When Babylon premiered in cinemas in 2022, pleasure was at its cliff. Led by La La Land director Damien Chazelle, it options Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt. So, finally, it appeared poised to smash. However as a substitute of conquering the field workplace, Babylon struggled to enchant its audiences.
Critics have been break up, and ticket gross sales fell brief. The movie, full of outdated Hollywood extra and frenzied storytelling, left many overwhelmed. Regardless of a star-studded solid and a humongous funds, Babylon grossed simply $16 million within the U.S. and $64 million worldwide—far under expectations (through The Numbers).
Margot Robbie, nevertheless, hasn’t misplaced her devotion. She considers the film could have a future comeback, evaluating it to The Shawshank Redemption. It’s a film that flunked on launch however later advanced right into a traditional. Might Babylon comply with the identical path?
Every thing about Babylon appeared constructed for fulfillment. The movie explored the turbulent shift from silent movies to talkies, capturing Hollywood’s early days. With an acclaimed director and A-list stars, it had status written throughout it.
However then actuality hit. Audiences didn’t flock to see it. Critics referred to as it too lengthy, too chaotic, and too overwhelming. The movie’s extravagant fashion and three-hour runtime made it a inflexible promote. Rotten Tomatoes scores weren’t promising both—57% from critics and 52% from audiences.
For a movie with an $80 million funds, these numbers spelled hassle. As an alternative of being the cinematic occasion of the yr, Babylon grew to become a dialog piece about why big-budget dangers don’t all the time repay. Regardless of the lukewarm response, its actress stays puzzled. Talking on the Speaking Photos podcast, she expressed her shock on the movie’s fete.
“I’m nonetheless saying that. I find it irresistible. I do know I’m biased as a result of I’m very near the undertaking and I clearly consider in it, however I nonetheless can’t work out why individuals hated it,” she mentioned.
She then made a daring comparability. “I ponder if in 20 years persons are going to be like, ‘Wait, Babylon didn’t do properly on the time?’ Like while you hear that Shawshank Redemption was a failure on the time and also you’re like, ‘How is that doable?’”
The 1994 jail drama, now thought of one of many best movies ever, was a field workplace disappointment when it premiered. Regardless of seven Oscar nominations, it didn’t take house a single award. Field workplace numbers have been underwhelming, with simply over $28 million within the U.S. (per The Numbers). However due to cable reruns and DVD gross sales, Shawshank discovered its viewers and climbed to the highest of IMDb’s all-time rankings.
Robbie’s hope isn’t completely unsubstantiated. Some movies take time to be totally appreciated. With streaming and new audiences discovering movies years later, Babylon may see a resurgence. For now, it stays a movie that divided viewers. However in Hollywood, second possibilities aren’t rare. Perhaps, simply possibly, Babylon will get its personal redemption story—one which even Hollywood itself couldn’t script pleasingly.
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