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Re:The Matrix Resurrections estimated to lose Warner Bros $100M by sandworm101 on Monday January 10, 2022 @10:21PM (#29887033)
Yes. And the equipment. And the studio spaces. And the a-list actors/dir3ctors/producers who took home many millions each. 200million was once an insane budget (Waterworld) but with movies these day grossing into the billions (Endgame et al) 200mil is no longer a stretch.
Re:The Matrix Resurrections estimated to lose Warner Bros $100M by zizee on Tuesday January 11, 2022 @12:48AM (#29888051)
Well, the total cost was reported as $190 million, so after the 1000 people get 100k, there is still 90mil to account for...

I'm probably not up with the times, but I don't really see many actors in that film that would be classed as A-list (although the definition of that is somewhat loose).

I really like Keanu, and he seems like a great guy, but I don't think he getting paid $20 million a film, although his popularity seems on the rise again (but perhaps that is just on Reddit). He was reportedly paid 2.5mil for some of the John Wick films, and you'd have to imagine he is the top paid in this latest matrix film.

Regardless, I have already said I don't know much about the industry, and I haven't even seen the film, so it is all just speculation on my end. However, I'm willing to bet that a significant percentage of the reported spend went to subsidiaries charging healthy margins, which is common in the industry to help cut into the % of profits the studio would have to share with people as part of their contracts.

Re:The Matrix Resurrections estimated to lose Warner Bros $100M by sandworm101 on Tuesday January 11, 2022 @08:09AM (#29891041)
Reeves was paid 10 to 14 million for this movie. That is base salary before other stuff, before his costs. So in terms of the budget, he alone is probably about 10% of the total cost to make this movie.
Re:The Matrix Resurrections estimated to lose Warner Bros $100M by mikepurvis on Monday January 10, 2022 @10:53PM (#29887315)
TV shows are really pushing things too. Twenty years ago, a big budget show was a premium cable production like Deadwood ($4.5M/episode) or Rome ($8.5M/episode), but now you have mainline shows like The Crown, Stranger Things, and The Mandalorian, all costing $12M+/episode.
Re:The Matrix Resurrections estimated to lose Warner Bros $100M by k12sosse on Tuesday January 11, 2022 @12:26AM (#29887927)
And product placement and revenue generating content masquerading as entertainment content has shot through the roof, too.

My SO is a huge The Walking Dead nut. There was a couple seasons (episodes?) that (from the outside) looked more like a vehicle to sell cars (pun intended) than to advance the storyline.

'Memba new coke? Stranger Things did, too!

Sure, go watch ET - there's obvious product placement too - what was it, pizza hut? Pepsi? M&Ms? It's been a while, but it was rarely the McGuffin in the storyline.

Did ET want to call home or did ET use the latest 5g sprint network on ETs new Samsung Flip mobile, exclusively at Sprint stores, everywhere, to call home?

It's so transparent, and then to have the audacity to charge $30 to view this 90-minute product placement informercial.. and yet the masses gobble it up and it's just a feedback loop of "Well, it's working! Let's _double down_ next time!" <Queue the KFC commercial>