UPDATED: This is quite the shocker. I didn’t expect “Bros,” billed as an all gay comedy, to make more than 8 or $9 million at the box-office this weekend, but right now it’s set to make a little bit under $5 million.
Total receipts for Thursday and Friday came to just $1.84 million. With another $2.5 million coming on Saturday and Sunday, “Bros” stands to even make less than $5 million for its entire opening weekend.
“Bros” has a budget of around $20-25 million, with, it seems, much more put into publicity and marketing. Despite the great reviews, this means that the public had no interest in seeing not only a gay rom com, but one with graphic sex scenes.
EARLIER: I’ve already weighed in twice on “Bros.” At TIFF and again earlier this week. I wasn’t a fan of the rom-com tropes. It was basically the same blueprint as “Trainwreck,” but executed via a queer lens.
That’s all fine and dandy, but when the lead character is as annoying as Billy Eichner is here, then I just can’t fathom recommending this film. There will be plenty who like it, at least based on its 95% Rotten Tomatoes score (66 reviews) and 78 on Metacritic.
I hate to say it, but a Best Original Screenplay nod isn’t out of the question. The reviews are strong enough and, who are we kidding here, how many actual strongly-reviewed original scripts have popped up this year?
“Bros” is currently tracking at a $7-$12 million opening weekend, which is quite a vague estimate. The truth is that nobody really knows how many Americans will flock to see an R-rated gay-themed romcom. If the film goes double digits this weekend then you can consider it a semi-success as marketing has been fairly stagnant for the film.
Bassim Tariq was the first one in the chair. The "Mogul Mowgli" director spent two years building out the Mahershala Ali vehicle before exiting in 2022, and he's now letting the air out on this one.