Kung Fu Panda

[ShyViolet]

Interesting!

http://www.cinemablend.com/m/new/Why-Ku ... 07537.html

[Dacey]

Film is apparently tracking for an opening of roughly $50 million. I worry that might be overly optimistic, but Star Wars is slowing down, and Norm...never really got started.

Still, I remain baffled as to why DreamWorks didn't just stick with the original March date, especially after it gave them their biggest hit in years with Home!

[Dan]

I'm thinking that DWA did not want to go up against Zootopia before Superman/Batman dropped. It probably isn't so much of whether or not it could beat Zootopia as to not wanting to cause a split in the target audience. DWA needs as much money as they can get and they risk losing some of that competing with Disney. With end of January, they'll have the family market pretty much all to themselves through February, which worked out nicely for SpongeBob last year. But that's just how I look at it.

[Ben]

Plus they may catch some audience that are waiting for a new family title after Star Wars and are ready to spend to go to the theatre again. It's also smart for another reason: had they come out after Zootopia, those dollars may have been spent on that film, when there's just enough of a gap to see both films doing well enough.

[James]

Thanks for the links Vi!

[ShyViolet]

No prob James!

[Randall]

The Scoop's glowing review:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationsco ... 3-20160127

"Kung Fu Panda 3 provides a welcome reminder of what the talented artists at DreamWorks can do when they’re given worthwhile material. "

Good for DWA!

[ShyViolet]

Yay!!

[Dacey]

AV review is up:

http://animatedviews.com/2016/kung-fu-panda-3/

[Ben]

Cool! Super-great write-up, Dacey!

[ShyViolet]

Cool interview with Jennifer Yuh Nelson!

http://blogs.indiewire.com/animationsco ... n-20160201

[ShyViolet]

Yesssss!!!

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/box-o ... 201698616/

Maybe a shot for a BAF nom after all??

[Ben]

Why "after all"? Wasn't it always going to have a shot? Then again, voters will need very long memories come this time next year...chances are Disney will have a better chance with the late-opening (and original) Moana. Just because a film does well commercially does not guarantee a place at awards season, or is there something I'm missing?

[ShyViolet]

I think I'm a bit mixed up...I meant for this year's awards. Also, it seemed to me that the positive reviews might give it a leg up. But yeah, I guess it is way too late to be nom'd for this year.

[Ben]

Well, being that the nominations were announced two weeks ago...and that KFP3 didn't come out in 2015...