[Nate Dawg]

This one really just causes to me scratch my head.

I read an article today that says Beetlejuice 2 is going to potentially gross the entirely of Frozen Empires domestic box office take in a single weekend. About 100-110 million.

Beetlejuice! What? How?

I don’t understand this. Beetlejuice was a fun little film that’s usually on around Halloween but it was no Ghostbusters from a cultural phenomenon standpoint. Sure it had a cartoon but the movie has never been a juggernaut of GB1 or even GB2 proportions.

I asked this in a pre-existing Frozen Empire thread but what’s happening here? Some people have blamed the 2016 movie for messing with the hype of a real 3rd film which set the entire franchise off in the wrong direction? I don’t know if that’s true but it’s gotta be something.

It’s not just that Beetlejuice is potentially going to out gross Ghostbusters Frozen Empire in a single weekend, but it’s doing it in September(a slow month) and it’s doing it in a way that could be over well over double the highest opening weekend of the ghostbusters franchise.

I’ve enjoyed the last couple Ghostbusters movies. But other people seem like they don’t care and they aren’t caring for a reason. We saw recently that Frozen Empire had really good numbers on Netflix. So something is preventing people from seeing these movies

Does this feel right to anyone? Beetlejuice almost out grossing the latest ghostbusters movie on it’s opening weekend? And I’m not saying that movie doesn’t have its fans but I don’t think the movie has its own fan site or active subreddit. Not real active fanbase to think of so far as I know.

I feel like Ghostbusters should be like one Sony Crown Jewels.

Maybe we need to consider that the public just isn’t interested in the continuing adventure of the Spengler family? Sure most of us fans eat it up but regular folk just don’t care enough.

[timeware]

I think your'e understimating the popularity of Jenna Ortega and Michael Keaton a little bit. Plus sony's doing a bit more advertising then Empire did so it's got that going for it. IDK, it looks like it might be interesting and actualy good. I could end up being totally wrong in my viewing of the trailers but we'll see.

[Rookie99]

Ghostbusters has been back to the movies with a reboot and two sequels. This is the first time ol' Bugdrinks been on the silver screen since the 80s. Add on top of that the popularity of Jenna Ortega, Wiynona Rider, a successful cult musical that introduced the character to a new generation, and a frankly solid trailer and marketing campaign(Tragedy has been stuck in my head for weeks), and I get it.

[Mercifull]

Smaller cast, simpler story, jenna ortega. Enticing to new (younger) as well as old audiences.

[Nate Dawg]

I think your'e understimating the popularity of Jenna Ortega and Michael Keaton a little bit. Plus sony's doing a bit more advertising then Empire did so it's got that going for it. IDK, it looks like it might be interesting and actualy good. I could end up being totally wrong in my viewing of the trailers but we'll see.

Jenna Ortega doesn’t have a higher fanbase than the combined cast of Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Patton Oswalt, Kumail Nanjiani, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd etc?

And Michael Keaton is great but The Flash had him back as Batman and no one cared. He’s been in a few underperforming movies.

I think you are right about the Trailers. It’s had good marketing but 110 million? I can’t fathom it being THAT MUCH higher than frickn Ghostbusters.

Why aren’t these GB movies connecting with audiences like they should? Too many sequels? Bad trailers?

[mrmichaelt]

Eh I disagree with the prompt, too, and I thought the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailers were bad and am concerned they're showing all of his scenes in them.

It is in an unfortunately similar position as Frozen Empire though, in a week Beetlejuice will have steep competition in the new animated Transformers movie so we'll see how well it does. I've seen mixed reviews for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice whereas Transformers One had really good reviews.

[timeware]

People were genuinely excited about Michael Keaton being back as Batman. If they had axed Miller over his shenanigans, the movie could have done better. I felt Keaton should have been brought back in his own film honestly. I watched it on Netflix and was genuinely creeped out by it.

Beetlejuice isn't going through delays. Plus, The Flash was a chaotic mess. Wednesday was a very popular series on Netflix, although the same could be said about Stranger Things.

I hope Beetlejuice does well and doesn't flop. I can already guess what the third movie could be titled. Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Lydia if she ends up marrying him, or Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice. Lol. Cinemark is already sold out of their merch. So there's an obvious interest in the film.

[ccv66]

It's probably not about Beetlejuices popularity, but Ghostbusters is a Watertown franchise.

If there was only 84 Ghostbusters and the rest of the cast aged like Ernie Hudson, a new GB sequel would be on the same level

That being said, I'm glad the sequels exist

[Hairy Biker]

I think your'e understimating the popularity of Jenna Ortega and Michael Keaton a little bit. Plus sony's doing a bit more advertising then Empire did so it's got that going for it. IDK, it looks like it might be interesting and actualy good. I could end up being totally wrong in my viewing of the trailers but we'll see.

