Mufasa : The Lion King (2024) [No 3D Blu-ray] [Digital only - AVP]

[BluBonnet]

Worldwide figures tell the whole story

[Interdimensional]

I caught a screening of this just a few days before Christmas.

To my eyes, it looked like native stereo 3D rendering, or a very high-end conversion. Every hair stood out; there was a lot of dimensional subtlety to the image. Depth varied. It seemed deliberately reduced in some of the chase scenes, but satisfyingly strong elsewhere.

I thought the film was a solid attempt at crafting a prequel, and while the result may not be a timeless classic, it was at least adequate, and it was clear that a great many talented people had worked on it.

To my eyes, it didn't look like the kind of vibrant, brightly-coloured Serengeti landscapes I associate with Africa. Instead, always lit with these overcast, cloud-filled skies, and a low-lying sun. I suppose it's a big continent, and perhaps sometimes it looks like that. It looked to me that these were almost entirely CGI environments, while I believe the previous remake had a lot of background plates and location footage actually filmed in Africa.

I might've preferred if they'd confined Timon and Pumbaa to bookend sequences, rather than have them interrupt the narrative several times during the film.

The 3D had volume, it had depth, and there was flawless separation with every hair, every blade of grass. I was impressed with the rendering of the snow, and how spatially well-described all the rocky environments were. Well worth seeing in 3D, if any screenings can be found.

[SLYDoggie]

There are a few movies which I like to see in multiple AMC Premium formats, and Mufasa was one of them. I saw it 3 times...

#1 RealD 3D - the opening sequence was really good 3D and was decent in the rest of the movie. The brightness was lacking, which I expected.

#2 IMAX Laser 3D - As I expected, the brightness was much better and the IMAX screen format was spectacular. I was surprised that the 3D didn't seem as good, but maybe that was because I had already seen it once.

#3 AMC Dolby Cinema - This movie really shines in Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. Although I almost always prefer the 3D formats (I'm a definite 3D junkie), I have to say that I really felt that the Dolby Cinema was my favorite. The vivid colors and contrast were superb.

[robtadrian]

Originally Posted by BLMN

Talking about ticket sales in general (2D/3D/premium formats), its bombing. don't think this will be the one bringing 3D back to bluray, sorry...

Wow still #1 at the box office.

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by robtadrian

Wow still #1 at the box office.

Yep. Bad call by BLMN.

[STLHawk]

It still has a few 3D daily screenings in the Midwest US. The box office has held remarkably well even though it didn't have a great start.

[BLMN]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

Yep. Bad call by BLMN.

not really, mufasa lost to sonic domestically, i dont care blubonnet posting international box office score im talking the most important market to us in north america. Also #1 box office in january is quite an accomplishment huh

[WaverBoy]

Originally Posted by BLMN

not really, mufasa lost to sonic domestically, i dont care blubonnet posting international box office score im talking the most important market to us in north america. Also #1 box office in january is quite an accomplishment huh

Yep really. It’s #1 in its fifth weekend of release, has made back three times its production budget already, and is still making money. You said it’s bombing. It ain’t bombing.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by BLMN

not really, mufasa lost to sonic domestically, i dont care blubonnet posting international box office score im talking the most important market to us in north america. Also #1 box office in january is quite an accomplishment huh

I don't understand why you want to personalize things instead of just, you know, looking at the numbers.

Now, actually looking at the numbers, domestically Mufasa and Sonic 3 are less than $10 million apart, with Mufasa the #1 movie over the holiday weekend and not dropping as fast as Sonic 3:



And of course, looking at global numbers, Mufasa is at almost $600m and Sonic 3 is at about $420m.

Overall, Mufasa's performance is far more impressive - the numbers don't lie!

[BluBonnet]

One more week and the difference between the two movies domestically has narrowed to just $5 million... and because Sonic 3 continues to drop faster, it seems they will probably be even in another week.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by WaverBoy

Yep really. It’s #1 in its fifth weekend of release, has made back three times its production budget already, and is still making money. You said it’s bombing. It ain’t bombing.

True, it's not bombing. However, it's more than likely considered a disappointment considering the live action Lion King did well over half a billion domestically and over another billion worldwide. Mufasa's budget alone is $200 million not accounting for marketing where Sonic 3's production budget is only $122 million. Paramount got a lot more bang for their buck on that one and nobody thought it would beat Disney for the Christmas holiday season domestically. Mufasa's legs at the box office of late is partially because there isn't much competition out there.

[Jlardonio]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

True, it's not bombing. However, it's more than likely considered a disappointment considering the live action Lion King did well over half a billion domestically and over another billion worldwide. Mufasa's budget alone is $200 million not accounting for marketing where Sonic 3's production budget is only $122 million. Paramount got a lot more bang for their buck on that one and nobody thought it would beat Disney for the Christmas holiday season domestically. Mufasa's legs at the box office of late is partially because there isn't much competition out there.

Paramount didn't convert it to 3D too. That's why you say they're getting more bang.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Paramount got a lot more bang for their buck

Yeah, I don't know about that. The 2 Lion King live-action movies put together have made well over $2.3 billion or so, while the 3 Sonic movies put together have just barely gone over $1 billion.

So it took Paramount 3 movies to do less than half the business that Disney did with just 2 movies?

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

Yeah, I don't know about that. The 2 Lion King live-action movies put together have made well over $2.3 billion or so, while the 3 Sonic movies put together have just barely gone over $1 billion.

So it took Paramount 3 movies to do less than half the business that Disney did with just 2 movies?

Paramount also spent less than half. Their expectations were probably even less. After the Ugly Sonic debacle I don't think anyone was expecting a trilogy, much less a fourth film on the way.

[AugieDog]

I love the new Sonic movie but at the end of the day, The Lion King has a wider appeal than Sonic.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Paramount also spent less than half.

Not likely, once you factor in marketing costs, which are obviously going to be much higher for 3 movies.

Originally Posted by AugieDog

I love the new Sonic movie but at the end of the day, The Lion King has a wider appeal than Sonic.

Yes, absolutely.

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

Not likely, once you factor in marketing costs, which are obviously going to be much higher for 3 movies.

Even then, Paramount spent nowhere near what Disney did on their films in marketing.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Even then, Paramount spent nowhere near what Disney did on their films in marketing.

Where are you getting your numbers?

[PeterTHX]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

Where are you getting your numbers?

Variety, Box Office Mojo, industry sources, etc.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by PeterTHX

Variety, Box Office Mojo, industry sources, etc.

Well I have the same sources, and they say otherwise