Wonder how many are going to hang off for the new 777,
The 777-8X will likely be a flop, in my opinion. It's too close in capacity to the 350-1000 or even 787-10 for an older design. And hardly anyone needs that much range.
Now, the 777-9X... That will be the true twin replacement for the 744, just like the 77W is for the 747 classic. And Airbus has nothing to offer against it, unless they double stretch the A350.
The 777-8 will only be attractive to a few certain airlines who want the range. A look at the current 777-200LR users will give you a clue of who a potential customer may be (Middle Eastern trio (Yes Etihad are getting them shortly), LAN, maybe someone in Australia or NZ). But more importantly, the 777-8 will form the platform for the 777-8F and it is here Boeing will be hoping to shift a few frames. So it will not be a huge seller but I highly doubt it can be called a flop.