Eastwood films have historically attracted older filmmakers from the Red States, but their mainstream audience could adopt the streaming option this time around.
One of the big questions facing the box office in the fall is whether it will lead to an increase in the participation of older moviegoers who, above all, have skipped theaters due to COVID concerns and lack of interest. for summer blockbusters. In normal times, Clint Eastwood’s new film, “Cry Macho,” would be a safe choice to attract that demographic, but the film’s simultaneous release on HBO Max complicates matters.
Eastwood’s latest film, “The Mule,” opened $ 17.5 million two years ago and came out very well for a $ 103.8 million national theatrical run. These legs were mostly thanks to audiences over the age of 50, as “The Mule” became the film chosen for seniors that primarily shunned the 2019 year-end blockbusters like “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker “i” Jumanji “. : The next level. ”
But with “Cry Macho,” Warner Bros. expects a lower opening weekend, with projections of between $ 5 million and $ 10 million. Reviews have been mixed, with 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. But for loyal Eastwood fans, critical pans don’t have to do much to dampen interest in seeing another film starring the 91-year-old film legend (who he also directs). The question is whether those older devotees who have seen Eastwood movies for decades will choose to watch “Cry Macho” streaming instead of watching it in theaters (even if it’s later in the race as they go do with “The Mule”).
“This is one more proof of the hybrid model with its own twist,” said Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “While the theatrical model is generally better for larger blockbusters, ‘Cry Macho’ could get a strong boost from HBO Max, as the audience it targets still shows reluctance to appear in theaters.”
Warner Bros. has said that so far this year, the theatrical performance of his films has developed alongside that of HBO Max. If a movie works well at the box office, it also gets a good number of streaming viewers. That would mean that an opening closer to $ 10 million, albeit diminished compared to “The Mule,” could cause a strong word of mouth that can make the larger audience discover the film, even if chooses to see it at home.
But even within the more than 50-year-old show, there are nuances when it comes to Eastwood. Whether he has starred in his films or simply directed them, Eastwood films have been overly indexed in conservative-leaning red states. Eastwood’s popularity in Republican circles was a factor that led “American Sniper” to become the highest-grossing film of 2014, with eight of the top ten markets of the opening weekend of the film from the south and midwest.
Become a member to read more.
