For commercial films, the real impact of media reviews, whether positive or negative, remains uncertain because the box office performance of blockbuster films is ultimately in the hands of the audience.
In 2006, Warner Bros. invested $300M in "Superman Returns", which made a dazzling debut in the summer season. After the premiere, it garnered unanimous praise from film critics, with a media review score of 72, pushing this film to a peak. At that time, "The Dark Knight" hadn't been released yet, and many media outlets exclaimed that "Superman Returns" was the best superhero film since "Spider-Man"!
All signs indicated that this film would become a box office bomb in the summer season, sweeping everything in its path. However, after the film was released, it faced a collective negative response from the audience. Its IMDb score was 6.1, the popcorn index was 61%, and its cinema score was B+. It faced a comprehensive failure.
In the end, "Superman Returns" only managed to achieve $200M in North America and $390M globally. Considering the high investment and promotional budget, Warner Bros. incurred a loss of over $170M, plunging into an abyss of despair. This sent shockwaves throughout the Warner Bros. leadership and nearly resulted in the permanent shelving of the Superman project.
In other words, what professional media likes, the audience may not necessarily like. High media review scores don't guarantee outstanding box office results.
After the premiere of "Fast 5", despite its impressive media review score of 73, feedback from the audience was still incomplete. In other words, the tragedy that befell "Superman Returns" could still happen.
Moreover, this wasn't even the iconic Superman character, who had dominated the movie screen for three decades and had a massive fan base. The previous four films in the series hadn't managed to break free from the mold of B-movies, with the highest North American box office being only $155M. So, if even "Superman Returns" failed, what about "Fast 5"?
In the end, whether it's a donkey or a horse, you have to see it with your own eyes, especially with the sudden emergence of Renly Hall. For many ordinary viewers, they had never heard of Renly before this news event. Now, it seemed like overnight, he had taken over the front pages of major media outlets.
It was like a cycle of fate—once again, the question of "Who is he?" emerged. However, this time, it wasn't on internet forums led by Yahoo but among the primary target market composed of regular office workers and the middle class during the summer season.
April 29th, Friday.
Chanelle Laurent led the way energetically, followed by a group of about six or seven friends, chatting and laughing joyfully. They entered the Regal Cinemas Theatre directly, heading towards the ticket counter.
It was only 2 PM, still working hours, but the waiting area in the lobby was already crowded. The dense crowd left almost no empty spaces, and everyone had excited smiles on their faces. It didn't look like a movie theater; instead, it resembled a party scene or even a concert.
Standing in front, a group of about seven or eight people was queuing to buy tickets. While queuing for ticket purchases during the art cinema's limited screening period was not uncommon, this was the public release of a popcorn commercial film. There were dozens, if not hundreds, of cinemas in New York City alone. The fact that people were queuing and, more importantly, that it wasn't even the summer season, but the next week, was too rare to overlook.
"Really?" The friends standing behind Chanelle couldn't help but show surprised expressions, and their footsteps slowed down involuntarily.
Earlier, Chanelle had insisted they had to be there early, the very first to arrive, or they wouldn't be able to get movie tickets. At the time, they hadn't paid much attention, thinking Chanelle was overreacting. After all, how could there be a ticket shortage on the premiere day of a commercial film? However, the surging crowd in their line of sight made them less certain now.
The line shortened quickly, taking about seven minutes or so from front to back. It was now Chanelle's turn. She was well-prepared and said, "Four tickets for "Fast 5" at 2:25 PM."
The service personnel behind the counter wore a apologetic smile and said, "I'm sorry, there are no more tickets available."
Chanelle was momentarily stunned. She turned around and glared fiercely at her friends behind her. If they hadn't been so casual, thinking that arriving half an hour early was enough, how could this situation have happened? But it wasn't the time to settle scores now. She composed herself and added, "Give me six tickets, no, I mean, four tickets should be enough. If you really don't have any, then just give me one. One ticket."
The service personnel's expression became somewhat awkward, but they maintained a gentle smile. "I'm very sorry. What I meant to say is that all the tickets for this showing are sold out."
"How is that possible?" Chanelle, however, refused to believe it. But the apologetic expression on the service personnel's face remained unchanged. Chanelle's anger surged suddenly. She slowly turned around, her almond-shaped eyes wide, and while she didn't say a word, her sharp expression made it clear: she wasn't joking.
