It’s not very often that Hollywood unleashes two major theatrical bombs over the same weekend. But that’s what happened when Jupiter Ascending and Seventh Son both crashed and burned in U.S. theaters on Friday.
Warner Bros.’ Jupiter Ascending,
starring Channing Tatum and Mila Kunis, is quickly dropping in
estimates to a thin $18 million weekend at the box office. With a budget
north of $175 million, the Wachowskis’ sci-fi fantasy tentpole could
lose tens of millions barring a dramatic turnaround overseas.
The forecast for Universal and Legendary’s long-delayed Seventh Son, starring Jeff Bridges, is just as gloomy. The medieval fantasy tentpole has already projected a loss of $85 million, as Variety exclusively reported this week, despite earning $82 million at the international box office. It’s on track for only $6.6 million in its U.S. debut.
Neither
of the b.o. calamities are entirely surprising—both big-budget movies
were long-delayed due to poor tracking and Paramount’s The Spongebob Movie,
which is soaking up $53 million this weekend, was originally projected
to win the weekend. Still, the lousy performances are a black eye for
investors and filmmakers.