And it was day and date with Netflix in parts of the world, meaning it’s readily available all over the Internet in 1080p.

Twitter discussing movies and box office is the absolute WORST. I hate it with a passion. Nobody knows what the fuck they're talking about. Ever.

It's going to finish with a higher gross than Edge of Seventeen. I'd say that's a big win.

I'm shocked too it's getting that much attention. It did completely average for what it was, nothing too special.

I think it could have easily been a big hit in a less crowded weekend, Annapurna did what they could to promote it and the movie has outstanding ratings and reactions from SXSW. And Blockers did fine but really should have done 100 M+ like Girls Trip the year prior

It's the most critically well-received straight comedy in a very long while that went straight into wide release, so finishing outside of the top 5 for the weekend, with a sub-$3k PTA that almost guarantees that it'll lose most of its theaters in its 3rd and 4th weekend, surprised a lot of people. I had it going $10-11 million for the weekend, so I was a little surprised myself. It also probably doesn't help that it happened the same weekend that Aladdin way way outdid some weak tracking despite early bad buzz, so that's leaving some people even more bitter.

I loved the movie (best high school comedy since Mean Girls, IMO), so I feel the frustration, and it's become a good time to broach an under-discussed topic: comedies are kind of dying at the box office. They still make money as long as the budget is low, but last year, the closest we came to a straight, original comedy grossing over $80 million domestic, out of 38 movies, was Green Book. The year before, the only straight original comedy above $60 million was Girls Trip. Last year did have some comedies finish in that range (Night School, Game Night, Book Club, Instant Family, Blockers), but the days of a straight comedy making $150+ million alongside the nine-figure-budgeted blockbusters seems to be dead, unless it's based on something pre-existing like Crazy Rich Asians.

All that plus Booksmart opening DOA makes me worry that anything without a pre-established star or multiple well-established actors is gonna start getting pushed out of the studio system, forced to go the indie route where a blockbuster comedy idea is made on a micro-budget and never given a real opportunity, or pushed to Netflix where it's gonna look cheap as fuck (I watched Wine Country last night, if that's what more comedies are gonna start looking like please take the genre out back and shoot it now).

Thank god for Girls Trip or I’d be seriously worried about comedies, and this movie is extremely well received and I feel could top the box office and do great numbers in a better time of the year honestly, and social media jokes are no substantive for kick ass comedy films

I hope it has good legs

I think there have been some great mainstream-ish comedies in the last five years like Game Night, The Big Sick, and The Edge of Seventeen, but I guess I get this argument. As legs become weaker and weaker though, It is becoming a bit of a downward cycle where less and less people rush out to go see a comedy, so when it opens weaker than other bigger event movies, it has less of a chance to have strong legs like some of the movies you mentioned.

Game Night had some great holds and managed a 4+ multiplier, but it was losing hundreds of theaters from its third weekend on, which probably hurt it even more. If it had opened closer to $25 million, I could have seen it topping that $125 million mark. Similarly, I wasn't a big fan of the movie, but Instant Family resonated very strongly with the audiences that saw it, and it had some great holds over its first month of release. But since it opened to only $14.5 million, it was quickly kicked out of theaters once the holidays rolled around. I think a $20+ million opening for it would have helped get it to $100 million.



I do think you're also onto something here. I mean, BOM included Spider-Man: Homecoming on its "Comedy - High School" chart, which uh, I guess, barely? Also more adults are going to animated films than ever, which also usually scratches the comedy itch. And yeah, comedy has become easier to access via social media than ever before, so paying money for 90-120 minutes of what might be hit-and-miss humor doesn't cut it as much.

I mean, The Office is the most watched thing on Netflix. It hasn't been on in 6 years!

Yeah, I do think people in comedy have also contributed to the downward cycle, in that no one really puts effort into mainstream comedy the way they use to. I really realized this when I watched Overboard last year with my mom - very few people are attempting that kind of silly, broad comedy anymore, even though there's an audience for it when it's done well (or even when done barely adequately, as in the case of that movie). Everything is so niche-y and specific, I'm not sure anyone is really attempting to make a good comedy with broad appeal. Lionsgate is actually one of those few, as Spy Who Dumped Me and Long Shot both feel like late '90s movies (and were both solid IMO), but they lack the marketing prowess to get a buncha people to see them.

Felt like a total non starter to me the minute I looked it up - no stars, no visual concept, R rated but with young girls, and felt like the next "Smart People" which made 9.5 m total. It also reminds me a bit of "Post Grad" which did 6.4 m.

There's a whole genre of "tough/odd/lost young girls doing shit" movies that are box office flops - it's a really hard genre to sell, unless you can sell it young males.

Because people that use Twitter are morons?

God forbid men can't enjoy movies about women, it's 2019!!!!!!! Good grief, as a proud male feminist this attitude is ridiculous. This movie is wonderful and should have great legs, it should break even anyway as I can't imagine its budget is very high

And these people are NOT dumbasses! I wish this could do Girls Trip numbers, which is a classic btw. I refuse to believe that comedy is dead, MA has some comedic moments too from what I've heard (I'll find out tomorrow night)

Men can enjoy movies about women. But just because it's about women doesn't mean they must like it. Men are also allowed to have their own taste. It's not too surprising when a Chinese person likes a Chinese movie. The same goes for a man liking a male-oriented movie.

Of course, it's just I've seen so much cynicism on forum movie sites especially related to female comedians and comedies involving women that I don't think are written by other females.

Of course, it's just I've seen so much cynicism on forum movie sites especially related to female comedians and comedies involving women that I don't think are written by other females.

Everything you said is correct. The Ringer calling it a bomb is embarrassing.

It still should have done better. The trailer always played well and the reviews were fantastic. How do you make a comedy an event in 2019? I guess the 17-22 year olds who could have made this the new Superbad would rather just watch Superbad and other late 2000s comedies on netflix. The Ringer also posted a piece about how great Walk Hard is, which was an actual flop since comedies made $100M on the regular back then.

Women aren't funny.

You do understand that when someone says that they are not expressing a fact, but an opinion, right?