Well, folks, you may be surprised to hear that the epic adventure film “Mortal Engines” wasn’t the box office smash its creators had hoped for. In fact, the movie lost a whopping $175 million, making it one of the biggest box office flops of all time. Ouch.
For those who are unfamiliar with “Mortal Engines,” the movie is based on a popular young adult novel series by Philip Reeve and was directed by Peter Jackson of “Lord of the Rings” fame. Set in a dystopian future where cities are mobile and roam the earth devouring smaller towns, “Mortal Engines” had all the makings of a blockbuster hit. However, despite its impressive special effects and star-studded cast, the film failed to draw in audiences and fell flat at the box office.
While the film’s financial failure is certainly a disappointment, it’s worth noting that this isn’t the first time a big-budget action movie has failed to perform. From “John Carter” to “The Lone Ranger,” there have been plenty of high-profile duds over the years. With so much money on the line and so many variables at play, it’s impossible to guarantee the success of any given movie. But hey, sometimes even failures can be a valuable lesson in the unpredictable world of filmmaking.
Box office results of Mortal Engines
Mortal Engines is a post-apocalyptic action-adventure film released in 2018. It is based on the novel of the same name by Philip Reeve and directed by Christian Rivers. Despite its massive budget of $100 million, the movie ended up being a major box office flop, with reports estimating that it lost up to $175 million.
- The film was released in December 2018 in the US and grossed only $16.9 million in its opening weekend.
- It went on to earn just $83.7 million worldwide, much less than its production and marketing budget.
- The movie’s failure was attributed to a combination of poor marketing, lack of star power, and competition from other films like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Aquaman.
Here is a breakdown of the film’s budget and box office earnings:
| Budget | Box Office Earnings | Loss |
|---|---|---|
| $100 million | $83.7 million | $16.3 million |
The loss incurred by Mortal Engines is one of the largest in cinematic history and serves as a cautionary tale for studios investing huge sums of money in untested franchise properties.
Production budget of Mortal Engines
Moviegoers and industry experts were excited about the release of Mortal Engines, the fantasy adventure film produced by Peter Jackson, known for his work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. However, despite high expectations, the movie failed to meet box office expectations and flopped at the box office, leaving many wondering about the budget and financial losses.
The production budget of Mortal Engines was reported to be approximately $100 million, according to Box Office Mojo. This is a significant sum for a movie that did not perform well at the box office. The budget covered expenses for the filming locations, sets, cast and crew, visual effects, and post-production work.
Factors contributing to the high budget
- The film is set in a dystopian future, and the production required elaborate sets, costumes, and vehicles to create a believable post-apocalyptic world.
- The story involves ancient technology and featured many complex special effects, including the creation of moving cities and robotic machines.
- The project involved many big-name producers, including Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, who aimed to create a large-scale blockbuster.
The box office flop
Despite the significant investment, Mortal Engines failed to draw moviegoers and recover its production budget. According to The Numbers, the movie earned just $16.8 million domestically and $84.4 million internationally, bringing it to a total of $101.2 million worldwide.
Unfortunately, the box office reception wasn’t enough to justify the high budget, and the movie lost an estimated $150 million in total for the production studio, Universal Pictures.
Conclusion
Mortal Engines was undoubtedly an ambitious project with a high production budget, and while it featured stunning visuals and a talented cast, it ultimately failed to draw in a large enough audience to make it a box office success.
| Budget Category | Amount in USD |
|---|---|
| Filming Locations | $9,000,000 |
| Sets/Design/Costumes | $20,000,000 |
| Cast and Crew | $20,000,000 |
| Visual Effects | $40,000,000 |
| Post-Production | $11,000,000 |
| Marketing | $25,000,000 |
| Total Budget | $125,000,000 |
Despite the losses, the production budget of Mortal Engines is a reminder that, while high budgets can bring spectacular visuals and fantastic stories to life, the box office success of a movie is never guaranteed.
Critical reception of Mortal Engines
Mortal Engines, a science-fiction adventure film produced by Peter Jackson, was released to theaters on December 14, 2018. The film, which cost $100 million to make, is set in a post-apocalyptic world where cities are mobile and consume each other to survive. Despite its promising premise and production pedigree, the movie struggled to find an audience and was considered a box office bomb. Let’s take a closer look at the critical reception of Mortal Engines and how it contributed to its financial failure.
