Into Darkness

Paramount’s bid to draw in more foreign ticket buyers even extended to casting decisions and the script, which turns on a more terrestrial story. "Into Darkness" finds the Enterprise crew called back home, where a terror force has infiltrated the Starfleet organization.
"The team has really been in the weeds, so to speak, going country by country and looking at every possible opportunity," Brad Grey, Paramount’s chairman, said of the studio’s marketers in particular. "On a profit level, focusing on your shareholders, this is now how detailed you have to be on pictures of this scope and scale."

Praise be. I was beginning to worry that all my films weren't focus-tested in Asian markets.

Because George Lucas Doesn't Have Enough of My Money

Who's up for 3D?
I remember going to three or four films in 1999 just so I could see the trailer for Episode I, and ohhhhh the anticipation.
Curiously, Mr. Binks and the Trade Federation Abominations were omitted from the original trailer, as they seem to be again here, for the "new" 3D release out in theaters this week.
This bloggg wasn't even a twinkle in The Founders' collective eye back then, but I bet I would've loved the pre- and post- Episode I commentary.

Haw Haw

Target Marketing

Here's an ad on NYTimes. I wonder, who looks at this picture and thinks, "I'd like to dress like this guy?"

I couldn't think of an answer until I followed the link and saw the slide show of the same dork in several other dopey poses. But then I had my answer: no one thinks "I'd like to dress like that guy." But someone does think "I'd like my boyfriend/husband to dress like that guy and to really listen to me when I'm talking, the way that guy appears to be doing to his girlfriend/wife."