More Details On JURASSIC WORLD'S 3D Performance From RealD!!

JURASSIC WORLD IN 3D SINKS ITS TEETH INTO APPROXIMATELY 48% OF ESTIMATED $204.6 MILLION DOMESTIC OPENING WEEKEND

RealD 3D Equipped Theaters Generated An Estimated $71 Million Of Which $10 Million Was From RealD 3D Equipped PLF Auditoriums

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (June 14, 2015) – RealD Inc. (NYSE: RLD) announced today that Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s epic action-adventure, Jurassic World, continued the strong performance of recent 3D titles in the marketplace generating approximately 48% of its domestic opening weekend gross on 3D equipped screens. RealD 3D accounted for an estimated $71 million of the weekend’s total box office. RealD 3D equipped PLF auditoriums were also in high demand, delivering $10 million of the opening weekend’s total.

In addition to its record-breaking box office distinctions and achievements, Jurassic World is the highest grossing domestic debut ever for RealD. The film surpassed the first movie in The Avengers franchise, which earned more than $70 million in RealD ticket sales in May, 2012.

“Jurassic World’s dino-sized debut is another strong indication that moviegoers want excellent 3D experiences and the studios are providing the best 3D offerings in years…maybe ever,” said Anthony Marcoly, President of Worldwide Cinema at RealD. “2015 will be remembered as a watershed year for this format with one of the strongest 3D slates we have ever seen.”

“Jurassic World in 3D is a fantastic experience which brings the audience closer to the action," said Nicholas Carpou, President of Domestic Distribution for Universal Pictures. "It is no surprise to us that audiences are responding in big numbers to this fantastic film."

Even Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow believes the moviegoing experience is enhanced when his film is seen in 3D. Said Trevorrow, “My goal with this movie was always to make sure Jurassic World felt like a real place and in 3D you feel like you are there… For us, it was about creating the most visceral, immersive experience possible. And this kind of technology (3D) does what I hope the whole movie does, which is make everyone in the audience—regardless of their age—feel like a kid again.”

Recent 3D successes worldwide have included San Andreas, Mad Max: Fury Road, and Avengers: Age of Ultron, among others. Upcoming this summer and through the end of the year, there is growing excitement for 3D motion pictures as diverse as Inside Out, Terminator: Genisys, Minions, The Walk, The Martian, Pixels, Pan, and Star Wars: The Force Awakens, among others.

The world’s most widely used 3D cinema technology, RealD 3D is installed in more than 26,500 auditoriums by approximately 1,200 exhibitors in 72 countries around the world.

About RealD Inc.
RealD is a leading global licensor of 3D and other visual technologies. RealD's extensive intellectual property portfolio is and can be used in applications that enable a premium viewing experience in the theater, the home and elsewhere. RealD’s core business is the licensing of RealD Cinema Systems and the product sale of RealD eyewear to motion picture exhibitors to enable a premium viewing experience for 3D motion pictures and alternative 3D content in the theater.

RealD was founded in 2003 and has offices in Beverly Hills, California; Boulder, Colorado; London, United Kingdom; Moscow, Russia; Shanghai, China; Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. For more information, please visit our website at www.reald.com.

About Jurassic World
In the new film, when the massive and mysterious Indominus rex stages an escape and disappears into the jungle, order turns to mayhem and guests turn into prey. Dinosaurs escape into the open, skies and water to engage in an all-out war for survival, and no corner within the world’s greatest theme park is safe anymore.

Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Omar Sy, BD Wong and Irrfan Khan star in the 3D epic action-adventure that is directed by Colin Trevorrow and based on characters created by Michael Crichton. The screenplay is by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver and Derek Connolly & Trevorrow, and the story is by Rick Jaffa & Amanda Silver. Frank Marshall and Patrick Crowley are producers. Steven Spielberg and Thomas Tull are executive producers. For more information on the movie, please visit www.jurassicworld.com

Will update you as I get more information!!

Guillermo del Toro Is AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS Once Again!

I have to say this project absolutely fascinates me. Guillermo del Toro came close with his James Cameron produced effort to obtain financing from Universal for AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS but in the end the studio backed out. And with that rejection del Toro decided that the project resembled Ridley Scott's PROMETHEUS too much and completely shelved it.

Or did he? Tom Cruise is STILL attached. I'm uncertain if Cameron is still around to produce (his life is about to get some Pandora pandemonium), but this thing is still alive. Sounds more like halfway between the back and front burners to me!

Now check what Guillermo had to say about the project:
"I'm going to try it one more time. Once more into the dark abyss. We're gonna do a big presentation of the project again at the start of the year and see if any [studio's] interested...Yeah, Tom [Cruise] is still attached. I think it would be so fantastic to make it with him. He's been such a great ally of the project."

And after seeing PROMETHEUS in theaters, del Toro seemed to be comfortable with the whole thing and laughed it off:
"I saw it finally and.. yes, there are things in common, but, you know, screw it. Lovecraft was there first."

...And a huge smile spreads across my face. AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS is an all or nothing effort and judging by the way PACIFIC RIM looks, I think he will get his financing finally. Will Legendary Pictures step up to the plate? Here's hoping! Imagine that Lovecraft classic amplified by del Toro's magic on the silver screen in 3D...

Source: Indiewire

PACIFIC RIM 3D Conversion Silver Lining - And What A Silver Lining!

You guys know me by now, if you're going to release a movie that's been converted to 3D you have to plan the production around that. So I mean, have a stereographer working side by side with the director to ensure the shots that are being set up and shot will work very well in three dimensions. That probably means a depth script even though it's not being shot in 3D. It also means consideration to how the movie is lit as well.

