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Who are the biggest movie stars today?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by RecoveringJournalist, Jul 3, 2014.

  1. Bradley Guire

    Bradley Guire Well-Known Member

    Going by numbers, Christian Bale and Robert Downey Jr should be the biggest stars in Hollywood. Three Batman films with two making more than a billion. Four films with Iron man, two making more than a billion. But they're pre-established franchises. Would people have flocked to them with other actors in those roles? Probably.

    Times are different, a far cry from when Schwarzenegger could play an original character and still make money. And how many non-movie buffs could name Schwarzengger films? They'll get Terminator, Conan, Predator, Total Recall. But aside from Terminator and Conan, can they recall the name of the characters he's played? John Matrix? Dutch? Quaid?

    We're in an age where the characters are the star. Look how the human chacters could be swapped out of Transformers and the franchise still rakes in more than $100 million in its opening. Anyone can be in these movies.
     
  2. RecoveringJournalist

    RecoveringJournalist Well-Known Member

    Yeah, I like Lawrence a lot and think she's amazingly talented, but you could swap her and Shailene Woodley in most of those (X-Men, Hunger games) parts and there wouldn't be much difference. I'm not sure the same could be said about Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle.

    McCarthy wrote Tammy. Considering the reviews, I'm not sure that's a good thing, but it shows that she's at the level where she can go to a studio and say, "I wrote this, I want my husband to direct." and get it greenlit and have it make money.
     
  3. RecoveringJournalist

    RecoveringJournalist Well-Known Member

    I think Downey and Lawrence is probably the closest to the correct answer, if there is such a thing.

    I think Downey deserves more credit for the financial success of the Iron Man series than Bale does for Batman. Bale was great in those movies, but Batman was a much easier sell than Iron Man, which was not nearly as mainstream as Batman.

    I think people can imagine someone else being Batman. I don't think people can imagine anyone else playing Tony Stark.
     
  4. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Will have to see, but the reviews are tearing it apart. I have no desire whatsoever to see Tammy or Think Like a Man Too. I like Kevin Hart, but not in the movies for some reason.
     
  5. Pilot

    Pilot Well-Known Member

    Great point. I don't think Lawrence is as important to Hunger Games as Downey is to Iron Man, though, so that's why I discount her "star appeal" a little bit. She's obviously really, really big, but I'm not sure she's huge. I'd be surprised to see her star in a money-making movie that was significant only because she was the lead, as is the case with McCarthy.
     
  6. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Nah. Someone else likely WILL play Tony Stark, and then we will just argue about who did it better. Was a time when nobody could see anyone playing James Bond other than Roger Moore ... or Sean Connery ... or George Lazenby ... But I would probably go with Lawrence and I guess Downey. How amazing is that? And now his son is dealing with the same demons. Sure hope Downey can keep it straight.
     
  7. Buck

    Buck Well-Known Member

    Lawrence had two Oscar nominations (lead and supporting) and an Oscar win (lead).
    Plus she's been in some blockbusters. I'd say it's her.
     
  8. outofplace

    outofplace Well-Known Member

    Iron Man was not a pre-established franchise. It was a second-tier comic book character and far from a sure thing. Downey was a perfect bit of casting and he made that movie work, helping pave the way for Marvel Studios.
     
  9. Spartan Squad

    Spartan Squad Well-Known Member

    I feel like you could almost compare McCarthy closer to Rob Schneider than Sandler or some others. She's kind of a one trick pony: Slapstick, misunderstood comedy and faux sentiment. Sandler tried to branch out with Punch Drunk Love. McCarthy, apart from being on Gilmore Girls where she couldn't do slapstick as much, really hasn't gone beyond the crap she's done.

    I argue Lawrence is bigger because she's in different kinds of things and plays different kinds of roles. Sure you can compare Katniss to Mistique, but Katniss to her role in American Hustle is vastly different.
     
  10. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    McCarthy is 20 times funnier than Schneider than or Sandler ever were or are.

    I would judge a movie star on how many jaws would drop when they walk down the street and this would be added to their ability to act. Plus, they have to have a certain coolness about them. This leaves out people like Cameron Diaz or Kevin James.

    My list of the best of the best...

    Jennifer Lawerence
    Tom Hanks
    Leonardo DiCaprio
    Matthew McConaughey
    Johnny Depp
    Brad Pitt
    George Clooney
    Christian Bale
    Robert Downey Jr.

    There might be a few others, but these are on the list.
     
  11. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Sexist much? :)
     
  12. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Really aren't too many women of note right now, are there? Seems the ones who were bankable just aren't doing a lot of work. Knightly, Portman, Winslet, Theron, Beckinsale? Hmmm.
     
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