BOX OFFICE: This Is How Much BATMAN v SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE Needs To Earn To Break Even
Warner Bros. has invested a lot of money in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the amount they're going to need to earn to break even will definitely surprise you. Hit the jump for details...
Variety has a very interesting piece up about where things currently stand with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and its chances of being a box office hit, with several experts weighing in on Warner Bros.' plans to launch a shared DC Films Universe. While everyone seems to agree that the movie not being a hit won't necessarily kill their plans for another ten or so adaptations over the next few years, the general consensus is obviously that it would be a lot better for all involved if Batman v Superman does end up connecting with critics and moviegoers alike. "It would be a slight exaggeration to say everything is riding on this film," one analyst told the trade. "But if they can’t make this sale to audiences, then they have a huge problem. They have told Wall Street they are going to grow earnings at Warner Bros. If you can’t make that franchise work, then you can’t achieve that goal."
However, things get really interesting when Variety mentions that Batman v Superman had a production cost of $250 million and an additional $150 million for global marketing. As a result, it will apparently have to gross $800 million in order for Warner Bros. to recoup their investment, but only if it were reliant on box office takings alone. Luckily, the film will benefit substantially from TV, merchandising, and various other areas, making it much easier for the studio to break even. It's also mentioned that studio insiders believe that $800 million figure to be inflated, though the movie will clearly have to do well in order to turn a significant profit. Early tracking is good though, so for now, it does look like Batman v Superman will perform well for them; ultimately, that first wave of reviews and word of mouth will be the deciding factor. What do you guys think about these latest details?