The latest film adaptation of the comic books about crime-fighting reptiles, this one from Viacom Inc. VIAB +0.89% ‘s Paramount Pictures and starring Megan Fox, opened to an estimated $65 million in the U.S. and Canada. The reboot had a production budget of $125 million and is the fifth film featuring the anthropomorphic foursome, who appeared in three live-action features in the 1990s and a computer-animated film in 2007.
Given the strong opening, Paramount said Sunday that it is planning a sequel to be released in June 2016. The latest movie’s success likely derives from its appeal to young adults who were Ninja Turtles fans in childhood.
Paramount specifically marketed to what it called “nostalgics,” people in their late 20s and early 30s who grew up with the characters in films, comic books and a television series, said Megan Colligan, president of domestic marketing and distribution. It isn’t a group that wants to see its childhood characters toyed with, said Ms. Colligan, so the marketing emphasized known traits like the turtles’ love of pizza and penchant for exclaiming “Cowabunga!” About 55% of the opening-weekend audience was older than 25.
I’m so happy for TMNT!
Source: WSJ
