I hope that everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving had a lovely one. I was so busy with family, I didn’t get a chance to see any films. However, the only one on my list to see was Wreck It Ralph (my daughter’s request). Liongate’s Robin Hood was not on my list and, it seems, it wasn’t on anyone else’s either. The film, which cost upwards of $100 million to make, pulled in just $14 million domestically on its five-day opening and $22 million globally, which has earned it the distinction of being the biggest bomb of 2018.
Lionsgate’s “Robin Hood” is turning out to be this year’s biggest blockbuster bomb, with a $14 million five-day opening against a budget of just under $100 million.
This year’s Thanksgiving weekend has provided the most lucrative box office ever. But even with all the record-breaking success, there have been some failures in 2018. Most of those bombs, like Paramount’s “Annihilation” and Fox’s “The Darkest Minds,” have had low-to-mid-level budgets that have reduced how much of a financial hit their studios have taken.
With a global launch of just $22.8 million, “Robin Hood” has had the worst start for any film this year with a budget of $90 million or higher. It’s another flop on top of several for Lionsgate, including the sci-fi film “Kin” ($9.9 million grossed against a $30 million budget), and the Kate McKinnon/Mila Kunis spy comedy “The Spy Who Dumped Me” ($75 million/$40 million budget). So far this year, the studio has only grossed $358 million domestically, down 54 percent from this point last year.
Until now, there hasn’t been a bomb as big as ones seen in 2017, like “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” which failed to make back its $175 million budget.
I realize we still have a month left in 2018 but I feel fairly confident we can call this one for Robin Hood. And to have failed so profoundly during Thanksgiving weekend’s ”most lucrative box office ever,” Youch! I’m actually a little surprised because the cast looked good. Taron Egerton has the right amount of cockiness to pull off Robin and I really thought Jaime Foxx as Little John was interesting, especially as it looks like he was more of a tutor-in-arms to Robin that just a loyal lieutenant. And I think Jaimie Dornan as Will Scarlet is inspired. Couple that with everyone’s favorite baddie, Ben Mendelson, as the Sheriff of Nottingham, I thought they could save it. But they most decidedly did not as not only is the box office a disgrace, so are the reviews. I mean, people hate it. From what I’m reading, the script deserves most the blame, although reviews are split on “modernizing” the tale for today’s audience. I’m not as surprised that few went to see it over the break, it wasn’t exactly hyped. I only ever knew of the final trailer and there were two put out before it that went nowhere. No one was talking about it, not even the studio.
Hollywood loves to tell Robin Hood tales, but they rarely get them right. My father, who is an extraordinary storyteller, used to tell us the legends of Robin as we sat by the fire. He did the same for my kids and it got better with every telling. So, if I’ve learned anything from this latest Robin Hood disappointment, it’s that the only two ways to tell Robin’s tale is to get my dad to do it or bring back the hot fox.
Photo credit: WENN photos and Getty Images
Or Cary Elwes – Men in Tights was a classic. 🙂
You think so? I loved it back then when it came out but, like all Mel Brooks films, is completely unwatchable for me now.
I’ve only seen trailers for this new one and it rubbed me the wrong way, so I didn’t go see it even though I love me some Robin Hood. I’m a bit fed up with these dark & gritty & anachronistic (looking at you, costume department) adaptations.
I love Robin Hood Men In Tights. And also Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The latter mostly because of an amazing score and Alan Rickman.
But as much as I like Taron Egerton and Ben M., this one is a big no for me. It just looked boring and uninspired based on the trailer I saw.
I loved the Kevin Costner version too! Not because of KC but because of the late great Alan Rickman! His lines were funny and he made the Sheriff. I own the cd of the score and it is great!
Alan apparently wrote half of his lines himself. They really wanted him for the part but he thought the script was bad, so he only agreed if they gave him complete freedom. They did and that’s why that Robin Hood looks like two different films: There’s the awesome comedy with Alan Rickman and the dullest and cheesiest romcom with Kevin Costner.
I love “…Men In Tights” (but then I love everything Mel Brooks does; his films NEVER get old for me 😊).
That said, until THIS MORNING, I’d never even seen a commercial for *this* film; I didn’t even know it was made, let alone coming out. Either the studio knew it was a dud (doubtful, or they’d never open it TG weekend), or the PR dept. fell asleep on the job, and didn’t do much to promote it.
HA! Suffer.
Go ahead, Hollywood-keep on rehashing the same story over and over again. Hopefully the money will just continue to swirl down the drain. Maybe one day the light bulb will go on and you’ll start commissioning new works instead of lazily creaking out increasingly terrible remakes of old ones.
And Taron Edgerton can take his sexist BS of how he won’t be alone with certain people because he’s too f*cking stupid to understand the difference between flirting and harassment and go away.
Oh no, what is this Taron story? There goes my crush 🙁
Yes, please share! Taron is – was – a huge crush of mine!
Gutted 🙁
He said hes now afriad to date and is concerned what he did back when he was 18, did he behave badly and just doesnt remember? Its him worrying about himself instead of the victims which is selfish
I thought he was gay, based on watching him on Graham Norton.
Isn’t this what Henry Cavill said ?? I’m curious about the Taron Egerton story…
Yea. I think that was Henry Cavill too.
I didn’t even know there *was* a new Robin Hood movie until Thanksgiving Day, when my BF and I went to see Widows and Robin Hood was next to it on the marquee. I said, “There’s a new Robin Hood movie?” And my BF said, “I guess so!” Granted, we don’t have cable, but I watch TV on the treadmill at the gym and I never saw one commercial for it.
