ShoWest, the annual convention of movie theater owners, is held in a town famous for creating thousands of losers — and a handful of winners — every minute. Against that backdrop, [PressDemocrat] decided that the annual National Association of Theatre Owners gathering was the perfect place to stage our own game of chance.
The rules were simple: With a reminder list of the summer’s most prominent releases in hand, more than a dozen exhibitors, producers, studio executives, marketing experts — and even a filmmaker — were asked to handicap the May-August movies. All were told to predict the summer’s biggest success, its most surprising sleeper hit and its largest bomb.
Because many people interviewed were handicapping (and slamming) films, filmmakers and studios with whom they might have business dealings, everyone was allowed to comment anonymously — you know, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
One more thing: Studio employees could not vote for their own movies. And although choices were all over the board, it was clear that attendees were bullish on Paramount’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and far less excited about Marvel Studios and Universal’s “The Incredible Hulk.”
Studio executive
Hit: “Hancock” — “For total lack of imagination, I’m picking it — but maybe ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.’ ”
Online movie advertiser
Hit: “Prince Caspian” or “Indiana Jones” — “They have built-in awareness. You don’t have to spend a dime marketing them.”
Theater manager
Hit: “Prince Caspian” — “The timing is right. It has the precedent to build on and has broad audience appeal.”
Studio executive
Hit: “Indiana Jones” — “It’s either that or ‘Narnia,’ which looks like it might be in the realm of ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ ”
Studio executive
Hit: “Prince Caspian” or “Hancock” — “The three films with the best pedigree are ‘Indiana Jones,’ ‘Narnia‘ and Will Smith.”
Visit Press Democrat for the rest of the list. It’s really interesting.