Despite the fact that Disney have made a movie about an 8-bit game character for children who have never played an 8-bit game, this previous weekend’s box office receipts prove that, you know, bright colors and the promise of Sonic the Hedgehog are enough to bring in the big crowds as Wreck-It Ralph scored an impressive $49.1 million in North America alone.
The film has also been a surprise critical hit, which is somewhat surprising given that everybody kind of thought it would be an unfledged diaster.
Dave Hollis at Walt Disney Studios referenced Hurricane Sandy in his reasons for the large audience haul:
“In a nice way, Wreck-It Ralph ended up actually becoming an opportunity to relieve yourself from the reality that might be going on around you. I don’t know if it was a function of cabin fever or just escaping by getting into a movie theatre, but there was definitely a gravitating towards the theatre phenomenon.”
Could hurricanes turn out to be a new marketing tool for studios hoping to usher depressed patrons into their local cinemas? You never know.
Wreck-It Ralph features the voice talents of John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman, and tells the story of a video game baddie who attempts to become a good guy. Aw.
Source: BBC News