It looks like Terminator: Dark Fate is going to become another loss for Paramount Pictures, Skydance Media, and 20th Century Fox (put up 30% of the $185 million budget). As industry estimates via TheHollywoodReporter place the film’s potential losses at around $120 million-plus after a weak opening overseas and $29 million domestic opening.
Over the Nov. 1-3 weekend, Terminator: Dark Fate bombed in its global box office debut, grossing $29 million in the U.S., well behind expectations.
Nor was its performance much better overseas, where it has earned $94.6 million to date, including a lackluster China launch of $28 million, for a global total of $123.6 million. The red ink could end up at $130 million if the pic doesn’t hold internationally; conversely, it could be closer to $110 million if it does, sources tell The Hollywood Reporter.
Dark Fate faces losses of $120 million-plus for partners Skydance Media, Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, which each put up 30 percent of the $185 budget (Disney now owns the Fox film studio will absorb the loss). China’s Tencent has a 10 percent stake.
It’s a little puzzling since the film has done well with critics and audiences that have made the trek to actually see it.
Three lackluster sequels and audiences already proving throughout the year they’re not terribly interested in aging studio franchises could have contributed to the film’s box office stumbles.
Along with the marketing campaign that seemingly existed to remind audiences who James Cameron is and why they should care he’s producing the film (as if that now matters in 2019).
It’s troublesome to see Alita: Battle Angel and Terminator: Dark Fate do so poorly at the box office given they have a pretty interesting sandbox to spawn planned sequels, both had two more installments in the works.
In Mexico City, a newly modified liquid Terminator — the Rev-9 model — arrives from the future to kill a young factory worker named Dani Ramos. Also sent back in time is Grace, a hybrid cyborg human who must protect Ramos from the seemingly indestructible robotic assassin. But the two women soon find some much-needed help from a pair of unexpected allies — seasoned warrior Sarah Connor and the T-800 Terminator.
SOURCE: THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
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