Yeah, I had no idea either. I’m surprised anyone in Hollywood, as unoriginal as they can be these days, thought it was a good idea.
When was the last time a Robin Hood movie made money? Stop with King Arthur and Robin Hood. Audiences are not interested.
Audiences aren’t interested in bad movies – I don’t think it is the stories themselves. Hollywood can’t seem to make good versions of these stories, for whatever reason.
There was a Kevin Costner version that did surprisingly well. I think Russell Crowe did a gloom and doom version that didn’t do as well.
There’s quite a bit of advertising in the U.K. Maybe they are hoping to make up for poor US box office overseas? It wouldn’t be the first film saved by China.
As a resident of Nottingham I was looking forward to seeing this but honestly it’s just so busy at the moment I’m struggling to find time. After reading the above however I’ll probably wait until it’s on Sky BO. There doesn’t seem to be much publicity for it, the only reason I knew was I saw a trailer for it when I went to see Mamma Mia 2. I don’t even think anyone has been on Graham Norton? Anyway it can’t possibly be worse than the Russell Crowe film?
Saw the trailer in theater a month or so ago, it didn’t entice me. It looked like basically another virtually all-male cast guy movie with an utterly generic lead actor I didn’t recognize. Not interested.
Same for me.
Oh, my God, “the hot fox”! My first cartoon crash 🙂
I didn’t even realize this was a movie until we were at the theater to see Ralph Breaks the Internet (very cute btw) and I saw this was playing as well. I’m not the most up to date on pop culture but even so, the advertising for this one could have used some work. It’s never a good idea to have people completely unaware you’re even making a movie.
How about Hollywood investing more in an original story idea rather than one that’s been re-used at least five times in the last 20 years?
Saw the trailer when I saw Bohemian Rhapsody, thought it looked stupid.
I only become aware of a new movie when the trailer pops on the recommended list on YouTube. I see 200 new Netflix releases in a day but none for Robinhood. I feel bad for Tim Minchin and Ben Mendelssohn.
I love hearing about Robin Hood stories told by your dad by the fire. So amazing.
Well, no wonder it bombed. This is the first time I hear about this movie.
I’ve seen lots of trailers on TV and I actually think the movie looks like fun. The Kevin Costner Robin Hood is by far the best in my opinion but this looks like a good time.
I still prefer Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves :-p!
Yeah, the studio does not seem to have any confidence in the movie. I think I’m due a Robin of Sherwood rewatch – I remember the playground fights over that show, all the boys fought to be Nasir(TWO SWORDS!!!) and the girls had fights over Robin Praed or Robin Connery. (Will Scarlet was always my quiet favourite , though)
I’m probably one of the few, but I actually liked the Russell Crowe version. Mind you, I think the lead role should have been played by a younger man, but I liked the story itself. And Oscar Isaac as King John was phenomenal.
I liked the Russell Crowe Robin Hood just fine, I didn’t get why there were so many antis. I *love* the Kevin Costner Robin Hood, the hot fox Disney RH, and the Errol Flynn RH. And for me, it’s usually the Maid Marion who makes the film — Cate Blanchett, Mary Mastrantonio, cute fox, and Olivia de Havilland, all spectacular MMs. I guess I should say it’s the chemistry between the RH and the MM that I look for.
I vaguely heard about this new RH but I feel nothing for that Taron Edgerton guy and no word on who Marian is played by so I know she’s not important to the film, which makes it a no-go for me.
Eve Hewson, whose dad is no other than U2’s Bono, plays Marian in this new version. She was on The Knick (that show with Clive Owen) and played Tom Hanks’ daughter in Bridge of Spies. Just my two cents.
I liked Russell’s Robin Hood too. I also enjoyed King Arthur with Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law and Eric Bana….yum😛
There was a new Robin Hood movie? Huh. Don’t care! I’ve already seen Robin Hood too many times to care.
I saw a trailer for it a couple of times while out at theater. Have not seen any other marketing. That being said, Im not surprised it bombed. It looked god awful from the trailers. I have a feeling that studios knew it was a bomb but since they had already invested so much into it, they decided to release it anyway to try and recoup SOME of the cost.
Who green lit this garbage?
I would blame the trailer. Every trailer that I saw (I still have cable television and I watch commercials) was just one of those messy, jump cuts where you can barely keep up with what’s happening. We know the story but it didn’t give any indication as to how this re-telling is different.
And this is going to sound dumb but the trailer had a sense that I should know what was happening, like this was the third part of a trilogy so the trailer didn’t need to explain the characters or point to me, I should just be grateful it existed.
Is it just me, or is there nothing really that great about taron…? He’s moderately talented, and looks like every other british actor out there. I don’t think he’ll ever be a box office draw. He just pretty basic. If they had cast someone with a bit more to give, maybe more people would of seen it.
Him shirtless in the first kingsman movie is…..amazing
They barely advertised this. People literally didn’t know it came out. I have a feeling they spent the money advertising in Europe and Asia where the film will do better and likely make back the budget. I will watch when it comes out on DVD, it looks alright.
I’ve been a fan of the lead actor since kingsman but this film was shelved for a year by the studio which is never a good sign. he was on graham Norton’s show and spent the time being asked about the Elton john biopic he did so that says a lot. if the studio shelves it and doesn’t advertise it much that says they know its bad and they want you to forget it existed. it’s too bad, I like him. he’s talented, he’ll bounce back.