The director’s new film has experienced a catastrophic start in American theaters this weekend, despite its large budget and its superstars cast. There are reasons.
It is, in fact, the worst start of the history of (long) career of Ron Howard.
In 50 years of cinema, the director of Willow, Splash, Apollo 13, an exceptional man and other DaVinci Code had not experienced such a catastrophe at the American box office. Edenreleased on Friday in the United States, only $ 1 million reported, despite its budget valued at around $ 50 million. You have to go back to Let govery first film by young Howard in 1977, to find a trace of a box-office Also weak in the filmography of the doubly Oscar -winning filmmaker!
Yet, Eden Is, on paper, an exciting project, glamorous, carried by a casting XXL: the story tells the attempt at European settlers to build a utopian community in the Galápagos Islands after the First World War. A dream that turns into a nightmare, between jealousy, desire and thirst for power. To play utopian adventurers on the deserted beach, Ron Howard was able to count on the new American star, Sydney Sweeneybut also on Ana de Armasas well as Vanessa Kirbyfreshly enthroned in Marvel, or the icon Jude Law.
So what happened?
Eden arrives in theaters, almost a year after its presentation at Toronto Festival. In September 2024, the film was offered a world prestigious first at Roy Thomson Hall, but which will shoot chaos. Interrupted because of a medical emergency, the session leaves a bad impression on the press present in the room. Result: very mixed criticism (55 % on Rotten Tomatoes) who completely blocked the distribution of the film for 8 months. After Toronto, AGC Studios has Fight to find a distributor. Lionsgate had shown interest, and vertical ended up engaging with a modest investment. So good that‘Eden Arrives today on the Catimini in theaters, via a limited outing (less than 700 cinemas through the USA), and on an exclusive 30 -day window in the cinema before its release in streaming and Pvod, to allow the film to have a second life during the price season.
Deadline also specifies thatEden Above all, in line with the additional income (VOD, streaming, international deals) and the film should precisely be released in France directly on Prime Video, as was the case for the last two feature films of Howard (13 Viesalready on the video premium and Hillbilly Elegy sur Netflix).
Nevertheless, this box-office a little ridiculous launch – for such a luxurious and glamorous project – is a task. Less for Ron Howardaccustomed to flops since time (we remember the sinking At the heart of the oceanin 2015, carried by Chris Hemsworth who had cost dear to Warner Bros.), that for his young stars who try to establish themselves as new safe values in Hollywood. The industry will thus retain this summer two failures in the spot Sydney Sweeney – After Americana ($ 500,000 in 1,000 rooms in August) – and for Ana de Armaswho failed to reproduce the box of John Wick with Ballerinablockbuster just above $ 130 million.
