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Studios Sweating August Releases

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 5, 2009 8:09 AM CDT

(Newser) – Studios used to spending August releasing movies from slightly out in left field, free from the pressure of early summer blockbusters, are finding this year more stressful than usual, the New York Times reports. A soft four weeks has put releases such as Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds under pressure to perform well, but the disappointing performance of recent releases like Funny People and Bruno has Hollywood worried.

If Basterds bombs, the Weinstein brothers are likely to lack resources to fund an Oscar push for upcoming musical Nine. Sony Pictures, without a $100 million picture since May's Angels & Demons, has high hopes for comedic Julia Child biopic Julie & Julia, but director Nora Ephron hasn't had a hit since 1998. Paramount, meanwhile, is riding high on the success of Star Trek and Transformers, but could be embarrassed if GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra flops next weekend as predicted. 

Dennis Quaid plays  General Hawk in G.I. Joe:The Rise of Cobra.
Dennis Quaid plays General Hawk in "G.I. Joe:The Rise of Cobra."   (AP Photo/Paramount Pictures)
Eli Roth, left, and  Brad Pitt are shown in a scene from Inglourious Basterds.
Eli Roth, left, and Brad Pitt are shown in a scene from "Inglourious Basterds."   (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Francois Duhamel)
Brad Pitt is shown in a scene from Inglourious Basterds.
Brad Pitt is shown in a scene from "Inglourious Basterds."   (AP Photo/The Weinstein Company, Francois Duhamel)
Adam Sandler, left, and Seth Rogen are shown in a scene from, Funny People.
Adam Sandler, left, and Seth Rogen are shown in a scene from, "Funny People."   (AP Photo/Universal Pictures, Tracy Bennett)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 6 comments
cognitivefilter
Aug 6, 2009 3:25 AM CDT
so excited for the new tarantino...........but julie & julia looks god awful to me
iamacidangel
Aug 6, 2009 1:19 AM CDT
I have been looking forward to GI Joe but I am afraid it is going to bomb. I read a article stating that the studio would not even let critics screen it so they must be worried about something.
RobN
Aug 5, 2009 5:39 AM CDT
Do they really think Newser is the demographic they're going after?

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