14 DAY TRIAL // In August last year, Paramount Pictures announced that one of the most anticipated movies of the fall lineup, “Shutter Island,” would be getting pushed back to February this year. This was believed to be either a method on behalf of the studio to cut costs and maximize profits, or a sign that it knew it had a loser on its hands. As the New York Times can confirm as well, it turned out to be the former variant, as the film topped the US box office.
It’s unusual for movie studios to change release dates once they’ve been announced, which is why this is a practice reserved for productions that are certain not to meet expectations or which can still be labeled as in production. These said, when the announcement was made that “Shutter Island” would arrive a few good months later than initially scheduled, critics began to wonder whether this wasn’t the case too. Luckily, in true “time will tell fashion,” it was proved that Paramount gambled – and won.
“This R-rated thriller, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, sold an estimated $40.2 million in tickets, according to Hollywood.com, which compiles box office statistics. In limited release overseas ‘Shutter Island,’ which cost $75 million to make (after deducting tax rebates from Massachusetts, where the film was shot), sold an additional $9.1 million, according to Paramount,” the NY Times reports.
“Neither Mr. Scorsese nor Mr. DiCaprio has had an opening this big, even when adjusted for inflation. The previous high-water mark for Mr. Scorsese was ‘The Departed,’ which sold about $27 million over its first three days in 2006. Mr. DiCaprio’s previous record was the 2002 comedic drama ‘Catch Me if You Can,’ which had a $30 million opening. Exit polls for ‘Shutter Island’ showed the audience was equal parts male and female and of a wide age range, a rarity for an R-rated picture and a good omen for sales in the weeks ahead. The movie, which received mixed reviews, is based on a Dennis Lehane novel and focuses on a mystery at a hospital for the criminally insane,” the same publication further says.
The gamble that Paramount made by moving the film to February meant avoiding the fall releases, most of which were gunning for the Oscar race, and go all in for a February drop date, which could have also meant lower interest in the flick. After the numbers for the weekend were made public, Rob Moore, Paramount’s vice chairman, revealed that, indeed, this was one release that came with a lot of pressure, the kind they have rarely experienced.