Daisy Ridley's Latest Movie Opens With Less Than $1 Million Ahead Of Upcoming STAR WARS Return

Daisy Ridley's Latest Movie Opens With Less Than $1 Million Ahead Of Upcoming STAR WARS Return

Daisy Ridley's decision to make her Star Wars return has seemingly come at a good time because her newest movie, The Marsh King's Daughter (which also stars Ben Mendelsohn), just had a disastrous opening.

By JoshWilding - Nov 07, 2023 06:11 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Wars
Source: Deadline (via SFFGazette.com)

Should actors start worrying about a possible "Star Wars curse"? After playing Luke Skywalker in the original trilogy, Mark Hamill's acting career never really took off in quite the same way as Harrison Ford's. Later, Hayden Christensen faced similar struggles following his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker and the same can arguably be said for Daisy Ridley. 

While Hamill has achieved "icon" status (as has Christensen if the reception he's received from Star Wars fans in recent years is anything to go by), only time will tell whether that happens for Ridley and Rey Skywalker. 

The actress is set to reprise the role in an upcoming movie from filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy set 15 years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. In the meantime, Ridley's struggle to cement herself as a star outside of IP like Star Wars, Peter Rabbit, and Kenneth Branagh's Hercule Poirot movies sadly continues. 

According to Deadline (via SFFGazette.com), her latest project, The Marsh King's Daughter, failed to even crack the top ten this weekend at the North American box office. Earning a mere $849,000 in 1,055 theaters, it's bombed and Lionsgate's decision to delay its release date to avoid competing with Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour didn't pay off.

With Neil Burger (Limitless, Divergent) directing and an impressive cast which also includes names like Ben Mendelsohn, Garrett Hedlund, Brooklynn Prince, and Gil Birmingham, The Marsh King's Daughter's dismal box office haul shows what sort of an impact the SAG-AFTRA strike is having.

With the cast unable to promote the project - we're betting this is the first many of you have even heard of it before today - projects like these are flying under the radar and struggling to find an audience (a 34% score on Rotten Tomatoes has also done little to help matters).

Ridley, however, doesn't appear to have a huge amount of drawing power at the box office; neither she nor Spider-Man actor Tom Holland were able to help Chaos Walking make a significant impact back in 2021, and he too has struggled outside of well-known IP. 

Back to Ridley, though, and some pundits have questioned how wise it is to build an entire Star Wars movie around Rey. 

It's far too late to pull the plug on the movie and it's important to note many fans are excited to watch it and to learn how the project potentially makes up for the sequel trilogy's many missteps. Still, we'd be shocked if Lucasfilm isn't planning to add more big stars - and even more familiar faces from the past - to increase interest. 

Take a look at the trailer for The Marsh King's Daughter below.

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WarMonkey
WarMonkey - 11/7/2023, 7:08 AM
Anthony Mackie was right when he said people don't go to see the actors anymore they go to see the character they are playing. The age of the superstar is over. Only actors that seem to be able to bring in crowds now are a few people over 40 or who are in the 50-90 year range and already have name recognition through their long careers. None of the Marvel actors are bringing in the crowds, except maybe Scarlett (38 years old) who was already an action and drama star before the MCU, or Eggs Benedict who was hot before the MCU. Same with SW, and only the guy named after a hot dog is marketable.
Vigor
Vigor - 11/7/2023, 7:17 AM
@WarMonkey - I thought it was Tarantino that said that
KWilly
KWilly - 11/7/2023, 7:41 AM
@Vigor - I think Tarantino said it originally, then Mackie agreed
WarMonkey
WarMonkey - 11/7/2023, 8:00 AM
@Vigor - I was referring to the comic convention or whatever it was where he answered a question from the audience and that was his answer. I forgot Quentin said it too.

Taonrey
Taonrey - 11/7/2023, 12:21 PM
@WarMonkey - to be fair it's not like the main leads of star wars movies have ever been draws. Mark Hamil and Hayden were never huge box office draws
videovac
videovac - 11/7/2023, 9:41 PM
"to be fair it's not like the main leads of star wars movies have ever been draws. Mark Hamil and Hayden were never huge box office draws" - @Taonrey

What the fukc are you talkin' abo - when they were cast they were unKNOWNS.......

