The three big movie sequels headed for cinemas in May will be competing for repeat business rather than screen time in the race to the top of the box office, DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. chief executive officer Jeffrey Katzenberg said this week.
Shrek the Third, the third instalment of DreamWorks' blockbuster Shrek franchise, is set for release on May 18, sandwiched between Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 3 and Walt Disney Co.'s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
The three titles are descended from the top-grossing franchises of all time, and analysts have cautioned investors that the cheek-by-jowl release dates could cut into profits for some or all of the films, as moviegoers fight to get into cinemas or see them before their theatrical runs end.
Shrek has grossed more than $1.4 billion in worldwide ticket sales for DreamWorks, Pirates more than $1.7 billion for Disney, and Spider-Man more than $1.6 billion for Sony. Mr Katzenberg said that availability of screens won't be an issue for the films, but rather which of the films is compelling enough to generate repeat ticket sales.
"Everyone is going to see Shrek. Everyone is going to see Pirates. Everyone is going to see Spider-Man," he said. "The difference is which one of those movies are going to get multiple viewings."
While describing Shrek the Third as "good" and "a worthy successor" to its blockbuster forebears, Mr Katzenberg suggested that his green ogre could have an advantage over Spidey and Pirate Jack Sparrow during the "unprecedented" month of blockbusters.
"We are the only family film, the only PG-rated movie and we are 81 minutes long. That pretty much means we are going to tend to get one-and-a-half to two shows for every one of theirs because they are longer films," Mr Katzenberg said.
Shrek the Third, the third instalment of DreamWorks' blockbuster Shrek franchise, is set for release on May 18, sandwiched between Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 3 and Walt Disney Co.'s Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.
The three titles are descended from the top-grossing franchises of all time, and analysts have cautioned investors that the cheek-by-jowl release dates could cut into profits for some or all of the films, as moviegoers fight to get into cinemas or see them before their theatrical runs end.
Shrek has grossed more than $1.4 billion in worldwide ticket sales for DreamWorks, Pirates more than $1.7 billion for Disney, and Spider-Man more than $1.6 billion for Sony. Mr Katzenberg said that availability of screens won't be an issue for the films, but rather which of the films is compelling enough to generate repeat ticket sales.
"Everyone is going to see Shrek. Everyone is going to see Pirates. Everyone is going to see Spider-Man," he said. "The difference is which one of those movies are going to get multiple viewings."
While describing Shrek the Third as "good" and "a worthy successor" to its blockbuster forebears, Mr Katzenberg suggested that his green ogre could have an advantage over Spidey and Pirate Jack Sparrow during the "unprecedented" month of blockbusters.
"We are the only family film, the only PG-rated movie and we are 81 minutes long. That pretty much means we are going to tend to get one-and-a-half to two shows for every one of theirs because they are longer films," Mr Katzenberg said.
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