Soderbergh’s Starry ‘Black Bag’ Dismal $7.5 Million Opening Is Hollywood’s IP Dilemma | Analysis

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Whether it’s “Novocaine,” “Mickey 17” or the “Ocean’s” director’s latest, audiences are slow to show up for original films

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Michael Fassbender in "Black Bag" (Claudette Barius/Focus Features)

A critically praised Steven Soderbergh spy thriller might have been an easy sell to moviegoers even a decade ago. But the dismal $7.5 million opening of Focus Features’ “Black Bag” shows the chicken-and-egg problem that Hollywood faces when it comes to building audiences for movies that don’t have a well-known IP attached.

“Most of the films that are in theaters right now are getting great reviews, but it is still a challenge to get moviegoers to give them a chance with their hard-earned dollars,” said Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “It’s something that has been going on for a while, as the audiences have shown that they want certainty with the dominance of tried-and-true franchises even as some have decried the lack of originality.”

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