The script potential score of American Sniper is 0.38 (predicted 306-366MM; actual 350MM)
The script of American Sniper will appeal to 11.26 – 13.76 % of the population
97% events in American Sniper are borrowed from 3 mythological tales
The script of American Sniper will appeal to 11.26 – 13.76 % of the population
Any story is the quest to fulfil a human desire. We have identified universal quests for every human desire. These universal quests reveal the invisible plot structure of stories. An analysis of Blockbuster, Hit & Flop plots led to the discovery of Mythosis Code. The Code reveals the story principles shared by all Blockbusters. We use the Code to estimate and unlock a story’s Blockbuster potential.
All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. American Sniper has 3 universal quests of Order, Preservation & Tranquillity.
In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. Chris mirrors the universal quest of Order. Taya mirrors the quest of Tranquillity & Mustafa mirrors the quest of Preservation.
Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. Chris’ character borrows 40% of the universal quest of Order. Taya borrows 16% of the quest of Tranquillity. Mustafa’s character borrows 28% of the quest of Preservation.
Blockbusters interweave different quests to create a tight plot structure. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests occur simultaneously in the story. Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. American Sniper’s quest interweaving score is 0.67 and is above par. An example of interweaving of Chris’ & Taya’s quests:
Blockbusters have a script score of at least 0.64 whereas American Sniper’s script score is 0.38. Based on the script score we estimate that the movie will appeal to 11.26 – 13.76 % of the population.
The plot structure of American Sniper borrows from 3 universal quests. Chris’ character is well-developed but the characters of Taya & Mustafa aren’t. Moreover, the quests of Chris & Mustafa aren’t interwoven.
97% events in American Sniper are borrowed from 3 mythological tales
At Mythosis, we have identified 32 mythological tales. Each mythological tale uniquely represents a human quest to fulfil a desire. These tales are the super set of thousands of tales across cultures.
We have codified the events of each mythological tale. Every tale has 5 major arcs. Each arc has a sequence of events. These events culminate into a major event. Here is the mapping of each character’s quest to the major events in their respective mythological tale.
Quest 1: Chris mirrors 40% of Bhishm’s quest for Order (above threshold of 35%)
Chris’s desire for Order stems from the need for organization to maintain stability. The tale of Bhishm from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Order.
Quest 2: Mustafa mirrors 28% of Kans’ quest for Preservation (below threshold of 35%)
Mustafa’s desire for Preservation stems from the need to survive a threat. The tale of Kans from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Preservation.
Quest 3: Taya mirrors 32% of Sita’s quest for Tranquillity (below threshold of 35%)
Taya’s desire for Tranquillity stems from the need to be in secure surroundings. The tale of Sita from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Tranquillity.
Tags:2014, Bhishm, Box office, Character development, Clint Eastwood, Kans, Movie Review, Mythology, Order, Preservation, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Script, Sita, Story plot, Tranquillity, Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures
