The Wolf of Wall Street Case Study

Your chosen movie

1) What film have you chosen?

I have chosen The Wolf of Wall Street which features Leonardo diCaprio and popular film director Martin Scorsese.

2) Why did you choose this film in particular?

I chose The Wolf of Wall Street because there are many things to analyse within the film poster and trailer such as the iconography of gold watches and semi-naked woman in the background. It is also an interesting film because of its content about a poor man who gets lucky with a new job and makes million of dollars and starts hosting parties and getting drunk. This movie is based on a novel written by Jordan Belfort.

Institutional background

1) What was the film studio or production company behind your chosen film? E.g. Warner Brothers, Paramount etc.

The production company behind The Wolf of Wall Street was Red Granite Pictures and Paramount Pictures.

2) Who was the distributor for the theatrical release of the film in the UK?

The distributor for the theatrical release of The Wolf of Wall Street in the UK was Univeral Pictures International.

No brand loyalty

1) What genre does your chosen film fit into?

The genre of The Wolf of Wall Street is a Comedy film.

2) How can you tell it fits that genre?

I can tell that The Wolf of Wall Street is a comedy film because of the funny actions and remarks the main character (Leonardo diCaprio) does or says such as throwing a glass of alcohol into a garden and walking into an office full of semi-naked woman and a monkey which would be considered quite humorous and random.

3) Is your chosen movie a sequel?

No, my chosen movie is not a sequel and does not have any sequels as yet.

3b) If No, are previous films by the writer, director or star mentioned in the trailer?

No previous films by the director or actor are mentioned, however it is stated that the movie is based on a book written by Jordan Belfort.

It’s all a matter of timing

1) What was the UK release date for your chosen film?

The UK release date for my chosen film was the 25th December 2013 (Christmas Day).

2) When did the first trailer appear on YouTube for your movie? Find the earliest example you can and embed it in your blog.

The first Wolf of Wall Street trailer appeared on YouTube on the 16th June 2013 (5 months prior to release) by Paramount Pictures.



3) What other examples of marketing (teaser trailers, main trailers, newspaper or TV interviews etc.) can you find for your chosen film from before the film’s release date?

No teaser trailer, newspaper article or TV interview was found however the main trailer was released 5 months prior to release which is mentioned above.

It’s a social thing

1) What was the word-of-mouth like for your chosen film? 

The average rating for The Wolf of Wall Street was 8.3, which is quite a high rating. Some people thought that the movie was hilarious and had a great plot while others stated that the film is way too long and the plot was all about drinking, sex and the use of drugs which people found boring and one person even said that he had slept through some of it.

2) Find three quotes (no more than 25 words each) from user reviews of your movie to create a picture of what the public reaction to the film has been.

"I've always thought that there must be a very good reason for a movie to last 3 hours. Wolf of wall street does last 3 hours but there no shadow of a good reason for it. It could have lasted 1 hour and it would have been already too long."

"Martin Scorsese has done it again. His newest and most refreshing effort he's contributed to the world of cinema in years, The Wolf of Wall Street is a roaring thrill ride that is both absolutely hilarious and meticulously constructed."

"I am not against showing drugs or sex or money in a movie, if it helps the plot. But in this case, it didn't. It was 2 hours of absolute useless display of all the possible debaucheries on earth, without them helping in building up the characters."


Risky business

1) What was the original budget for your chosen film?

The original budget for The Wolf of Wall Street was $100 million at the time.

2) How much money did the film make in the opening weekend?

The Wolf of Wall Street made $18,361,000 in its opening weekend.

3) How much money has the film made in total?

In total, The Wolf of Wall Street made $116,900,000.

Stars in their eyes

1) What films has the director previously directed? Are they in the same or similar genres?

Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the most influential film-makers in cinema history, he previously directed Hugo (Adventure), Shutter Island (psychological) and The Aviator (Drama). This suggests that he has directed a wide range of genres of films.

2) Who is the main star in the film?

The main star of the film was Leonardo diCaprio.

3) What other films has the main star appeared in? Are any of the films similar to the one you are researching?

Leonardo diCaprio has previously acted in many films including the Box Office hit Titanic (Romance), Inception (Sci-Fi Thriller) and Django Unchained (Western Action). These films suggest that he has also acted in a wide range of genre of films, similarly to Martin Scorsese.

4) Are the stars or the director or writer mentioned in the trailer for the film?

Yes, Leonardo diCaprio, Martin Scorsese and Jordan Belfort are all mentioned in the trailer.

Thank You for Reading!