It’s time for us to say the grim truth about the Black Adam box office numbers. We might forgive ourselves for predicting a more positive outlook for this movie. However, the production of Black Adam, a comic book action film starring Dwayne Johnson as a villain who once vowed to alter the “hierarchy of power” in the Warner Bros, does not look good as things stand. It cost $195 million before advertising. According to knowledgeable people, a big-budget film starring Johnson, one of the biggest movie stars in the world, had to spend $100 million on global marketing. Warner Bros. insiders argue that it reduced the global advertising campaign to $80 million due to COVID-related box office restrictions.
According to individuals familiar with the financials, Black Adam box office needed to gross around $600 million globally to break even and to surpass that high bar to make a profit. However, box office analysts predict Black Adam will fizzle out with less than $400 million internationally, which is problematic given that movie theater owners keep about half of those revenues. Now, insiders and competing executives with knowledge of comparable productions predict that the movie will lose $50 million to $100 million throughout its theatrical run. Warner Bros. sources reject those figures and assert that the film will break even at $400 million.
Source: CNBC
Despite Black Adam box office numbers, ancillary income may push it to break even
At the beginning, $450 million served as the break even point for the movie, but given the unique characteristics of the new home entertainment market, where Black Adam has outperformed expectations, that number has decreased. Additionally, they contend that shorter theatrical windows have increased the profitability of these supplementary revenue streams. Films now arrive at home entertainment platforms in 33 days as opposed to 75 thanks to concessions made during the pandemic, which lowers the cost of reviving marketing efforts for a digital launch. Warner Bros. insiders claim that the movie is about to break even with ancillary income.
So what do you think about the underwhelming performance of Black Adam box office numbers? Where do you think the problem stemmed from? Was it the marketing or the quality of the movie itself? Honestly, I think Warner Bros and Dwayne Johnson marketed it with a very positive and aggressive campaign. Maybe the DC fanbase seems less devoted than online chatter supposes. What about the movie itself? Did you like it? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!