BOX OFFICE: 2013's Next Big Budget Flop? 47 RONIN Kicks Off Run By Bombing In Japan

BOX OFFICE: 2013's Next Big Budget Flop? 47 RONIN Kicks Off Run By Bombing In Japan

If a samurai movie can't even succeed in Japan, what chance does it have in America? 47 Ronin - which stars Keanu Reeves and has a budget of at least $175 million - opened in Japan this weekend with a paltry $1.3 million. As many predicted, it looks set to be yet another flop!

News
By JoshWilding - Dec 08, 2013 01:12 PM EST
Filed Under: 47 Ronin
Source: Variety


Universal's 47 Ronin won't open in North America until December 25th, but it kicked off its international run this weekend in Japan. However, the samurai movie (which is heavy on the CGI and light on star power) took only $1.3 million, finishing third behind two local-language films. While the majority of foreign releases struggle in the country, it's not a good sign for the studio that a movie about a story famous in Japanese folklore starring popular Japanese actors like Hiroyuki Sanada and Rinko Kikuchi has failed to find any real success this soon. Such a sluggish start is an indication that the same will happen elsewhere, especially as awareness of 47 Ronin domestically is extremely low. Analysts are already predicting an opening of only $10 million, with a final total of around $50 million. Not a good result for a movie which cost $175 million to produce...

About The Author:
JoshWilding
Member Since 3/13/2009
A lifelong comic book fan who grew up on Spider-Man: The Animated Series in the '90s, Josh Wilding has been contributing to ComicBookMovie.com since 2009.

While he's also written for websites like Batman-News, HeyUGuys, and WhatCulture, Josh is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic for CBM and the site's #1 contributor with nearly two decades of experience covering film and TV news (including interviews with Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Gary Oldman, Halle Berry, Jon Bernthal, Tom Welling, and hundreds more).

Based in the UK with his wife, Josh is also an avid WWE and Formula 1 fan and writes about those passions on CBM's sister sites, TheRingReport.com and FullThrottleHQ.com. Favourite superhero? Spider-Man. Favourite pro wrestler? CM Punk. Favourite F1 driver? Max Verstappen.
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PrinceOfCrime
PrinceOfCrime - 12/8/2013, 1:17 PM
just as I expected
kylo0607
kylo0607 - 12/8/2013, 1:19 PM
Well, I have to say that this is not a surprise for me as well.
duncboy
duncboy - 12/8/2013, 1:19 PM
American Neo > Japanese Neo
NightBoyWonder
NightBoyWonder - 12/8/2013, 1:29 PM
Lol at the pun
MericawithanM
MericawithanM - 12/8/2013, 1:32 PM
good i hope this movie does miserably. They could have made it a good reality-grounded samurai movie but they had to add in al this really weird fantasy stuff. I love fantasy movies but only when it is called for, and a story like this one is not one of those times.
AlternateNo4
AlternateNo4 - 12/8/2013, 1:33 PM
yeah i don't care. my kids are psyched for this one and we'll definitely be seeing it. i'll just have to make sure to see it quick before it's gone lol.
Brainiac13
Brainiac13 - 12/8/2013, 1:36 PM
Was this a comic book?
Ashleyh8su
Ashleyh8su - 12/8/2013, 1:36 PM
the Japanese are very protective of their culture and folklore and the story of the 47 Ronin is their national treasure.

the problem is there is nothing in the story about a half-breed samurai and magic and monsters! of course the Japanese are gonna scoff at it.
Arrow96
Arrow96 - 12/8/2013, 1:38 PM
Well that was to be expected.
SaxoWolf
SaxoWolf - 12/8/2013, 1:39 PM
rorywilliams
rorywilliams - 12/8/2013, 1:40 PM
"If a samurai movie can't even succeed in Japan, what chance does it have in America?"

You must not know much about Japan. Did you expect them to react well to stupid Americans taking one of their cultural stories and then making it entirely about an American actor (who isn't Japanese)?
Ocelot
Ocelot - 12/8/2013, 1:40 PM
Rinko Kikuchi is not popular in Japan.
jazzman
jazzman - 12/8/2013, 1:45 PM
no one is not surprise at this since they changed the japanese story.
number1hero
number1hero - 12/8/2013, 1:46 PM
And how is any of this a surprise? LOL
CherryBomb
CherryBomb - 12/8/2013, 1:46 PM
An American movie "bombing in Japan" hmmm .... I'm gonna keep quiet...
Priest
Priest - 12/8/2013, 1:49 PM
Makes you wonder how well would a Japanese movie about American cowboys would do in the United States.
Priest
Priest - 12/8/2013, 1:49 PM
With a Japanese actor as the main cowboy character.
JasonBlue
JasonBlue - 12/8/2013, 1:52 PM
Duh.
SuperCat
SuperCat - 12/8/2013, 1:53 PM
LOL.

SCURVYDOG619
SCURVYDOG619 - 12/8/2013, 1:55 PM
Apparently you haven't seen the Japanese version of Clint Eastwood's "Unforgiven"....
SoundWave
SoundWave - 12/8/2013, 1:57 PM
It has awfull trailers and totaly uninteresting synopsis and setting, and it look like a TV-series, not as a big blockbuster movie. Even "Noah" look better, but it will 90% became a flop too.
Priest
Priest - 12/8/2013, 1:58 PM
@ Scurvydog619,

And how well did that Japanese remake of Unforgiven did in the United States?
SuperCat
SuperCat - 12/8/2013, 2:02 PM
Optimist18
Optimist18 - 12/8/2013, 2:05 PM
It's pointless by this point, but as always, f*** any and all haters.

It's true there's no fantasy elements in the original story of "47 Ronin", but who cares? Do you think if it was just like the original story it would do any better?

I personally think this looks great; another awesome modern fantasy film.

I think the people pointing out it's an American movie made about a piece of Japanese folklore are spot-on; Japan doesn't take too kindly to that kind of stuff. "Pacific Rim" is a good example, but the Kaiju genre in Japan has gone the same way the Western has here in America: more or less extinct, so it's not the best comparison.

Still, I hate it when people hate on a movie because it isn't trendy (like superhero movies, etc.). Whether the CBM community wants to admit it or not, they're guilty of it as much as the general public is too.
CaptainAmerica31
CaptainAmerica31 - 12/8/2013, 2:05 PM
Lmao that titles funny idk why but, it is
ZULUmonk
ZULUmonk - 12/8/2013, 2:08 PM
of course it bombed, another movie where the culture of a people cant be saved with out a white guy to head the revolution. might have been alright if it was an all japanese cast (main character included) i am sure this is just a project he felt strong about and decided to star in it. fail!
xcan
xcan - 12/8/2013, 2:10 PM
Rory? Keanu ain't "American". He's a global child, but seeing that his developmental years were spent in Toronto, AND the crazy fccker was a 'central' character in the worst/best hockey movie ever (Youngblood), he is as Canuck as they come!

DVonShakari
DVonShakari - 12/8/2013, 2:11 PM
They loved the Last Samurai with Tom Cruise....I don't get it...

so is this better or worse than the Man With the Iron Fists??
xcan
xcan - 12/8/2013, 2:13 PM
Cherry, I was going to ask "Too soon"?, but a near century later I guess jokes are accepted ;-)
novaprime
novaprime - 12/8/2013, 2:15 PM
Fuuhhkkk Japan itll make his money in the Us!!!
HavocPrime
HavocPrime - 12/8/2013, 2:18 PM
What the hell did that expect, they took a well known Japanese legend and made an american the focus of the story
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