A world of hits

摘要

November 20th saw the return of an old phenomenon: the sold-out cinema. "New Moon", a tale of vampires, werewolves and the women who love them, earned more in a single day at the American box office than any film in history. The record may not stand for long: next month "Avatar", a three-dimensional action movie thick with special effects, will be released (see picture). This film's production budget is reportedly $230111, which would make it one of the most expensive movies ever made. "Avatar" will be a great disappointment if its worldwide ticket sales fail to exceed $5oom. Yet it is a reflection of how things are changing in the media business that such an outcome is unlikely.