I agree with audience and over-saturation of fairy tales recently too. Along with all those other movies, people are already watching a Beanstalk story on ABC's "Once Upon a Time." NBC's show Grimm is also fairy-tale based. Another thing I noticed in the trailers I saw on TV was that there wasn't any clear hero. I couldn't tell if Ewan McGregor was the starring role, who Jack was and it just seemed like a bunch of random people running away from bad CG. I think the PG-13 rating and original hindered the true appeal: McDonald's Happy Meals, BK Meals and the toy aisles. Without any great Giant action figures to play with, children wouldn't connect with the movie as much. Word of mouth on delayed movies also gets out online a lot quicker these days. If people hear about long movie delays and stuff, it makes you wonder what's wrong with it before you even see it. That's why I'm anxious to see how the heavily delayed GI Joe sequel will perform.

Why on earth would you make entirely CGI giants? Giants are just big ugly humans! CGI giants look worse than humans, act worse than humans, and cost much, much more than humans. If this movie had cost $75m, it would be a hit, and it would probably have gotten a lot better reviews.

Looks like a classic example of the director wanting to make one kind of movie [edgier, darker, older audience] and the studios wanting either to shift the audience younger or more likely widen the scope of the audience to include the younger set. Call it the quixotic pursuit of the four quadrant movie... which ends up pretty much a zero quadrant movie.

Matt, you raise a good point, one that Hwood has apparently learned with adult dramas: At the right price point, you can make money. You're right: If JTGS had cost $75M, it would almost certainly be profitable [after you figure in international numbers]. But at twice that number, it had to be a smash hit to break even. Tough to do especially released in March.

I would never see crap like this anyway. I hope this continues to lead to more adult stories.

wow! Personally, I love using fairytales for creative fodder but seeing the trailers, suspected this might happen. With Snow and the Huntsman, in my opinion the take was generally quite original and the queen was a stunning character (not to mention great marketing/trailers), despite any other weaknesses... the problem, from what I have is that this movie has an uncertain air - not completely horrible, but not completing fantastic either. And even Brian Singer couldn't save it...

I think the biggest single issue is the story is neither fish nor fowl, tried to be something for adults, but pulled its punches throughout and played 'down' to kids.