Muppets Most Wanted Box Office Numbers

[Pinkflower7783]

Okay I'm really too lazy to read all the long comments but I will say again on the Kermit and Piggy issue MAYBE if they had made the wedding "LEGIT" this time it might've made a difference. Not saying the film would've been a hit but might've done better. I know fans had said they were looking forward to a "possible" wedding only to be disappointed it didn't come to be. I know from watching interviews this whole asking Kermit if he'll finally pop the question is getting old. I'm one of the biggest K&P fans ever and I'm even sick and tired of it it was fun for awhile but talk about beating a dead horse or, pig or frog whatever DO SOMETHING WITH IT DISNEY! Cause you know when it's asked Kermit is gonna beat around the bush! Although with how poorly the movie did I don't know if Disney is gonna do much of anything with them.

On another note it doesn't matter how brilliant they all were in this film I literally talked to people who flat out said they weren't seeing it because of Ricky Gervais. I'm not saying this is why the film flopped. Yes I am sorry to say it but this film did flop! In Disney's eyes it's a flop! Maybe not to Muppet fans or even Muppet standards but it flopped. *Waits for people to start flaming me* Which I thought was sad people were shooting it in the foot before it even came out. And as for being moved, this film wasn't going for that people!

As far as a TV show is concerned even Kermit said he'd love to do another MS but they might not be able to do the vaudeville act like before as people's taste has changed. In other words peoples is peoples, people.

 

[Reevz1977]

Well...I know a lot of people who don't like Ricky Gervais...

Personally, I think the mainstream audience simply didn't care to see this one. Between the incredible reviews (wasn't it one of the best reviewed movie of 2011?), the nostalgia jolt, the emotional punch, the novelty of having a new Muppet film after so many years and the presence of Segal and Adams, "The Muppets" quickly became almost a must-see film. It was practically a film that many people felt they NEEDED to see.

But when "Muppets Most Wanted" was announced I heard from a lot of people (friends and otherwise) who basically said, "Once was good, but do they REALLY need to do this again?" In fact, that's a sentiment that the movie itself seems to play around with, almost as if to lower audience expectations. I don't think the March release or the marketing is really to blame here. This wasn't the "event" film the last one was, and I'm betting a lot of moviegoers just couldn't find the motivation to bother seeing it.

I think in time, when the honeymoon period for this movie wears off, we're going to start seeing a more varied reaction to it, and it's flaws are going to become more apparent. I enjoyed it, and made sure to see it twice, but it didn't do it for me the way the 2011 movie did. Something felt missing. I found there was way too much focus on Constantine, with a lot of central classic Muppet characters getting the shaft. As good as the songs were, there was no "Life's a Happy Song" or "Man or Muppet". I don't see any of these songs winning Oscars, folks. There's a lot of goofy ridiculousness in "The Muppets" but there's a lot of emotional, powerful moments to balance that out. There's no real emotion to MMW (I'm sorry, there's not), it's just wall to wall goofiness and I basically think the movie failed to hit the same nerve that the last one did.

Completely, 150% disagree with pretty much everything you've said here! Oh the joy of freedom of speech

You're welcome to your opinion though!

 

[jvcarroll]

Completely, 150% disagree with pretty much everything you've said here! Oh the joy of freedom of speech

You're welcome to your opinion though!

I agree with your disagreement 100%.

MMW feels more like a Jim film than any other picture since his death.

While I adore much of TM and respect its efforts to bring the characters back, the Muppets aren't nostalgia. They weren't appropriately handled when you get down to it. And if I saw the Swedish Chef hug one more friggin' chicken I was gonna lose it!

I usually don't call fans' positions "right" or "wrong." But as a lover of the classic Muppets and a believer that they still have a place in a new era, I have to say that anyone who prefers TM to MMW is flat-out wrong-headed. One is a very cute greatest hits commercial and the other is a Muppet movie.

 

[DarthGonzo]

I usually don't call fans' positions "right" or "wrong." But as a lover of the classic Muppets and a believer that they still have a place in a new era, I have to say that anyone who prefers TM to MMW is flat-out wrong-headed.

Then I guess I'm wrong-headed, because I preferred "The Muppets".

Again, honeymoon period.

