Despite odds on line, Clooney bombs on easy pass
By Jerffey Jolson, David Mirsky
HOLLYWOOD (Hollywood Today) 4/6/08– Despite the heavy media blitz, the George Clooney, Renee Zellweger 1920’s romantic comedy, ‘Leatherheads,” opened this weekend with a weak $13.5 million, not even besting “21″ which drew a great hand and $15 million in its second weekend.
Clooney, who also helmed the film, had spent the past 2 weeks hyping the film just about anywhere there was a working camera. Based on the majority of the critic’s reviews, it’s going to take more than a Hail Mary pass to keep this film in the game, and the fans in the seats.
Analysts may spend a while figuring out how this film went so wrong. Football films do fumble, but rarely. For instance, The Rocks “Gridiron Gang” opened past $17 million with far less PR and marketing. Even “The Waterboy,” another football comedy bowed with $39 million.
Rank. Movie Title (Distributor)
Weekend Gross | Theaters | Total Gross | Week #
1. 21 (Sony / Columbia)
$15.1 million | 2,653 | $46.5 million | 2
2. Leatherheads (Universal)
$13.5 million | 2,769 | $13.5 million | 1
3. Nim’s Island (Fox)
$13.3 million | 3,513 | $13.3 million | 1
4. Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! (Fox)
$9.1 million | 3,571 | $131.1 million | 4
5. The Ruins (Paramount (DreamWorks))
$7.8 million | 2,812 | $7.8 million | 1
Stats from boxofficemojo.com
By Saturday Fantasy Moguls reported
1. 21 (Sony) – $6.35M – $2,394 PTA – $43M cume
2. NEW – Nim’s Island (Fox) – $5.7M – $1,633 PTA – $9.58M cume
3. NEW – Leatherheads (Universal) – $5.44M – $1,962 PTA – $9.98M cume
4. Horton Hears a Who (Fox) – $4.05M – $1,134 PTA – $128.5M cume
5. NEW – The Ruins (Dreamworks/Paramount) – $3.19M – $1,134 PTA – $5.94M cume
6. Superhero Movie (MGM/Weinstein) – $2.36M – $798 PTA – $15.5M cume
7. Tyler Perry’s Meet the Browns (Lionsgate) – $1.69M – $1,088 PTA – $36.8M cume
8. Drillbit Taylor (Paramount) – $1.41M – $522 PTA – $24.6M cume
9. Shutter (Fox) – $1.25M – $591 PTA – $22.5M cume
10. 10,000 B.C. (Warner Bros) – $1.17M – $501 PTA – $88.4M cume
27 responses so far ↓
1 Scott R. Lucado // Apr 6, 2008 at 4:38 am
Leaving aside the fact that a great many people find Clooney to be an annoying, strutting narcissist of very limited talent, the movie’s title was ill-chosen. I thought it was about some species of sea turtle. (And maybe it is.)
2 Jack Walsh // Apr 6, 2008 at 5:39 am
when the trailer came out it was painfully obvious this movie was a flop. if you can’t find even 30 seconds of funny footage in the entire film then might as well go straight to DVD.
3 TC // Apr 6, 2008 at 5:43 am
Being the self-righteous liberal that Clooney is I sure hope he gives more than half of that money to the poor
4 Nicole // Apr 6, 2008 at 5:47 am
Why is everyone so damned concerned about his politics, its a movie…COME ON! TC…wow… I hope you give half of your money and time to the poor, the Bible makes them a priority.
5 Thozman // Apr 6, 2008 at 5:58 am
I would never pay money to see a liberal’s film.
I’d rather lose the money down a storm drain then to give it to that anti-American no talent hack.
I avoid every movie or television show he appears in and always will.
6 Manok // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:16 am
Wooooo, anti-american… let’s only make movies which portray Americans as heroes, where foreigners are the bad guys, and of course the hero has to win.
7 Frank // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:16 am
Renee Zellweger is ugly. No one wants to see a romantic comedy between an old man and a squinty hag.
8 Sid // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:23 am
I cannot believe people like Frank calling names etc. Do you not have a brain or anything else to do? This is a review site not pass your junk site. Write a review and stop posting garbage! I don’t care whether he is a liberal or whatever. I wanted to read about the movie. Jerks like you destroy the reality of the web! Get a life and more importantly get an education you morons!
