Iron Man, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., left, and Captain America, portrayed by Chris Evans, in a scene from “The Avengers.” Studios have released a familiar assortment of action tales, family flicks and star-driven comedy since the summer-blockbuster season began in early May. Yet while overall business has been solid, fans have been choosier than usual, spending a fortune on one superhero sensation, kicking in for a handful of midline hits and generally bypassing everything else.By DAVID GERMAIN
AP Movie Writer
LOS ANGELES – The audiences are proving far more unpredictable than the movies Hollywood has created to pack them into theaters this summer.
Studios have released a familiar assortment of action tales, family flicks and star-driven comedies since the summer-blockbuster season began in early May. Yet while overall business has been solid, fans have been choosier than usual, spending a fortune on one superhero sensation, kicking in for a handful of midline hits and generally bypassing everything else.
Movies featuring box-office heavyweights Johnny Depp (“Dark Shadows”), Tom Cruise (“Rock of Ages”) and Adam Sandler (“That’s My Boy”) fell flat, as did the action spectacle “Battleship.”