via Universal
When you combine one of Hollywood’s best filmmakers with a genre that has produced excellent movies and a popular A-list actor, one would expect nothing less than a blockbuster hit. Unfortunately, that’s not the case with Blackhat.
Michael Mann, the director behind classics like Heat, The Insider, Collateral, and Miami Vice, had already established himself as a prominent voice in Hollywood with his smart and stylish crime thrillers. With a budget of $70 million and Chris Hemsworth from the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the lead role, Blackhat should have been a slam dunk.
However, it was not to be. Blackhat failed miserably, earning only $4.4 million during its opening weekend. It failed to make it to the domestic Top 10, and Universal removed it from all screens except 236 just two weeks later, making it one of the harshest removals for any third-week feature regardless of budget or genre. Blackhat ended up with less than $20 million in global ticket sales and an incredible $90 million loss.
Interestingly, despite poor reviews, Blackhat is currently one of the most-watched features on iTunes. According to FlixPatrol, it seems that audiences are still willing to pay for the chance to watch the widely-panned film. While this is a meagre achievement, it might be possible for Blackhat to generate a profit at this rate in a century or two.
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