So after swiftly picking up over $50m from some of the international
market, The Three Musketeers arrives in Norht America this weekend. To be fair
to this Euorpean co-production (France – Germany – U.K)
Synopsis...
“Based on Alexandre
Dumas' classic novel comes a big-screen action adventure update of The Three
Musketeers, conceived and shot in state-of-the-art 3D. They are known as
Porthos, Athos, and Aramis--three elite warriors who serve the King of France
as his best Musketeers. After discovering an evil conspiracy to overthrow the
King, the Musketeers come across a young, aspiring hero -- D'Artagnan -- and
take him under their wing. Together, the four embark on a dangerous mission to
foil the plot that not only threatens the Crown, but the future of Europe
itself.”
It is hardly the most orthodox version of the tale, but
every film does put its own spin on the story and this version is entertaining
enough, if unpolished. I’d expect better from the sequel (Which it probably
needs about another $150m to secure.)
The North American box office will always have been looked
upon as the icing on the cake for this film, much like it is for Mila Jovovich
& Paul W. S. Anderson’s Resident Evil films (He wrote all 4 and directed
films 1 & 4, as well as writing & directing the currently shooting 5th
instalment.) but they will be hoping the film makes as much as possible there
never-the-less.
Resident Evil blossoms internationally...
Film
|
Year
|
North American Gross
|
International Gross
|
Worldwide
|
Budget
|
|||||
1
|
Resident Evil
|
|
$40,119,709
|
$62,321,369
|
$102,441,078
|
$33m
|
||||
2
|
Resident Evil: Apocalypse
|
2004
|
$51,201,453
|
$78,193,382
|
$129,394,835
|
$45
|
||||
3
|
Resident Evil: Extinction
|
2007
|
$50,648,679
|
$97,069,154
|
$147,717,833
|
$50m
|
||||
4
|
Resident Evil: Afterlife
|
2010
|
$60,128,566
|
$236,093,097
|
296,221,663
|
$60m
|
||||
5
|
The Three Musketeers
|
2011
|
$
|
$55,000,000*
|
$55,000,000*
|
$85m
|
||||
*Approx
still in early release.
It may seem like an odd comparison, but both the writer /
director and star of the Resident Evil films are present here, both are based
on established media and whilst this is the first of these films (more are
clearly planned, success permitting, as this films ending is effectively a
Pre-Credits scene for a 2nd film) it is such a well known, and oft
filmed story that is similar to a sequel in recognition terms.
It would be overly ambitious to expect a return the size of
Resident Evil 4, but the filmmakers are more likely hoping to reach somewhere
in between Resident Evil: Extinction’s $147m and Resident Evil: Afterlife’s
$296m to reach both profit and a sequel. Resident Evil has much stronger
presence in territories like Asia, but The Musketeers are a stronger force n
Europe and parts of South America. We’ll see how it does, but it faces very
strong competition from both Johnny English Reborn and Real Steel for the
family viewers.
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