The mega film company Warner Bros is staring down the end of a potential loss on “Justice League.” Rumors suggest that the film has cost far more to produce than it has been bringing in. While the figures are still in their preliminary stages, there is enough data rolling in to show that the numbers aren’t showing a positive outcome for the effort. Did they overbudget on their latest effort? Here is what we know so far.
Two in a row for Warner Bros?
The opening weekend of “Justice League” shows an improvement over the last project,
“Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justic and Suicide Squad.’ Even though the numbers are higher for this more recent project, it hit a scant $94 million for the first weekend of release wit totals so far, exceeding just $100 million. While this is just for the domestic run, it will need to do much better when it is released internationally.
Current projections
There is still time because the film will be in theaters for a little longer, but there is disappointment as the first showings usually draw the bulk of viewers, with smaller numbers trickling in throughout the remainder of the run. Analysts believe that the domestic run will yield a return of $235 million. It is expected that the international showing will bring in a higher total for an additional $400 million for a total of $635 million.
Are superhero movies a liability?
When we consider that the movie cost around $600 million to produce when you add the cost of salaries, production costs, advertising and so forth, it’s only brought in $100 million, which leaves a $400 million deficit as of right now. Will the international release perform as well as Warner Bros is hoping? It’s all speculation at this point, but if the experts have it right, there is a possibility, under the best of conditions, that the film will put the budget in the black to the tune of around $50 million. If they’ve missed their mark and the film doesn’t pull in the crows as predicted, the loss could be somewhere between $50 million and $100 million.
Comic boos vs film
“Justice League” is following on the heels of a wretched box office performance by its predecessor. This inspires the question, are superhero movies becoming a less popular viewing choice in theaters? Is this a trend that is going to continue? As of now, and with predictions in place, it is believed that “Justice League” could be the lowest grossing movie that has been released in the history of DCEU filmmaking. Do people just prefer their comic books to watching the adaptation of their favorite characters on film? If the past two releases are any indication, this could be the case.
It will be a month or so before we are given the final figures, but for now, “Justice League” is coming in on a low rung on the success ladder. The lack of inertia at the opener is more than likely a sign that this one is going to cost Warner Bros instead of bringing in the huge profit that they had hoped for.
