But now even the international box office appeal of stars like Stallone is softening.

BBC: Sylvester Stallone meets his match in Driven

He generally participates in ensemble casts -- Anna Karenina, the Sherlock Holmes franchise, Soderbergh's Contagion, The Holiday -- making his singular box office appeal somewhat more elusive.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Rather than gauge box office appeal, Relativity instead listens to what cable executives are looking for. (Need 35-year-old women at 8 p.m.? Check.) He then plugs data into his computers and offers up solutions in the form of specific show ideas.

FORBES: Why Ryan Kavanaugh Is Now The Most-Watched Man In Hollywood

Woo's producing partner, Chang, says the need to prove box-office appeal has slowed Woo's creative progression from where he left off in Hong Kong.

CNN: The Next Mission

The Beaver's blend of darkly humorous drama - not to mention belief in a talking glove puppet - did not appeal to box office audiences in the States.

BBC: Jodie Foster bows to puppet power in The Beaver

Mr Duerfahrd worries that the pressure to make box-office hits with a wide appeal is taking a toll on both bad and good movies.

BBC: Razzies vs Oscars: Can bad movies ever be good?

"Nemo's" solid box office run will keep the film's characters (and appeal) alive as audiences wait for the recently announced Finding Nemo 2.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

To be fair, this was the fourth best opening weekend for an animated movie of all time (three of the top four are Shrek movies), and the mass appeal of Shrek may help it achieve longevity at the box office.

FORBES: Shrek Comes Up Short, But Dreamworks May Be A Great Long

Nevertheless, he retained his appeal at the ballot box until the end - winning a fourth term in office with 54% of the vote in October 2012, though his illness prevented him ever being sworn in.

BBC: Obituary: Hugo Chavez