After getting a negative critical response, Red One might not make it out of the naughty list, as it is tracking to be the latest blockbuster flop at the box office. The holiday action film, which stars Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, is one of the most costly movies of the year, but it seems it will struggle to make back its budget. Red One blends the action genre and the Christmas holiday season with a film that sees unlikely allies team up to save Santa, who will be distributing coal by the end of its theatrical run.
The family-friendly adventure is struggling to engage audiences this opening weekend so far, earning $3.7 million in Thursday night previews (via THR). Additionally, Red One is currently eyeing a $30 to $35 million domestic three-day weekend, a very disappointing number for a film that reportedly cost $250 million to make, not counting the major marketing campaign from Amazon MGM Studios and Warner Bros. Pictures. Despite a major push from its movie stars and all-star supporting cast, Red One is facing an uphill battle so far to recoup its massive investment.
Red One currently has a rotten 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and although the Popcornemeter score is not yet available, it doesn’t seem overtly positive audience reviews will be pouring in if the box office numbers are anything to go by. However, as with most family-friendly, crowd-pleasing affairs, sometimes critic reactions and early box office estimates don’t truly reflect the film’s general consensus. Perhaps Red One will find its legs at some point, and even strike up a much bigger audience on streaming when it inevitably drops on Prime Video after its theatrical release.
Why Are Movies Like ‘Red One’ So Expensive?
The main question when the astronomical budget of Red One is asked out loud is, why? $250 million puts it in the same stratosphere budget-wise as the Avengers franchise, which has grossed billions of dollars. Red One might boast an MCU star and other major actors, but it hardly sports similarly popular characters, especially in a genre as saturated as it is with Santa movies. These insane production price tags are simply not consistently bringing big box office numbers, and even sequels to major successes like Joker: Folie à Deux have struggled to find an audience. Although it seems Amazon MGM Studios was keen on putting Red One on the big screen, perhaps a lower budget and straight-to-streaming debut could have been a better option.
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Red One Review: A Surprisingly Clever Christmas Action-Comedy
An E.L.F. security officer (Dwayne Johnson) conscripts a dubious hacker (Chris Evans) to find a kidnapped Santa Clause (J. K. Simmons).
Of course, not all reactions to Red One have been disappointing so far. Our very own MovieWeb review called it a “surprisingly clever take on Christmas mythology.” There is still a chance that it will continue to see growth in the cinemas and get some, if not most, of its budget back. However, due to the low opening numbers, it will unlikely make Red One a long-lasting franchise, despite all the fanfare and movie star power. Dwayne Johnson has struggled to find his next major movie franchise after failing to change the hierarchy of the DCEU, and Red One is not helping his cause.
After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with a notorious bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a thrilling, globe-spanning mission to save Christmas. This action-packed holiday adventure mixes comedy and festive magic, with an ensemble cast that includes Lucy Liu and J.K. Simmons.
- Release Date
- November 15, 2024
- Cast
- Dwayne Johnson , Chris Evans , J.K. Simmons , Lucy Liu , Kiernan Shipka , Bonnie Hunt , Kristofer Hivju , Nick Kroll , Wesley Kimmel , Mary Elizabeth Ellis , Wyatt Hunt , Lanz Duffy , Marc Evan Jackson , Ashleigh Domangue , Cody Easterbrook , Jon Rudnitsky , Morla Gorrondona , Jenna Kanell , Rod Maxwell , Fedor Steer , Octavia Grace , Matthew Zuk , Cora Kass , Ahmad Ghafouri , Jeff Chase
- Runtime
- 123 Minutes