This weekend’s box office results are still being tallied, but one thing’s for certain – “MacGruber” isn’t the next “Wayne’s World.”
It’s more like the next “Ladies Man” or “A Night at the Roxbury.”
The film will be lucky to pull in $5 million when Sunday night rolls around, but the Will Forte comedy does have something going for it. It only cost $10 million to make.
So the studio behind the film won’t get burned too badly.
But “MacGruber” appears to be the exception regarding big screen comedies.
While Hollywood can’t stop imagining the next sequel, reboot or remake, Paramount seems ready to pass on extending both “Zoolander” and “Anchorman.”
Just how much does it cost to groom Ron Burgundy’s ’stache?
Last year’s summer flop “Year One” cost $60 million according to boxofficemojo.com, while “Land of the Lost” had a $100 million price tag.
Those films had their fair share of effects, but pricey comedies usually come down to star salaries.
You’d think big name actors would realize slashing their fees might make sense. Will Ferrell could really use a hit, and an “Anchorman” sequel has a better chance at success than, say, a remake of a ‘70s kiddie series.
And today’s comic stars should consider the “Hangover” effect. That beaut of a comedy didn’t have any “star” attractions, just a funny concept and an equally strong script.
Hollywood’s economic engine is being rebooted for modern times, an era where star power means less than ever before.
So while “MacGruber” might be a box office dud, there’s a better chance we’ll see a “MacGruber: Revenge of the Mullet” than “Zoolander Two.”
(Photo: Michael Cera and Jack Black starred in the 2009 comedy “Year One,” which cost $60 million but only hauled in $43 million domestically according to boxofficemojo.com)
Related posts:
on 
on 
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I liked Land Of The Lost.
There I said it.
Even if Will Ferrell and Adam McKay slash their salaries for Anchorman 2, they’ll want a cut of the profits. Plus it’s probably going to cost them a lot to get Steve Carell on board since his star has risen greatly since the first movie.
I would love to see another Anchorman movie, but it’s going to cost a lot fo money.
That a studio, in this day and age, doesn’t want part of a sequel to what some consider the seminal comedy of the decade speaks volumes.
Ladies Man was one of the worst movies I’ve ever seen. I actually remember watching it after prom one year. I don’t know what we were thinking.
if there is a growing disconnect between “star” viewer-attracting capability and upfront salaries, its impact within the industry is occurring too slowly
“The Hangover” is a good recent example that underscores the truism — too often lost on the industry — that an entertaining story is strong enough to support a film on its own.
still, i expect that “name” stars will continue to demand out-sized paychecks until the market no longer can bear it (if the market no longer can bear it; market pressure has a similar disconnect). after all, they just are contractors and by the time we see their work on the screen, they may be unemployed again
D.