SPHERE OF FAILURE: U2 Concert Film is Vegas Orb’s First Flop
Posted on: September 8, 2024, 02:11h.
Last updated on: September 8, 2024, 09:06h.
Soft ticket sales for the newly debuted concert film of U2’s recent Sphere residency, playing exclusively at the spherical Vegas venue, appear to demonstrate that fans of the Gen-X-centric Irish band do not want to see a U2 concert without U2 in the building with them.
So far, “V-U2” — co-directed by U2 guitarist Edge and his wife, Morleigh Steinberg — looks like the very first Sphere entertainment offering to fall on its face.
Though Thursday’s premiere sold out its tickets to diehard fans, at least 75 percent of its seats were still available when Saturday’s screening began and, as of 11 a.m. Sunday, more than 90 percent could still be purchased for the same day’s 2 p.m. showing.
Of course, all this probably proves is how few people want to see a U2 concert film at $100-$200 a ticket. The Sphere can still fill those seats, but will need to lower their prices to do so.
Though it’s been shown hundreds of times since last October, Darren Aronofsky’s “Postcard from Earth” is still doing better business than “V-U2,” as demonstrated by the Ticketmaster screengrabs at right. And that movie still commands $100-$280 a seat.
“Fans came from all over the world to see the concert and spent a bucketload doing so,” Australian fan Austin Docherty offered his explanation for the film’s reception on a Facebook U2 fan group. “We can’t afford the same for a video of a concert.”
‘Last Showgirl’ Showing
In other Las Vegas cinema news, “The Last Showgirl” premiered on Friday at the Toronto Film Festival. That’s the dark indie movie we told you about in May filmed by Gia Coppola (Francis Ford’s granddaughter and Sofia’s niece) in Las Vegas last year.
Pamela Anderson stars as Shelley, a 50something showgirl who faces the loss of her career, and self worth, as the Strip’s final showgirl production closes around her. Supporting Anderson is Jamie Lee Curtis, who plays a former showgirl now making ends meet as a cocktail waitress.
While box office figures are obviously not yet available, early reviews are mixed.
“This is Anderson’s moment to shine,” raved “Deadline,” “and, boy does she ever shine — right up to an ending that leaves us hopeful.”
“The Hollywood Reporter” agreed that the Anderson “mines pathos” and “moving empathy.” However, it noted that the film “feels slender overall.”
Finally, “The Daily Beast’s” reviewer eviscerated it, opining that “its every gesture is a pose, as affected and unrewarding as the pathetic moves that Shelley displays during a disastrous audition, and its compassion for her is, ultimately, unearned.”
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SPHERE OF FAILURE: U2 Concert Film is Vegas Orb’s First Flop
September 8, 2024 — 6 Comments—
Last Comments ( 6 )
I was born in 1973 and even us Gen Xers don't care about U2 or Madonna anymore, I'm sure most of Millenials and Z's don't even know who they are. U2 are to Millenials and Z's what the Beetles have been for me, just a bunch of guys singing along and yes you may end up liking them because your parents keeps listening to them, but you just consider it old people stuff....
The fact that people are paying $100-200 to see a movie of anything is why I have lost all faith in humanity. I wouldn't pay that to see the live artist or the band
They'd have to pay me to watch U2 in ANY venue live or otherwise...LOL
A flop!?!??? NOT!!!! This concert movie was FANTASTIC!! The sphere with its great technology produced an almost life like concert! Yes, almost life like because through out the whole concert I was grabbing my friends arm saying, “Wow! It is like they are right there!!” The special cameras they used to capture the concert are a genius technology in which I hope more bands do this type of recording to give us fans a ONE of a kind show! I guess the best way to describe the band area in the film would be like if the band was in 3-D… I couldn’t believe that it was a film because it just was so real like that I was clapping, hooting and singing along as if I were at a real concert! So yes it maybe a movie but this was 100X better than just a movie at a regular cinema theater! It was an amazing experience.
Demand was excessively low for U2 on opening weekend LIVE last September. Did you think about that? People didn't know what to expect so they weren't hyped to go: I know because i couldn't make the show and had tickets that I could not re-sell for even face value. Seems your review on THIS event is a flop. I've heard other's say it was exceptional. You're talking about a matinee showing: of course attendance will be lower!
I attended the opening night of the U2 Sphere movie. It was by far the best concert film I’ve ever seen!It was like they were live in front of us! The Sphere is an amazing place. I’m not much of a U2 fan but went to see the Sphere and all it has to offer. I was not disappointed! To say this movie is a failure is incorrect! It’s anything but. The cost of concert tickets to a Sphere event is astronomical compared to the cost of a movie ticket there. It’s a fantastic way to offer a near live experience at the Sphere for a fraction of the cost. Your article is doing a disservice to the community by saying it’s a failure. It’s a home run for us locals who refuse to pay a months salary to see a show! You should be encouraging people to come and see this movie not driving them away. I sure hope The Eagles do a movie here!