The opening battle, initially dismissed by industry insiders as a joke, had begun to transform with the passage of time. Now, laughter was a scarce commodity. "Fast 5" triumphed over "Thor", and this was no longer a mere potentiality but a growing reality.
In this moment, people finally grasped the essence of Hollywood, where anything was possible.
Previously, a forecast in Variety magazine had suggested that the opening weekend box office for "Fast 5" would likely fall between $75-80M, with little possibility of exceeding $80M. On the other hand, "Thor" held promising prospects of achieving between $93-98M in its opening weekend, retaining hopes of breaching the coveted $100M threshold.
It's worth mentioning that "Thor" was being compared to the benchmark set by "Iron Man".
Now, the opening weekend box office for "Fast 5" was sizzling at $95M, almost reaching the $98M of "Iron Man." Moreover, both films had garnered astonishingly similar critical acclaim and audience praise. Did this signify that "Fast 5" had a chance at crossing the $300M mark in North America?
In the 1990s, reaching $100M in North America was the litmus test for a film's success. People would say that Tom Cruise solidified his status as a box office superstar with five consecutive $100M films. However, in the twenty-first century, $200M gradually became the norm. Will Smith reached the pinnacle of his career with "I Am Legend" and "Hancock", both crossing the $200M mark.
Now, $200M was still mainstream, but it was becoming increasingly commonplace and ordinary. $300M was emerging as the new benchmark. Up to this point, thirty-six films in North American cinematic history had achieved box office figures exceeding $300M. Achieving such a milestone was the true indicator of a box office explosion.
Merely after the premiere, major media outlets had already begun discussing the possibility of "Fast 5" making a run for $300M. From this perspective, this film, born from a B-level franchise, had undergone a metamorphosis, transforming into a behemoth capable of shaking the entire North American box office market.
"Thor" suddenly found itself under immense pressure. Even if it achieved a respectable opening weekend as predicted by Variety, the battle for supremacy against the $95M of "Fast 5" remained an unknown, with victory or defeat likely hanging by a thread.
What's more, the opening weekend of "Thor" would coincide with the second week of "Fast 5". Would the strong performance of "Thor" cause a steep drop in the second-week box office of "Fast 5"? Or would "Fast 5" ride the wave, diverting the audience from "Thor" and causing the latter to fall short of expectations? This remained an enigma.
This was a war, a battle where bayonets were drawn, a battle of attrition, a fight for survival. The slightest negligence could lead to irreparable consequences. Moreover, even if "Thor" narrowly defeated "Fast 5", it would be a Pyrrhic victory. After all, just a few weeks ago, the two films were not in the same league at all. To salvage their pride and secure a decisive win, "Fast 5" would have to breach the $100M mark in its opening weekend; there was no other choice!
Apart from the box office rivalry between the two films, the attention-grabbing showdowns of "Renly vs. Chris" and "Renly vs. Natalie" continued to intensify. Riding the momentum of "Fast 5", the name "Renly Hall" was shooting up like a rocket.
Not only did he shine brightly in this popcorn movie, but, more importantly, he was an actor with exceptional talent. "The Pacific", "Buried", "Like Crazy" – each of his works received extensive acclaim. In this scorching and bustling summer, a radiant new star emerged.
It was unclear if it was an accident or fate. On May 1st, HBO officially released the DVD of "The Pacific". This signified that those who had missed the live broadcasts, replays, and on-demand viewings, those who had not subscribed to HBO, could finally savor this classic World War II series, especially the one crowned with the Emmy Award for Best Actor, Renly.
Renly had made his move. So, how would Chris respond? And how would Natalie counter? What was originally a contest of different calibers had now evolved into a clash of titans. The box office trends for this summer were becoming increasingly intriguing.
"You want a battle, and I shall give you one, as you desire."
Before "Thor" made its dazzling debut, the North American box office figures for the last week of April 2011 were revealed without suspense. "Fast 5" stood alone, breaking numerous April premiere records, sweeping aside all competition, and effortlessly claiming the title of North American weekend box office champion for the week. Other films graciously conceded, acknowledging its dominance.
Previously, the animated film "Rio" had held the crown for two consecutive weeks, but it now slipped to second place. Its weekend box office suffered a severe squeeze, with a forty-three percent decline, earning only $14M over the weekend. Nevertheless, this film, produced by Blue Sky Studios, had accumulated an impressive $104M over three weeks, a commendable performance. Furthermore, its overseas box office performance was even more remarkable, accumulating $160M over three weeks, catching the eye.
