SPIDER-MAN budget reaches 40 million!

[Robert Taylor]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:22pm

At least according to The Post...

http://www.nypost.com/seven/10082008/entertainment/theater/taymors_web_of_riches_132605.htm

This is getting ridiculous.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:26pm

Robert Taylor, your right that this is getting a bit crazy and out of hand. But, personally I take anything that is written in the post with a grain of salt no matter who is writing it.

With the economy the way it is I don't see this doing well on Broadway.

[BNN]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:28pm

Ok, this is absurd and unrealistic. The running cost for the week is reported at somewhere like 1 million right? IF (and this is in the best of all possible worlds) they could make they same amount of money as Wicked does right now every week of the year ( roughly 1.4 million per week) and factoring in running costs, it would take them about 100 weeks, or just under two years, to recoup.

ABANDON SHIP

Updated On: 10/8/08 at 12:28 PM

[winston89]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:32pm

How come when I hear about Spider Man the musical I think of those live superhero shows for kids that were touring all the time in the 90's?

[BrianS]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:38pm

I think the film companies look at producing Broadway shows a little differently.

Unlike a Broadway Producer who is trying to make as much money off of a production as possible, a film company gains value just by building the brand. Both the Shrek and Spiderman brands are much more profitable as films than they ever could be as theatrical projects. So, even if the Broadway productions are just breaking even, it's a win for the studio because the brand is getting out there each week both directly to patrons and through media coverage.

I'm not saying they aren't looking to be profitable. I just think that there are more factors involved since they have so many revenue streams for those properties and that is why they aren't shying away from a $1 Million nut.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:39pm

IMO, this is the wrong financial climate in which to undertake such a project. And God knows to what high the price of tickets will be for this.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:44pm

They'll lose their shirts.

[mejusthavingfun]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:49pm

Julie Taymor has certainly dealt with limited budgets. If this is true the producers are to blame.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 12:52pm

Wow! That's one dollar for every ounce of loathing I feel for this theme-park production!

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 1:33pm

Wow, that's pretty intense for a show that is far from any kind of guaranteed hit.

[billynj]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 1:54pm

here is how to make it a hit ..spend 30 million on the show and effects ...and 10 million on seats a person born post WWII can sit in ...I know so many people who wont go to theater due to the high ticket prices and having your legs jammed in front of you for three hours, its different than 10 years ago when the top price was $45...for $135 you should be able to fit in the seat...and if you go shopping before the show there is no place to put the new pair of shoes bag you just bought ...


Premium seating should be like a first class airline seat, not just some overpriced ticket thats more center or a few rows closer than the rest of the audience

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 1:59pm

And aren't some shows now charging more for Orchestra aisle seats? That sucks because I like aisle seats for leg room.

[best12bars]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:12pm

I remember seeing Eden Espinosa and Kristoffer Cusick in the Spider-Man stage show at Universal Studios theme park!

They should just do that.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:15pm

It would take a lot more than 40 million dollar for Marvel Comics to lose their shirts!

I would imagine some of this cost is a little exaggerated, but perhaps they'd be willing to take the risk, even if it is.$40 million is still relatively cheap compared to the cost of a major motion picture and god knows the amount of money the Spiderman franchise has made. Losing 40 million would be the equivalent of losing about 40 bucks.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:18pm

I would love to know how it compares to the budgets of say, Young Frankenstein, Wicked and Jersey Boys just so Riedel could add a little perspective. While the show has the potential to be visually spectacular, I'm just not convinced this is a story that will draw audiences to want to hear yet again. Maybe I'm wrong, but especially in recent years, haven't we been rather well-saturated with the Spider Man tale? I think the only thing more stale would be a Batman musical at this point. I just can't get excited about this.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:20pm

Well the Riedel article says that the Lion King's secret cost was about 25 million dollars and that was over a decade ago.

Its no secret either that a lot of productions have tried to hide actual production costs - but I don't think Wicked or Jersey Boys was anything near what they are talking about in finances here.

[B3TA07]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 2:51pm

...this had better be good.

[James885]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:02pm

40 million?? That's a helluva lot of money to produce a show. For that amount of money I'm sure it'll be visually spectacular, regardless of the quality of the book, music and lyrics. But even if it turns into a Wicked-type phenomenon, it'll still take forever to recoup. And if it flops it'd probably be one of the biggest flops in history.

[billynj]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:06pm

Lion King was 18 million thats what i heard years ago ..so the true cost was most likely higher maybe as high as 25

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:07pm

The more I think about it, the more annoyed I get. The economy is falling apart, the unemployment rate is going up, people have to cut back on the bare necessities and these jokers are talking about spending $40 million to make a musical out of Spiderman???!!! Something's very wrong with this picture, IMO.

[barcelona20]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:11pm

Why should you care? It's not your money they are spending. I'm sure they would have more reservations if they were starting from scratch today, but this show has been in the works for awhile. How would they have known 3 years ago that the economy would suck today?

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:17pm

Barcelona,

I was expressing an opinion.

[barcelona20]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:30pm

yes, and I'm just pointing out that it's an extremely illogical opinion.

[Ed_Mottershead]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:34pm

Barcelona,

I don't agree and IMO you are indulging in personal assault, IMO.

[AntonEgo]

Posted: 10/8/08 at 3:41pm

"I remember seeing Eden Espinosa and Kristoffer Cusick in the Spider-Man stage show at Universal Studios theme park!

They should just do that."

I used to love that show!