According to my sources, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story only pulled in 4.1 million dollars opening weekend. Now that’s just un-Judd Apatow-like.
Mr. Apatow’s most recent films, box office smashes like The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, and Superbad were all wildly successful and although it should be noted Apatow didn’t direct Walk Hard (he co-wrote and produced), he’s still got his “from the people who brought you Superbad, Knocked Up, and The 40 Year Old Virgin” all over it.
It should also be noted that Walk Hard is receiving good reviews. The-rock-star-biopic-parody has been previously unexplored territory (unless you count the unintentionally funny classic, Rock Star) and it would at least seem that this type of “genre” piece would sell some tickets.
So what have Apatow Productions, MTV Digital and a lil’ internet marketing company called M80 done to try and boost those box office numbers? Besides trying their damndest to find as many internet lifelines as possible: see blogs, advertisements, viral videos — they’ve also launched Everybody Loves Cox.com, a website devoted to trying to get you and me and everyone we know to see the film while it’s still playing at your local megaplex.
www.everybodylovescox.com has your AIM buddy icons. It’s got your downloadable singing bobble heads AND your holiday cards.
So I guess we’ll see what happens at the box office this weekend… I’ll be there.
While we’re at it, here’s the Walk Hard music video:
–DT
