Despite a strong reception, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple has debuted at the box office with half the total its predecessor made.
While critically beloved, it has just become a victim of what I call the January movie curse. January is generally regarded as the month when movies go to die, often due to their poorer quality, but why is that?
There are myriad reasons why studios often lose money in January, all of which make it a doomed month for releases. The most obvious reason is the budget of moviegoers. Following Christmas, money is tight after expensive presents and a few too many mince pies. Audiences are naturally selective about what they choose to see, especially since tickets and concessions can often cost £20 or more per person. Therefore, the month as a whole is already off to a tricky start, as many lack the financial capacity to head to the cinema during the month.
This has a knock-on effect on the studios. Already aware of the reduced interest in cinemas during January, it serves as a clean sweep for them to dump the projects they have the least confidence into succeed, rather than wasting money marketing them in busier months later in the year. The fact that most of the projects with award buzz are usually released within November or December helps. Studios will use those months to push the films they think have the best standing for commercial or awards success, and sometimes both. January is then the month that the deadwood releases. Therefore, if a film like the upcoming Mercy does well, it can be a pleasant surprise for the studios rather than looking like a big swing tanking at the box office.
Another factor is the gradual return to work and education post-Christmas. After having often one to two weeks off to enjoy the festivities and films, many are either too busy catching up on work or being handed assignments to spare time to go to the movies. Two hours in the evening can be a valuable amount of time that many may not have spare, as prior commitments come back into the picture. If people don’t have time to head to the cinema, they’ll likely watch films in the comfort of their home instead, especially with poorer weather outside too.
This result has led to cinema chains and studios seeking alternative routes for revenue, like the Lord of the Rings rereleases this year. They’re low-cost as, bar some marketing material, nothing is being made, and they utilise nostalgia to get people in seats. Its an easy tactic that helps keep cinema chains running in such a slow month. Sprinkle in some low-quality action films and comedies, and you have a recipe for January, the month in cinema where not a lot happens, but when everyone just about gets by.
However, on the rare occasion that a project like The Bone Temple slips into this month, these factors can really harm the success of quality filmmaking and future series potential. In this case, the third is already greenlit, but there will always be stories of the great January films that flopped, left to die in the cold of the post-Christmas slump.
Bradley Whittam (born February 11, 2003) is a British film and television graduate, journalist and filmmaker. Having studied film since the age of 16, Bradley has since worked on several short films at university, primarily as an editor. He has also begun posting social media content surrounding films online.
@bradtalksfilm (TikTok), @_bradely_ (Instagram) and @bradwhitt03@outlook.com (email).
