The script potential of Inception estimated from its PLOT structure is 191 – 233MM (actual 293MM)
The script of Inception borrows from the universal quests of Expedition, Social contact, Curiosity & Preservation
The Plot structure will appeal to 7.81 – 9.55% of the population
The genetic code shared by all Blockbuster plots
Any story is the quest to fulfil a human desire. We have identified universal quests for every human desire. These universal quests reveal the unique plot structure of a story. The plot structure analysis of Blockbuster, Hit & Flop led to the discovery of common principles across all stories. Mythosis Code is a set of principles for creating Blockbuster Plot structures.
• All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests
• In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character
• Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of events from their quest
• Blockbusters interweave the quests to create a tight plot structure
95% of events in Inception’s plot are borrowed from 4 universal quests
Every story has a unique plot structure that becomes visible through the lens of Universal human quests. We extract a story’s plot structure & use The Mythosis Code to estimate the story’s strength. Here is the evaluation of Inception’s plot structure:
All Blockbusters have at least 3 universal quests. Even Inception borrows from 4 quests of Expedition, Social contact, Curiosity & Preservation.
In Blockbusters, each universal quest is mirrored by ONLY ONE character. In Inception, Cobb mirrors the quest of Expedition. Mal mirrors the quest of Social contact. The Crew mirrors the quest of Preservation whereas Saito mirrors the quest of Curiosity.
Every Blockbuster character borrows at least 35% of the universal quest. Cobb borrows 64% of the quest of Expedition. Mal borrows 24% of the quest of Social contact. The Crew borrows 19% of the quest of Preservation. Saito borrows 9% of the quest of Curiosity. The depth of 3 quests is below the threshold.
Blockbusters interweave different quests to create a tight plot structure. Interweaving occurs when events of 2 quests co-occur in the story. Blockbusters have a quest interweaving threshold of 0.5. Inception’s quest interweaving score of 0.33 is below par. Here is an example of interweaving the quests of Cobb & Saito:
The potency of the existing plot structure is 0.27 whereas Blockbusters has a score of at least 0.64. Based on the script’s plot potency score, Inception will appeal to 7.81 – 9.55% of the population. We estimate the movie’s revenues from its audience appeal to be $191 – 233MM in the domestic market.
4 mythological tales were used to extract the plot structure of Inception
At Mythosis, we have identified 32 mythological tales. Each mythological tale uniquely represents a human quest to fulfil a desire. These tales are the superset of thousands of tales across cultures. The 32 tales represent every possible human quest.
Every tale has 5 major arcs culminating in a mega event. Mapping a character’s quest to the relevant tale reveals the gaps in their quest. The ideal Plot Structure can be constructed by plugging these gaps with the missing events. These events strengthen the character journeys and weaving of quests without altering the story. Here is the deconstruction of Inception’s plot structure:
Quest 1: Cobb mirrors the universal quest for Expedition
Cobb’s desire for Expedition stems from the need to find an elusive person or object. The tale of Jason from Greek mythology is the universal quest for Expedition.
Quest 2: Saito mirrors the universal quest for Curiosity
Saito’s desire for Curiosity stems from the need to explore & discover. The tale of Innana from Sumerian mythology is the universal quest for Curiosity.
Quest 3: Mal mirrors the universal quest for Social contact
Mal’s desire for Social contact stems from the need for companionship. The tale of Amba from Hindu mythology is the universal quest for Social contact.
Quest 4: The Crew mirrors the universal quest for Preservation
The Crew’s desire for Preservation stems from the need to survive a threat. The tale of Noah from Abrahamic mythology is the universal quest for Preservation.
Tags:2010, Amba, Character development, Christopher Nolan, Curiosity, Expedition, Innana, Jason, Legendary Pictures, Mythology, Noah, Plot Structure, Preservation, Screenwriting, Social Contact, storytelling, Syncopy, Warner Bros. Pictures
