THE SUICIDE SQUAD Had A Similarly Disappointing Weekend At The International Box Office, Likely Due To COVID

THE SUICIDE SQUAD Had A Similarly Disappointing Weekend At The International Box Office, Likely Due To COVID

We know The Suicide Squad underwhelmed at the North American box office this weekend, but Task Force X missed the mark overseas as well. Some of the possible reasons? COVID-19 and piracy. Check it out...

News
By JoshWilding - Aug 09, 2021 04:08 AM EST
Filed Under: The Suicide Squad
Source: Deadline

Over the weekend, we updated you on The Suicide Squad's surprisingly disappointing opening weekend in North America. There were factors at play (like the pandemic and that HBO Max release), but even taking those into account, it was an underwhelming result for James Gunn's DC Comics movie.

Thanks to Deadline, we now have some international numbers, and they're sadly not much better.

After debuting to $6.7 million from five overseas markets last weekend, a wider offshore release this weekend saw the reboot/sequel earn $35 million from 69 markets (we're sure Harley Quinn would appreciate that). This is below Birds of Prey's $36.6 million debut in 2020, but takes The Suicide Squad's current global total to a so-so $72.2 million.

As for what led to this happening, we've already mentioned the obvious contributing factors, but it sounds like closures in countries like Australia and Mexico could have hurt Task Force X's big screen return.

Also problematic according to the trade is the fact that the movie's title doesn't do enough to delineate itself from 2016's Suicide Squad, a movie not exactly fondly remembered by the majority of moviegoers. Piracy has also been an issue, especially as The Suicide Squad's HBO Max debut meant it was widely available in HD on certain websites literally within minutes of debuting. 

All eyes will be on Free Guy this weekend, as that's debuting globally and has a PG-13 rather than R. Should it blast past The Suicide Squad, then we'll have a better idea of whether the rating and pandemic were the issues or if it boils down to a lack of interest in these DC characters. 

How did you decide to watch The Suicide Squad this weekend?

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FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 8/9/2021, 4:37 AM
That’s a shame. I really enjoyed it.
globaltravels
globaltravels - 8/9/2021, 6:04 AM
@PlusUltra - not making a lot of money at the box office doesn't dictate how good a movie is. The only shame here is HBOMax releasing a perfect blu-ray version of the film for free on opening night. This same day release scheme is a huge reason this film didn't do well financially. The other factors being COVID and an R-Rating. It's still an excellent fun awesome movie.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 8/9/2021, 11:58 AM
@globaltravels - it hurts morale and sequels
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 4:39 AM
It's over for The Suicide Squad it was quick but a very painful death.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 4:48 AM
@DoubleD - Na I don't think its done for. Best reviews they could have hoped for. they may just try to convince Gunn if he returns to make it PG 13, to get the teenage audience in.

Shazam also had a weak intake for it's time but had great reviews and is getting a sequel.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 4:54 AM
@Jaykay21 - Great reviews by a few mean nothing when NO one show's up to watch. There is no general audience for The Suicide Squad that will turn into huge lost for ATT@T and WB.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 5:04 AM
@DoubleD - Few review? i've getting stellar reviews by many, more so than Shazam did. I also think that it's down to the marketing. They failed to really set it self apart from the Ayer version that everyone got hyped for, paid for and got dissapointed by, plus it maybe was too soon.

They really should have just added a subtitle and set it apart more for the general non fanboy audience. I'm sure it will come back in one way or another. I mean we're already getting Peacemaker
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 5:09 AM
@Jaykay21 - The Suicide Squad could of been at 100% at Rotten Tomatoes and if people don't show up to watch it's still a major flop.

Don't matter who's fault it was AT@T and WB not going gamble 100 of millions on a Suicide Squad 3 movie. If the general audience didn't like 1 or 2 there will be no 3.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 5:12 AM
@DoubleD - Would be happy to put a wager on that...Especially if James Gunn wanted to do a follow up. I mean DC films as so far in they're basically living in his ass now.

I may not be called suicide squad 3, but those characters will come back, the ones who survived anyway.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 5:15 AM
@Jaykay21 - Perfect Rotten Tomatoes score means nothing if NO one shows up to pay and watch your masterpiece.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 5:18 AM
@DoubleD - never said it was a masterpiece. I found it be quite boring at times to be honest. It started really strong, and got a bit so so until the end where it came alive again.

I'm just simply disagreeing that the suicide squad is done for in the movies. There is an audience, they just need to market it better.