How the fukc is an unknown going to be a draw? How can Hamill or Christensen be draws when they unknown before their big break?
Taonrey
Taonrey - 11/8/2023, 2:21 AM
@videovac - Daisy was cast as a unknown, my point is neither Hamil or Hayden became big box office draws post star wars. That's literally what this conversation is about. WTF are you talking about?
TheSavage
TheSavage - 11/7/2023, 7:38 AM
Saw it this weekend and didn't think it was bad at all aside from 1 or 2 complaints.
Lack of marketing definitely hurt it though. The only reason I knew anything about it was because my wife saw the trailer and showed it to me.
LSHF
LSHF - 11/7/2023, 7:39 AM
People don't see the Star Wars because of the actors. There is almost zero reasons to expect these actors to sell tickets on their name alone.
marvel72
marvel72 - 11/7/2023, 7:41 AM
She isn't a box office draw, I couldn't name one movie she's been in since Star Wars:The Rise Of Palpatine.
EZBeast
EZBeast - 11/7/2023, 7:50 AM
@marvel72 - that god awful cherry movie that Josh gave a 5/5 rating because it had sw and mcu actors and directors in it. Absolute trash film.
marvel72
marvel72 - 11/7/2023, 8:09 AM
@EZBeast - Cherry movie? Is it called Cherry.
EZBeast
EZBeast - 11/7/2023, 8:13 AM
@marvel72 - ?si=5MpW-YvLL7OQTbaD
Starring Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley and directed by 1 or both of the Russo brothers
marvel72
marvel72 - 11/7/2023, 8:31 AM
@EZBeast - Yeah that looked bad.
Forthas
Forthas - 11/7/2023, 7:45 AM
Star Wars curse??? There have been plenty of people involved in Star Wars that have gone on to have pretty good careers like Harrison Ford, Billy D Williams and Warwick Davis. More recently Domhall Gleason and Adam Driver. It seems like it is more of an issue of Daisy Ridley not finding the most marketable roles.
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 11/7/2023, 8:37 AM
@Forthas - They mean the leads. Mark Hamil's Luke, Hayden Christensen's Anakin, and Daisy Ridley's Rey. It seems to be a lead curse.
Forthas
Forthas - 11/7/2023, 9:43 AM
@DarthOmega - I think you could argue that Ewan McGregor was as much a lead as Hayden Christianson.
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 11/7/2023, 9:49 AM
@Forthas - if you had to choose the lead of the prequels. It would be an easy choice. The prequels are about Anakin. All of them. Yes of course Ewan is a strong second lead. But those films belong to Anakin. Which is funny because Ewan was the best actor of the whole trilogy.
MarvelousMarty
MarvelousMarty - 11/7/2023, 7:52 AM
Nobody goes to the movies because Daisy is the star of the film. I'm warming to her but she is a BO draw.
MarvelousMarty
MarvelousMarty - 11/7/2023, 7:52 AM
@MarvelousMarty - isn't
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 11/7/2023, 7:58 AM
Some actors still have that star draw (I’m thinking Tom Cruz, Christian Bale, and RDJ off the top of my head), but it’s true that most aren’t going for the actor anymore. If Daisy had that draw before SW it might have been a benefit for her other films, but at this point I would probably forget her name if it weren’t for sites like this.
captainireland
captainireland - 11/7/2023, 8:17 AM
@JustAWaffle - I'd wonder if RDJ's name is even much of a draw by itself when he's not playing Iron Man.
JustAWaffle
JustAWaffle - 11/7/2023, 9:55 AM
@captainireland - I’d say so. If he did an indi film I think his name would capture enough attention on its own.

But I agree IM put his name back on the map.
Taonrey
Taonrey - 11/7/2023, 1:49 PM
@JustAWaffle @captainireland - RDJ depends on the budget. Due date and Sherlock films were a success. Dolittle wasn't. Though you could make the argument that Dolittle would've been a success if they didn't spend $200m on such a low brand.
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 11/7/2023, 8:39 AM
Usually British actors play a pretty convincing American accent. Not this time. Seems like a good flick though.
AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 11/7/2023, 8:41 AM
I’m not surprised. Just like Mark Hamill everything that she’s been in thats not Star Wars related has majorly flopped. She is definitely not an A-List box office draw.
TheFinestSmack
TheFinestSmack - 11/7/2023, 8:49 AM
"It's far too late to pull the plug on the movie"

Why? Haven't Disney pulled the plug on films further along than this?
CoHost
CoHost - 11/7/2023, 9:13 AM
I've seen the movie. Just go watch Leave No Trace.
modernbaseball
modernbaseball - 11/7/2023, 10:57 AM
She squandered the opportunity, the whole cast is so ungrateful
LeonNova
LeonNova - 11/7/2023, 12:31 PM
First I’ve ever heard of it
valmic
valmic - 11/7/2023, 12:45 PM
She needs to stick to ensemble roles.
DarthNihilus
DarthNihilus - 11/7/2023, 1:51 PM
Won't be surprise if that Rey movie flop hard..
JackBurton1
JackBurton1 - 11/7/2023, 2:31 PM
@RevanOfKrypton - I put that movie at less than 25% of happening....there is a lot going on at LucasFilm the past few months.The Acolyte is going to be yet another SW flop that will do nothing but piss off what fans are left.
Toxin2480
Toxin2480 - 11/8/2023, 2:04 AM
I think Hollywood would do much better at adapting video games into movies or Television. Please make a DeadSpace movie

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