Your Twitter Feed Can Predict the Box-Office Future

If you thought Twitter was only used to discuss Justin Bieber and the iPad, think again. According to a newly released study from HP -- hilariously titled "Predicting the Future With Social Media" -- Twitter can accurately predict the box office returns of new releases better than more traditional outlets like the Hollywood Stock Exchange (HSX). As it turns out, when a film has positive buzz on Twitter it does better than a film with negative buzz. Who knew?

To further this point, the study used The Blind Side as one of its prime examples. After a solid $34 million opening, the film "boomed in the next week ($40.1 million), owing largely to positive sentiment [on Twitter]." That means that the long considered myth of "The Twitter Effect," may actually be true. Somewhere, David Poland is holding his clenched fist toward the sky.

Meanwhile, in other Twitter-related news, Duncan Jones might want to put a lock on his account. The director of last year's critically acclaimed Moon — and, uh, David Bowie's son — used a series of increasingly angry tweets to express discontent over the revenue he's earning (or not earning) off the film's DVD sales. Naturally — and probably after being scolded by someone — Jones removed the offending missives and said he didn't understand what he was talking about. If only Kevin Smith were so generous.

· Does Twitter Predict Box Office Better Than Industry Analysts [/Film]

· Duncan Jones is Unhappy About 'Moon' [indieWIRE]