No One Saw Justin Bieber's Movie
No matter how many times Justin Bieber threatened to quit music forever, it wasn't enough to drum up interest in his new film, Believe, which earned just $1.25 million on its Christmas opening day.
On one hand, $1.25 million is a lot of money! And the film only cost $15 million to make, the Wall Street Journal reports, so if it doesn't make its money back, it should come pretty close (the international market, both WSJ and my tween cousin in Sweden report, still loves Bieber).
On the other, this was the second highest-grossing Christmas Day in the US and Canada (Bieber's homeland, remember) ever, and $1.25 million doesn't put Bieber on top of the box office. Or even in the top five. Or the top 10. At 14, he just barely made it into the top 15. Even that Robert DeNiro/Sylvester Stallone elderly boxing movie did better. Lots better! Nearly $2.75 million better!
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Also, Bieber's last movie, 2011's Never Say Never made $12 million on its opening day (and was released in three times as many theaters). Should this trend hold, Bieber's 2015 concert film, Meaningless Inspirational Phrase, will open in 347 theaters and earn just $130,458.
As for Bieber's new album: "Beyonce’s new album returned to Number 1 on iTunes within hours," ShowBiz411 said. Damn straight it did.
This article was originally published at http://www.thewire.com/entertainment/2013/12/no-one-saw-justin-biebers-movie/356509/
