Ron Howard’s “Eden,” which co-stars Sydney Sweeney, Jude Law and Ana de Armas, has yet to secure a distributor, more than five months since its premiere at last fall’s Toronto International Film Festival. The film went on to earn mixed reviews.
The InSneider is reporting that the lack of distribution is less a question of quality than a matter of its pricetag. The film probably has a budget anywhere between $30-$50M and it will be difficult to earn that money back in the form of a theatrical run.
“Eden” comes only two years after Amazon/MGM dumped Howard’s well-received “Thirteen Lives" to streaming. Howard, who wowed Oscar voters with “Apollo 13,” “A Beautiful Mind,” and “Frost/Nixon,” hasn’t had a critical or commercial hit since 2013’s “Rush.” Has his stock crumbled?
“Eden,” which Vulture, quite astutely, claimed was proof that “Howard had lost his mind,” is an unusually dark film for Opie, but one with the potential to play like gangbusters for a streaming audience, particularly on Netflix. It’s a darkly made guilty pleasure.
It helps that the film is actually based on a true story, tackling a group of people fueled by a profound desire for change; They turn their back to society and leave everything behind by settling on the harsh landscape of the Galapagos.
In the film, set on a remote island, alliances get forged, sex partners get swapped, and over the top threats get dished out. Everybody hates everybody. Howard depicts the worst of humanity in “Eden,” which, at times, reminded me of an episode of “Survivor,” only set at the dawn on WWII.
“Eden” is driven by its talented actors; De Armas, a total scene stealer, might be best in show as the repulsive, manipulating and spoiled baroness who, with the help of her two male servants, attempts to take over the island by trying to turn it into a resort.
You’d think a steamy and violent film, featuring both Sweeney and De Armas, might lure a studio or streamer, but that’s clearly not been the case. The wait continues.
Paul Greengrass’ "The Uprising," starring Andrew Garfield, opened to $3.2M from 2,068 theaters this weekend. Yikes. The budget hasn’t been disclosed, but is said to be in the $20-$30M range.