Dragonball Evolution Tops Asian Box Office

This from the anime news network.

The Hollywood Reporter newspaper reports that the live-action Dragonball: Evolution film opened as the #1 movie in five of the eight Asian markets in which it opened this past weekend. James Wong and 20th Century Fox's adaptation of Akira Toriyama's fighting manga made US$10.106 million on 2,118 screens to rank as the #4 film outside North America for the weekend. (According to Box Office Mojo, two of the three higher grossing films, Marley and Me and Gran Torino, opened in 34 and 27 markets, respectively.)

It was the top-grossing film in China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. According to the Screen International magazine's website, the US$3.4 million box office take in 855 theaters in China was Fox's fourth highest opening weekend in that market. It also delivered Fox's third highest opening weekend in Malaysia with US$731,441 on 110 screens.

The Hollywood Reporter says that the film opened at #2 in Japan with US$3.3 million on 540 screens, but Kogyo Tsushinsha reports the film was #3 in Japan, below the live-action Yatterman film and the Doraemon: Shin Nobita no Uchū Kaitakushi (Doraemon the Movie: Nobita's How Space Was Won, New Edition) anime. Similarly, Screen International reports that it opened at #2 in South Korea with US$1.2 million on 280 screens, but The Korea Times newspaper reports it was #1. The movie opened in South Korea on March 12, two days before the actual start of the weekend. It will open in the United Kingdom on April 3 and then open in the United States on April 8.

As i have posted before...

So all in all, they made roughly 17 million dollars and they're what... 4,050,404,000 people in Asia??? And it was No. freakin 1?!?!?!? What was it up against? Attack of the Shitake Mushrooms part 7?!?!?!?!?!? And that was Fox's fourth-highest weekend opening in the market?!?!?!? I feel like i'm watching the special olympics and that i have to clap my hands at how "special" they are.

Lol poor Shaman...you are lost man.

I hope it dose well.I'm ok with the fact that there not following the "to the letter story" Todd Mcfarlane once said "The fastest way to bore your audience is to tell the same story over and over again"I'm interested in a fresh start.

@Zero1:
I totally agree man. I want something different, a new telling of Dragonball.

Why can't I make new posts!!!!!!!

damn it....I have to post my watchmen review.

LOL, Zero1... you admire Todd McFarlane as a story teller, well he has written some nice things and he can draw pretty good, but he's not a master story teller so don't trust him giving insight on the craft. And I wouldn't mind a fresh start if it indeed was fresh, but it's the mouldy cheesy greasy greenish milk that was forgotten in the back of the fridge for weeks.

padidas... actually movie tickets in japan are extremely expensive, they are around 20 bucks each, I think in Hong Kong they are expensive too (don't know since I've never been there), so guess we are clapping for you too (you can't group all asian countries in the same economic scale). And the numbers aren't that great, (keep reading). I'm betting that next week the numbers will drop drastically.

see, that is what I mean with DBEtards, the delusional people that keep changing their arguments and twisting the facts to lie to themselves and convince themselves this movie will be great and will beat box office numbers everywhere(dbzfan... even Ben Ramsey said on his own blog that he was forced to make a tried an true formula for this script... so even the writer of the script admits that this isn't one bit original).

You are all extremely happy, well being number 1 in a slow week is nothing to be proud of...(sort of like getting a gold medal, when you are the only one competing) if you look at opening weekends for Japan, Tomb Raider craddle of life did 1 million more than DBE (and DBE on it's opening couldn't beat two movies, both based on anime characters, and they had been released a week ago), in Korea Final Destination 3 did 1 million on opening weekend (Oh Wong is a genius, he managed to make 200,000 more than his last movie), in Hong Kong it did the same as Spy Kids 3D and just over 70 thousand what Final Destination 3 did, and in Thailand it did the same as Blade Trinity, hell in Thailand Final Destination 3 did more than DBE on it's opening weekend, ROFLMAO. The only market in which it can be considered a success is China (it managed to be among the top 40 alltime opening weekend) on the other markets it wasn't among the top 100 (on some it wasn't even among the top 300).

For your reference, Final Destination 3 did 59 mill overseas, and the total gross was 113 mill. What this movie needs for a sequel is not being number 1, it needs ticket sales and so far things don't look too good (and I hope it bombs big time, so Fox learns to treat the franchise with respect).

And it has come to my attention that the movie is already online, most of the people that have any interest in this movie, won't probably be able to hold back and they'll end up watching it online, very few will end up seeing it again in theaters one month after seeing it.

