Do you think George Clooney's statements about refugees will overshadow the release of Hail Caesar?

It seems to me that with George's visit to Angela Merkel, alongside all the headlines stating that the US should take in more refugees and that he supports Germany's intake of refugees, that this story has greatly overshadowed the fact that he's got a new film coming out.  Having seen some of the more vitriollic comments on my facebook page (the one for this site) as well as other websites, I can see that he's really stirred up a hornet's nest with this.  I even wonder whether some people wouldn't call for a boycott of Hail Caesar for what he's said.

Do you guys think this has overtaken the launch of the film and if so, is that a good thing or a bad thing in your opinion?

Katie, sadly "Hail Caesar" has already pretty much dropped off the media radar. It did decent box office, but got mediocre reviews and there are other films getting much more attention now. Besides, the weather has turned brutal so ticket sales probably won't be too good for any movie for a while. Calling for a boycott wouldn't make much sense as the movie probably won't be around too much longer anyway.

I don't know what kind of effect his stance might have on audiences outside the US.

I really don't think 80% fresh on the Rotten Tomatoes would be considered as "mediocre" reviews. At least 80% of the critics like the film.
Besides, it will only open in March overseas, by when the controversy from George's words should cool down.

The film hasn't even opened in the UK yet, so I think foreign box office hasn't even begun to kick in.  Not willing to write this film off yet until all the numbers are counted.

I personally wouldn't boycott a film because an actor said something about politics, but I don't know what others think. Especially when they agree with politicians who want to ban every muslim refugee from their country or want to build a wall to keep them away (and there are countries in Europe as well, not just republican presidential candidates in the US).
I think George's statements, comments and talks bring more attention to the refugees situation which is good.

'Hail Caesar' is in my opinion no movie for everybody, and I think the Coen movies are always quite special. There are some I really enjoyed and others I really hated. So I guess they didn't expect it to be on top of the movies. If George's involvement really has an influence on the number of people going to the movies - I don't think so. For me it's more about liking somebody or not. And I personally had been disappointed if George hadn't taken the opportunity to talk about the refugees situation while he's in Germany.
And the movie hasn't started anywhere else than in the US so we'll have to see.

Sevens wrote:I really don't think 80% fresh on the Rotten Tomatoes would be considered as "mediocre" reviews. At least 80% of the critics like the film.
Besides, it will only open in March overseas, by when the controversy from George's words should cool down.

Sevens, the Rotten Tomatoes score may be a little misleading. Critics look at movies differently than the average moviegoer and the things they appreciate often don't matter to the regular audience. Most of the reviews I saw were positive overall, but more for the creative effort that went into it than for the movie as a whole.

 I'm not saying the movie is a flop - it isn't - but IMO it could have done better. They poured a ton of money into promotion. You couldn't turn on a tv without seeing an ad for the movie (this has stopped) - and then they opened it on Superbowl weekend. That alone guaranteed a smaller box office for opening weekend. There are other movies that have been getting major press since then and the weather has turned awful all around the country. Add to that the fact that the Coen brother's movies appeal to a limited audience to begin with and you really don't have a shot at a major hit. George's comments won't help, but I doubt that they'll have much impact at this point.

I suspect the movie will do much better overseas than it did here in the US. You have a more sophisticated palate than we do and will probably appreciate the artistic effort the Coens made more than the average American moviegoer. Here, if something isn't getting blown up or killed by a superhero it isn't worth seeing.

The Coen movies tend to have better international box office sales that U.S.   As Lizzy said international moviegoers are more sophisticated in their film tastes.  But it is way too soon to call this movie a failure.  I saw it and thought it was really good. And the audience as a whole liked it.  But the opening last weekend did have other elements working against it as Lizzy mentioned.

The critics' reviews have been really positive and the audience reviews so so.  And like many other Coen movies they tend to grow on you the more you watch them.  This is also a movie that really is going to appeal to an older audience anyway.  Most millennials really don't appreciate "Old Hollywood".

I do think it's unfortunate that there have been no Hail Caesar trailers this week on T.V.  I think that's a mistake.

But I really don't think George's comments will have any real effect on box office sales for the movie.

