Feb. 5, 2007
 
‘WE ARE MARSHALL’: Nearly Seven Million People Have Been Herd Movie; New Film Stats For Your Amusement and Information
 
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Writer
 
Huntington, WV (HNN) – Although I do not know the specific producer or theatre executive who said it, I’m told producing a movie is financially like rolling dice. You do not know what to anticipate on the bottom line.
 
At the risk of crucifixion among Marshall movie supporters, here are some newly researched statistics for Warner Bros., the films they released in 2006, and “We Are Marshall.”
 
Despite grossing “only” $42.5 million plus, “We Are Marshall” ranks as slightly above Warner Bros. average gross of $41.5 million for productions release between 1995 to 2007, according to The Numbers movie website (http://www.the-numbers.com ).
 
The site has rankings that cover only 2006, thus “We Are Marshall" falls into a category of films that earns revenue over a two-year frame. Still, through Dec. 31, the site estimates that nearly 4 million moviegoers saw the Thundering Herd film (based on a $25 million gross through Dec. 31). Using their estimated average admission of $6.25 per ticket, about 6.88 million people (that includes repeat viewings) have seen the picture based on an approximate $43 million dollar gross!
 
Using 20/20 hindsight, personally, my analysis of “WAM’s” release suggests that its full potential blockbuster audience was pulled from it by a one, two, three punch -- “Rocky Balboa,” “The Pursuit of Happyness,” “The Holiday,” and a wealth of family flicks like “Night at the Museum” and “Charlotte’s Web.”
 
The Marshall film had good preview demographics and the viewers watching it at “sneak” previews raved. The production anticipated multiple appeal from sports oriented, feel good, female and family demographics.
 
When too many films go into release too rapidly, the moviegoing clientele makes choices. Often, in the summer, a film will be anticipated to do exceptional then perform lukewarm. When examined, the new film had to compete with too many additional films in its genre, which split the audience.
 
Essentially, “We Are Marshall”, despite a tremendous marketing campaign to improve awareness, opened Dec. 22, when it would be overshadowed by the “Night at the Museum” tentpole and the three other films that opened prior to it. Thus, for instance, sports fans headed first to “Rocky Balboa,” the ladies chose “The Holidays” chick flick over two sexiest men alive, and feel good word of mouth had already catapulted “Happyness” into must see status.
 
Fortunately, “WAM’s” numbers rose steadily throughout its first couple of weeks of release as ticket buyers discovered it after seeing their initial choice(s).
 
In any event, “WAM” fared slightly above average for a Warner Bros. release.
 
Between 1995 to 2007, Warner Bros. ranked second (Buena Vista/Disney was first) in total film grosses. The studio released 352 movies which took in $14.6 billion, an average of $41.5 million per picture.
 
By contrast, Buena Vista released 370 for a $16.4 billion gross and a $44.4 million average.
 
Sony Picture, 20th Century Fox, Universial and Paramount were next on this chart.
 
However, the film's budget figures prominently in finding a so-called profit for the studio. Hollywood has long been accustomed to "creative" accounting practices that's why often the actual budgets and costs for specific films are not released.
 
You notice that "Poseidon" tops "WAM" in gross, but although the big budget ($160 million) film tallied $181 million worldwide, it lost $69 million based on this site's estimate that the studio receives 50% of the tally. (The sites estimates do not include DVD, TV, or other media earnings. )
 
The most profitable movie based on return on investment was "The Blair Witch Project" which cost $35,000 to produce and returned $248 million worldwide, or 354,614.29% return. "Super Size Me" places fourth on that chart costing $65,000, making $29.5 million for a 22,614.9% return.
 
Tabulations of “We Are Marshall” daily earnings can be found by clicking:
 
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/2006/MRSHL.php
 
For further data, click: http://wwwthe-numbers.com/movies/records/budgets.php
 
But, remember, the total gross is only one measure of a movie’s impact. Many award winning films did not attract large number of movie goers to see them in the theatre. “It’s a Wonderful Life” had bad reviews and little attendance when the James Stewart movie first went out to theatres. It was not discovered until television stations thought it the perfect Christmas film… and the Frank Capra movie became a perennial classic.