‘Imploded’: ‘Hateful Eight’ Is Cop-Hater Tarantino’s Lowest Solo-Grosser In 20 Years

Over the weekend, using science, math and apples-to-apples examples, I made the case that there is no reason, outside of a series of public relations catastrophes, for the box office disaster that is Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight.” What’s going to be fascinating now is how the Hollywood Media spins it. Box Office Mojo has declared the patient dead, all that’s left is the autopsy:

Quentin Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight imploded as the filmmaker’s latest film fell short of expectations last weekend and now, in its second weekend in wide release, it has dropped 59.6%. Even worse, that drop comes as the film expanded into 464 additional theaters. With an estimated $6.3 million this weekend the film is up to $41.4 million domestically and looking to top out around $50 million or so.

If “the Hateful Eight” does indeed bottom out at $50 million, it will rank as Tarantino’s lowest solo box office performance since “Jackie Brown” hit $40 million in 1997. (The experimental “Grindhouse,” which Tarantino co-directed with a handful of others, earned $25 million in 2007.)

“Hateful Eight cost around $50 million to produce. Add another $25 to $35 million for promotion and advertising. If the Weinstein Company is going to break even, this dog will have to gross somewhere around $150 to $175 million worldwide.  And judging from the results of the Golden Globes, there will be no Oscar boost.

At this same time in 2012, “Django Unchained” sat at $106 million.

At this same time in 2009, “Inglorious Basterds” sat at $73 million.

Currently, “The Hateful Eight” sits at a calamitous $41 million and has already run out of steam.

Gee, I wonder what changed between “Django Unchained” and “The Hateful Eight?”

 

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC