Did Fear Of Science Fiction Kill “Dave”?

You may have think Meet Dave bombed because it ’s the in style in a retentive twine of unfunny Eddie Murphy movies … but it turns out there ’s another reason . The movie bomb , at least in part , because Fox refused to commercialise it as science fiction , believing that nobody like SF , and especially not SF comedies . Whether or not you like what happens to the bland Dave , the explanation of why Fox bury it , in the L.A. Times , should concern you .

Meet Dave , you may have heard , was originally called Starship Dave , a much good title that in reality gives you some clue what the film is about . Rival trafficker say Fox run away from the movie ’s premise in its marketing as well . “ People who saw the ads had near no idea what the movie was about , ” writes Patrick Goldstein in the L.A. Times . “ Whenever I quizzed various potential moviegoers about the film , I got a lot of puzzled shrugs . ” Because most of the pic takes piazza in New York City , the studio apartment must have retrieve they could market it as an “ earthly joy . ” This is a rarified bankruptcy for the merchandising department at Fox , which has had 16 movies in a row before Dave that were critically panned and did well at the box office . ( Think Alvin and the Chipmunks , Jumper , The Happening , etc . )

The studio ’s discomfort with marketing a scientific discipline fabrication comedy stems from Fox co - chairperson Tom Rothman ’s feeling that “ scifi films and films prepare in the time to come are loge - office toxicant , ” writes Goldstein . Fox had been all set to make Used cat , a scifi drollery featuring Ben Stiller and Jim Carrey and directed by Jay Roach ( Austin Powers ) – but then Rothman killed it . It was too expensive , but Rothman also thought nobody would go for the premiss : men living in a women - prevail earth . ( Honestly , it does sound pretty hideous , especially with Stiller and Carrey as the work force . ) Soon after the project was axed , Rothman ask Goldstein to name one scifi funniness that had ever made money . ( Goldstein did n’t opine of Men In Black until it was too late . )

Last Of Us 7 Ellie Crash

Did n’t SPACEBALLS make money ? THE INCREDIBLES ? WALL - E ? The genre is full with wonderful report that are both hysterically comic and rightful SF … many dead suitable for film adapation ( I have two of mine under alternative right now ) . Now if the folk music responsible for have such determination only show ledger , instead of basing all their references on other moving-picture show … .

Now I ’m curious : which two Foster books do you think Hollywood has optioned , and would they make unspoiled picture ? I have n’t read his workplace since I was a tiddler .

[ LA Times ]

Mission Impossible 8 Underwater