As for the rest of regular moviegoers (the ones Wong allegedly made it for)... well most of them would read the horrible reviews and decide to skip it, I mean no one wants a movie filled with plot holes and which every review shows how unoriginal, how little attention to detail and quality, how badly acted, how rushed it seems, and in which all characters (including the villain) don't matter and have no motivations.

And if anyone sees Justin Chatwin summoning Shenron (oops forgot, he calls it DRAAAAGOOOOOON not Shenron), well....that would scare anyone with the slightest interest in seeing it.

DBETards?!!?! Haha thats hilarious!!! yeah this movie is LAMO!!!!!! from the wire stunts to that earthworm of a Shenron to a .... wait forget it who cares , it sucks and it is a pale version of a vivid series. sorry guys maybe next time. And ya beter get off Shaman's back fools or else ima gonna have ta smack ya up with my POW-WOW!

Honestly, I'm surprised the movie did that well considering the minimal advertising put in it. Seriously, here in Detroit we havent seen commercials, magazines, movie previews, even parephenallia at all.

I have a feeling that were not alone. I bet the studios banking on the fact that DBall fans will know its coming out, and theres a lot of us, so there's no need for advertising. Sure, that works if your only interested in making enough profit to barely break even. Not very smart business. This is doubly stupid since they added the teen high school stuff to attract non-fans.

Whatever the case, it doesnt matter if the movie does good or not. As long as someone finds it entertaining, then it was a success. Thats the whole point of making movies.

Lets be honest. Fox will never learn. Studios will never learn. They will get mad and spit and hang the director of pitiful grossing movie over a fire, but they themselves will never stop doing this. Even if this movie tanks box office wise over the many years of movie history, studio have it down to a science what to do with toxic films. They take them and grate them over hot coals (DVD rents, T.V. showing, etc) until they make the money back, and then continue to do it until profit appears, and with people would follow this movie till the end of the world at hand, you can bet this movie will turn a profit, either surprisingly at the box office, or over the next 20 years of milking. And if they can turn a profit on something, they tend to turn a def ear to everything else, as they happily smoke cigars, laughing as they look at their insane pay check for the hundredth time. And considering the internet has a stigma of being a place were people tend to insult everything once over before breakfast, you can bet nothing anyone says is going to make them run for cover(pause and think for a second, but that's pushing it).

Whenever i here arguments like these i think of two movies "the hulk" and "street fighter". We will start with the hulk. Everyone remembers ripping the 2003 hulk to tiny little piece in reviews, etc. Well current data today says that that movie turn a profit. And not just a half-assed one, but for a film budget of 137 million it got back 245 million. I don't think universal is crying now into their big piles of cash. The only reason for a reboot was because the outcry didn't tell Hollywood to do a better job, but told them their was a fresh market to resell the hulk to. We were lucky because Marvel studios should know damn well better how to film a marvel comic, but in the end the numbers seem the same. The second hulk for a budget of around 150 million grossed 265 million. In this i find reboot movie to be more of a personal attempt to target groups then box office woes. The hulk viewer were probably scene as a new market, thought marvel studios would probably treat their own original with a little more respect.

Then we got "street fighter". Both the 1994 movie and this current 2009 movie are sucking in the box office, yet records show that the 1994 movie made a total profit of a little less then three times its budget(earnings $99,423,521 (worldwide) to the budget $35,000,000 (estimated)). That the 1994 movie did so bad in the book office, yet someone was dumb enough to try this shit again, prove that the profit over time made was enough to not give a flying fling for anything the fans said, epically the ones against such a thing.

In retrospect, movie like "Dragonball Evolution" are never going to go away, just like bad movies and bad directors always appear. Until i see this movie, i will give it the benefit of the doubt(grudgingly), but i find these arguments tiresome. If some wants to see it they will see it, and if they don't they won't. beating each other over the head does little more then strength the resolve of the person getting hit. I find no argument will change peoples mind unless one, they trust your opinion, or two, they never real cared about the movies and seeing how people how don't care won't see this website, and everyone who trusts the haters have all ready chosen their sides, all we can do is sit and wait.

The only thing that is up for a battle is the possible of a sequel. Seeing as sequels are the anus of any movie franchise (other than the lord of the rings) unless it crap sparking gold out of every orifice, it with fail. I think "Dragonball Evolution" may earn a nice amount in the box office seeing that the producer will smack not only Asia and North America, but some of south America, Europe, and Australia with this, it will have some sort of impact. To be truth, it has been only four days since the movies release, and unless we know the whimps of every individual their is still plenty of room of it to succeed or fail. An the only way a sequel will work is if they get a new writer and director, or allow more liberties to be taken with the sequel to be more like the anime(a thin scraggy hope, but a hope).

