MONSTERS VS. ALIENS with almost $12K per 3-D screen! The future of 3-D is looking UP!
by Steve MasonJeffrey Katzenberg and Dreamworks Animation have definitively proven that Digital 3-D is a blockbuster format. Not only has Monsters vs. Aliens seized a monstrous $58.2M in opening weekend ticket sales, Real-D (the technology provider) and Dreamworks have revealed that $25M or so of that gross was generated specifically from 3-D and IMAX 3-D. Fox is reporting that fully 43% of the total take was from the estimated 2,218 Digital 3-D screens.
MONSTERS VS. ALIENS tore up the box office this weekend - especially in 3-D
That means that the Per Screen Average for the movie in 3-D was about $11,700, while the 4,800 or so traditional 35MM 2-D engagements had a Per Theatre of just an estimated $4,780. Exhibitors who figured out a way to overcome the credit crunch and pay the estimated $100,000 to convert a traditional theatre into one that can show Digital 3-D made a killing this weekend.
Unlike the hokey 3-D of past generations, Real-D technology is nothing short of astonishing. We’ve come a long way from 50’s chestnuts like Bwana Devil starring Robert Stack (“A Lion in Your Lap, A Lover in Your Arms” was the tagline for those that remember. 3-D moviemaking was discovered accidentally as doctors were experimenting with polarized lenses to treat kids with a “lazy eye.” Then came trioptiscopic photographt that allowed images to float off of the screen. Industry pioneers like Arch Oboler tried to make a go with 3-D under the clunky moniker Space-Vision, but couldn’t make it work. There was some success with that same Space-Vision system with movies like Jaws 3-D, Friday the 13th: Part 3-D and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over, but nothing like today’s state-of-the-art technology.
Disney/Pixar will soon follow the technological path paved by Dreamworks
Hollywood is 40+ major 3-D releases in the pipeline, and there are still only 2,218 individual screens where those movies can play, so the race is on. Digital conversion and Real-D installation will be on the march for exhibitors who can figure out a way to finance the extraordinary expense.
Here are trailers for some of the 3-D features coming soon.
May 1 - BATTLE FOR TERRA (Lionsgate/Roadside Attractions)
What’s left of the human race invades a peaceful alien planet called Terra. A Terrian teen, voiced by Evan Rachel Wood from The Wrestler, tries to ward off the humans. Voice cast includes Brian Cox (Running with Scissors), Luke Wilson (3:10 to Yuma), David Cross (Arrested Development), Justin Long (He’s Just Not That Into You) and Amanda Peet (Syriana).
YouTube
May 29 - UP (Disney/Pixar)
As always, it’s an odd premise with Pixar. In this one, a cranky old guy decides it’s time to see the wilds of South America, so he ties a bunch of balloons to his house. But after Ratatouille, Wall-E, Cars, Toy Story, I’ve learned to reserve judgment and prepare to be amazed. Featuring the voices of TV legend Ed Asner (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), Pixar vet John Ratzenberger (Cheers), Golden Globe nominee Christopher Plummer (The Insider) and Delroy Lindo (Heist).
July 1 – ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (Fox)
The third in the Ice Age series and, possibly, the #1 grossing movie of the summer. Dinosaurs in 3-D is box office gold. Seann William Scott (Dude, Where’s My Car), Oscar nominee Queen Latifah (Hairspray), Golden Globe nominee John Leguizamo (Nothing Like the Holidays), Emmy winner Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Denis Leary (Rescue Me) are all featured.
Then comes Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince in IMAX 3-D only on July 17, followed by G-Force on July 24, Final Destination: Death Trip 3-D on August 14, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs on September 18, the reworking of Toy Story in the 3-D format October 2, Astro Boy on October 23, Disney’s A Christmas Carol on November 6, Planet 51 for Thanksgiving and, finally, James Cameron’s long-awaited Avatar. Here’s the teaser trailer (that gives nothing away).
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11 Comments
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Let's say that the new 3D technology really takes off. What does that mean for the home buyer. I suppose that it's still nice to be able to go to the theater to see it, and that's certainly a reason for theaters to be interested in converting, but will folks still want to buy (or rent) the DVDs if they aren't getting the full experience. I assume the 2D version will still look good, but I have to imagine that there will be a push to get the technology into homes. Any one know any details on this?
http://www.dlp.com/hdtv/3-d_dlp_hdtv.aspx
It's allready here. Waiting for media.
I've allready got it in my Mitsubishi TV. Waiting for media!
http://www.dlp.com/hdtv/3-d_dlp_hdtv.aspx
Panasonic is actually promising bring the digital 3D format to home cinema. Reportedly Panasonic and Jim Cameron are working on a new 3D standard for Blu-Ray that would give home buyers a similar experiance to the 3D theaters. Reportedly Jim Camerons Avatar will be the first movie released in this format sometime in the middle of 2010. Unfortunitly this new technology will require new players and new televisions that don't exist today. So it will not be cheap to go digital 3D in the home.
[...] noreply@blogger.com (SWAC Girl) created an interesting post today on MONSTERS VS. ALIENS with almost $12K per 3-D screen! The future of 3-D is…Here’s a short outlineJeffrey Katzenberg and Dreamworks Animation have definitively proven that Digital 3-D is a blockbuster format. Not only has Monsters vs. Aliens seized a monstrous $58.2M in opening weekend ticket sales, Real-D (the technology provider) and Dreamworks have revealed that $25M or so of that gross was… [...]
Okay, now THAT would make paying more for the Blu-Ray worth it. As it stands, I can't see much difference in the picture quality between regular DVDs and BR. (Older DVDs weren't enhanced for widescreen TVs, so there's more difference there.) If BRs can handle the 3D tech (and still have a 2D version) then it would be worth it to pay the extra for them.
With a monster crashing through the Golden Gate Bridge the movie can't be all bad.
[...] PETS AND ANIMALS added an interesting post on MONSTERS VS. ALIENS with almost $12K per 3-D screen! The future of…Here’s a small excerptJeffrey Katzenberg and Dreamworks Animation have definitively proven that Digital 3-D is a blockbuster format. [...]
Now this list makes me want to do more than wait for DVD's or go to the drive-in.
Monsters vs. Aliens sounds pretty cool.
Half-blood Prince has me thinking Quidditch in 3-D.
Ice Age 1 was very good, but 2 was a shocker as it dissapointed. I was fighting off sleep. So I might not be that enthused for 3, but the Dinos in 3-D is a very good point.
If you can't see the difference between DVD and Blu-Ray you need to get your eyes checked. The difference is huge. Maybe you have not seen good looking discs on the right equitment. On a full 1080p television with a properly encoded disc Blu-Ray can put even the best looking DVDs to shame.
Current DVD and Blu-Ray do have 3D versions released but they are all done with the anaglyph method (red blue glasses) which fuzzes the picture, ruins all color definition, creates a ghosting around the image, and all around looks bad. Personally until full color polarized 3D is possible in the home I don't want any more 3D releases. 3Ds biggest obsticle is its past mistakes. Thanks to analyph 3D people may believe that 3D in the home requires huge compromise in color and picture quality and thus ignore the technlogy. Hopefully proper 3D will be able to put all analyph memories behind it and push ahead.
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