Deadline has posted an exclusive article in which it explains the various problems which prompted the GI Joe Retaliation delay for 3D. The information posted comes from alleged Paramount insiders:
"This was a case of letting a schedule to fill a summer slot dictate the film not being in 3D even though we knew that would be the most commercial version of the film. Then in the spring there were 2 big events. First John Carter lost $200M despite the best efforts of the Pixar brain trust. But the 3D film managed to gross over $200M overseas, nearly tripling its U.S. take.
“Also Channing Tatum had a breakout spring, starring in The Vow and 21 Jump Street. In our first screening of the film the reaction from audiences was good but with 2 big concerns: 1) They didn’t like the fact that Channing and The Rock really didn’t have any time to develop a friendship before Channing died, and 2) Why wasn’t it going to be in 3D? We went back and shot another week with Channing to develop more of his story with The Rock, which made the film play much better. But we didn’t have the time to be in 3D.
“Then a week ago Battleship basically had the same performance as John Carter – $60M-$70M U.S. and just over $200M international. That was just a wake-up call that said to us we need to offer the best version of the film irrespective of summer market share to ensure the best possible performance. And not being in 3D will cost us a ton of business internationally."
The Hollywood Reporter has also posted an article and stated the following:
"Paramount sources say studio chair Brad Grey and vice chair Rob Moore felt the expense was preferable to a duel with Sony’s Spider-Man reboot, out July 3.
“They looked at the landscape and realized they couldn’t compete,” agrees the producer in an appraisal shared by many executives and agents. Add to that the sinking of Universal’s $200 million-plus Battleship — another film based on a Hasbro property — and the potential downside looked especially distressing. So Paramount is adding 3D in hope of bolstering overseas box office and taking the opportunity to expand the role of Channing Tatum, whose stardom has grown thanks to The Vow and 21 Jump Street. In fact, Tatum’s character originally died in Retaliation, but it’s now possible he will be resurrected."
The article also has the following statement about Paramount, by an unnamed, "prominent player":
"“They are impossible to do business with,” says a prominent player. “They spend less money on movies than anybody; they develop fewer movies than anybody.”
The above statement was with regards to Paramount relying on hits by outsiders like Marvel Studios, in lieu of developing their own product.
