“Terminator: Dark Fate” which I panned earlier in the week, cost more than $185 million to make and, reportedly, needs $460M-plus to break even. Here’s where the trouble comes in, it’s only expected to gross $27 million domestically this weekend.
If you remember, the R-rated “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” opened with an impressive ith $44M.
This spells trouble for not just the movie, but the franchise as a whole.
Earlier in the month, box office projections had the film opening at above $40 million, but that ain’t happening anymore. Why? Well, the reviews are mediocre and audiences are rejecting its politically correct repackaging.
“Fans and action sci-fi moviegoers who have seen the film are up in arms about major changes to the film series’ plot lines. It’s also worth observing that fans and moviegoers are all for strong female characters — when these characters are essential and interesting to the story. Like other recent remakes, spin-offs, and re-imaginings, casual moviegoers are confused and disinterested in taking a classic film and simply reshooting it with women in the lead roles, which is the perception of some related to Dark Fate, and the reality to still others who have seen early screenings.” [Via Relish Mix]
There’s also the issues of back-and-forth fighting in the editing room between producer James Cameron and director Tim Miller. Just a couple of days ago, James Cameron admitted in an interview with CinemaBlend that he thought Miller’s first cut was “pretty rough,” so he decided to step in and take over the editing, which, obviously, didn’t sit well with Miller. Battles ensued, “I would say many,” said Cameron. “And the blood is still being scrubbed off the walls from those creative battles. This is a film that was forged in fire.” He described how Miller tried to make the film his own, and perhaps deviate from what the franchise is known for. “Tim wanted to make it his movie. And I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I kind of know a little about this world.’”
Deadline‘s Anthony D’Alessandro: “It’s not a good weekend for franchises, specifically old dusty ones as the sixth Terminator movie, Terminator: Dark Fate, is seeing an awful future at the weekend domestic box office with $27.1M, a terrible result for a planned Paramount/Skydance Media/Fox tentpole that reportedly cost $185M (some even say it was $196M).”
As expected, Snyder's latest is being torn apart by TIFF attendees. No mercy given. The film, which had its world premiere this evening, is being called by some one of the worst movies to ever premiere at the festival.