Building Blockbuster Buzz

Today Word of Mouth goes to the movies! We look at a few upcoming summer blockbusters, and how studios get people into theaters.

With a record number of major releases coming out this summer, the major studios are grappling to outdo each other in the grab for public attention. Last year they spent an estimated 36 million dollars to market a big movie. Some of this summer’s blockbuster releases are costing 150 million dollars in marketing, not production. And to go where the people are, they’re going online.

Viral marketing is the latest weapon in the Hollywood arsenal, and it’s kicking into overdrive this summer. Warner Brothers has launched more than 30 Web sites to build up buzz about its new Batman movie "The Dark Knight" alone. To dig into new online trends in marketing, we speak with Chris Thilk, who runs the blog Movie Marketing Madness.

We also take a look at what's coming around the bend with Aaron Beatty, who writes reviews for the Connecticut Valley Spectator. Aaron's summer recommendations include:

"The Dark Knight"
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
"Sex and the City: The Movie"
"Tropic Thunder"
"The Wackness"