Ben-Hur flops at box office, fails to attract religious audience

That’s a disastrous result for the $100 million production, putting “Ben-Hur” in the ranks of the summer’s biggest flops.

The Ben-Hur remake was always going to be an uphill battle as Paramount is up against not only reboot fatigue, but the fact that the 1959 version swept the Oscars and is still considered a classic, Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations told AFP ahead of its release. “This was pushed as a straight-up action film”.

“Ben-Hur’s” backers aggressively courted the Christian community, doing outreach to pastors and holding taste-maker screenings for religious leaders. You’d think the family film would win out, considering how more adult-oriented films are crowding the top of the box office. The film may be one of the most offensive movies ever made, but it has apparently struck a chord with moviegoers. “Hopefully, this is a lesson for Hollywood”.

The film cost $100m but took in only $11.4m on its opening weekend. Teaming Jonah Hill and Miles Teller for an action/comedy inspired by true events, Warner Bros’ War Dogs from The Hangover’s Todd Phillips is now sitting at just 59% fresh on RottenTomatoes.

With “Ben-Hur” faltering, “Suicide Squad” managed to snag first place for the third consecutive weekend. “Everyone has been picking on this film critically”. “Certainly, without the right cast and story, these films have struggled mightily at the box office of late”. “Audiences are saying, ‘remakes or sequels have got to be great or original if you want us to show up'”. In its second weekend, it took in $15.3 million, good enough for second place, and bringing its two-week total to $65.3 million.

“War Dogs”, a new release with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, opened in third place with $14.3 million in ticket sales its first weekend out. Coming in fourth was the animated adventure Kubo & the Two Strings (which features the voices of Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, and Rooney Mara), and Disney’s Pete’s Dragon fell to fifth in its second week with $11.3 million. Reviews have been amongst the best of the year, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 96% positive, and a CinemaScore of an A, which means critics and audiences are digging what they’re seeing.

Dergarabedian anticipates that the movie “will play out well over time with this kind of critical reception and in this environment”.

The film has got very low keys reviews in America which could effect its gross in other countries when released and might sink quite fast.