You have a nice day now.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 5:24 AM
@Jaykay21 - Money will always be the final decision and reason if movies get a sequel. Not Rotten Tomatoes scores.
JDL
JDL - 8/9/2021, 5:38 AM
@Jaykay21 - Marketing can't make up for an audience who refuses to leave home and for piracy out the wazoo.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 5:46 AM
@JDL - I did my part. I paid to see The Suicide Squad in the movie theaters.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 5:52 AM
@JDL - Resepctfully disagree. If you remember much of the 2016 SS release, they had the soundtrack, all the music videos, all the tie in merchendising, etc and that got Box Office numbers, ok it wasn't a very good movie, but people went out to take it in. I don't remember if it was R rated though, but i don't think it was due to the lack of blood and f bombs. So that plays a part into how many people go out to watch it, especially if it's older adults who don't generally go out with their families (more/less ticket sales) to take the 2021 version in, and being more at risk to the virus.

Plus for an R rated movie, in pandemic times, i think the movie did ok, there just wasn't much exposure., or enough to differentiate it from the last one that people ended up hating.

Piracy definitly played a part in in like all the other big movies that came out this year. i understand the reasoning behind it from both sides though. but no doubt it's eating into revenue from exclusive theatrical releases.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 5:55 AM
@DoubleD - i remember WW84 being a flop and also getting bad reviews, and we're still scheduled to get the third one.. Just saying. Now i'm out!
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 6:06 AM
@Jaykay21 - Wonder Woman had AWESOME first movie by critics and general Audience. Huge box office success. WW84 was a flop but thanks to very successful first Woman Woman. Worth the gamble and risk for a third.

The Suicide Squad had back to back failures not going to be a third.

Seriously this isn't rocket science.
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 6:47 AM
@Jaykay21 - Yes first Suicide Squad made money because it was the first and marketed the Joker and Harley Quinn. But failed at the Rotten Tomatoes score really bad.

Rotten Tomatoes critics 26%

Audience Score 59%

Two strikes for The Suicide Squad with WB executives there will be NO Suicide Squad 3.

Bye done here,
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 6:51 AM
@DoubleD -

You

@Jaykay21 - Money will always be the final decision and reason if movies get a sequel. Not Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Also you

..."But failed at the Rotten Tomatoes score really bad, Rotten Tomatoes critics 26%"



See you later mate!
DoubleD
DoubleD - 8/9/2021, 6:55 AM
@Jaykay21 - There will be NO Suicide Squad 3.
JDL
JDL - 8/11/2021, 4:33 AM
@Jaykay21 -
1) Piracy. I checked and the last two Avengers films were available for downloading from Usenet in the first day of release. Usenet is 100% safe, torrents not always. I just can't see why these latest films would be pirated more than before for any reason other than people refuse to go into theaters.

2) Marketing on a large scale only works if it can bring in more to the studio /distributor than it costs and that's not happening. Even though viewing for the Olympics paled compared to the norm they still got most of the TV audience which eliminated that venue so tbh I don't think marketing had a shot even without Covid. YMMV.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/11/2021, 5:39 AM
@JDL -

With regards to point 1,
The movies that have been coming out on streamers day and date with theatres, have copies that are available to be pirated in 4k UHD on the same day. Not a camrip that has varying audio and terrible screen crop. So the quality is miles better. If you can get that at home on your high spec TV why bother going to the cinema, especially in a pandemic. It’s not fair to compare it to Endgame that came out in 2019 as that film was a culmination of everything before in the MCU and had that built in audience already, plus it was available to all ages, unlike TSS with was rated R. Yes Deadpool and Logan were also R, but they had the Fox's X-men franchise behind it with that built in audience. I’m not defending TSS, as it’s also not my favourite, but I do acknowledge it was an improvement on the first.
2. As above, TSS had one movie behind it, that wasn't critically received well, and the new one failed to really distinguish itself from the last, so that built in audience didn't come for it, plus the climate is different with COVID and knowing it’s coming out at the same time on a streamer or piratebay.
I can’t see how else the separation could have been made more prominent for it potential viewers if not done through marketing and promotion, and maybe making it available WW on PPV or something similar to it.
If you look at the numbers this week for most pirated movies TSS will come out on top multiple times. Do you mean to tell me that if this wasn’t available to be freely shared online, this wouldn’t have increased sales at the box office? IT is also highly pirated due to HBOMAX only being available in the US, so I can imagine the number would be slightly improved if it was available in other territories.
Either way you look at it, the box office intake was not great, but if Streaming, COVID-19 and it being a big budget R movie were not a hindrance I’m certain the numbers would have been better. Maybe not as good as SS 2016, but better.
JDL
JDL - 8/12/2021, 12:55 PM
@Jaykay21 -
1) OK if I understand you correctly you are arguing that the quality of the pirated copies released virtually at the same time as the movie has a significant effect on whether people head to the theater or not. If its a really good quality then more will stay home. This appears to assume that the majority of those who viewed on HBO Maz would have not changed their decision based on the quality of the rips. (FWIW I dl'd a couple and they are indeed nowhere near as good)

