John Carter Headed Toward Profitability

Well, well. Maybe we should start calling "John Carter" "The Little Engine That Could." The Taylor Kitsch-starring film with the gigantic budget has just done something that many thought wasn't possible: It earned its budget. That's right, with a gross of $254.5 million, the film has surpassed the $250 production budget. Sure, that figure doesn't count a boatload of marketing expenses from Disney (had they marketed the film properly from the start, they would have most likely had a very profitable film with a sequel on the way). However, for "John Carter," which was apparently doomed from the beginning because of some really bad negative Hollywood vibes, earning budget is a huge step in the right direction. The film has done well overseas--$188 million—compared to the light domestic tally ($66 million). And it still hasn't opened in Japan, the last major market left to show the film. And, according to Film Buff Online, "John Carter" is the #1 selling item in Amazon.com's Science-Fiction Movie list and ranked #13 overall. This film has the makings of a cult classic, and the CGI will play brilliantly on HDTVs. Good to see some positive news for this movie. It's been a long time coming.