9 maw // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:35 am
I have never been able to understand this guy’s appeal. When I see him onscreen, his eyes look totally blank as if there’s no life or emotion there. It’s a good thing I started drinking Nespress before he started promoting it. I would have bypassed it for sure!
10 bobo // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:36 am
everything with clooney in it is epic fail.
11 Lala // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:46 am
George clooney is still a gorgeous man and he’s so handsome in old timey flicks. I didn’t think of seeing the movie because like a lot of folks in this day and country are BROKE. I think they could have used more advertising for it.
12 John Smith // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:50 am
Clooney has no one to blame but himself. He is the one who brought politics into this play. He should have stuck to his business of acting and stayed out of presidential candidate business.
13 Thozman // Apr 6, 2008 at 6:59 am
In all honesty the reason the film tanked is because Clooney chose to roll the dice and he came up craps.
The football element was for the guys, the romance element was for the gals,
the guys stayed away i.e. because of the romance, and the gals stayed away i.e. because of the football.
Looney Clooney was relying on his *star power* to pull this one off, and clearly his star doesn’t shine as bright as he thinks it does.
AND, the nail in the coffin is his off screen liberal politics.
He should hang it up, he screwed himself.
14 Kevin // Apr 6, 2008 at 7:01 am
George’s lib friends in the academy will probably nominate him for another Oscar for this movie.
I used to like the guy – I’m even from his hometown. He just made politics too big of an issue. His job is to be an actor – and he should just act. Ditto Sean Penn.
People say I’m narrow-minded for feeling this way, but I’m not the one spouting my politics to them.
15 Jeff // Apr 6, 2008 at 7:14 am
Drop the references to personal politics, that’s not why this movie tanked. It’s not a movie most people would shell out $10 to see in a theater. Welcome to the netflix era, folks.
16 Thozman // Apr 6, 2008 at 7:41 am
Why drop the references to politics if the politics effect the success of a movie or movie star?
I refuse to see anything done by Susan Sarandon, Sean Penn, and Michael Moore as well.
So..it would seem that politics DO play a part in the success or failure of a movie,..like it or not.
17 don // Apr 6, 2008 at 7:43 am
hmmm just a boring topic really. old time football? nah, can’t see how that could possibly be worth looking into. these days (2008 for cripes sake) you really have to be creative when building a screenplay for the producer & director to work with. not much ado here…1920′s football, rene z, YAWN…
now if brad Pitt was on the opposing team, and matt damon played a mentally challenged waterboy who has a mad crush on rene’s character, now there we might have some popcorn at the ready…
-my three cents (inflation)
18 Devon Springs // Apr 6, 2008 at 9:57 am
I agree with Scott, I happen to like George Clooney, I think he was great in Syriana, and Michael Clayton.
However I thought Leatherheads was a war movie about flyers or something.
Who in what era has ever thought of a leatherhead as football player, certainly no one alive.
19 Judy // Apr 6, 2008 at 1:49 pm
What is wrong with a movie actor being involved in politics? or being concerned about the future of our planet? or giving large amounts of money to charity?
or for having some smarts for that matter?
What have you done lately to better the planet!!?
So, George Clooney made ONE flop. He is entitled, most of his movies have done very well to say the least.
You go George, you are the greatest!!! And your sense of humor is fabulous. Maybe some of these people are not smart enough to get it.
20 S E CondAmendman // Apr 6, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Today Charlton Heston died. A few years back Clooney mocked this mans disease.
Hestons name and movies will be remembered forever.
Clooney will be forgotten a week after his death.
21 Christie // Apr 7, 2008 at 6:24 pm
I agree with mostly everyone who thinks George Clooney is a narcissist so wrapped up in himself. I think his acting stinks. He is not a world class actor and every time he opens his mouth it’s a sad thing. He has nothing to say and he can’t act either. His looks get him by but that’s about it. He appears to be a shallow, hollow person.
22 Jim Nolan // Apr 13, 2008 at 1:18 pm
The reason some of us might have a problem with actors spouting their political views is that the money and notoriety we give them by seeing their films might be used to promote something we dont believe in or are against. This cat is an ACTOR. Doesnt make good business sense to offend the folks you want seeing your movie.
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