Brothers, Universal Pictures’ first gay romantic comedy film, slumped to $4.8 million despite strong reviews and tough marketing. The studio booked 3,350 theaters which cost them around $30-40 million to promote the film.
Universal Brothers stars Luke Macfarlane and Billy Eichner, who also co-wrote the screenplay. The shoot cost around $22 million and initially received positive reviews. That’s why it’s depressing to see such a number flashing at the box office. It was slated for an $8-10 million opening against its own budget, but the film only made $4.8 million and opened in fourth place this week.
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Universal’s Bros. struggled despite tough marketing
Marketing for Universal Brothers began in May and screened at several film festivals in August and September. It even had an exclusive screening across the United States. Eichner also promoted the film on different talk shows. Even great artists such as Mariah Carey, Chris Evans and Seth Rogen have done their part in promoting the film.
Billy… if we keep wearing each other’s shirts, people will definitely find out about our secret love affair!! 😜❤️
but also.. WATCH THE BROS, EVERYBODY!!!! OUT NOW!!! 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈 https://t.co/QzNC61qskH
— Mariah Carey (@MariahCarey) September 30, 2022
Still, the film struggled to reach its target audience despite having an all-LGBTQ cast. A critically acclaimed film, but whose ticket sales show the opposite result, certainly suggests that the general public is still not ready to see same-sex relationships on screen.
Many would wonder what was wrong, but the answer is very obvious – either the movie didn’t get the publicity the way producers expected, or audiences just didn’t want to see two gay men share naughty looks at the screen. Film consultant David Gross said romance films are having a thriving fight in theaters these days. Unlike blockbuster superhero movies or movies from big franchises, romantic comedy movies generally do well on streaming sites like Netflix.
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The world still isn’t ready for gay movies
Eichner said on Twitter via The envelope“It’s just the world we live in, unfortunately. Even with rave reviews, excellent Rotten Tomatoes scores, an A CinemaScore, and more, straight guys, especially in some parts of the country, just haven’t shown up for “Bros.” And it’s disappointing, but that’s the way it is.”
He also recalled how the exclusive screening of the film filled the entire theater with laughter and applause. Eichner was very proud of the film, and it was a truly magical experience for him.
Despite this loss at the box office, Universal will risk it again by publishing ticket to paradise in the cinema, a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney.
Due to the pandemic, many movies have struggled to find their way to theaters. Even after the pandemic, going to the cinema remains a problem, especially when there is an easy way to access entertainment through streaming platforms.
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