“Iron Man” has become the first film released in 2008 that has easily coasted its way into the record books for being the first picture of the year to reach that $300 million box office benchmark throughout North America. It will make and surpass that amount before the close of box office today, Thursday, June 19.
2007 saw three films rally past the $300 million mark — “Spider-Man 3,” “Shrek the Third” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End.”
It probably won’t be too much longer before “Iron Man” has company in that elite list as “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” currently sitting with nearly $280 million in its coffers is sneaking up to become a member of that unique $300 Mil Club.
I’m not sure one could say “unique $300 Mil Club”, as it’s happened for many films over the years. I would say “rare”, or “elite” would be best, I think.
I didn’t realize the Indy had built up so much money domestically. If Lucas is still saying that he’s not sure about making another one, he’s fooling himself. With those numbers, I think he’ll almost have to.
I’d still call it a unique club. In the entire history of filmmaking (over 100 years now) there have only been 27 movies to clear the $300 million domestic hurtle, and everyone of these took place over the last 30 odd years:
1. Titanic (1997) $600,779,824
2. Star Wars (1977) $460,935,665
3. Shrek 2 (2004) $436,471,036
4. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) $434,949,459
5. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999) $431,065,444
6. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) $423,032,628
7. Spider-Man (2002) $403,706,375
8. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) $380,262,555
9. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) $377,019,252
10. Spider-Man 2 (2004) $373,377,893
11. The Passion of the Christ (2004) $370,270,943
12. Jurassic Park (1993) $356,784,000
13. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) $340,478,898
14. Finding Nemo (2003) $339,714,367
15. Spider-Man 3 (2007) $336,530,303
16. Forrest Gump (1994) $329,691,196
17. The Lion King (1994) $328,423,001
18. Shrek the Third (2007) $320,706,665
19. Transformers (2007) $318,759,914
20. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) $317,557,891
21. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) $313,837,577
22. Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) $310,675,583
23. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007) $309,404,152
24. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983) $309,125,409
25. Independence Day (1996) $306,124,059
26. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) $305,388,685
27. Iron Man (2008) $300,042,790
u·nique /yuˈnik/ [yoo-neek]
–adjective
1. existing as the only one or as the sole example; single; solitary in type or characteristics: a unique copy of an ancient manuscript.
As a Grammar Nazi then I’m sure you’re already aware that your given definition of unique, as it applies today, is limited to just one strict area — that of mathematics.
Unique also means:
1. limited in occurrence to a given class, situation, or area.
2. not typical; unusual
3. the embodiment of specific characteristics rarely found
None of these other definitions of unique imply an “only one,” “sole example” or “solitary in type.”
The word was first introduced into the English language during the 17th century and at that time did have the meaning you indicated. However, by the 19th Century the word expanded on its definition to include the idea of “not typical, unusual and limited in occurrence.”
Inflation-adjust those numbers, please! With the way the $ is going, it won’t be long before Uwe Boll “movies” reach that once-lofty goal.