Transformers - the Original Carries the Sequel
Like Other Sequels, Transformers Succeeds Because of the Original
Jul 3, 2009
According to Entertainment Weekly, Transformers 2 raked in over $201 million in its first 5 days, second only to the The Dark Knight's opening of $203 million. Considering the 2007 Transformers pulled in a total of $319 million domestically according to Box Office Mojo, Revenge of the Fallen is well on its way to matching the returns of the original.
Case Study: Pirates of the Caribbean
However, like most sequels, the movie itself falls short of the original in the eyes of the critics. Not that Hollywood would care. Most sequels succeed at the box office based off the appeal of the original. Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl was a box office boon in the summer of 2003, earning over $300 million domestically. Its sequel, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest which was widely considered to be an inferior movie, managed to pull in $423 million based on the success of its predecessor. According to Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles personal movie reviews of the general public, the original Pirates movie received a 78% favorable rating, while its successor received a 53% favorable rating. Surprisingly, the coattails of the original extended to the third movie, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. Largely panned by critics, the movie received only 45% favorable reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, yet still managed to gross $309 million domestically, outperforming the original.
Success Breeds Successors
The story of sequel success has a long history. While the case of the sequels outperforming the original, as in the case of Pirates, is rare, sequels typically benefit from the success of their predecessors. The case repeats itself in a multitude of series, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Superman, Terminator, Spiderman, Alien and Matrix. That's why you can be certain there will be a fourth Transformers movie, a fifth Spiderman, third in the new line of Star Trek movies, fourth in the new line of Batman movies and so on. As long as there are coattails to ride, Hollywood will ride them.
The Child Exceeding the Father
Fueling the fire are the sequels that can stand on their own right. The Empire Strikes Back, Spiderman 2, and Aliens are all movies that could stand independent of their original. According to Rotten Tomatoes, each received a 93% or higher rating. Each added to the success of the next in the series. Last year's blockbuster The Dark Knight will certainly fall in that crowd when the next Batman movie is released. The sequel to Batman Begins received a 94% favorable rating and grossed over $533 million. Alien 3, with a 34% favorable rating, still managed to gross over $55 million domestically, all thanks to the strength of its predecessors. While not as well regarded as the aforementioned sequels, Matrix Reloaded still received a 73% favorable rating from Rotten Tomatoes. Matrix Revolutions, the next in the series, received a 37% rating, yet still managed to gross nearly $140 million.
All Film Genres Benefit
The sequel trend is not limited to action or sci-fi movies. Bruce Almighty, which grossed over $242 million carried the much weaker Evan Almighty to over $100 million, Fletch gave birth to Fletch Lives. Even the marginal success of House Party gave birth to a number of sequels. National Lampoon's Vacation spawned 3 sequels. Horror films like Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Halloween all gave rise to a whole host of sequels.
Transformers Story is Nothing New Under the Hollywood Sun
Not that the sequel trend is new. Hollywood has been generating sequels on a fairly regular basis. The Lone Ranger. Flash Gordon and Zorro are a few characters who have enjoyed a very long lifespan in the movies. According to IMDb, the Internet Movie Database, The Lone Ranger first appeared on the screen in 1920, Zorro in 1925 and Flash Gordon in 1936. Each made a long string of appearances, including some modern day re-makes.
While Transformers 2 may not live up to the original in quality, it will certainly live up to it where it counts - the box office. As in politics, longevity is the name of the game. Transformers can expect to retain its seat in the entertainment arena, thanks in part to the success of the original.
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