I'm telling you guys. The current trailer/teaser people are seeing for War of the Worlds isn't something THAT attractive. It looks good (great to most of us), but c'mon, people want a trailer like The Day After Tomorrow. That trailer was, hands down, great.

War of the Worlds needed to have a trailer to attach with Episode III. It's running out of time, now.

Spielberg movies traditionally have great multipliers, Minority Report for example had a 3.7 multiplier. WOTW's run is not dependent on it's opening weekend, and if I'm not mistaken, it has a 5-day weekend? Buzz is not based on only trailers, and WOM of course is entirely independent of marketing. Spielberg obviously doesn't want to show all his cards in trailers, but once the film is coming out, a massive TV-spot campaign will start, most likely selling major money shots.

I would be VERY suprised if WOTW would make less money than Day After Tomorrow. There is no chance in hell that's gonna happen.

I think that the "surprise" break out among these movies will be STEALTH.

It is Jamie Foxx's first major role since his Oscar, and I bet when we start seeing the marketing, that we'll not be able to tell he's not the star. That combined with the release date and the action genre, I don't see why it shouldn't get BAD BOYS II numbers.

FANTASTIC FOUR will also do better then expected. The FF marketing seems to be pushing it's funnier, lighter elements, and that's a very good thing. There are plenty of heavy blockbusters coming out this summer, SITH, Batman, WotW. Maybe by the time July comes around, people may be looking for a break for some less weighty eye candy. That also pits FF in competition with CHARLIE and the CHOCOLATE FACTORY coming out a week later. But I don't think people are going to go for Charlie, except for hardcore Burton fans. That trailer has a really bad vibe. I smell Cat in the Hat all over again.

I'm increasing my estimate for Batman, since I now think it will scratch out $200 Million.

Mr. & Mrs. Smith will scratch out $100 million.

WotW will do great business, at least $250. I don't know whether WOTW or Madagascar will be number two for the Summer. It may be a two way race.

I've gotta say, for having such a guaranteed success as a Stephen Spielberg directed War Of The Worlds movie starring Tom Cruise, Paramount are really dropping the ball on marketing it. I thought the slow roll-out technique was clever to begin with, but the film's almost a month away, and cinemas here in England are still playing the crappy first teaser.

They need to get something spectacular out fast to keep anticipation high. I hope it has more money shots than the bridge being blown up and the ship being tipped over.

Otherwise... what the hell are we fighting for?

First of all, Stealth will flop. Second, War of the Worlds is the only assured huge success after SW, and probably the only one left for the Summer if you don't count Batman, which is also assured to make big bucks. And last, The Island, while I am dying to see it, is probably going to suck. They had such a great concept and it's turning into an excuse for a 2 hour chase...

Going back and watching Signs teasers, I gotta say they were more effective, they had this eery thriller feel to it, War of the Worlds just looks more about people running for their lives, who knows it might even be way too serious for its own good.

See, I'd argue three things in the case of War of the Worlds.

1. I don't think that having this huge amount of mystery is nessecarily a bad thing. Just look at Godzilla. It had a huge opening weekend (eighth biggest ever despite being released on a Wednesday, second biggest four day ever at the time) despite a Wednesday opening that spread the terrible word of mouth, and the marketing never showed what the monster looked like, just people running around and screaming. I'd actually say that the marketing campaign for War of the Worlds has shown us a lot more up until this point. Making it unknown as to what the things look like creates a curiosity level which is never a bad thing.
2. Not showing us everything in the movie is both a great help for word of mouth and just general good manners. I'm so sick of trailers showing every little bit of action, here's a movie that finally is going to save 90% of what's in it until the release. Plus if the aliens and there warships look really sharp it will definitely help the word of mouth in a big way. They already have a seven day holiday opening weekend, wanting some great legs isn't a bad idea either. The Day After Tomorrow's terrible legs probably had a lot to do with every single bit of eye candy being in the trailer. War will have much more competition in the following weeks then the ones leading up to it's opening weekend. As it's Spielberg the word of mouth will surely be great, but this WILL help too.
3. You guys KNOW how tight a production they've had, and we all saw with Hulk's Superbowl TV spot just how bad an idea it is to release unfinished f/x into marketing. Back in the 80s or early 90s it woudn't have mattered as much, but with the internet and media programs people can flip frame through frame at trailers and point out errors in effects they haven't noticed earlier, and then say the movie will be way too fake. It's happened all to many too times before.
4. It's not like this trailer is going to make people lose interest, or is the final chance they have. General audiences won't notice "Hey, how many trailers have there been that don't show tons of action?". We do since we've been eating up every little piece of media that comes our way, but I'm not convinced they're thinking so. The trailer will still be attached with Paramount's "Longest Yard" remake, and I'm sure a huge amount of audiences that could see the movie will also see Batman Begins. Not to mention, like all big summer blockbusters the TV spots when the movie is about one to three weeks away will show off more of the action, they always do. Sin City showed off how well last minute marketing campaigns can work (tracking a month before pointed to a 12 million opening, but right before it opened a 30 million one, which was dead on).

People, listen to clever fella MovieDude.

I believe once the final trailer for War of the Worlds will be launched, it will change quite a couple opinions on the box-office prospects of the movie. I am certain we're in for some eye-cand.y Don't forget, when Jurassic Park came out, the trailer featuring the dinosaurs wasn't released until close to its release date either. The final trailer will be attached to The Longest Yard and most likely to Batman Begins, so it will be seen by millions of people before the movie's release. Somewhat serious Alien invasion flicks (i.e. not Mars Attacks!) seem to fare pretty well. Just think Independence Day and Signs. War of the Worlds seems to be a micture of both. The story is more personal like in Signs and it's just as dark, but the eye candy should be on par with ID4.

I mean, really, if Signs was able to make $227 million with no money-shots in trailers whatsoever and without being based on quite a household title, why shouldn't War of the Worlds be able to at least make $250 million easily? Digns had Mel Gibson and Shyamalan, War of the Worlds has Spielberg and Cruise which is just as good. War of the Worlds has a much much better release date with not much competition and with a "7-day weekend".

I expect at least $260 million for this one.



As for other movies to catch on, I believe that Wedding Crashers might turn into the surprise hit of the summer if marketed well. It has a great chance to cross $100 million.

I have not quite figured out the big hit of this August yet, but I am sure there will be one as well.

New predictions: I think that after the expected huge blockbusters, The Island and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will catch on the most. With the final trailer for Charlie here http://movies.channel.aol.com/franchise ... xtra_large and the really great new TV ads for The Island, I think they both have the most potential of any of the could-be blockbusters (Pretty much everything aside from mortal locks Star Wars, Madagascar, War of the Worlds, and maybe Batman). I think they'll both open to over 50 million, and if Charlie didn't have the Harry Potter book the same weekend, it might've reached 60 million opening weekend.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is really a movie that can go either way. Either become a big hit, or bomb completely.

Okay, having seen the final War of the World trailer, I am convinced it'll break $280 million.

Yep. There's a very fine line between the Grinch (though it benefitted from its Christmas theme), The Cat in the hat, and Lemony Snicket.

if the marketing puts Jamie Foxx front and center then Stealth could open up to $50M. It could also have worse legs than The Village. I think there will be atleast 3 $50M openings out of 5 in July. War of the Worlds is all but guranteed. I'm picking Stealth for the second one. The Island will be the third.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith could also hit $50M opening, but that's a long shot. Same with Dukes of Hazzard.

Stelath could be the next XXX2(ok perhaps not that worse)
All trailer reactions i saw so far were very bad. something like "ok that was real stupid"( and not stupid fun or so)