Batman vs. ABBA

Batman vs. ABBA

Jul 14

If you’re reading this site, chances are you realize that a certain big blockbuster film starring a certain crusader what is caped opens on Friday.

You may not realize, however, that it is not the only movie releasing to theaters. In a stunning bit of counterprogramming, the ABBA musical adaptation Mamma Mia also hits screens on Friday.

There’s no question that The Dark Knight will trounce all competition and reign supreme over the July 18-20 frame…or is there???

Mamma Mia seems to be getting its own rather significant marketing push; I’ve certainly seen commercials aplenty as my wife and I trawl through the grunge of the summer TV reality show landscape. Just now on the radio, I heard a commercial on the local top forty station–the perfect place to advertise if you want to reach the perfect audience to buy things these days, pre-teen and teenage girls.

Driven by their mothers’ nostalgic memories of sipping pina coladas and doing the hustle to “Dancing Queen,” these same teenage girls (maybe even accompanied by said mothers) could swarm theaters in droves this weekend. Mamma Mia has the potential to appeal to the same teeming throngs that made the High School Musical movies such a ginormous hit–except that instead of begrudingly indulging their daughters’ fixations on Zac Efron and that girl with the giant nose who had surgery, they may even jump into the mania themselves. After all, ABBA IS the soundtrack of their lives.

I think that could put at least a significant dent into Dark Knight’s showing, if not eclipse the Bat-film outright. Especially since aside from the sorta repugnant cereal boxes and toys, I don’t know what Warner Bros. has been doing to encourage anyone who isn’t a nerd or an 18-35 male to go see their big movie. Anyone who’s been married or in a significant relationship knows that THE GIRLS ALWAYS WIN.

You know me. I can’t help lovin’ dat Batman of mine. Still, part of me would LOVE to hear the collective wretching and wringing of hands if the summer’s last big comic book adaptation was beat out by Meryl Streep singing disco schmaltz classics, just a few days before San Diego.