Monday, December 03, 2012

Brad Pitt Has Worst Box Office Opening Ever

Even Brad Pitt could not save Killing Me Softly. The movie opened this past weekend and only took in $7M at the box office. It was the worst opening ever for a Brad Pitt movie. You know, it says something about his popularity and draw that he has taken some not very good movies and managed to get them to have bigger openings than $7M. It is rare that someone can consistently always hit on that opening weekend but he has. Well, unless you count Cool World which only took in $5.5M. The movie did so bad this week that Wreck It Ralph which is in its fifth week managed to beat Killing Me Softly. The movie received an F score

48 comments:

Frufra said...

Anybody out there see it? I think the previews look terrible, but I'm not a fan of Brad Pitt in a serious role. The only BP I want to see is one where he plays a stupid guy, a la Burn After Reading.

libby said...

To be fair, did he produce this one?

If you're just an actor, sometimes the finished product is WAY out of your control. Like "Heaven's Gate" or whatever---Fine actors, production A MESS.

if he produced it too, then this is a "miss".

libby said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_%28film%29

Katie said...

He produced it

Hollyweird said...

I haven't even seen a single preview or billboard for this movie and I live in movie advertising central aka LA. Did they just bother not promoting cause it sucked so bad?

Unknown said...

I feel like it was doomed to begin with.
Love Ray Liotta and James Gandolfini but a movie starring them should not also star Brad Pitt.... It just shouldn't.
Martin Scorsasci should have done it and Leo should have been Pitt.. Then it would probably be Oscar worthy.

nancer said...

the critic in my newspaper really liked this movie. they said he was great in it, and the scenes with gandolfini were really good. did they do publicity??

katsm0711 said...

I saw Cool World in the theater with my BFF at the time and we were like who IS that guy? He's soooo gorgeous! That's when I fell in love with him and the Chanel ad is what makes me finally admit that he's really annoying now and if only he'd groom himself he would be hot again. He used to be so cool and interesting right around interview With the Vampire. Now he's borderline pretentious.

LottaColada said...

I don't know if I'm mistaken but I didn't see anyone promoting this film. Maybe that has something to do with it.

Anna V. Xol said...

It feels like he is a caricature now. Him and angelina. Just the same recycled roles and storylines slightly tweaked.

Unknown said...

I didn't see or hear anything about this film til I saw a few second preview on TV three times the past week or so. All I remember is that it was real dark and Brad was pointing a rifle or whatever.

katsm0711 said...

@alma YES! Maybe it started with the Ocean's movies? It sucks bc I used to find him such an exciting actor.

Robin the Mad Photographer said...

Most of the reviews I've seen so far were pretty decent, so I don't think it's a lack of quality that's the problem (and God only knows plenty of crap has made mountains of money)--it really sounds as if the studio/whoever just didn't bother to promote this one properly. I don't know if they just assumed "Eh, it's Brad Pitt, people'll go see him," simply dropped the ball, or just didn't give a rat's ass; the end result is the same (e.g., poor sales). It's too bad, because Pitt's not the only one getting tarred w/the "failure" brush, and I hate to see it happen to a bunch of good actors like the supporting cast.

Angela said...

Andrew Dominik is a fine director and "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" is a great movie, one of the finest westerns in the last decade.

Not for all tastes, I agree, it's more of an arthouse film than a blockbuster but I support the idea that Pitt, not unlike Clooney, can agree to work on a passion project for a while. Even if his usual audience rates the movie "F".

I haven't seen "Killing Them Softly" but I've read that the distributors (the Weinsteins) decided to bury it on a desperate weekend. As the movie actually cost $15m, it will actually break even with time, and the "worst opening ever" headline for Pitt is only media frenzy and won't hurt anybody's career.

libby said...

Thanks for checking, Katie...re: producing.


I agree with you too, Robin--the studio has to be willing to spend money to promote a picture.