Jenna Ortega doesn’t have a higher fanbase than the combined cast of Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Patton Oswalt, Kumail Nanjiani, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd etc?

I'm pretty sure she does.

Between Wednesday and Scream she's become rather popular, especially amongst teen girls. I have family members going to BJ2 simple because of her. Shes this generations Winona Ryder/ Christina Ricci.

Finn Wolfhard is popular yes, but outside of Stranger Things hes stuff isn't really viewed.

Paul Rudd is constant. But sometimes even he can't save the box office.

Before Eternals I'd never even heard of Kumail Nanjiani so you're very much over estimating his popularity.

Patton Oswalt was never a headliner and his popularity is very much take it or leave it.

As for Aykroyd and Murray I think you're biased. In todays market they're old guys, former stars whose popularity ran out in the 90s. Whens the last time Aykroyd headlined a film? He's been a With/And credit for 20 years now. He's a cameo player.
While Murray had better success even he's not the draw card he used to be.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has the combined talent of Ortaga, Keaton, Catherine O'Hara (coming off Schitts Creek) and Winona Ryder (riding high on ST).
Of course it's going to make big bucks.

Sadly Ghostbusters is pretty niche. 2016 didn't help. Some people weren't aware Frozen Empire was a 4th film, they thought is was the 3rd.

We're also very biased because of how much we love Ghostbusters, but the simple fact is the general movie going audience simply isn't.

[WCat2000]

Beetlejuice is pretty popular. I know people have wanted a sequel for a long time. I wouldn’t say it’s hiatus became a huge deal like it did for GB but people wanted another one.

This will make you happy...I’m wearing one of my Ghostbusters shirts today (just has Ecto1 and logo) and I had to sign for a delivery. The lady said I like your shirt and I said thank you. She asked if I liked Frozen Empire. I said ya I did, did you? She said she liked it too.

[Rookie99]

It's also officially spooky season, maybe that has something to do with it.
You know we've said his name enough times, I'm surprised the ghost with the most hasn't made an appearance yet.

[Chicken, He Clucked]

Jenna Ortega has 38million instagram followers.

Wednesday, I think, still holds the record for most viewed english show on Netflix.

I would say the entire reason Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice got yanked out of development hell at this point was to cash-in on her involvement.

Finn Wolfhard is popular but significantly less so and no longer synonymous with Stranger Things these days, which is a show past it’s peak.

I’m surprised Beetlejuice 2 is more positively anticipated than Ghostbusters and likely to make more box office - but this is partly due to the 2016 reboot and covid, and most likely due to Ortega’s casting at the height of her popularity.

[Nate Dawg]

Jenna Ortega doesn’t have a higher fanbase than the combined cast of Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, Patton Oswalt, Kumail Nanjiani, Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd etc?

I'm pretty sure she does.

Between Wednesday and Scream she's become rather popular, especially amongst teen girls. I have family members going to BJ2 simple because of her. Shes this generations Winona Ryder/ Christina Ricci.

Finn Wolfhard is popular yes, but outside of Stranger Things hes stuff isn't really viewed.

Paul Rudd is constant. But sometimes even he can't save the box office.

Before Eternals I'd never even heard of Kumail Nanjiani so you're very much over estimating his popularity.

Patton Oswalt was never a headliner and his popularity is very much take it or leave it.

As for Aykroyd and Murray I think you're biased. In todays market they're old guys, former stars whose popularity ran out in the 90s. Whens the last time Aykroyd headlined a film? He's been a With/And credit for 20 years now. He's a cameo player.
While Murray had better success even he's not the draw card he used to be.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has the combined talent of Ortaga, Keaton, Catherine O'Hara (coming off Schitts Creek) and Winona Ryder (riding high on ST).
Of course it's going to make big bucks.

Sadly Ghostbusters is pretty niche. 2016 didn't help. Some people weren't aware Frozen Empire was a 4th film, they thought is was the 3rd.

We're also very biased because of how much we love Ghostbusters, but the simple fact is the general movie going audience simply isn't.

You’ve never heard of Kumail Nanjiani before Eternals? Interesting. He was nominated for an Oscar for the movie The Big Sick. It’s pretty good. Check it out. He also Starred in a pretty big & popular HBO TV comedy show. I’m not trying to suggest he was the next Tom Cruise but he’s a known quantity.

I’m still not sure if Jenna Ortega makes that much of a difference. I think if she did logic would dictate her other film projects without any IP recognition would be doing huge numbers. Right? I think that makes sense? She had a paramount+ movie that didn’t do much of anything. She had a movie come out earlier this year that most people have probably never even heard about. “Millers Girl”. I hadn’t even heard about it.

She no doubt has fans that will show up because she’s in it but if instagram followers or twitter followers translated to box office success movies would be a very different thing. I guess the question is, how much of that supposed 110 million(if this tracking can be trust & is correct) could be laid at Jenna’s feet?

