I just saw Alita: Battle Angel and I am ready to render my judgement...

[Sammael]

It was phenomenal. My only regret is that dolby cinema was in 3d and I was unaware of it. It was excellent 3d but I still prefer not having to deal with that over 2d. Very compelling action and a fun movie to watch. I can't say it was super deep, but I was not expecting that.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Glad to hear that it was good.

I'm not going to be seeing this at the theater because these days I only care to see a precious few movies with a crowd, but I was hoping it would be good enough to add to my Blu-Ray collection.

If the general consensus is that it was a great movie, then I'll be confident in my purchase. After recent manga-misfires, I do hope that Hollywood learns how to do a proper adaptation because there are a lot of properties that would benefit from a $170 million production budget like Alita.

I just hope it makes enough money so that when Fox merges with Disney, Disney will greenlight a sequel -- assuming there is somewhere to go with the characters after this movie.

[Starter Set]

I read Gunnm back in the days, during the 90's. Cool manga. I used to be quite the fan. (till i read that last order farce)

But that movie for some reason i have like zero interest in it.

I don't know, i'm probably going to watch it at some point but dvd or bluray i think.

[Panic]

The fight scenes are incredible.

[Nate Grey]

I liked it. Lot of cameos including a reunion of sorts. I'm not sure it was a good idea to spoilers:

leave it wide open for a sequel

end of spoilers but maybe I'll be proven wrong come Sunday.

[Kintor]

I've already seen the movie once in 3D at an advance screening and I plan to see it again this week. I'm a huge fan of cyberpunk and I've read the manga, I think that Alita might be the best movie I've seen in years.

It's like some unholy combination of the Matrix and Avatar. You've got well-choreographed martial arts and breathtaking 3D visuals. This is the closest Hollywood has ever come to making anime real and I don't say that lightly.

Furthermore, the story is faithful to the source material. That beautiful hero's journey arc alongside all the insanity of the cyborg character designs. Alita herself might just be the most realised CGI character ever put on screen, she feels like a real person and after a time you forget she's not live action.

Overall Alita is a genuine event movie and I fervently want to see this movie succeed, for the sake of possible sequels and also for what such success can mean for more manga and anime adaptions in the future. If Hollywood has any ounce of artistry left they should be making more movies like Alita.

[Nate Grey]

Well #1 for the weekend, worldwide gross of over 130m, domestic of over 94m. On a 170m budget (though I'm seeing 200m in other places).

Some reading for those interested. One thing that stuck out to me:
"Of course, despite the film's over-performance, it still carries a lofty $170 million price tag with sources suggesting it needs to gross $500-550 million globally to break even, which, at this point, looks nearly impossible."

I wonder if this will become one of those cult classics that get a sequel like, a decade or two after it was originally in theaters?

[Wildling]

Well #1 for the weekend, worldwide gross of over 130m, domestic of over 94m. On a 170m budget (though I'm seeing 200m in other places).

Some reading for those interested. One thing that stuck out to me:
"Of course, despite the film's over-performance, it still carries a lofty $170 million price tag with sources suggesting it needs to gross $500-550 million globally to break even, which, at this point, looks nearly impossible."

I wonder if this will become one of those cult classics that get a sequel like, a decade or two after it was originally in theaters?

That's what happened with Blade Runner, and a new Dune is up to bat next...

I hope Alita could get a sequel more quickly, it had the kind of cliffhanger ending that I liked.

[Nate Grey]

That's what happened with Blade Runner, and a new Dune is up to bat next...

I hope Alita could get a sequel more quickly, it had the kind of cliffhanger ending that I liked.

Since Cameron is involved I'm sure the sequel(s) will come out as quickly as the Avatar sequels.

[Comic-Reader Lad]

Well #1 for the weekend, worldwide gross of over 130m, domestic of over 94m. On a 170m budget (though I'm seeing 200m in other places).

Some reading for those interested. One thing that stuck out to me:
"Of course, despite the film's over-performance, it still carries a lofty $170 million price tag with sources suggesting it needs to gross $500-550 million globally to break even, which, at this point, looks nearly impossible."

I wonder if this will become one of those cult classics that get a sequel like, a decade or two after it was originally in theaters?

Just a minor correction. Alita has $94 million in estimated foreign grosses as of today, Feb 17.

Domestic grosses are predicted to be at $41 million by tomorrow.

[AJBopp]

I wonder if this will become one of those cult classics that get a sequel like, a decade or two after it was originally in theaters?

seems unlikely to me to be a cult classic. I don't see a sequel ever happening so much as a re-invention.

Without big eyes.

[Kintor]

seems unlikely to me to be a cult classic. I don't see a sequel ever happening so much as a re-invention.

Without big eyes.

Alita already has a cult following from the Manga and the 90s OVA anime. With the great word of mouth the movie's getting the cult just got bigger. Besides, James Cameron apparently already has scripts prepared for a further two movies. I think we'll see a direct sequel sooner rather then later.

As for the whole eyes situation, it doesn't actually detract from the movie, quite the opposite in fact. Between the well done CGI and the in-universe explanations you kind of just accept Alita has these big eyes and just go with it. I know it sounds kind of strange, but between all the cyberpunk designs and other crazy visuals Alita's physical appearance fits right in.

[AJBopp]

Alita already has a cult following from the Manga and the 90s OVA anime. With the great word of mouth the movie's getting the cult just got bigger. Besides, James Cameron apparently already has scripts prepared for a further two movies. I think we'll see a direct sequel sooner rather then later.

As for the whole eyes situation, it doesn't actually detract from the movie, quite the opposite in fact. Between the well done CGI and the in-universe explanations you kind of just accept Alita has these big eyes and just go with it. I know it sounds kind of strange, but between all the cyberpunk designs and other crazy visuals Alita's physical appearance fits right in.

The manga and anime have a real following, not a cult following. There's a reason for that. The reason does not appear to be one the movie has replicated. I don't see the movie itself getting even a cult following, and if it did that would, in my opinion, be a disservice to the original. It deserves more than cult following.

[Kintor]

The manga and anime have a real following, not a cult following. There's a reason for that. The reason does not appear to be one the movie has replicated. I don't see the movie itself getting even a cult following, and if it did that would, in my opinion, be a disservice to the original. It deserves more than cult following.

Are we really going to play semantics here? As far as I'm concerned a 'real following' and a 'cult following' mean exactly the same thing. You've got passionate fans supporting Alita for nearly 30 years now and they're turning out to see this movie. There are anecdotal reports of fans in Japan seeing the movie 4 times in the opening week alone. Perhaps more crucially, those same fans are encouraging hype among the general audience. Like I said before, the word of mouth for the movie is strong, Alita just might the first breakout hit of the year and that's all the legacy this movie needs to greenlight some sequels.

[SpiderClops]

I have a gut feeling it's going to do ok at domestic and going to kill it at international, especially China.