Hollywood is an expensive industry. Major motion pictures require literally thousands of specialists to make visions – fantastical, realistic, outlandish – come alive and be globally seen.
If that means dreams do come true, the reverse is also a reality: Some visions are enthusiastically rejected, panned and exiled to a theatrical junk pile.
Here then the Hits and the Flops for this still-young year.
HITS
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie”
Easily the year’s biggest deal at the box-office with a billion-dollar global haul in just its first three weeks. This means most likely Nintendo will be coming back as soon as possible with a third animated outing.
“Project Hail Mary”
Easily the riskiest entry of the year so far, this expensive — $200 million but who’s counting — Amazon MGM Studios gamble, powered by Ryan Gosling’s star turn as a lonely astronaut, has made $573 million globally, justifying its steep costs.
“Hoppers”
Pixar fielded an original hit with an ecological storyline that pitted nature lovers and woodland animals against predatory highway developers. While not a blockbuster, its $161 million domestic gross and $206 million internationally for a global score of $367million means a bright feature, possibly with a sequel.
“Scream 7”
Ghostface, like Jason and Freddy, will never die. Proof is his buzzy resuscitation in this 7th outing where Sydney Prescott’s daughter becomes the target. It may be familiar – and it may be that that familiarity is what made this appealing enough to gross $213 million worldwide.
“The Drama”
Star power works At least it did here, teaming Zendaya and the current Batman Robert Pattinson as a couple in a provocative but lean (a $28 million budget) film that’s grossed $82 million so far. It’s prompted a revival of the question: Are there movie stars out there who really matter?
FLOPS
“The Bride!”
Easily the biggest bomb of this (or any) year, writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feminist, 1920s steampunk take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein undoubtedly suffered coming so soon after Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar winner (three awards – production design, hair and costumes), a Best Picture Oscar nominee. The good news? Because “Bride!” was so polarizing, it’s bound in years to come to develop a cult following.
“Ready or Not 2: Here I Come”
The 2019 original was a nasty hit. The sequel, which continues immediately with life or death pursuits that involve a Satanic cult, won good reviews but only grossed $38 million on a $14 million budget. This Devil can’t afford Prada.
“The Strangers: Chapter 3”
Director Renny Harlin shot all three chapters simultaneously in Slovakia (reshoots were mandatory). Never a critical favorite, this concluding chapter did a paltry $9 million at the domestic box-office and, most crucially, got the franchise’s lowest-ever exit score – a D!
“Mercy”
A sci-fi capital punishment thriller minus thrills, it teamed Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson and was typical of Amazon MGM productions prior to “Hail Mary.” Hampered by lousy reviews, “Mercy,” despite being shown in 3D and IMAX, grossed just $54.3 million worldwide against a $60 million budget.