These kinds of movies get lost this time of year. I saw that the reviews are decent, but there is just so much to see right now. Like Life Of Pi--- on the big screen, or Lincoln. This is the kind of movie people will put off until cable.

It will make TRIPLE its budget overseas though, so not all is lost for Brad. We here don't pay attention, but Brad & all production companies know that "Brad Pitt + gun" will automatically bring the big bucks overseas. Just like Schwarzenegger, he can get anything greenlit; even if it fails here, it will be profitable.

libby said...

It'll make WAY more than $15 Million, IMO, Angela. "If I'm wrong, I owe you a coke", as Mr. Burns always says.
We'll meet back here in like a year to settle this.
(Ew, that feels romantic, like Sleepless in Seattle. lol)

SusanB said...

I feel like I've seen promos for this movie on TV at least 2-3 times a day for the past few weeks. Maybe they think it's a movie south Florida would love? Haven't seen any reviews though.

katsm0711 said...

@susan are u saying we have to be on bath salts to enjoy it? kidding ;)

Sydney21221 said...

I've never thought that Brad was a particularly good actor and haven't understood the hype that's surrounded him all these years. He always seems to be mumbling to the point where if I'm watching him on a DVD, I'll put the subtitles on. Enunciate Brad, enunciate!

HalleGoLightly said...

Seems like the "F" Cinemascore is from people who thought they were getting movie A (shoot-em-up, tons of action) but instead got movie B (some action, slow moving, cerebral). I don't put much stock in that. The general public has a short attention span and shitty taste. Some of the movies that get great Cinemascore ratings are turds.

I'll see this one in a week or two.

Anonymous said...

I give Brad credit in that he could have completely relied on his looks early in his career, yet he looked for legit roles where he had to actually act. He can be a bit hit and miss, but there's always some effort there and he doesn't stink up the screen. So I give Brad kudos for not being just a pretty face.

Anonymous said...

Oh, and Entertainment Weekly gave this movie an "A." I saw the trailer for it online last week and looks pretty good. I'll try to catch it at some point.

lazyday603 said...

This was by the director who brought you "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". There's not enough Valium in the world to put me on the same wavelength as that filmmaker. I fell asleep watching the DVD and when I woke up the next day the movie was still running & the same scene around the campfire was still playing out. I hardly missed a thing.

MISCH said...

Brad Pitt isn't THAT Brad Pitt anymore....

yodelay said...

I saw tons of ads & trailers for this movie for a the ast month or so. Looked kinda violent & pretty much a downer. Not really in the mood for that while getting in the Christmas spirit. Now Django Unchained comes out on Christmas & will probably kill at the box office. That will also be super violent, but maybe not so much of a downer.

Oh Brother! said...

From what I've heard, the movie is really, really good. But I haven't seen him promoting the movie (and Weinstein is too busy with SLP). I guess Brad's right now trying to salvage WWZ.
Maybe the film opened along with other movies that were just more audience-friendly. And I think the movie would've benefited from a limited release, instead of going wide immediately (2400 theaters!!).

Melinda9 said...

I saw the reviews and had planned to see it - hope it won't disappear now before I get a chance thanks to the idiocy of the media.

SusanB said...

@katsmo - this isn't my type of movie - you'd have to get me to take bath salts before I'd buy a ticket to it!

Elizabeth said...

Bleh. Brad Pitt is just no big deal. Half the time he looks like Benicio Del Toro.

Anonymous said...

I didn't even hear about this movie. Where is the promotion. I don't watch normal t.v, we have netflix, like alot of folks, but still I should have seen some promotion if they wanted to get it out there. That's what they are supposed to do. Make sure that I know that this awesome movie is coming out, and I should go see it. The promo people didn't hold up their end of the bargain. And if it's got such big names in it, then they spend the money on it. I think that this was just a personal grudge. Something along the lines of" Oh yeah, you're gonna do this to me????!!! Well then we'lll see if anyone's going to go see your big movie coming out, I'm doing no promotion whatsoever!" Just a theory.

rhinovodka said...