I think what most people on this forum fail to take into consideration that they're hardcore Muppet fans with extremely deep attachments to these characters, while probably 95% of the casual viewing audience...well...isn't. You could say that MMW is the closest to be a "Jim film" (I don't agree) but let's remember that even some of Henson's own Muppet films weren't box office champs either. Again, I think there are very solid reasons why people turned out for "The Muppets", and I think the fact that MMW lacked those elements (for better or for worse) is the reason it didn't do as well. Personally, I think the casual/mainstream audience was up for one really good new Muppet film from Disney. They got it in 2011, and I don't think they really felt a sequel was necessary. The depressing box office speaks for itself.

I remember back when "The Muppets" came out, you really couldn't find much negativity here. But NOW, I'm seeing a far more level-headed assessment of the movie now that time has passed. I think the same will happen for MMW.

 

[Twisted Tails]

To be honest, I saw MMW more than once. I rather be on the positive side than on the negative side.

MMW feels more like a Jim film than any other picture since his death.

I agree with you 100%, jvcarroll! This film felt it was a Henson film. I don't care if it's bad or not so good. All I care about is that this film (even though the plot was like "meh") had nostalgia and the prison scenes... it is like GMC all over again when Piggy was in prison.

It was like a Henson film. "Nuff said!

 

[Pinkflower7783]

Scooter- "after all we've been through after coming so far."

 

[jvcarroll]

Then I guess I'm wrong-headed, because I preferred "The Muppets".

Again, honeymoon period.

I think what most people on this forum fail to take into consideration that they're hardcore Muppet fans with extremely deep attachments to these characters, while probably 95% of the casual viewing audience...well...isn't. You could say that MMW is the closest to be a "Jim film" (I don't agree) but let's remember that even some of Henson's own Muppet films weren't box office champs either. Again, I think there are very solid reasons why people turned out for "The Muppets", and I think the fact that MMW lacked those elements (for better or for worse) is the reason it didn't do as well. Personally, I think the casual/mainstream audience was up for one really good new Muppet film from Disney. They got it in 2011, and I don't think they really felt a sequel was necessary. The depressing box office speaks for itself.

I remember back when "The Muppets" came out, you really couldn't find much negativity here. But NOW, I'm seeing a far more level-headed assessment of the movie now that time has passed. I think the same will happen for MMW.

I stand by my assessment. It is wrong-headed. Jim Henson was many things, but he wasn't sappy or cute. I do think the last film kind of needed to be that in a way, but they went a bit overboard. I like both films. I really do. I also think Walter is a fine addition to the group.

TM had the advantage of coming first after a long box office absence. It's the story of Gary, Mary and Walter rediscovering the Muppets. MMW is a full-fledged Muppet movie. Even Frank Oz and Brian Henson have recognized this and that speaks volumes. They know better what makes a Jim film than you or I do and that's pretty much what they've stated.

Ultimately people like what they like, but preferring TM to MMW is kind of like preferring a remake to an original. It doesn't take a hardcore fan to see that. And ending Muppet films after the last one would have been a horrible mistake. Who in the world would support that??!!

Also, I don't know where you're getting your box office figures from, but all three of the Jim-era Muppet films fared well at the box office particularly considering their rather modest budgets. However, none of them beat the original Muppet Movie - the best of them all.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

I feel like comparing this movie to TM's is like comparing apples to oranges. It's two completely different films folks! James Bobin made it clear he didn't want to do the same movie twice he wanted this to be just a Muppet film that Jim himself might do today. I agree with Brian Henson I sincerely feel this is a movie Jim would be proud of. This movie wasn't meant to take another stroll down memory lane. It might not have hit the emotional core that the last film did but it wasn't trying too. Was this a perfect film? No it had it's flaws but it was far from being a terrible movie.

I can't say enough about MMW I just loved it and while I know some people here didn't connect with it IMO it had everything I felt a Muppet movie should have.

 

[CensoredAlso]

Just want to make it clear, MMW definitely didn't need to be all sappy for me to like it, lol. MCC was pretty sappy and that never grabbed me. GMC was probably the least sentimental of the original films and I love that. Like I said for me I just thought MMW's plot didn't reach high enough for a movie and just plain misunderstood the characters.

All in all, it's not a question of how emotional a movie is for me. It really just comes down to execution.

For the record, Groucho Marx used to say Night at the Opera was their best film. Over time he backed off that opinion when Duck Soup found a new audience in the 60s. Gene Roddenberry complained about Wrath of Khan. Creators are often too close to the material to judge things. And their opinions change and evolve, the same as the rest of us.

 

[Pinkflower7783]

It just seems the general public was hoping for it to be similar to the last film or at least looking for that same emotion as the last one when that wasn't the intention. MMW had it's heartfelt moments in it's own way though. At least IMO.