Here's a little article written for us by Hobbs3, Thanks Hobbs!

With the explosion of internet stock trading and the continuing public fascination with Hollywood, it was bound to happen The Hollywood Stock Exchange. A virtual community where movies act like a stocks and actors perform similar to a bonds. The name of game here is money, virtual of course. To make those virtual bucks is all about box office performance, specifically how much in it's first four weeks of release. Speculation is rampant with movie stocks fluctuating in price according to industry buzz.


NewLine's $130 million gamble has not been overlooked, the three films where offered as a ipo in April of 98' when there was little more rumors of the trilogy. Interest was less than spectacular with a initial price for each at a paltry $5 million. However in August of that year The Lord of Rings stocks gained speed, most likely due to the infamous 20 Question's session with director Peter Jackson. Since then the trilogy has proved a good investment for movie buffs, considering the release of the Fellowship of the Ring is still over 18 months away. To compare Tolkien's epic in terms of stock buzz, as of today the first movie has even outperformed that other trilogy's next installment.

Fellowship of the Ring $87.74
The Two Towers $46.05
The Return of the King $51.96

Star Wars EP 2 $79.34