF reactions and laughs... Considering the movie (trailer at least) plays it very serious and not funny (like in the Wild Wild West way) I don't think this one is managing to sell itself very well. I can easily see it disappoint.

Though to me this still looks like one of the better summer movies...

This may be a tougher sell, indeed.

I am slightly losing confidence in this. Maybe because marketing is not THAT strong. I still see $180+ million, but $220-250 million might be a stretch.