Starbucks to promo films despite flops

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Paramount Pictures Corp. executives will work with Starbucks Corp., even though the U.S. coffeehouse chain failed to draw many moviegoers to two recent films.

Starbucks will market the screen adaptation of best-selling novel "The Kite Runner," to be released in November, The Los Angeles Times reported Monday.

"Arctic Tale," Paramount's latest film co-promoted with Starbucks, has grossed roughly $600,000 since its July 25 release, the Times said.

The film cost about $5 million to make.

Starbucks' first move into film promotion, Lions Gate's "Akeelah and the Bee," also did not live up to expectations, the Times said.

"Our measurement of success was not the box office," Starbucks Entertainment President Ken Lombard said. "Our measurement of success was to do as much as we could to encourage discussion around the critical issue of today -- global warming."

Some wonder if Starbucks can market films effectively because the Seattle chain has been careful not to jam its stores with movie posters and promotional paraphernalia that can annoy customers, the newspaper said.

Narrated by Queen Latifah, "Arctic Tale" follows a mother walrus and her calf and a polar bear and her cubs through the frozen wilderness that's melting away beneath them.

Critics said the theme was too reminiscent of the 2005 mega-hit "March of the Penguins," which grossed $127 million worldwide.