As a long-time fan who has witnessed the meteoric rise of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in Hollywood, I must admit that Red One feels like a bitter pill to swallow. The Rock was once a box office gold mine, with his films consistently raking in profits despite lackluster reviews and mediocre plots. But something has changed in the last few years, and it seems that Red One may be doomed from the start.
Despite appearing promising on paper, Red One seems less likely to become a holiday season box office hit due to intense competition in theaters, its substantial production cost, and underwhelming critical reception.
Throughout the 2010s, Dwayne Johnson’s films consistently proved to be moderate box office successes. Despite being criticized as one of the worst films of the decade, Baywatch still managed to rake in profits. The Fast and Furious series, fueled by his growing influence in Hollywood, became massive hits. Moana solidified his status as a Disney icon. And let’s not forget about Hercules, San Andreas, Rampage, and Skyscraper – each of these films were commercial triumphs.
In the 2020s, something significant occurred. He endeavored to rearrange the order of the DC Universe through Black Adam, but this move ultimately resulted in the collapse of the DCEU. Since then, he’s reduced his movie appearances (except for his return in Fast X), and now he’s back on the big screen with Red One, which he calls his “Christmas franchise film.
Regrettably, it seems that The Rock’s film, Red One, might face insurmountable challenges right from the start. While it’s expected to generate revenue, preliminary box office estimates suggest it may not yield a profit.
Red One box office so far
Red One was released in international territories before the US, so it’s already made $28 million worldwide.
Today, on November 15, it debuted in North American cinemas, and industry analysts project that its domestic earnings could range from $25 million to $40 million during its initial weekend. This release coincides with a relatively slow period for U.S. theaters, as Venom: The Last Dance garnered the highest box office revenue last week with only $15.9 million.
As a gamer, here’s how I might put it: “It’s quite unique this holiday season – there’s hardly any other movie like it out that appeals to everyone, especially families. Last time we had something similar was back in 2018 with The Grinch. This one could stick around during the festivities for a while.
Additionally, since it’s made by Amazon MGM, they have been able to create a significant promotional campaign. This means that even if the theatrical release doesn’t go as planned, they can still count on the movie’s streaming debut in the future.
Red One’s budget is a box office problem
Red One appears likely to be labeled as a financial disappointment due to its substantial production cost of approximately $250 million. To recoup this investment and turn a profit, it would need to generate at least $500 million in revenue. This is quite an ambitious target for the debut of a new franchise, especially when you consider that it features big-name stars like Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It’s quite a challenge, indeed, since only two films – Inside Out 2 and the joint venture of Deadpool and Wolverine – have managed to surpass the $1 billion mark as of 2024. Other movies are playing catch-up in terms of box office success.
- Despicable Me 4 – $968 million
- Dune: Part Two – $714 million
- Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – $571 million
- Kung Fu Panda 4 – $547 million
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – $450 million
- Bad Boys: Ride or Die – $404 million
- Venom: The Last Dance – $398 million
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes – $397 million
Among them, they share a characteristic – they’re either sequels or fresh installments from esteemed series, but not one of them had a production budget exceeding $250 million.
Instead of delving into the specific reasons for Red One’s high price (rumors suggest Johnson’s behavior during filming led to an additional $50 million in production costs), it’s evident that the movie was too expensive, and its cost doesn’t fit with this year’s box office patterns.
Red One has a lot of competition this Christmas
During the holiday season, Red One could potentially be the lone Christmas movie in theaters. However, it’s set to compete with Gladiator 2, Wicked, and Moana 2 in the upcoming weeks.
Here are three highly anticipated films (with Wicked potentially becoming the third movie to gross over $1 billion), and there’s more to come in December: Kraven the Hunter, The Lord of the Rings: War of the Rohirrim, Mufasa: The Lion King, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 are all set for release, and they might even push Red One out of theaters.
Let’s examine the projected earnings for the upcoming weekend: Gladiator 2 anticipates earning $65 million in its U.S. debut, while Wicked is poised to rake in at least $85 million. Their launches might not benefit Red One, so it must rely on positive word of mouth to keep ticket sales going… unfortunately, it appears that it may have a hard time with that.
Red One is off to a bad start on Rotten Tomatoes
Red One has a 34% score on Rotten Tomatoes from 95 reviews, including our two-star review.
As a devoted viewer, I must say that “Red One” seems to have all the ingredients of a heartwarming Christmas movie. However, the on-screen chemistry between The Rock and Chris Evans, combined with monotonous visuals and an overly familiar plot, make Amazon’s grand holiday production feel as empty as an unfulfilled wish list or a hollow chocolate Santa.
2024’s Madame Web may not be the year’s worst film, yet it falls short in a peculiar way. Boasting an illustrious ensemble, impressive production quality, and occasional glimpses of appeal, it still manages to blend into obscurity.
It’s possible that it could resonate with viewers, yet a widespread sentiment on Twitter about Red One appears to be extremely critical, suggesting that its box office performance might not be strong.
Currently, the movie “Red One” is playing in theaters. Here are some other fresh films you can catch this month, as well as our top picks from the first half of 2024! Enjoy your cinematic journey!
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2024-11-15 15:49