THE DAY AFTER
Surviving critical brickbats, threats of boycott from religious groups, and a kept-under-wraps promotional campaign, the screen adaptation of Dan Brown's hugely popular novel about dastardly shenanigans in the Roman Catholic Church debuted with an estimated $77 million in domestic ticket sales.
Worldwide the Sony release is estimated to have grossed $224 million.
"Incredible," exclaimed Rory Bruer, president of distribution for Sony Pictures. "Certainly for an adult movie -- and it kind of skews adult -- anything north of 50 [million dollars] is huge. . . . We always thought very possibly we could be in the 60 range, but when you hit 75 and end with $77 million it's quite extraordinary."
-Washington Post
As ‘The Da Vinvi Code’ first box-office take begins to stream in from opening weekend admissions, word is that tens of thousands of Italians have ignored the Vatican calls to boycott the film as the movie appears to have broken all box office records in predominately Roman Catholic Italy.
While distributor Sony Pictures will release worldwide sales data Sunday evening, initial figures for the movie adaptation of Dan Brown's bestseller earned 2 million euros (US $2.6 million) on its opening night in Italy.
That figure is nearly double Italy's previous top box-office earner, Oscar-winner Roberto Benigni's 1997 ‘Life is Beautiful.’
Italian news agencies reported record lines at theaters around the country while millions worldwide flocked to see the film opening weekend ignoring protests from Christian groups that called the picture “blasphemous."
-Monsters and Critics
"Mission Impossible Three was freakin' amazing," reported Shaun Groves, a Christian recording artist and local minister, upon exiting a Franklin, Tn theatre Sunday night. "I sent a message to Hollywood tonight that I want more action flicks by Scientologists. I think they got the message if you know what I mean?"
While no one interviewed at the Franklin cinema leaving MI3 got what Groves meant, they are no doubt a few of the millions of Americans choosing to boycott The Da Vinci Code, boycott boycotts of the Da Vinci Code and boycott Over The Hedge othercotts of the Da Vinci Code. As one Franklin resident confirmed, "I don't know nothin' 'bout no boycotts or nothin'. That was $%&*# cool! That bad guy was like really the baddest and the chick was hot, man."
-SHLOG.COM
Worldwide the Sony release is estimated to have grossed $224 million.
"Incredible," exclaimed Rory Bruer, president of distribution for Sony Pictures. "Certainly for an adult movie -- and it kind of skews adult -- anything north of 50 [million dollars] is huge. . . . We always thought very possibly we could be in the 60 range, but when you hit 75 and end with $77 million it's quite extraordinary."
-Washington Post
As ‘The Da Vinvi Code’ first box-office take begins to stream in from opening weekend admissions, word is that tens of thousands of Italians have ignored the Vatican calls to boycott the film as the movie appears to have broken all box office records in predominately Roman Catholic Italy.
While distributor Sony Pictures will release worldwide sales data Sunday evening, initial figures for the movie adaptation of Dan Brown's bestseller earned 2 million euros (US $2.6 million) on its opening night in Italy.
That figure is nearly double Italy's previous top box-office earner, Oscar-winner Roberto Benigni's 1997 ‘Life is Beautiful.’
Italian news agencies reported record lines at theaters around the country while millions worldwide flocked to see the film opening weekend ignoring protests from Christian groups that called the picture “blasphemous."
-Monsters and Critics
"Mission Impossible Three was freakin' amazing," reported Shaun Groves, a Christian recording artist and local minister, upon exiting a Franklin, Tn theatre Sunday night. "I sent a message to Hollywood tonight that I want more action flicks by Scientologists. I think they got the message if you know what I mean?"
While no one interviewed at the Franklin cinema leaving MI3 got what Groves meant, they are no doubt a few of the millions of Americans choosing to boycott The Da Vinci Code, boycott boycotts of the Da Vinci Code and boycott Over The Hedge othercotts of the Da Vinci Code. As one Franklin resident confirmed, "I don't know nothin' 'bout no boycotts or nothin'. That was $%&*# cool! That bad guy was like really the baddest and the chick was hot, man."
-SHLOG.COM
posted by Shaun Groves @ 5/22/2006
4 comments
4 Comments:
Wow... those last two paragraphs are the funniest thing I've read this week. Thanks for the pick-me-up on a rough Monday morning, Shaun!
you are so funny.
by the way, Life is Beautiful is such a great movie. I"m sure it's about a million times superior to the Da Vinci Code. oh well, Italy. you lost the chance to say you have class.
Very funny! I find it ironic that the Catholics seem to be the ones who flocked to it (in Italy anyway) when the Vatacin put out the boycott and it's the catholic church that seems to be the hardest hit by the obvious lies included in the book.
Beth
Although Italy is mostly Roman Catholic demographically, most of the younger people of Rome very rarely set foot in a church. My sister studied in Rome for a semester. When my parents visited, my dad was asked if he would read the scriptures because he was the only man besides the priest in the church.
Many people consider the Pope the father of Rome, but many do not regularly attend church, from what I have heard. At least, this is true in Rome.
Plus, you have to notice, they did everything right for getting an international blockbuster: action, lots of scenes in famous places around Europe, and many, many internationally-known actors.
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