I don't think Brad has the acting chops to handle a movie on his own, some actors "own" the stage and he is not one of them. That said, he is losing his looks, yet like someone said he does take chances.

Sadie said...

Gandolfini doesn't do interviews and him and Pitt were on Nightline last week in an interview for this movie.

Bottom line is people like popcorn flicks - they want wham, bam thank you mam kind of crap.

I prefer movies that make you think - movies that that make you feel like you took a mini-vacation.

I'll see this because I think it will be worth seeing.

Char said...

Well after the Chanel ad I can no longer take him seriously. Now that was some BAD acting!

Cornbread said...

@rhinovodka, you hit the nail on the head...when I think back to my fave Brad Pitt roles, they were great because he had a good supporting cast (Fight Club, Se7en, Kalifornia, A River Runs Through It, Inglourious Basterds) and wasn't a stand-out on his own.

NapAssasin said...

This was one of the WORST movies I've seen. Ever. The plot is based on dialogue and conversations were had with no frame of reference. It was not cohesive, and was so OVER ACTED they all looked like high school kids in a stage production trying to get noticed. I kept picturing the cast of glee in the roles and I LOL'd a couple times in the theatre. I rarely hear strangers voice their opinions during a film but no one held back. The kids from Twilight look like Oscar winners in comparison. My husband's comment, "Go fuck yourself, Hollywood". So, no, it wasn't good.

Anonymous said...

Advertising is important. Name recognition is important. This movie has a dumb, too-clever-for-its-own-good / 70s song reference title. THAT'S the turn-off. It sounds G. A. Y. Sorry, but it's true. No guy wants to queue up and ask for tickets to this stinkbomb. Is it an shoot-'em-up? Is it a flick for the chicks to see Brad Pitt being a sensitive killer? What self-respecting chick even WANTS such a thing? This is like the "Boy Named Sue" of movies. I hope all the people connected with it lose their shirts...

You'll never eat lunch in this town again!!! Cancel all my meetings for the next hour. And get my stenographer in here...

Janet296 said...

I have a FB friend that does movie reviews every weekend. He said this movie was so bad that he almost walked out. Now that is a bad movie.

Hammer_Girl said...

This movie was based off of a book. I can't remember the name though. I believe it was from the 70's or 80's. Last week before it came out I watched the first few minutes but I didn't get to watch it all. I still want to see it though.

However, I'm saving my going to the movies money for The Hobbit.

Diamond Girl said...

He got a People cover to promote it.....

katsm0711 said...

Lollll @susan it's a date!

Reese said...

He looks awful at present, and those inane Chanel ads haven't helped his career at all (or Chanel; fortunately they don't need ads to move their merchandise). Hardly surprising that he is tanking.

Chanel should have gone with Clooney.

Desiree said...

I think it's because he REEKS of douche with that god awful hair. Just sayin....

Desiree said...

I think it's because he REEKS of douche with that god awful hair. Just sayin....

Turkish Taffy said...

I just heard about this film last night on ET. Nancy was banging on about Oscar buzz for this role and even asked Brad how he felt about winning this year. A bit premature, I gather...

FrenchMelody said...

It came out in the UK in October. Decent reviews and I think the film did okay here. Thought it was rather good!

BlindItemMe said...

The movie has been out in oz for a while now (Aussie director) but it was limited release here. It's definitely more art house than action. Meh I liked *shrugs* but then again I freaking loved "assassination of Jesse James"

Different strokes for different folks I guess :)

OT but mr blind can't watch any movie that's "talkie" its gotta have bombs or will Ferrell to enjoy a film. Tree of life was on tv a couple of weeks ago. He thought we were watching a documentary for 45 mins, he finally caught on when brad Pitt appeared onscreen :) yeah didn't get away with sneaking that movie in! :)

Anonymous said...

i was just saying this when i first saw the preview! i hate serious brad :T

auntliddy said...

So he made a not well recieved movie. It happens. I dont think ben button was huge hit either. Win some, lose some.

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