In conclusion until the movie is advertised in America and grabs a more general interest, everyone form both side is singing to the quire, and not making FOX pocketbook worry one iota.(oh well, we can dream of better worlds can't we?)

Padidas & Doritos- Even if half the population of Asia whent to see it only once and that the tickets cost only one single dollar, it would have made more than what it did. I really don't know where you guys studied math but this should explain perfectly what little (if any) credibility and worth your "diploma" has. To say that it's #1 does not mean in any way that it's numbers are good, hell even Punisher Warzone had a chance to be #1 depending on it's competition. It all depends on what it's going up against. And what "I" mean when "I" talk about "DBEtards" is that they are the ones that no matter what chunk was shown of the turd of a film this is, they would ultimately praise it as if it was pure gold just because it was labeled "Dragonball". You know, i could eat a bag of hazelnutts and then shit in a bucket and stick a spoon in it, who else than "retards" would eat it and call it "Nutella"? So here's clapping at you kids.

MoonDoggyX- For you and everybody that do honestly admit that whatever was shown of this movie is not nearely good enough to truly represent the spectacular franchise it's supposed to, but still admit that you've all been waiting a long time for it and will want to go see it at least once, BRAVISSIMO!!! That "qualifies" you to be true FANS and not retards. There is a huge difference between being a comprehensive Die Hard fan and one that puts asside common sense and logic to convince themselves that an apparently obvious chunk of shit is in "they're eyes" a golden nugget.

mtwigg1 & NoobMike- I totally agree with you both. But, i'm very adamant when it comes to my own entertainment and sufice it to say that bad acting, cheep effects and fake fighting simply doesn't do it for me. If this movie entertains others then good! More power to it. But i am entitled to my opinion since i am a fan of the franchise.

Shibazz- Thank you for your... "kind" words LOL :P

Well lastson, there's no shame in going to see this movie and the only good thing that can come from this is that it SHOULD fuel your rage for FOX. But in the end, mtwigg1 is right. There's no point in protesting anything. Fox will always make money and shitty movies. Hopefully someone somewhere is powerfull enough to buy them out and MAKE them produce better movie adaptations.

Good point :)

@Mativ16
Yeah I like Silver Surfer as well. I don't care if it makes less than FF. I'm still going to go see it because I'm a dragonball fan.

Yeah i know padidas, i do enjoy occasionnaly "shocking" people with politically incorrect statements. That's how i shamelessly get my daily giggles. I do try to aim at the appropriate target though, and remain respectfull to others. But when someone goes out of they're way to walk like a duck and sound like a duck, then to me... they're begging to be roasted (not you but the people that try to sell us the movie) LOL :P

Roar, i really like Kevin James but Paul Blart didn't have the "charm" that Kevin normally brings to work. Which is why i didn't go see it. As for Taken, it might not be the place for it but it looked like a pretty good movie. It's numbers were good and everybody that i know who saw it had nothing but good comments so i REALLY would like to know what you didn't like, as your opinion does matter to me. It'b be nice to hear different about the movie :)

Aaaah... i get your point LOL. And they wanna make a "sequel"??? That's stupid... It's a stand alone story isn't it? And they say "foreigners" are bad LOL P

Aaahh good ol' U. S. of A. LMFAO!!! Sorry if i offend anyone but it really doesn't seem like the safest place to live anyway LOL Oooh the irony LOL :P I think danger can be found everywhere, i really don't see what warrents they're occasionnal pats on the back in that regards :)

Yeeeaaahhh i kinda knew you wouldn't be extatic on DBE there LOL :P To each's own i guess.

Actually, if i only had the vaguest grasp on the concept of the black freighter i might. So far, that's a contest i won't be participating in. It's a good idea, don't get me wrong, but i wouldn't know what to do with the concept. I couldn't fully understand it in the novel. I mean i understood it's "metaphore" but not really it's literature. I mean, what else can you do with the black freighter? What is it used for aside from being a pirate ship? Is it a ghost ship? I'm really lost here...

Hmm... Thanks for the explanation. It does make certain ideas pop to mind but right now i don't really have that much time for it. If things clear up before the deadline, i might take a shot at it. Can't wait to read yours :))

They're signed on for two more. If this does well, we get Saiyan and Frieza at least. Could be a neat little trilogy. Fro what I've seen, I expect something that splits the diff between the first Mortal Kombat and X-Men. So I'm game.