Happened into the KMart recently and got about as close to Spiderman-3 as I'm going to get. Which is to say, I got my fill of tie-in merchandise in a hurry. Right next to the entrance.
The $622 million figure? It's the worldwide ticket take for the first 10 days of the new flick; the $500 million cost of production plus a bonus $122 mil. A serious questioning of The Google didn't get me estimated sales of the huge merchandise push; however, it did produce 206,000 links to "Spiderman-3 +merchandise."
A news release from Marvel Entertainment claims that Spider-Man Merchandising L.P. has signed a myriad of licensees to develop product lines inspired by the film. Leading the way are such industry heavyweights as: Hasbro, Mega Bloks and MGA (toy), Hallmark (social expressions and party goods), Activision (interactive game), Disguise (costumes), Harper Collins (publishing), Jay Franco (domestics), Zooth/Gillete (personal care) and Techno Source (handheld electronics). For starters.
Obviously, my pictures include quite a few more top brands, starting with food products (above) and games (below). You can get a good cross-section of the variety at Amazon.com, if you're curious.
However, isn't anything sacred anymore? I really don't mind The Amazing SPIDER-MAN® Hamster House sold by PetSmart. But it does break my heart to see my beloved Monopoly caught up in the Hollywood feeding frenzy!
I have seen the first two. On TV in German. I won't see the third until it is a on the tube. I guess I'm too old to get excited or enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteAhhh! But you have to check out the uproar about *one* of the merchandising tie-ins: Mary Jane Doll with a thong, big boobs, and washing Peter Parkers' clothes...
ReplyDelete...and go down about four clicks for a beautiful take-off on the original...
ReplyDeleteOn the whole, I'm with Steve. I may catch the flick on TV. I certainly enjoyed the comic books as a kid. But I find that there's something totally unbalanced about the hooplah surrounding comic strip heroes when the cynical marketing men (and women) finish with them. As in, why not make a movie for grown ups one of these days...
Uh, where can I get one-a them Mary Jane Dolls?
ReplyDeleteI loved the first two movies and was excited to see the new one. Um...it kinda sucked. They tried to smoosh 3 movies worth of plot into it & had some downright silly crap that made the movie more of a drag than it should have been. *sigh*
ReplyDeleteSorry, I love big dumb summer movies. I'm still looking forward to the new Shrek and Pirates...seems to be a summer of part 3 flicks, now that I think about it!
I like "grown-up" movies, too, but lately most of them seem to be veddy, veddy serious. That gets old after a while and I've developed a tendency to watch those on video instead of the at the theater.
Cat-A -- I'll bet you'll find them over at Amazon.com -- and you won't have to face a phalanx of feministas.
ReplyDeleteAngie -- you put us old fogies to shame! As in, I, at least, should lighten up & enjoy.
Saw it. Coulda read a buncha chapters in a really good book instead. I WAS amazed by the fellow that plaid the Sandman...he was extremely bulkily buff, however, I remember him from the (not to be missed)George of the Jungle where he played a wimpy smarmy fellow about the size of a toothpick. Some personal trainer did an (overly) amazing job. By the way...loved your interview!
ReplyDeleteCan't common on all those characters since I haven't seen the flick; I'll make a post on the interview tonight...can't have anyone missing it!
ReplyDeleteI'm still stuck on that Hallmark thing:
ReplyDelete*social expression.*
Social expressions.
Hmmmm.
k -- you know, like getting or giving the finger out on the highway. Social expressions.
ReplyDelete