'Australia' move triggers Oz anger
Luhrmann film to open one day before Bond
|
More Articles:
Most Viewed:
Anderson working on 'Master'(5545 views)Sundance unveils competition lineup(5398 views)Comcast, GE unveil NBC U deal(3325 views)NBR's best: 'Up in the Air'(3253 views)Sundance unveils complete lineup(2946 views)Johnny Depp eyes Pancho Villa role(1900 views) |
Most exhibs and distribs at the annual Australian Intl. Movie Convention in Queensland say the decision will hit the box office.
"It's suicide that the two major movies of the quarter [will] go out," so close to one another, said Kieren Dell, owner of the five-site Majestic cinemas loop in regional New South Wales.
"Australia's" release date made sense in the U.S. because it coincides with the Thanksgiving Holiday, Dell said. "But it doesn't factor Australia into it."
Sony topper Stephen Basil-Jones told the audience for the Sony presentation at the confab that Fox's decision last week, 12-weeks from release, was "predatory." "It benefits no-one, it's cast a nasty cloud over the industry," he said.
Exhibbers expect Sony will bow to pressure and release "Quantum" earlier but Basil-Jones said that would not be that easy.
Sony chose Nov. 27 for what will be its biggest pic this year because date worked exceptionally well for "Casino Royale" in 2006 and because it would not cannibalize Fox's original plans for "Australia."
Marketing plans, which include a tour by Daniel Craig, might not be easily changed.
Including these two, biz had five pics spread from mid-November through mid December -- "High School Musical 3," "Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince" and "Madagascar 2" release the first three weeks of December.
Fox has high hopes for the Baz Luhrmann romantic epic starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman, which rolls out internationally at Christmas.
Exhibbers were buzzing after Jackman gave a half-hour tubthump to "Australia" and "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" at Fox's confab presentation on Tuesday, before the Sony presentation.