"Chanelle, for the next showing, come on, for the next one." One of her friends quickly stepped forward, stroking her temper, and said gently, "Watching the movie is the priority. These guys, we can settle scores with them later."
Chanelle gritted her teeth in anger, and her fierce expression instantly silenced everyone. They all obediently lowered their heads, and finally, Chanelle shifted her gaze. "So, for the next showing? Are there tickets?"
"Yes, the next showing is at 2:50 PM." It was evident that "Fast 5" had a substantial number of screenings. Regal Cinemas was the number one chain in the United States, so this was good news. "Eight tickets, please?"
"...Yes." Although Chanelle wanted to abandon this group of people and watch the movie alone, she remembered her mission. She had to introduce Renly to them today, so she swallowed her anger forcefully.
Who could have expected that on the first official premiere day of "Fast 5", the occupancy rates in various cinemas would be so outstanding? Friday was a workday, yet the ticket sales were still very impressive. For a commercial film, this undoubtedly marked a solid first step. At least in terms of generating buzz, the audience's curiosity had already been piqued, surpassing the previous four films.
April 30th, Saturday.
Tyronn Johnson felt like a young sapling surrounded by a school of sardines. The massive school of fish crowded together, leaving almost no gaps. In every direction—front, back, left, and right—every corner within his line of sight was packed with people. It reminded him of the bustling scenes during the release of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" in 2009.
Tyronn knew that such a comparison was highly inappropriate. "Fast 5" was not a fan-based film like "New Moon". However, the surging crowds before him did evoke memories of such scenes. The only difference was that two years ago, he was a spectator, watching those crazy fans queueing for tickets with a mix of schadenfreude and puzzlement, shaking his head in disbelief. Now, he was a participant, moving forward and backward passively amid the crowd.
Even the Toronto International Film Festival wasn't this crazy.
Although, it had indeed been an exceptionally lively period for news about "Fast 5". After the premiere, there had been one explosive revelation after another. Especially the surprise element of gaining unanimous acclaim from critics. This was undoubtedly the most sensational news since 2011. Everyone was curious about what had transformed this B-grade series and what kind of chemistry Renly's addition had brought to the film.
But could it really be this exaggerated? To even evoke memories of "New Moon", this was truly beyond belief.
However, looking at it from a different perspective, today was Saturday. The excitement from Friday had already made headlines in major newspapers. People's curiosity was rising rather than diminishing. On the first day of their weekend break, people couldn't resist coming to the cinema.
Tyronn suddenly regretted his choice. He should have come in the morning or at noon, not at 5 PM. This time was quite special. Couples came here for dates, watched a movie, and then had dinner together. It was the perfect date plan. Now, he could see one couple after another…
"Sir, how can I assist you?" Finally, it was Tyronn's turn. He quickly stepped forward. "I'd like to purchase two tickets for "Fast 5" at 8:15 PM. Are there tickets available?"
"Yes, there are still some available." The service personnel's response brought a radiant smile to Tyronn's face, which in turn lightened the attendant's mood. Chatting leisurely, they explained, "The showings at 5 PM and 6 PM are already 90% sold out. The occupancy rate is indeed impressive. Coming early to purchase tickets for an evening date is the right choice."
Tyronn nodded happily, indicating his agreement.
The box office on Saturday was even more booming than Friday. As the first day of the premiere weekend and a holiday, Saturdays had always been the day with the most explosive box office power. Many single-day box office records were created on Saturdays, and it seemed like "Fast 5" was no exception.
May 1st, Sunday.
Anita Tunisia, dressed casually and no longer resembling a head nurse, enjoyed a rare day off with her husband. They stood in front of the ticket counter, and instead of looking at the list of new releases above, she directly inquired, "I'd like to watch the latest movie, the one starring Renly Hall, the one everyone has been talking about this past week. It was even mentioned on SNL last night."
"Fast 5?" The service personnel quickly caught on, smiling.
Anita nodded repeatedly to confirm. Then, the service personnel proactively introduced, "All three showings at 8 PM are sold out, but there are still a few tickets available for the 9 PM showing. Does that time work for you?"
"Sold out?" Anita expressed surprise, exchanged a glance with her husband, and said with a smile, "It seems the little guy did well this time." Then she looked back at the service personnel. "No problem, we'll take the 9 PM showing. By the way, is this movie any good?"
"As for me personally, I really liked it. I've watched it twice already. As for other audience opinions, I've heard that the critics also liked it." The service personnel's beaming smile left Anita nodding repeatedly, more than satisfied.