tentpole movie

See also: tent-pole movie and tent pole movie

English

Alternative forms

• tent-pole movie

Etymology

An allusion to the manner in which a supporting tentpole holds up the structure of a tent.

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

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Noun

tentpole movie (plural tentpole movies)

1. (US, idiomatic, film) A major motion picture which is expensive to produce but expected to generate significant revenue for its studio and investors.
   • 1995 August 11, Steve Persall, “Critic's Notebook: Previews whet our cinematic appetites”, in St. Petersburg Times, page 6:

     United Artists hasn't prospered in recent years, so a box office hit from its tentpole movie franchise is essential.

   • 2005 December 3, Todd McCarthy, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, in Variety, retrieved 28 September 2012:

     Just coincidentally, it also provides the opportunity for the sorts of extravagant computerized effects that create tentpole movie attractions these days.

   • 2007 May 25, “The 1997 Summer Movie Review”, in Washington Times, retrieved 28 September 2012:

     The tentpole movie is an attraction popular and exploitable enough to prop up the entire moviegoing tent for several weeks or even months.

   • 2009 April 1, Brian Stelter, “Piracy Puts Film Online One Month Before Open”, in New York Times, retrieved 28 September 2012:

     “We've never seen a high-profile film—a film of this budget, a tentpole movie with this box office potential—leak in any form this early,” he said.

   • 2012 February 14, “Guillermo del Toro to direct Emma Watson in “Beauty and the Beast””, in IFC, retrieved 28 September 2012:

     Variety is reporting that del Toro will direct the flick with Watson cast as its titular Beauty. . . . So we’re thinking big tentpole movie versus introverted indie.

Synonyms

• tentpole film

See also

• blockbuster