There is nothing that modern film fans like as much as seeing parts of movies before other movies. That’s what Marvel is depending on for their Thor: The Dark World 3D screenings in an effort to boost 3D ticket sales. If you want to see five whole minutes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, then you’re going to have to pay premium prices for Thor: The Dark World.
It’s a smart marketing move if ever there was one. Thor: The Dark World has been receiving mixed word of mouth in advance of its wide release, with some critics deriding it for utter banality while others seem to think it’s good superheroic fun. But the big issue that many studios are contending with right now is getting viewers into those premium seats. Adding the enticement of footage from another Marvel franchise could be just the ticket to get at least some die-hard geeks to shell out those few extra dollars for 3D.
The downside to this marketing ploy is just how die-hard those geeks are, though. They are already the most likely people to think it worthwhile to see Thor up close and personal. Most of us lay-people can wait to see those five minutes of Captain America: The Winter Soldier; whether or not we go to a 3D showing of Thor depends on how much the 3D lends to the experience. I don’t know about you, but I’m more interested in seeing Chris Hemsworth’s pectorals in all their three-dimensional glory than a Captain America teaser.
We do not yet know what those five minutes will actually be, but you can bet that within a day of the film’s release, everyone on the Internet will have already heard about it.
If you absolutely cannot wait that long, then go buy a pricey ticket for Thor: The Dark World in 3D and let us know about that Captain America footage, OK?