It's un-provable either way of course but I think that the refusal of many folks, especially those with children to set foot in a theater is much more important than the quality of the rips. The high quality rips (imo) are going to hurt. But regular, no-sub-required pvod and DVD's are going to bear the brunt of that (again, imo, YMMV).

2) More marketing, IF it was effectively done, probably would have helped differentiate TSS from its predecessor and at least a decent percentage of the HBO Max viewers would have braved the outside world and seen it at a theater.But the cost of doing that would not have brought anywhere near the results that you would have gotten pre-covid. You would have increased the loss and not helped HBO Max. That's a lose-lose result.
JDL
JDL - 8/12/2021, 1:48 PM
@Jaykay21 - I think we are going get a better picture of what's possible after Shang-Chi opens since there is no day and date and no 2K or 4K rips likely.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/13/2021, 3:26 AM
@JDL - The thing is, COVID exist, reluctance to go to the cinema exist, but consumers now have the option to go watch it in cinema, or to take out a subscription for HBOMax (if available), wait for it to come out on VOD or DVD, or pirate it in 4k. So having more choice other than going to the movies is always going to cut into the box office intake where studios make their most revenue. It's really that simple. So if in theory it's free to be pirated, then why are those people going to pay to see it?

I'm not against the choices as i understand the reluctance to go back to the cinema, but i'm a fan of movies, and studios are going to be taking less risk in greenlighting big budget movies if their returns are poor.

I think it's not fair to call anything a flop these days because of the climate. Everyone says Widow was a box office success, but that second weekend drop was horrible. But don't forget that movie was also not rated R.

We'll see what happens with Shang Chi, but there's not going to be any real box office success story until maybe Avatar 2 next winter.

I'm also predicting the same kind of 'flop' story for Dune despite me already knowing it's going to be a favourite before seeing it.
JDL
JDL - 8/13/2021, 4:44 PM
@Jaykay21 - I'm not sure we're going to be back even by X-Mas. I just saw an article saying the 55+ crowd is not going to the theater which when you add families with kids, is lot of butts not in seats. I'm seriously thinking it will be March at the earliest and that's IF Delta is done.

As for Dune I think it's bad material for a movie. The IP belongs to another generation. Otoh it might make a decent limited series over several seasons. There certainly is a lot of material to work with. Anyway I just feel it's out of date. YMMV.
Spidey91
Spidey91 - 8/9/2021, 4:45 AM
god damn. this movie did not deserve this fate.
Wolverine777
Wolverine777 - 8/9/2021, 5:38 AM
@Spidey91 - yes it did. And now this movie is going to cost people there jobs at WB & DC entertainment.
JDL
JDL - 8/9/2021, 5:39 AM
@Wolverine777 - Disagree. It was one of the few DC movies I've liked.
Wolverine777
Wolverine777 - 8/9/2021, 12:00 PM
@JDL - to each his own, but the film is getting panned and is a major flop. Heads will roll at DC and WB
JDL
JDL - 8/11/2021, 4:59 AM
@Wolverine777 - Panned ? Not from I've seen. B.O. of course is another matter altogether.
Conquistador
Conquistador - 8/9/2021, 4:46 AM
When it's successful it's 'box office record' (for pandemic times), when it's weak, it's all down to COVID.

Why can't it be because it was R rated, and because the it's available on streamers and pirate sites... or maybe because its not an audience favourite?

to be fair I thought the movie started pretty strong, I just got a bit bored about half way through. the ending was decent though.
nibs
nibs - 8/9/2021, 4:49 AM
lol nobody gonna want to see free guy either
Nunyabiz
Nunyabiz - 8/9/2021, 7:05 AM
@nibs - im going to see free guy in theaters with wife and two grandkids.
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