Honestly, I think ticket prices keep more people away from movies than the critic's reviews. At $12 to $15 a ticket people are going to the movies much less often and they think twice about seeing something that doesn't get great reviews. If the industry really wanted to get people back into theaters to see movies, they'd lower the ticket prices.

They should offer a midweek discount  .      Maybe a small group discount like if you buy 4 tickets you get  a dollar off .

I'm my country, Tuesday's are cheap night. $6.99 a ticket as opposed to $11.99.

Nope, I don't think it will affect it hugely. It's a funny film with an ensemble cast, so if you're a Channing or a Scarlett fan you're not going to not go to it!

I wonder how the Coen brothers think about George and the refugee subject. If you do a film do you have to ask for example the movie maker if you can go on and promote other subjects then the movie while you promote the movie? 

Now in this case George used the movie promotion for his refugees matter. The movie moved to the background. Is that what only George can do or any actor? 

Do you know what I mean?

I thought when actors do a movie promo they are more restricted?

That's an interesting question, Nicky. I guess to some extent it depends on who the people are and what issue they're talking about. As long as they do the promotional events they contracted to do I don't think anyone can keep them from talking to the press - even if they wish they wouldn't.

I think the Coens understand that George didn't bring up the refugee issue at the press conference. He was just answering questions he was asked by the press.

Whenever George does promotion for a movie he does lots of interviews and gets asked a variety of questions.  Remember all the press he did for Tomorrowland?  I think the subject matter is driven by the interviewer.  During press conferences anything can come up.  So I can't believe there are any restrictions as to what George can and can't talk about.  And as Lizzy said the refugee issue was not brought up by George.

Well, I thought Berlinale this year had several films about refugees and that was the general theme of the film festivall,,,,,,,

Many are saying the failure of Tomorrowland was because George didn't promote the FILM, he promoted his marriage and his wife.  Not my opinion, just what was written.  I think that any star who is out promoting a film should basically stick to the script.  Most interviews that I've seen over the years, by many stars, they've stuck to the script with maybe a couple questions on "personal" stuff that might be going on.  When George hijacks the interview with his "personal" stuff (or doesn't impress on the interviewer that he is there to promote the film), then it's perceived that he's NOT promoting the film.  Everything else that he talks about then becomes the headline - not the film promotion.

Wasn't it also said that the promotion of Tomorrowland was not done well.

melbert wrote:Many are saying the failure of Tomorrowland was because George didn't promote the FILM, he promoted his marriage and his wife.  Not my opinion, just what was written.  I think that any star who is out promoting a film should basically stick to the script.  Most interviews that I've seen over the years, by many stars, they've stuck to the script with maybe a couple questions on "personal" stuff that might be going on.  When George hijacks the interview with his "personal" stuff (or doesn't impress on the interviewer that he is there to promote the film), then it's perceived that he's NOT promoting the film.  Everything else that he talks about then becomes the headline - not the film promotion.

Mel, what was he supposed to do? 
He was asked these questions by the interviewers. If he'd just said: "We're very happy, and Brad Bird is a great director who I'd always wanted to work with" they would have said that they're going to break up because he answered this question so briefly.

Maybe he and Amal should have done an interview after the Golden Globes last year to answer all the questions and tell exactly how George had proposed, how long it took her to say yes, tell everything about their daily life, talk about all the details if their sex life, if they want children and when - he would still be asked those questions.

I think if he hadn't answered it would have got out and been oh George is being a prima donna. I think in most of the interviews he talked about the movie the serious interviews anyway the gossip shows where more interested in him and Amal.

There is nothing wrong with George answering the question. But he did not just answer the question he used the answer to promote himself and his meeting with Merkel. I think that's what Melbert meant with "hijacks the interview". 
I think he was just waiting for the refugee question to be asked so he could get started with it. The next day not the Coen movie was in the media it was George and the meeting with Merkel. 

So to answer the thread titles question "did George statement overshadow the release of the movie? Yes. Is is a bad thing or not I don't know. Guess we need to wait and see how it makes in the cinema.

Yes, I wonder what the Coen bros think of George meeting with Merkel the day after the press confernce; that got waaaaaaay more coverage than the film did in the media.