EDDIE MURPHY - TRANSFORMERS MAY BECOME BIGGEST HIT OF YEAR

TRANSFORMERS MAY BECOME BIGGEST HIT OF YEAR

Transformer Revenge of the Fallen could earn in excess of $160 million during a five day domestic opening beginning June 24, the Los Angeles Times reported today (Thursday), citing unnamed film executives who have seen the most recent pre-release audience surveys. The newspaper observed that it is also opening on the same day in most major overseas markets, where the original Transformers earned more money than it did in the U.S. in 2004. On her Deadline Hollywood Today blog, Nikki Finke reported that online ticket sellers MovieTickets.com was telling her that the sequel already accounts for 13 percent of its sales with 83 percent of the under-25 crowd saying that they intend to see it during opening weekend. All of that may come as particularly welcome news for director Michael Bay who is due to receive a cut of total profits from all revenue sources after Paramount recoups its production, distribution, and marketing costs, according to the Times . He reportedly took home $75 million from his backend deal after the first movie grossed $708 million worldwide, the newspaper said. Meanwhile, in a separate article, the Times reports that audience tracking indicates that Paramount's Imagine That , starring Eddie Murphy, is likely to become the year's biggest bomb when it opens this weekend, with one research service, OTX, predicting that it will debut with just $6 million. The highest estimate, from NRG, is $12 million.

11/06/2009