Box Office: “King Arthur” is The Once and Future Bomb

arthur1Yes, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” owns another weekend at the box office. Sure, it fell off well over 60%, which would be news, if it weren’t for what is happening on the email accounts of senior Warner Brothers execs.

“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” an eight years in the making Guy Ritchie goof on the Camelot myth, is DOA. A $14-16 million opening weekend, based on late Thursday (nothing) and Friday turnout.

As it cost $175 million, that’s gonna hurt. No movie stardom for Charlie Hunnam, no post-“Sherlock” special effects success for Ritchie. The reviews didn’t give it much of a chance, and as the source material isn’t “Suicide Squad” and there is no real female lead or love interest or any reason for anybody other than guys who love Guy to show up, well, there you are. Why didn’t they see that coming? Deadline.com tries to break it down, but seriously, at Warners, they err on the side of giving talent (directors) free rein. And occasionally pay a huge price for it (see the filmography for Zack Snyder).

Amy Schumer’s sophomore sophomoric comedy “Snatched” may manage $20 million. Considering the “Trainwreck” expectations and her team’s determination that she should continue her “I’m plump, like Melissa McCarthy, so I should follow her lead” and make a limp buddy comedy, that’s got to be a major let down. She’s not an actress, and her endless Vagina Monologues humor is pretty limiting. Will she get another starring shot?

Details are sketchy on “The Wall” and the rest of the week’s openings, and the internet is wagon train slow today and I have a “Wimpy Kid” reboot to catch. So I will update this later.

 

About Roger Moore

Movie Critic, formerly with McClatchy-Tribune News Service, Orlando Sentinel, published in Spin Magazine, The World and now published here, Orlando Magazine, Autoweek Magazine
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