Box Office: 'Ba Bai' Beats Expectations
Due to the uncertainty of theatrical releases, streaming giants like Netflix have been able to increase their power in the film industry by having no issues releasing their own films. The Netflix original, Project Power, has been able to thrive due to the nature of Netflix’s business model. The film is directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman (directors of Paranormal 3 and 4) and stars Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The film, about a popular new pill that gives its users unpredictable superpowers for five minutes, has been getting moderate to bad reviews. However, Project Power was released on August 14th and has now reached a new milestone for Netflix. Since Netflix created their “Top 10 Watched” list back in February, Project Power is now just their second film to hold the number one spot on their Top 10 movies for double digit days (Spenser Confidential – 18 days). It remained the number one movie watched for 13 consecutive days, and is still in the Top 10 that includes television shows. Project Power seems to be on its way to be a success for Netflix.
Outside of the U.S. and streaming, in China, the blockbuster Ba Bai, is on its way to being very successful. Directed by Hu Guan and written by Guan and Rui Ge, the film is based on the story of eight hundred Chinese soldiers in 1937, who fight under siege in the middle of the Shanghai battlefield, completely surrounded by the Japanese army. Ba Bai’s budget is estimated to be $80 million and in a single week of being released in China alone (released August 21st), the film has already grossed $116 million. This number is not only incredible because of its limited release, but also because China has a 50% capacity in their theaters. Ba Bai’s international release in American and European markets is set for August 28th. Its global performance will only add to its early success at the box office.
John David Washington in Tenet
Box Office Roundup and Looking Ahead: As for films released straight to VOD services, some of these films have struggled, such as The Tax Collector which seems to be a complete flop. The film is about a man who works as a gangland tax collector for gangs in Los Angeles. It is written and directed by David Ayer (Suicide Squad) and stars Bobby Soto, Cynthia Carmona and Shia LaBeouf. Not only has the film been heavily critiqued, doing poorly on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, but it is suffering financially as well. The Tax Collector had a budget of $30 million and since its release on August 7th, it hasn’t even cracked a million dollars, only having made $815k.
It’s not looking good for other VOD films, as Trolls: World Tour has struggled as well. The follow up to the successful Trolls seems to be suffering from poor reviews and from not having a theatrical release. Unlike its predecessor that had a budget of $125,000,000 and made over $346 million worldwide, Trolls: World Tour had a budget of $90 million and has grossed $33 million from domestic VOD services and $13 million from its international theatrical releases. The film was released in April of this year, so its growth most likely has halted.
Looking forward, we shall see how the return of theatrical releases in the U.S. will have an effect on the film industry. Theaters across the country all seem to be preparing for one single movie, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet led by John David Washington, which is set to release on September 4th. Judging from Nolan’s past massive box office hits, like Inception, Interstellar, and Dunkirk, this seems to be a good bet that the film industry is willing to make. Just as China has, theaters will have limited capacity. However, the release of a film that some consider the most anticipated film of the year, may just be what the film industry needs to have somewhat of a return to normalcy.