And I think maybe you misunderstood or more likely I misrepresented why I was naming all the stars for Ghostbusters. I was attempting to say it has these people AND it’s a Ghostbusters movie. I wasn’t trying to say they were all massive stars. But their cumulative “star power” didn’t matter at all.

Beyond someone like Taylor Swift or Beyoncé the movie star seems to be a dead & dated concept. Maybe Denzel W.

And is Ghostbusters NICHE? I don’t know. Im not sure I’d agree with that. Let’s not forget it opened to #1, above 40 million dollars and just had a HUGE #1 debut on Netflix. that doesn’t exactly meet the definition of niche.

I would say Ghostbusters doesn’t seem to be meeting its monetary potential as a previously extremely lucrative franchise and cultural phenomenon. There’s lots of evidence the interest is there. People seem to generally, passively, enjoy Ghostbusters. Loving ghostbusters doesn’t mean we can’t look at the numbers and see a disconnect.

Audiences are not showing up when it matters. Ever since I saw those amazing Netflix numbers this disconnect has really been bothering me.

Here’s an interesting thought experiment each of you can answer in your own way. Let’s pretend there’s never been a ghostbusters sequel of any kind. Just the original classic 1984 film and the cartoons. Ghostbusters Afterlife opens in place of Frozen Empire this past March. It’s the exact same Afterlife we saw in 2021 only it’s the second film in the franchise.

What do we think that movie opens to? The same general 40-45 million? Do we get closer to Beetlejuice 2 numbers? Do we surpass them? Just interested to see what people here think

[mrmichaelt]

Probably would have done better.

Beetlejuice doesn't have the issues that came with a reboot, delays from covid, delays from the strikes nor has it lost its original director. But I think the bigger trend is the box office has become unpredictable in recent time.

I think I'm an outlier. I'm not very familiar with Ortega's body of work but I've heard of the name when I read online news like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Scream, and Wednesday. Apparently I have seen 2 things with Ortega in it but I didn't know that was her until I looked at her filmography: Iron Man 3 and Insidious Chapter 2. I had no clue O'Hara and Ryder were still active either. I tuned out of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice after the first teaser, looked awful to me so the box office predictions are naturally a surprise to me. Shrug.

I've followed Kumail's work since Michael & Michael Have Issues. Oswalt, man, probably since King of Queens. Rudd, since that Halloween movie he was in. Even for Afterlife, hmm, I'd seen Mckenna in Captain Marvel and the one Anabelle movie she was in. Coon I remembered from Gone Girl and Infinity War. I guess it was luck of the draw that I was fairly knowledgeable of the new cast in the GB movies.

I think we need more data. Bring on Gremlins 3!

[timeware]

Just looked up Zach Gallagan. Can't even tell he played Billy. Lol. I mentioned it once before but I think Oretega would be a good fit for a live action Kylie but i'm sure she doesn't want to be cast as the goth girl for the rest of her career.

Yeah, hopefully the next Ghostbusters film goes off without a hitch, but it would be kind of nice to see Beetlejuice and Ghostbusters on the same theatre schedule.

So you aren't far off from the trailer speculation. Just got back from seeing the film. Beetlejuice is better then what
I thought it would be. I think he might have even a little bit more screen time then the first film but his presence isn't just a one off few minute thing. It's constant, and well timed . Anywho, I wouldn't place it better then afterlife but it was given the right amount of running time to close the franchise and leave it open for a sequel if they plan to do beetlejuice,beetlejuice, beetlejuice.
Missed the sandworm buckets by an hour, but the Handbook for the Recently deceased tin is a good tin worthy of displaying fictional books of the dead

This Post Contains Spoilers

[Nate Dawg]

Beetlejuice is pretty popular.

I guess the question is MORE popular than Ghostbusters?

I don’t see much of an active fan base?

But then I guess I also had this thought. If beetle juice opens to these numbers that are being predicted it’s opening better than any movie with the word “X-Men” in the title, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & the last Indiana Jones movie

And there is no way in heck Beetlejuice is more popular than those franchises.

So I guess it’s not as simple as popularity=Bigger Box office numbers. Like others have said it’s just the right movie, with the right cast at the right time

[timeware]

Both fandoms are on par with each other. Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice both have a cult following while their logo's are pretty iconic. Beetlejuice pretty much launched Tim Burtons career. Besides being a halloween staple, since 1988 Beetlejuice has also been a part of Universal for I believe that long as well.

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if Beetlejuice has some devoted websites like GB Fans. Look at Nigthtmare before Christmas and how popular that franchise is. The haunted Mansion/ Nightmare Before Christmas has some Beetlejuice nods if you can spot them during the ride.

[RealGhostbusterJay]

Both are enjoyable fandoms and most myself included grew up loving both those properties and the toy lines, cartoons for them.