But then there's Guillermo del Toro. Obviously he was cleared to shoot PACIFIC RIM in 2D and no one is going to blame him for his reasons for doing so. He's the creative force. I may have a different opinion but would I have gone to see it in 2D? Absol-freakin-lutely.

Here's the thing though. Guillermo is one smart director. Legendary is calling the shots as far as money is concerned and wants it converted. So how can del Toro turn this into something wonderful? He's already in a compromised position due to the fact that he is now going to have a 3D movie that was shot for 2D. So how does he pull this off?

With suitable del Toro gusto. I love this guy! Guillermo is well versed in what makes great 3D and here's the proof - in his own words - on how he approached the executives (Warner Bros and Legendary):

"What happened was, in the weeks and months following Comic-Con, what I asked from the studio was to agree to four points that I wanted to do," he says. "The more the ILM shots arrived, the more I realized that there were only a few shots that would miniaturize. I asked the studio, number one, that we would not hyper-stereo-lize the thing. That we would not force 3D on the beauty shots. That we would keep the giant dimensions. They agreed. Number two, they agreed to something very unusual. Normally a conversion takes a few weeks. I asked to start it immediately so we could take the full 40 weeks to do the conversion. As an example, 'Titanic' took about 50 weeks to convert. The final thing that I asked that they agreed to, which was amazing, was that I asked them to give me an extra budget, which is considerable, to actually have ILM composite the shots that are CG native 3D. We're not giving elements. ILM is giving the composite in 3D from the get-go. That's a huge, huge element. Now I'm going to be involved in supervising it. What can I tell you? I changed my mind. I'm not running for office. I can do a Romney."

So to be clear, here's his list:
1. Don't exaggerate the 3D during some of the massive robot shots - his 'beauty shots'.
This makes sense. Some shots simply will not hold water if you force 3D upon them. Further, audiences need time to relax their eyes in between full immersive 3D. A 3D movie does not need to be, nor should it, always be forcing 3D - unlike some movie blog sites out there that claim they should be by how they rate the genre.

2. He got Legendary to agree to a 40 week conversion!
This is massive. Of course there is more to getting this job done than time, but time is one of the key components of any great conversion. You need time, money, appropriate content and resources. With 40 weeks, you can strike that component concern off the map. Love it!

3. Asked for and received more money - then throwing this at ILM for native 3D visual effects scenes!
The most intricate conversions would have been the action and impact scenes. In one fell swoop, Guillermo negotiated for and won the right to pay Industrial Light and Magic to not only fulfill his visual effects needs, but to render them in native 3D from the beginning. No need to convert these scenes and we'll end up with awesome 3D.

Don't fool yourself. Guillermo del Toro knows what he is doing in 3D. He hasn't shot in native 3D yet, but given his past awareness of the format (he spoke about myself and 3D right here), his clear knowledge of the format in what he negotiated for and won from Legendary for PACIFIC RIM, and of course his close friendship with James Cameron (they were going to do AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS together) - shows his affinity for what we know and love here at MarketSaw.

Best of luck with the conversion Guillermo! You truly have my support in this. You've addressed your needs to make a great 3D conversion and I for one, believe you can do this thing. You've rightly said that TITANIC took 50 weeks and it was a stunning conversion. Can't wait to see this thing on as large a 3D screen as I can find! Bring it on GDT...

PACIFIC RIM opens in 3D on July 12, 2013.

Source: STYD
Thanks: David S. Cohen

GODZILLA Will Strike In 2014... In 3D!!

Music to my ears! As I have been hoping, Gareth Edwards' GODZILLA will be in fact be presented in 3D. Not sure if he means to shoot natively or have it post converted, but the decision at least has been made to have 3D in mind at the minimum.

Mark May 16, 2014 in your calendars... Godzilla will rise again!

You will remember Edwards from his intelligently shot MONSTERS from 2010 which was shot on a woefully small budget, yet projected as a much bigger studio movie. Loved it. He is definitely the man to resurrect the Godzilla brand and inject some energy. Further, he wrote, designed, filmed and did the visual effects on MONSTERS too, so his hand will be creatively on just about everything. He kind of reminds me of a young James Cameron.

Here's the press release:
Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have slated their take on the classic Godzilla franchise to kick off the Summer moviegoing season on May 16, 2014. The joint announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, and by Legendary Pictures.

Toho Co., Ltd.’s Godzilla franchise contains one of the most widely recognized movie monsters worldwide, including more than 25 films, multiple television programs, video games and book series. Legendary, which has been developing the project, and its partner Warner Bros. will return the character to its epic roots with a gritty, realistic actioner. The project will fall under Legendary’s overall agreement with Warner Bros.

The film is directed by Gareth Edwards, who earned worldwide acclaim for his feature directorial debut, “Monsters.” Edwards directs from a screenplay by David Callaham (“The Expendables” films), David S. Goyer (the “Dark Knight” trilogy) and Max Borenstein (upcoming “The Seventh Son”). Legendary’s Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni will produce, along with Roy Lee, Dan Lin and Brian Rogers. Alex Garcia and Patricia Whitcher will serve as executive producers alongside Doug Davison, Yoshimitsu Banno and Kenji Okuhira.

A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, except in Japan, where it will be distributed by Toho Co., Ltd. The tent pole film is expected to be presented in 3D.

Finally. Will we see the Godzilla movie we've all been waiting for?