Why Spider-Man 3 did better than Pirates of the Caribbean 3 at the Box Office...


So we all know one of the biggest battles at the box office this summer was going to be between Spider-Man 3 and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End. Now after both films have been released -- we see that the winner was Spider-Man 3. How does one predict which one will do better before they come out? I am sure Hollywood executives have been toiling over this for years, but I believe I have the answer...

The Old Korean Couple theory.

Yes, that is right -- “The Old Korean Couple theory”. My theory is this: If an old Korean couple that doesn’t regularly go to the movies, who have no real interest in movies other than the soaps they watch on the multicultural channel, show up at the theater for your movie -- then it is going to be a guaranteed smash at the box office.


Example -- when I went to see Spider-Man 3, the theater was packed from the front to back row and who was sitting next to me?... The Old Korean couple. The man spent the whole film fidgeting, eating, looking at his shoes, and even taking a mini-nap half way through. The wife spent the whole film looking through her purse, fidgeting as well, and also examined her shoes approximately every time Peter Parker whined about something (which is quite often). It was clear they did not understand English very well (they would frown during heavy dialogue scene) and it was clear that they did not know much about Spider-Man or his mythology (more frowning during villain genesis and fight scenes). So why were they there? Because -- they felt they had to be there for whatever reason they gathered from all the marketing and hype.


When I went to see Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End... the Korean couple was not there.


Other examples:

Superman Returns: Not there.

POTC 2: Dead Man’s Chest: There.

Shrek 3: There.

Zodiac: Not there.

Norbit: There.

300: There.

Grindhouse: Definitely not there.


I rest my case.