Can Twilight Succeed Without the Praise of Critics?
Posted by Josh Radde (josh@filmschoolrejects.com) on November 21, 2008
The reviews are in! With Twilight releasing today, prepare to see your multiplex filled with tween and mommy Twilighters. The film has captured the tenth largest advanced ticket sales of all time, just behind Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. The film, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson is expected to have a giant opening weekend that could potentially make Quantum of Solace’s $70 million look like chump change.
Prior to release, Twilight had already sold out over 1,100 showings on over 3,500 screens. This year has seen a couple other high profile advanced-ticket releases. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert accumulated the 5th most pre-sale tickets sold, only to be outdone by 2008’s top-grossing film, The Dark Knight, which is 4th all-time. Rounding out the top 3 are later installments in recent franchises. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003) is third and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) is second (Order of the Phoenix is also sixth on this list). Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) still holds the distinction of selling the most advanced tickets of all-time.
Now, of course, a large number of advanced ticket sales indicate a large opening weekend. But with critical praise missing, it’s still unknown whether Twilight will be able to draw in new viewers in weeks two or three. It currently sits at a rather unimpressive 45% Rotten on Rotten Tomatoes and a 5.5/10 on IMDB’s user rating system. So even though Twilight could see huge ticket sales this weekend, to the tune of possibly $60-80 mil., it remains unlikely that the film will make Iron Man-bank. Twilight will need to make $153 million to top Sex and the City, which shouldn’t be a problem.
Do you think that Twilight will make $150 million plus without the help of positive reviews? Is it, in any way, critic proof?
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