The film "Madea's Big Happy Family", directed, written, and starring Tyler Perry, earned $9M over the weekend, securing third place for the week.
Tyler Perry was somewhat of an anomaly in the North American film market. Each of his works was criticized by critics and audiences alike, described as vulgar, awful, and dull. They were also seen as formulaic and lacking in novelty. However, he remained unrepentant and unconcerned because his target audience was very specific: impoverished African Americans.
Thanks to incredibly low production costs and precise market positioning, his films miraculously hovered around $50M in box office earnings each time. Surprisingly, every one of his works turned a profit. The "Madea" series, in particular, had been in production from 2005 to 2016 and showed no signs of stopping.
In addition to these films, there was also "Water for Elephants", a romantic movie featuring renowned stars like Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz. Unfortunately, it suffered a setback in the second week, even falling behind the crass "Madea's Big Happy Family" with a deficit of less than $500,000, securing the fourth place for the week.
After leaving the "Twilight" series, Robert's fan appeal had returned to its roots overnight.
In fact, aside from "Fast 5", there were three other new releases. One was Disney's youth-oriented school movie "Prom". The second was "Hoodwinked Too! Hood vs. Evil", produced by the Weinstein Company. The third starred the new Superman, Brandon Routh, in a horror movie called "Dylan Dog: Dead of Night". The first two films were screened in more than two thousand five hundred theaters.
However, the results were nothing short of a horrifying massacre for these three films. Even the best-performing among them, "Prom", could only manage a meager weekend box office of $4.7M – a performance too dismal to bear. Clearly, in the face of the outstanding success of "Fast 5", all other films had been reduced to cannon fodder.
The spring season of 2011 concluded with "Fast 5" making history, and as Arbor Day passed, the summer season officially arrived, heralding the much-anticipated debut of "Thor". The other side of the opening battle was ready to respond!
If "Fast 5" had rapidly gained momentum in the past three to four weeks, entering the public's consciousness with a barrage of positive and negative news, then "Thor" had been the center of attention for the past half-year. This was Marvel's ambitious endeavor, following "Iron Man", and at times, it even overshadowed the preparations for "Captain America" happening concurrently.
From any perspective, "Thor" had the potential to achieve greatness. The production team, led by the producers, continued the same lineup as "Iron Man". Kenneth Branagh directed, and the cast included seasoned actors such as Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, and Stellan Skarsgård, alongside rising stars like Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, and Kat Dennings. This ensured both depth in the cast and freshness for the crew.
Moreover, the production cost was effectively controlled at around $150M, just slightly higher than "Iron Man" and "Captain America". Paramount's pre-release marketing displayed undeniable confidence, anticipating "Thor" to be the next "Iron Man".
In fact, that's precisely what Paramount was banking on.
On May 4th, a Wednesday, "Thor" had its grand premiere in Chinese theaters. Just a week earlier, "Fast 5" had begun its miraculous journey here. Now, it was the turn of "Thor" to shine!
As the grand opening of the summer season this year, Paramount spent five million dollars to create the premiere event. The venue was transformed into a Norse mythology style, complete with an exhibition showcasing costumes and props used during the film's production. The biggest surprise was a live video interaction during the premiere with the renowned Stan Lee.
That evening, it drew over two thousand five hundred spectators to the venue, with nearly three hundred journalists forming the media team on both sides of the red carpet. Four streets around the Chinese Theater were blocked off. The event began at 5 PM and continued until late at night. Such a grand spectacle could easily rival the Oscars.
As for the guests attending the premiere, they were a dazzling array that was impossible to count.
Robert Downey Jr. was undoubtedly the biggest star of the evening. The presence of the two beautiful ladies, Gwyneth Paltrow and Scarlett Johansson, captivated countless photographers. Not to mention Chris Evans, who arrived with the main cast of "Captain America", including Hayley Atwell, Hugo Weaving, and Sebastian Stan, inundating the red carpet and overwhelming the onlookers.
The new "007", Daniel Craig, accompanied by his wife, Rachel Weisz, made a surprise appearance on the red carpet. His collaboration with "Iron Man 2" director Jon Favreau on "Cowboys & Aliens" was scheduled for the fourth week of July this year.
This was undeniably the most lively, grand, and spectacular premiere in the summer season for the past two years. Every detail, inside and out, became the talk of the town, causing a sensation throughout North America. With an extraordinarily powerful presence, it officially announced the arrival of "Thor"!