Diverse cast.
Trailer got panned for cheap special effects and bad jokes.
Director Paul Feig launched an internet counter-offensive accusing the critics of the film of being sexist, regardless of their stated reasons for not liking matters.
Film hits and tanks almost immediately because... cheap special effects and bad jokes.
Feig doubles down on his baseless accusations.
Leslie Jones pays the price.
Suicide Squad had a diverse cast, it made money.
Diverse cast.
Lukewarm reception because "Batman / Superman" was a flaming wreck.
Involved creative talents let it ride, as they believe the film will speak for itself.
Audiences discover that the film does, indeed, have heart and should not have been compared to BvS.
X-Men: Apocalypse has a diverse cast, it made money.
Diverse cast.
Teased at the end of the previous X-Men movie, which was also a big hit.
Fans are encouraged, as it seems the franchise is back on track.
Fans are rewarded for their patience by a film that mostly met their expectations.
...then kvetch over a rumor that Idris Elba was originally considered for the role of Apocalypse, as he'd have been better than the person who
was ultimately cast.
Why bring up Ghostbusters when there are other successful movies that show the exact opposite of your argument?
Because it was such an absolute cluster foul-up that we'll probably see business textbooks make case studies out of it.
Neither Sony nor Feig could handle the fact that the first trailer, as composed, did not clearly establish the movie's relationship to the originals and presented the film as being half-baked. Rather than admit that the critics - most of whom
were responding to these elements - had a point and that there was last-minute work to do, they tried to fabricate a scandal in a "Wag The Dog" effort at diverting attention away from these legitimate shortcomings and the criticisms thereof. This backfired spectacularly, as all it did was enrage people who had previously been on the fence about matters.
The end result was that so many people chose to stay away from the film that individual theaters were all but deserted opening night.
Not only did Sony lose a stupendous amount of money on this film, the company hired to produce the tie-in video game declared bankruptcy because they saw the writing on the wall; they needed the game to be a hit to compensate for some serious financial setbacks, but after reading the early reports they packed it in
days after the game hit shelves because they knew that it wasn't going to happen.