THE GREEN HORNET's box office take is fine but is still way less than other superhero films. Have we reached a point where we're becoming over-saturated and bored with comic book adaptations or is this just a one off?

Personally I suspect the discrepancy between The Green Hornet's takings so far and other recent superhero flicks is largely down to several combining factors...

Firstly it's January - people are doing some belt tightening post Christmas and more so than previous years thanks to the gloomy economic outlook...

Secondly there's been mixed reports about the quality of the 3D, and more generally I think the received wisdom on the subject of 3D is solidifying in to 'usually a waste of time' . Hence I suspect the movie may be suffering from a lack of 'specs appeal'

Next, and probably most importantly, as a recognised character The Green Hornet just isn't in the same league as the big names from the Marvel and DC Universes. He's better known to fans of pulp fiction than even to the average comics geek as The Green Hornet's comic series have been sporadic at best in recent years. And the only reason the man in the street* might have heard of this venerable masked vigilante is that Bruce Lee played Kato in the short lived '60s TV series.

I'd guess the box office take so far is more down to audience recognition of the names of Seth Rogan and Michel Gondry than any interest in the character. However equally given that both the actor and director both have the capacity to irritate some folks, they could be losing the movie a few ticket sales. For example, I loved Be Kind Rewind, but I know a fair few people who felt the movie didn't deliver the knockabout comedy that the trailer seemed to promise...


* Whose name, my spies inform me, is Gary Tosser

Ask us anything