The Greatest Showman #1045 - Old vs. New Showdown

The summer battle is in full swing, and while the music market is booming, the North American movie market remains the main focus during the midsummer season, a trend that has remained constant. The summer period, having just weathered the impact of the blockbuster season, continues to dominate the spotlight.

In the third week of June, despite the release of only two medium-budget films, the competition is intense.

One of these is Daddy's Good Son, a comedy starring Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg. With an investment of 70 million yuan (about 140 million USD in the commercial film market), it's not a small budget by comedy standards. Adam Sandler, a comedy icon, consistently releases comedy films through his own production company, relying on his personal charisma and box-office appeal. His films usually hover around the 100 million USD mark in North America, with additional profits from overseas markets and the home video sector. However, after the disastrous performances of Follow the Trend and Jack and Jill last year, Daddy's Good Son is under significant pressure at the box office. Adam has worked tirelessly on early promotion.

The other film is Rock of Ages, featuring an all-star cast including Tom Cruise, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Alec Baldwin. As one of the most anticipated films of the summer, it's based on the Broadway musical of the same name, which has received critical acclaim. Tom Cruise's involvement has further fueled anticipation. This musical film, costing 75 million USD, is considered a large investment for a medium-budget movie.

Rock of Ages has been dubbed another Hairspray, with Tom's performance hailed as one of the most challenging roles of his career since Magnolia. In the early stages of promotion, the film had immense buzz and quickly became one of the most talked-about films of the summer.

The clash between Tom Cruise and Adam Sandler in the same week is more about a generational shift in the industry. The two films have completely different themes, genres, and target audiences, meaning their appeal won't overlap. Their similar budgets and promotion strategies have avoided direct competition, and both films are released in the same week to a calm market atmosphere, allowing both Daddy's Good Son and Rock of Ages to build anticipation.

However, after The Avengers' massive success, the market has seen a slump, with this summer's box office experiencing a four-game losing streak. Last week's stellar performance, driven by Edge of Tomorrow, marked the best weekly box office in film history, setting new records. The success of Edge of Tomorrow has inevitably overshadowed the releases of Daddy's Good Son and Rock of Ages, putting additional pressure on both films.

In the wake of Edge of Tomorrow's success, the media has quickly focused on the showdown between the old and the new: Renly Hall vs. Tom Cruise. It's not about malicious competition but rather a generational passing of the torch.

This summer, the biggest box-office stars from the Baby Boomer generation are making their mark, while younger stars from Generation Y continue to rise. The question on everyone's mind is whether the new generation will be able to take over from their predecessors and become the dominant force in the market.

Despite a few box-office failures from stars like Johnny Depp (The Lone Ranger) and Will Smith (Men in Black 3), and the underwhelming performances of Tyler Kitsch (Battleship) and Chris Hemsworth (Snow White and the Huntsman), Robert Downey Jr. remains the primary box-office draw, especially in the wake of Iron Man. However, beyond Iron Man, Robert's box-office power is still unproven, which raises concerns for the North American film market.

In contrast, Edge of Tomorrow has exploded at the box office, further emphasizing the dominance of superstars like Tom Cruise and Adam Sandler. But the real intrigue lies in whether Edge of Tomorrow will be able to fend off these heavyweights in the same week. Could Renly, in his role as William Cage, take the spotlight and defeat Tom and Adam in this generational clash?

The competition between the old and new guard isn't just a media buzzword—it's a fight for the future of the film industry.

For both Tom Cruise and Adam Sandler, it's not easy to face these questions. Neither actor plans to retire anytime soon, and neither is willing to concede their position. When asked about the generational transition, Tom avoided the topic, declining to comment on the aging of the industry and the shift of power to younger stars. He made it clear he had no interest in answering questions about aging, and expressed hope for future collaborations with Renly.

Meanwhile, media outlets close to Warner Bros. buried any mention of the generational rivalry, opting to focus on promoting Edge of Tomorrow and Rock of Ages. Both films, under Warner Bros.' distribution, kept the news cycles focused on their successes and away from any discussions of rivalry.

Despite the media's attempt to downplay the situation, rumors quickly spread that Tom was furious at the premiere's after-party. Reportedly, he had a heated argument with his publicist—his sister—over how the situation was being handled. Another rumor suggested that Warner Bros. had considered casting Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow, but ultimately chose Renly, further complicating Tom's position.

While the rumors remained unconfirmed, they ignited a brief but lively discussion in the industry. Ultimately, these whispers faded into the background as the premieres of both Rock of Ages and Daddy's Good Son concluded.

Unfortunately, both films received disastrous reviews. Daddy's Good Son was panned, earning a low 31% score from critics and a dismal 20% on Rotten Tomatoes. Worse yet, it earned only a 51% audience approval on Popcorn, essentially signaling its failure.

Rock of Ages fared similarly, with a media rating of 47% and a 41% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. Tom Cruise's performance was criticized harshly: "The worst, most opinionated, most boring show I've ever seen," one critic said. It was clear that both films had failed to live up to their promise.