Media - My case studies:

The Dark Knight

Budget: $185 million Box office takings: $1,004,558,444 Directed by: Christopher Nolan Released: July 18 , 2008 Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures Before the release of Batman Begins, screenwriter David S. Goyer wrote two sequels which introduced the Joker and Harvey Dent. For its release in IMAX theaters, Nolan shot four major sequences in the format, including the Joker's opening bank robbery and the car chase midway through the film. Which marked the first time that a feature film had been even partially shot in the format It became the fourth film in history to gross more than $1 billion worldwide and the highest-grossing film of 2008 worldwide. It is currently the fourteenth highest-grossing film of all time worldwide. It made $199.7 million on its worldwide opening weekend which ranks 28th on the all-time chart. In May 2007, 42 Entertainment began a viral marketing campaign using the "Why So Serious?" tagline with the launch of a website featuring the fictional political campaign of Harvey Dent, The site aimed to interest fans by having them try to earn what they wanted to see and, on behalf of Warner Bros, 42 Entertainment also established a "vandalized" version of I Believe in Harvey Dent, called "I believe in Harvey Dent too," where e-mails sent by fans slowly removed pixels, revealing the first official image of the Joker
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Slumdog Millionaire
Budget: $15 million Box office takings: $377,910,544 Directed by: Danny Boyle Released: January 9 , 2009 Distributed by: Path Screenwriter Simon Beaufoy wrote Slumdog Millionaire based on the novel Q & A by Vikas Swarup The film was projected to cost $15 million, so Celador sought a U.S. distributor to share costs. Fox Searchlight Pictures made an initial offer that was reportedly $2 millio, but Warner Independent Pictures made a $5 million offer to win rights to the picture Following the film's success at the 81st Academy Awards, the film topped the worldwide box office, grossing $16 million from 34 markets in the week following the Academy Awards. The film has currently grossed over $377 million, becoming Fox Searchlight Pictures' highest-grossing film
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Marketing and Distribution In August 2007, Path acquired the international rights to distribute Slumdog Millionaire theatrically. However, in May 2008, Warner Independent Pictures was shut down, with all of its projects being transferred to Warner Bros., its parent studio. Warner Bros. doubted the commercial prospects of Slumdog Millionaire and suggested that it would go straight to DVD without a U.S. theatrical release.

The Dark Knight's opening sequence, and closing montage of other scenes from the film, was screened with IMAX screenings of I Am Legend. After the death of Heath Warner Bros. adjusted its promotional focus on the Joker, revising some of its websites dedicated to promoting the film
Warner Bros. devoted six months to an anti-piracy strategy that involved tracking the people who had a pre-release copy of the film at any one time. Shipping and delivery schedules were also staggered to ensure illegal copying of the film was not taking place in cinemas.

In August 2008, the studio began searching for buyers for various productions, to relieve its overload of end-of-theyear films. Halfway through the month, Warner Bros. entered into a pact with Fox Searchlight Pictures to share distribution of the film, with Fox Searchlight buying 50% of Warner Bros.'s interest in the movie and handling U.S. distribution. Other

Slumdog Millionaire has stirred controversy on a few issues including the welfare and illegal housing of its child actors and its portrayals of Indians and Hinduism.