“Transformers: The Last Knight” is the fifth installment in the blockbuster franchise from Michael Bay, and the Paramount Pictures film failed to impress the audience at home. It came up with earnings of $69-million in its five-day debut which was much below expectations because it was supposed to top the weekend figures.
That did not materialize which could mean that robots have lost their appeal at the box office, at least in the United States. What was a novelty in 2007 (1st episode) might have become dull and monotonous by 2017 (5th episode) – a decade is a long time, and acceptance level of the audience is bound to change.
Low returns for ‘The Last Knight.'
Los Angeles Times reports that “The Last Knight,” a film of Paramount Pictures, earned $45 million in the U.S. and Canada over the weekend. That was well ahead of others, and it got the No. 1 position but, when the five-day period is considered, it was a dismal showing.
Its earlier version “Transformers: Age of Extinction” had opened its account with $100 million over three days in 2014. Obviously, “The Last Knight” is now the first film in the franchise that failed to open with earnings of $100 million plus. This should be a serious matter because it has happened even though “The Last Knight” had an abundance of visual effects and opened simultaneously in more than 4000 halls in the United States and Canada.
According to a rating agency, it got for itself a B+ and slightly more than half the viewers were in the 25+ age group while a majority of them were male. It must be remembered that reviews play an important part in the success of a film and an unfavorable review can ruin it.
About the movie
“The Last Knight” stars Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Hopkins and the story is about a new mythology that involves King Arthur and Stonehenge.
It took more than $200 million to make, and in spite of its lackluster opening in the United States, its earnings were in the region of $200-million from its first 40 overseas markets — China’s contribution was nearly half of that figure.
Paramount Pictures feel that such movies are meant to cater to a global audience, and they have accepted it.
The domestic box office slowdown was not due to any franchise fatigue and was also not a matter of worry.
The first film in “Transformers” series was released on July 3, 2007 and since then there have been three more – “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” (2009), “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” (2011), “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014), and now “Transformers: The Last Knight” (2017). Films of this nature have a special appeal for spectators who can enter a world of make believe where robots rule supreme.
This genre of movies offers immense opportunities to the creative groups to dream up near impossible actions and situations that keep the audience riveted to their seats. In the fast-paced world of today, all of them want action.
