Ang Lee knew, coming into the release of “Gemini Man,” that he was taking a big risk. Even before the film’s launch in theaters, the filmmaker talked about how he is willing to take a critical beating in favor of pushing the technology used in the film (the CGI for the duplicate Will Smith, the 3D, and the High Frame Rate) in front of audiences, showcasing just what is capable. However, even in his worst nightmares, he probably didn’t expect “Gemini Man” to be such a box office bomb.
According to a new report from THR, Lee’s “Gemini Man” is looking at a loss of up to $75 million after the box office receipts are all counted at the end of the film’s run. The action film was supposed to attract audiences based on the flashy tech and the charisma and star power of Will Smith. Instead, the terrible reviews and lack of word-of-mouth from audiences have sunk the film, which has earned a dismal $37 million domestically and only $120 million worldwide.
With a budget that is reportedly $140 million (after tax rebates and incentives) and a marketing push that cost upwards of $100 million, Paramount was banking on the Chinese audiences to eat up the action film and save Lee’s latest from box office infamy. Instead, debuting with only $21 million in the Middle Kingdom, “Gemini Man” is poised to be a bust over there, as well. This means, at the end of the day, the film is looking to be a major loss for the studio and could cost $75 million or more.
Ultimately, we’ll likely see reports that start pointing the finger at certain people for the failure of the film. Much like this year’s “Dark Phoenix,” “Men in Black: International,” and “Where’d You Go, Bernadette,” when films that are expected to do well at the box office end up fizzling, studios start looking for scapegoats. We’ll have to see if this affects Ang Lee’s future, as this isn’t the first time the filmmaker has taken large budgets and turned in box office duds, or how it might mean that Will Smith needs to find a sure-thing to help rebound.
Either way, “Gemini Man” might be a technological wonder, but the action film is likely going to be remembered for all the wrong reasons.