The success of 3D blockbusters like Avatar and Alice in Wonderland fueled talk of a coming "3D explosion," but recent box office figures tell a different story, says The Wrap. Only 45 percent of the opening take for the animated hit Despicable Me came from 3D screens — compared to 80 percent for Avatar — and Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore brought in just $6.9 million from 3D in its opening weekend, the worst showing since 3D's recent renaissance began. There are nearly 60 3D movies slotted to be released in the next two years, beginning with this weekend's Step Up 3D. Will audiences show up, or is the new 3D era ending before it truly began?
Hollywood is ruining 3D: We've seen this one before, says Tim Reeves at Moviefone.com. In 3D's first heyday, in the 1950s and '60s, the public's appetite for 3D gradually died because "the films weren't really very good. Now we're reaching that point again, with studios looking more interested in milking the fad than "delivering a well-crafted film." If this keeps up, audiences will continue opting for two-dimensional versions of new films, and we'll bid "farewell to our gimmicky old friend for another fifty years."
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