Hollywood In Toto
Sarandon-Midler Romp ‘Fabulous Four’ Nosedives at Box Office
By Christian Toto
July 29, 2024
Mister D: What Mister Toto says has truth to it, but it’s not necessarily the whole truth. The Paris Olympics opened this weekend which would have taken a powerful bite out of our girls’ boxoffice. I mean, seniors love the Olympics, too. So there! It is also easy to see how things went bad the way the promotion was handled. Had all actresss sisiters participated in the promotions as a team it would have sent a giant signal that the movie was on strong legs, but what appeared to us is that nobody liked each other or something close to that. Honestly, you know I’m right. The premiere said it all. And just because some people thought the movie not good, well that’s their opinion. Millions have not gone, so get out there and go and make up your own mind and let Rotten Tomatoes know with a review, as big or small as you want it. I bet it will be a giant hit streaming! Keep positive!
“Deadpool & Wolverine” swamped the box office this weekend, taking no prisoners in the process.
The MCU sequel earned a whopping $205 million, blowing past even conservative estimates.
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It still left room for counter-programming, films that appeal to a wildly different fan base. Like “The Fabulous Four.” The Bleecker Street comedy follows gals of a certain age celebrating life, friendship and an upcoming wedding.
The film stars Bette Midler and Susan Sarandon, two screen legends with considerable baggage. Said baggage may have chased movie goers far, far away.
The film earned a measly $1 million in its box office debut frame. That’s despite the story’s appeal to a demographic ignored by Hollywood all too often.
Seniors.
The film snuck into theaters with little pomp and/or circumstance, and it showed.
Normally, a film starring Midler and Sarandon would draw plenty of attention. The “Dead Man Walking” alum is a bona fide Oscar winner with a track record of stellar films. The Divine Miss M is an industry legend, bouncing from classic comedies (“Ruthless People,” “Hocus Pocus”) to multiple Grammy wins.
Yet very few people showed up.
Was it a marketing snafu? Perhaps. Did the film’s anemic Rotten Tomatoes score – 29 percent “rotten” – sink its chances.
Maybe.
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It also could be Sarandon’s ghastly stance on the current Israel/Hamas war and Midler’s rage against half the country.
Sarandon lost her agent after her tone-deaf comments following the Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas which killed more than 1,000 Israels and captured hundreds more. She later denied that Hamas systematically raped women during the assault, a charge that’s beyond baseless.
Just consider the first-person testimonies shared in “Screams Before Silence” as all the proof necessary to shame her stance.
As for Midler, her rage against Republicans is well documented. These aren’t garden-variety differences of opinion. Midler has cheered on the thug who nearly killed Sen. Rand Paul in 2017.
Why would the average movie goer pay to see either superstar given their toxic comments? It’s a question the studio behind “The Fabulous Four” ignored. Then again, Sarandon also served as a producer on the film.
One of many, many producers.
Audiences are increasingly cynical about how they spend their movie-going dollars. It explains why crowd pleasers like “Furiosa” and “The Fall Guy” under-performed this year.
“The Fabulous Four’s” dreary box office reception has many culprits, but it’s impossible to dismiss its stars’ ghoulish comments as a contributing factor.
If Bette’s and Susan’s comments on politics have somehow affected negatively moviegoers…I love them even more now LOL
Honey, the reality is: people over 30 who want to see anything other than Marvel or DC stuff watch everything at home now. Streaming and the pandemic changed the business and going to movies have become events like concerts: they are expensive and people chose the events: Barbie, Despicable 13 etc. I only go to the movies if I have to take my 11 year old. And everybody I know over 30 and 40 watch everything on streaming. They should have released it straight for streaming and I’m SURE it would turned out differently.
Well, you know me. I don’t give two fucks about critics opinions nor anyone’s. LOL I’m just glad Bette’s in a movie with great actresses and I can’t wait to see it.
I couldn’t help but have a big laugh over “Midler’s rage against half of the country” hahahaha. I have a feeling she’s pissed at more than half the country, but let’s just leave it that way…LOL
I looove the Olimpics. I’m sure lots of people who would watch this movie stayed at home watching it from Friday on! I didn’t get out of my pijamas until Sunday watching everything I could LOL
Specially after the gay parade that took place in Paris, right before Celine Dion gave the word “epic” a whole other meaning…
Anyways, the movie is out there for whoever wants to enjoy it…why can’t these people get a real job? I have zero respect for people who write those useless piece of articles LOL.
It’s just like journalists criticizing athletes who work their butts. I’ve just seen Simone Biles documentary and WTF? How can someone call her a quitter from a stupid chair, someone who probably has trouble even to target the toilet and piss inside it.
Well, my point it I totally don’t give a shit about what movie, music or TV critics say about what is put out there in the world. Nor sports journalists LOL
Dammit, I worked so much today my mind is racing LOL.
Love you.
Xoxo
Well, Cris, I think you covered everything lol
I had too much caffeine hahahahahhahahaha
Wait…and did Susan said that about the rapes? We all know it happens in all conflicts…did you check it? LOL I’ll do some googling…
Oh wait…I found the video about Susan’s comments. The girl kept pushing her to say something and she was on her way out from a rally, she was clearly pissed and said shit.
Anyways, DM LOL
Xoxo