movies in Japan

[chachava]

why are they released here so late compared to other countries?

I noticed EVERY COUNTRY has Ironman already (even China, Korea and Singapore!)... Japan is released 20th September

Seems to be usual but anyone know why that is? Japan is always the final place (often by several months) to get anything

[SSJup81]

Are the movies in the other countries mentioned subtitled as opposed to dubbed? Maybe subtitles are easier and faster to put out as opposed to dubbing a movie.

[tommasi]

Originally Posted by chachava

why are they released here so late compared to other countries?

I noticed EVERY COUNTRY has Ironman already (even China, Korea and Singapore!)... Japan is released 20th September

Seems to be usual but anyone know why that is? Japan is always the final place (often by several months) to get anything

I think this is because Japan is not a test market.

Production companies usually wait until movies are sure hit, and then take it to Japan.

Japan is one of the most profitable market for big hit movies but the marketing and all other stuff costs money.

So that's why they make sure to only bring blockbuster movies.

[MMM]

It's a lot better now than it used to be. I had friends send me video of movies that came out on video before they came out in Japan (often a year later than the American release). This was in the mid-90s.

[chachava]

Originally Posted by tommasi

I think this is because Japan is not a test market.

Production companies usually wait until movies are sure hit, and then take it to Japan.

Japan is one of the most profitable market for big hit movies but the marketing and all other stuff costs money.

So that's why they make sure to only bring blockbuster movies.

So every other country in the world is a 'test market' getting a movie ready for Japan

Surely that isn't the reason

[chachava]

Originally Posted by SSJup81

Are the movies in the other countries mentioned subtitled as opposed to dubbed? Maybe subtitles are easier and faster to put out as opposed to dubbing a movie.

They are subbed everywhere

[MMM]

Most movies make it to Japan, and the Japanese entertainment media is very kind to Western movies that flopped state-side. Indy movies make it to Japan too. The semi-pornographic "Brown Bunny" was a flop at Cannes (I think) and never got an American release, but was a minor hit in Japan. Japanese are pretty cinema-saavy with a long film-making tradition of their own, and movies big and small get releases.

[okuyukashiibeppin]

I don't know the true reason.... But save the best for last~!

[tommasi]

Originally Posted by chachava

So every other country in the world is a 'test market' getting a movie ready for Japan

Surely that isn't the reason

I didn't say every other country in the world is a test market for Japan.

But Japan is not a test market that's all I'm saying.

Distributors are probably thinking, why not wait and see whether the movie does well in the US or in other markets.

It reflects on the fact that Japan is a risk adverse society.

Also, marketers in Japan like using the external hype to create demand domestically.

Just like Abercrombie & Fitch and H&M are about to enter the Japanese market and there's a reason why they chose no to enter Japan earlier.

They have tested and created enough hype so that the entry to the market would be successful one.

[MMM]

Originally Posted by tommasi

I didn't say every other country in the world is a test market for Japan.

But Japan is not a test market that's all I'm saying.

Distributors are probably thinking, why not wait and see whether the movie does well in the US or in other markets.

It reflects on the fact that Japan is a risk adverse society.

Also, marketers in Japan like using the external hype to create demand domestically.

Just like Abercrombie & Fitch and H&M are about to enter the Japanese market and there's a reason why they chose no to enter Japan earlier.

They have tested and created enough hype so that the entry to the market would be successful one.

Despite Chachava's complaint, Japan gets a lot of movies at the same time as America, or soon after. And how a movie does in the US has no bearing on whether or not it will be marketed in Japan. The Japanese media NEVER reports that a movie flopped in the US, and I imagine movies like Leatherheads and Speed Racer will get huge publicity in Japan despite the fact both movies are flopping in the US. I am sure George Clooney will be at the Tokyo premiere, as well.