“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga”
The global box office revenue for “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” has only reached a mere $168 million, while the production costs of the film also amounted to $168 million, excluding advertising expenses. This is considered a tragic outcome in contrast to the profitability of director George Miller’s previous works.
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is a prequel to “Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)”, focusing on the early life of the female warrior of the same name, played by Anya Taylor-Joy. Despite receiving critical acclaim with a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a B+ CinemaScore, the film faced challenges in attracting audiences.
According to Variety, one of the reasons for the poor box office performance of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” is that the film’s narrative connection to the previous installment is weak, leading to a lack of interest from moviegoers. The film also failed to deliver the same level of intensity as its predecessor, causing audiences to be less engaged.
Many critics attribute the disappointing box office performance of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” to Hollywood’s overemphasis on brand recognition. However, standalone films are no longer a viable option for studios when production costs are high, and they often fail to draw audiences despite receiving numerous accolades for quality.
IF (Imaginary Friends)
“IF” (Imaginary Friends) is a hybrid live-action animated film directed by John Krasinski. The movie revolves around 12-year-old Bea, who possesses a unique ability to see the imaginary friends of others.
“IF” features a distinctive animation style that evokes a sense of authenticity and liveliness. The film’s vibrant setting, from dense jungles to modern cities, creates a rich sensory experience for viewers. The film also boasts an excellent soundtrack, with uplifting tunes that contribute to its joyous atmosphere.
In its opening week, “IF” grossed $33 million. As of now, the film has earned $106 million at North American box offices and $181 million globally. This revenue is quite impressive for a hybrid film featuring a live-action and animated combination. However, the production cost of the film reached $110 million, meaning “IF” needs to earn $275 million to break even during its theatrical run.
The Fall Guy
Despite receiving numerous positive reviews from critics, “The Fall Guy” has been struggling with low box office revenue and has had to exit theaters just over two weeks after its release. With production costs exceeding $140 million, the film has only managed to gross a total of $171 million worldwide. The failure of “The Fall Guy” is attributed to its lack of audience appeal.
“The Fall Guy” combines the talents of Ryan Gosling and director David Leitch, one of Hollywood’s leading action filmmakers in recent years. The film is based on the ABC action series of the same name that aired from 1981 to 1986, featuring appearances from Lee Majors, Douglas Barr, and Heather Thomas. The storyline follows Colt Seavers, a stuntman who becomes embroiled in a high-budget Hollywood action movie.
Madame Web
“Madame Web” is the latest installment in the Marvel and Sony universe, focusing on the story of Cassandra Webb, a notable character in the Spider-Man franchise. Despite its hype, Cassandra Webb possesses a rather unique ability that allows her to see into the future.
The film’s plot unfolds as Cassandra, while still in training, encounters a series of events that lead her to unlock her latent powers, allowing her to glimpse into the future. From that point on, Cassandra embarks on a new journey, uncovering many secrets from the past and developing her potential.
“Madame Web” has been heavily criticized, receiving a low rating of 13% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience scores for the film are only 55%. The film grossed $100 million at the global box office, yet its production budget has already reached $80 million.
Critics have pointed out that one of the primary reasons for “Madame Web’s” box office failure is the character of Cassandra Webb (played by Dakota Johnson), who has an inconsistent personality. Actress Dakota Johnson also expressed her surprise that “Madame Web” turned out to be a box office bomb.
“It’s unfortunate that I’m not surprised when the project doesn’t perform as expected. However, making this film was undoubtedly a unique experience for me since I had never done anything like it before,” Dakota shared.
Argylle
“Argylle” was produced with a budget exceeding $200 million and features a star-studded cast including director Matthew Vaughn, Bryce Dallas Howard, Henry Cavill, Bryan Cranston, Samuel L. Jackson, and others. However, the film has only managed to gross a disappointing $96 million worldwide. According to Variety, “Argylle” must achieve a minimum of $500 million in revenue to break even.
“Argylle” revolves around the adventure of writer Elly Conway, who is penning a bestselling series about the spy Argylle. However, Elly’s story quickly becomes “entangled” with the real world, as her cat Alfie helps blur the lines between reality and fiction, leading the narrative to a meaningful conclusion that avoids impacting life outside.
On Rotten Tomatoes, “Argylle” did not receive high ratings despite having a talented cast, with Henry Cavill as the lead. TheWrap suggested that the film’s cast was primarily a “draw” for audiences watching the film, which runs longer than two hours. The interactions between the main cast have yet to satisfy audience expectations after encountering numerous twists and turns throughout the “Argylle” storyline.
