[RihRihGirrrl]

Originally posted by Nicole

Like Transformers, Battleship is based on the megapopular Hasbro game, so it's an established brand. And the first thing you see on the Battleship poster and in the trailer as the transforming alien robot (which isn't even in the game ) rises from the sea is "from the producers of Transformers."

It's similar to how The Grudge played like the unofficial sequel to The Ring and rode its coattails to the #1 opening of all time for a horror film.

That does not compare to Austin Powers being a well established franchise in it's own right! It's like the James Bond movies, no matter who the female lead is, the movie will always do well because the public is already familiar with the story and the success of series has built a strong brand.

[MrPeanut]

Originally posted by RihRihGirrrl

That does not compare to Austin Powers being a well established franchise in it's own right! It's like the James Bond movies, no matter who the female lead is, the movie will always do well because the public is already familiar with the story and the success of series has built a strong brand.

The degree of success of Bond movies has still been influenced by who the female lead was, though.

Die Another Day was sold heavily on Halle Berry, and it was the most successful of the Brosnan entries.

Goldmember was sold on Beyonce more than the first two were sold on their respective female leads.

[Nicole]

Does the Battleship trailer say 'Introducing Rihanna" like the Goldmember trailer said "Introducing Beyonce"?

1:50


If I didn't follow these things and just watched the Battleship trailer, I wouldn't know she's in it.

[Wonda]

Originally posted by MrPeanut

Being featured in a promotional poster for an ensemble action movie does not speak to what that film was sold on, ultimately.

$624m for the return of Pepper Potts!

Gurl, I was posting some posters. I'm not participating in this little argument of y'alls' because this thread is solely about the success of Rih's debut film.

[RihRihGirrrl]

Originally posted by MrPeanut

I never used posters as proof of anything, cuz they aren't. Narrating or not, none of the trailers have used Rihanna as a centerpiece for the appeal of the movie -- no action film would or could. They are sold on the action/storyline/effects.

Comedy is much more reliant on stars, Beyonce was heavily featured in the trailers for Austin Powers and was the undeniable female LEAD.

Interviews aren't proof of much, either, since no action film is going to live or die by them to anywhere near the extent that comedies will. And of course they will use Rihanna for that since it's stunt casting, much like Beyonce was in Goldmember, but it doesn't speak to the bottom line of what had more of an effect to bring audiences in to theaters.

I guess we'll agree to disagree but as someone who as payed attention to the promotional campaign from start to finish, I can say that Rihanna is being promoted as the female lead in this film. She obviously has the cushion of being in an action film where the action is the focal point but Beyonce also had the cushion of being in an Austin Powers film where the selling point is the brand itself. Also, Rihanna is the primary female feature in the trailers and her she's visible pretty much throughout the film.

[thewaitinggame]

Google Results

"Rihanna Battleship"
About 43,200,000 results (0.26 seconds)

"Taylor Kitsch Battleship"
About 2,280,000 results (0.19 seconds)

"Alexander Skarsgard Battleship"
About 5,690,000 results (0.27 seconds)

"Brooklyn Decker Battleship"
About 2,480,000 results (0.18 seconds)

"Liam Neeson Battleship"
About 2,150,000 results (0.20 seconds)

"Peter Berg Battleship"
About 345,000 results (0.25 seconds)

"Battleship Transformers"
About 9,350,000 results (0.21 seconds)

"Battleship Game Movie"
About 43,500,000 results (0.20 seconds)

I mean....
She has clearly played a role in the buzz and promotion surrounding the movie - that's why she's in it in the first place lol. That doesn't mean that she's responsible for it's grosses or why people will go see it. She is just a buzz tool, similar to how say, Beyonce was used in Goldmember. Someone brought up Transformers mentions, that's another buzz tool.

[MrPeanut]

Originally posted by Nicole

Does the Battleship trailer say 'Introducing Rihanna" like the Goldmember trailer said "Introducing Beyonce"?

1:50


If I didn't follow these things and just watched the Battleship trailer, I wouldn't know she's in it.

When the Superbowl commercial for Battleship ended someone at my party was like:

1st Person: "Wait, was that... *confused* Rihanna?"

2nd Person: "It did kinda look like her. Maybe?"

I mean, nobody was left wondering who the female starring in Goldmember was...

[MrPeanut]

Originally posted by RihRihGirrrl

I guess we'll agree to disagree but as someone who as payed attention to the promotional campaign from start to finish, I can say that Rihanna is being promoted as the female lead in this film. She obviously has the cushion of being in an action film where the action is the focal point but Beyonce also had the cushion of being in an Austin Powers film where the selling point is the brand itself. Also, Rihanna is the primary female feature in the trailers and her she's visible pretty much throughout the film.

I would never disagree that debuting in an established comedy franchise wasn't obviously a relatively safe choice for Beyonce, I just think that role was much more of a heralded "film debut" than this is for Rihanna.

[RihRihGirrrl]

Originally posted by MrPeanut

When the Superbowl commercial for Battleship ended someone at my party was like "*confused* Wait, was that... Rihanna?"

2nd Person: "It did kinda look like her. Maybe?"

I mean, nobody was left wondering who the female starring in Goldmember was...

But there are several trailers of Battleship and as I've mentioned before, the promo in the U.S has barely begun which isn't the case overseas. The promo trailers being used WW heavily feature Rihanna.

[M A R N ✮]

[RihRihGirrrl]

Originally posted by MrPeanut

I would never disagree that debuting in an established comedy franchise wasn't obviously a relatively safe choice for Beyonce, I just think that role was much more of a heralded "film debut" than this is for Rihanna.

From the reports that im getting, she's not playing your typical supporting character. She's featured pretty much throughout the duration of the film and 2 people who have watch the film have said that she actually has more screen time then Liam Neeson

[Orsay]

Y'all really think RIHANNA is the reason its doing well?

[MrPeanut]

Originally posted by RihRihGirrrl

But there are several trailers of Battleship and as I've mentioned before, the promo in the U.S has barely begun which isn't the case overseas. The promo trailers being used WW heavily feature Rihanna.

Well, at any rate, lucky for her it ain't flopping cuz even if we're loath to attribute its success to her you know a lot of people would jump at the chance to hang its failure around her neck.

[RihRihGirrrl]

Originally posted by Orsay

Y'all really think RIHANNA is the reason its doing well?

No but she's an effective promotional tool

[RihRihGirrrl]

Originally posted by MrPeanut

Well, at any rate, lucky for her it ain't flopping cuz even if we're loath to attribute its success to her you know a lot of people would jump at the chance to hang its failure around her neck.

My point exactly. Im not attributing the film's success to Rihanna but this is a good debut for her and thus far, it's something people can't use against her.

[infinite-desire]

Just like I predicted. It'll probably underperform in the US though..

[eli's_rhythm]

Stay on topic, kids. It's Rihanna's thread.

[MrPeanut]

Originally posted by eli's_rhythm

Stay on topic, kids. It's Rihanna's thread.

Well that's kinda what we've been debating, innit.

[I'm JAVIng Fun]

WOW it's doing great

[G4L]

Originally posted by RihRihGirrrl

She even has her very own poster

This is literally the only poster I've seen here in Australia, and it's everywhere, on billboards and the sides of buses. Rihanna is one of the main selling points of this movie, I don't know why people are trying to argue otherwise.