The Greatest Showman #1031 - Absolute Explosion

On June 5th, the premiere of Prometheus debuted. The next day, June 6th, saw the premieres of Edge of Tomorrow and Madagascar 3. The summer of 2012 quickly became one of the most talked-about seasons in cinema, with these premieres kicking off the "super schedule" of blockbuster releases.

After the premiere, Edge of Tomorrow made a significant breakthrough, quickly standing out. Thanks to the masterful orchestration of its premiere event, precise audience targeting, and savvy social media operations, Edge of Tomorrow became a media sensation, leading in both exposure and public discussion.

Within just twelve hours on social networks, the conversation surrounding Edge of Tomorrow exploded, surpassing both Prometheus and Madagascar 3 in terms of online buzz. It quickly became the dominant force of the summer, second only to The Avengers in terms of popularity.

Before the "super schedule" officially launched, Prometheus managed to capture attention with a series of well-timed marketing tactics. Twentieth Century Fox revived memories of the Alien franchise with events like old movie screenings in major cities, including Los Angeles and New York, and trailer placements before The Avengers, stoking anticipation.

However, once the "super schedule" kicked off, the momentum of Prometheus waned, and Edge of Tomorrow surged ahead, dominating social networks. By the time media coverage poured in, more than 450 outlets attended the Edge of Tomorrow premiere. The next day, over 70% of media outlets featured it on their entertainment front pages, leaving Madagascar 3 with only a small fraction of the spotlight.

Notably, Edge of Tomorrow also led in media metrics like report click-through rates, response rates, and audience engagement. For example, the official Twitter account of US Weekly reported on the premieres of all three films, but the retweets for Edge of Tomorrow reached over 35,000, while Prometheus earned in the low 10,000s, and Madagascar 3 had less than 6,000. The disparity was stark.

While social media attention does not always translate to box office success, Edge of Tomorrow proved to be a clear winner in terms of publicity. Its success was particularly noteworthy in light of Madagascar 3, which targeted a family audience less engaged on social media.

Once the "super schedule" was announced, speculation was rife. Some predicted all three films would suffer, while others thought one would emerge victorious. The success of Edge of Tomorrow left many in awe, especially with its unparalleled popularity, which even overshadowed the premiere of Prometheus, which had launched a day earlier.

One of the most talked-about aspects of Edge of Tomorrow was its clever limited-edition merchandise strategy. Warner Bros. took a bold approach by restricting sales of exclusive items to Los Angeles and stopping sales after the opening weekend. The high-end design and limited availability created a sense of urgency, which drove demand and media attention. The studio even teased the public with promises of revealing a hidden reason for this strategy, sparking even more discussion.

The result was a "frenzy" of sales, with many fans reselling the items online. The Edge of Tomorrow premiere quickly became an event, drawing attention from not just sci-fi fans, but also female audiences intrigued by the film's female lead, Daisy's character.

Warner Bros. led the first wave of the summer's marketing strategy, while Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount, teaming up with DreamWorks, followed but lagged behind. However, the greater the anticipation, the higher the risk. If the film didn't live up to the hype, its box office performance would likely falter—as had been the case with Men in Black 3 and Snow White and the Huntsman.

As all eyes shifted to the film's reviews, the first wave of media responses rolled in.

The New York Times called it "a movie full of charm," praising its rhythm and coherence, while Empire highlighted the film's blend of humor and adrenaline. The Wall Street Journal admired the way director Paul Greengrass blended genres, while The Hollywood Reporter praised the chemistry between the film's stars, Renly Hall and Jennifer Lawrence.

Other outlets like US Weekly and Seattle Post echoed similar sentiments, praising the film's energy, surprises, and performances. Even The New Yorker was enthusiastic, calling it a "must-see."

On the other hand, a few reviews were less favorable. Rolling Stone gave it a 60, calling it a clever blend of Groundhog Day and Independence Day, but feeling it lacked depth. Los Angeles Times echoed this sentiment, criticizing the limited chemistry between Hall and Lawrence but still acknowledging the film's solid action sequences.

Despite these mixed reviews, the film's opening was nothing short of monumental. In terms of both its marketing success and critical reception, Edge of Tomorrow had already cemented its place as the summer's biggest hit.