Studios crave that big summer blockbuster, the kind of movie that covers up previous failures.
Disney took a big hit – repeatedly – last year, but the House of Mouse is having a stellar 2024 thanks to “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.”
Studios also crave that coveted sleeper hit, the movie that defies all odds every summer.
“Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot” couldn’t do it, nor could “Thelma” or “The Fab Four.”
However, “It Ends with Us” was a resounding success.
Blake Lively’s adaptation of the popular novel grossed a staggering $50 million in its opening weekend, and that number isn’t going down.
The film’s Tuesday take? More than $7 million, enough to surpass “Deadpool & Wolverine” and take the top spot, according to Mojo Box Office.
How did a mid-sized drama, with no bankable stars (sorry, Ms. Lively), stand up to the summer’s biggest hits?
AwardsDaily.com suggests Swiftie Power The website says Lively’s relationship with Taylor Swift gave the film all the marketing push it needed.
It’s an unconventional way to boost box office, but it’s worth noting considering movies like this have struggled at the box office lately.
That connection didn’t hurt it. The fact that many critics dismissed both the source material and the film may have played in its favor.
Justin Baldoni reacts to critics who say “It Ends With Us” romanticizes domestic violence. image.twitter.com/JKQwSlYT5H
— E! News (@enews) August 14, 2024
He off-screen drama between Lively and co-star and director Justin Baldoni also prove that there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
There is another factor at play, one that came into play last summer.
“It Ends with Us” speaks directly to women in profound ways. The film’s central sticking point — Lively’s character is in an abusive relationship — resonates with women who go to the movies.
Movie fans rarely hear stories that speak directly to them. “Barbie” turned out to be a pink and shiny exception, and we all know how that ended.
“It Ends with Us” won’t top $1 billion at the global box office, but it’s a sign that audiences are willing to shell out big bucks for movies without spandex-clad heroes or tie-in toys.
The summer cinema began with a sense of finality. If “sure-fire” films like “The scapegoat” and “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga“It could underperform, perhaps the theatrical model is doomed to failure.
The aforementioned Disney hits, plus “Despicable Me 4,” “Twisters” and “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” proved otherwise.
Now, “It Ends with Us” gives Hollywood a financial lifeline to a brighter future.
The most important lesson? Every summer there is a movie that defies all expectations. Last year, “Sound of freedom” has earned that distinction. “It Ends with Us” is this year’s model.
Why? Man cannot live on big, noisy blockbusters alone. We always want a plan B. Finding it, of course, is Hollywood’s most difficult challenge.