Stella Meghie’s “Everything, Everything” is beating box office expectations. Guy Ritchie’s “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” is bombing. But let’s be real, Ritchie will still get his next movie made.
“Everything, Everything” and “King Arthur” are apples and oranges, to be fair. “Everything, Everything” is a teen romance based on a YA novel and “King Arthur” is an action flick (somewhat) based on an ancient legend.
Box Office Mojo reports that “Everything, Everything” has currently grossed $12 million domestically. It cost $10 million to make and premiered Friday, May 19. The film recouped its budget and then some after one weekend. According to Forbes, the film is expected to eventually take in $30-$37 million domestically. “It’s a solid win,” the source writes.
“King Arthur” has officially become the the first major flop of the summer. Made on a budget of $175 million, it earned $15 million its opening weekend — one of the worst big-budget openings ever. Press coverage is treating this development as a surprise (which is weird — have they seen the trailer?) despite Ritchie’s past history of hit-or-misses. The director’s “Sherlock Holmes” franchise has certainly enjoyed box office success, but his last film, “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” was a major flop, as were “Swept Away” and “Revolver.” Ritchie was able to helm “Arthur” after “U.N.C.L.E’s” failure and is already attached to direct Disney’s live-action “Aladdin,” so it’s highly unlikely that Ritchie will be sent to movie jail. Hollywood is lenient on dudes who make movies for dudes.
This is an issue “Deep Impact” helmer Mimi Leder has previously opened up about. “[I]t’s mostly males hiring,” she commented to the New York Times. “And they mostly hire males. That may sound controversial, but I can’t figure it out. Why aren’t there more talented women directing features? Why are women clawing to be directors when there are male directors who have made two or three $200 million failures and get to make another one? That doesn’t happen with women. Never.”
It’s great to see “Everything, Everything” doing so well at the box office, but let’s stop underestimating the commercial power of stories by and about women.