- The movie received mixed reviews from critics, scoring a 26% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 44 out of 100 on Metacritic. While some praised the film’s visuals and world-building, most found fault with its plot, pacing, and character development. Critics also noted that the film was often confusing and hard to follow.
- Mortal Engines fared even worse with audiences, earning a disappointing 52% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Many moviegoers were put off by the film’s dark tone and convoluted story, while others felt that the movie couldn’t measure up to other recent science-fiction blockbusters like Blade Runner 2049 or Ready Player One.
- The movie’s lukewarm reception at the box office reflected its critical and audience reactions. Mortal Engines grossed only $16.8 million in its opening weekend and finished its theatrical run with a worldwide total of $83.8 million. Given its $100 million budget, the movie lost an estimated $175 million when marketing costs are factored in, making it one of the biggest box office bombs of 2018.
It’s clear that Mortal Engines failed to connect with viewers and critics alike, which ultimately led to its financial losses. While production values and star power can generate initial interest, a movie’s quality and reception are ultimately what determine its success or failure. In the case of Mortal Engines, its mixed critical reception and poor audience response proved to be insurmountable obstacles.
Overall, the critical reception of Mortal Engines serves as a cautionary tale for filmmakers and studios. Regardless of a movie’s budget or pedigree, it is ultimately the quality and reception of the film that will determine its long-term success.
| Aspect | Score |
|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer | 26% |
| Metacritic Score | 44/100 |
| IMDB Rating | 6.1/10 |
Sources:
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=mortalengines.htm
https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mortal_engines
https://www.metacritic.com/movie/mortal-engines
Marketing and promotion of Mortal Engines
While Mortal Engines wasn’t the box office bomb that some predicted, it certainly didn’t bring in the kind of revenue that Universal Studios was hoping for. In fact, the film lost a significant amount of money, with some estimates pegging the final box office loss at around $175 million. One of the biggest factors contributing to this loss was the marketing and promotion of the movie.
- Heavy reliance on traditional marketing channels: In the months leading up to the release of Mortal Engines, Universal Studios heavily invested in traditional marketing channels like TV spots and billboards. While these channels can be effective at reaching a broad audience, they can also be expensive and ineffective at targeting specific demographics.
- Minimal digital marketing efforts: In contrast to their traditional marketing efforts, Universal Studios was criticized for a lack of digital marketing. This included a limited social media presence and minimal engagement with influencers and online communities.
- Competition from other films: Mortal Engines was also facing some stiff competition from other films released around the same time, including Aquaman and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. This made it harder for the film to gain traction and capture the attention of audiences.
Overall, the marketing and promotion of Mortal Engines serves as a cautionary tale for studios and the importance of investing in a well-rounded marketing strategy that utilizes both traditional and digital channels.
The costs of marketing Mortal Engines
According to some estimates, the marketing budget for Mortal Engines was around $120 million. While this may seem like a significant investment, it pales in comparison to some of the other blockbuster films released in recent years. For example, the reported marketing budget for Avengers: Infinity War was around $200 million.
However, it’s worth noting that the marketing budget for Mortal Engines doesn’t include some of the other costs associated with promotion, such as prints and advertising (P&A) expenses. Some estimates put the P&A costs for Mortal Engines at an additional $110 million, bringing the total marketing and promotion costs for the movie to around $230 million.
| Marketing and Promotion Costs | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Marketing Budget | $120 million |
| Prints and Advertising (P&A) Expenses | $110 million |
| Total Marketing and Promotion Costs | $230 million |
When factoring in the total marketing and promotion costs, the losses associated with Mortal Engines become even more staggering. It’s clear that Universal Studios invested heavily in promoting the film, but unfortunately, these efforts didn’t translate into widespread success at the box office.
Comparison with Other Post-Apocalyptic Movies
In terms of box office earnings, Mortal Engines failed to meet expectations. Its worldwide total gross of $84 million was not enough to recoup the film’s production budget, marketing expenses, and other costs. Its losses were estimated between $100 million to $125 million, according to various sources. This figure does not include additional revenue from DVD and digital sales, streaming, and licensing fees. However, compared to other post-apocalyptic movies, Mortal Engines falls below the average performance.
- The Hunger Games: With a budget of $78 million, the first installment of The Hunger Games franchise earned $694.4 million worldwide and the following three sequels grossed $865 million to $1.1 billion each. Its success was partly due to the popularity of the books, the casting of Jennifer Lawrence, and the relevancy of its themes of social inequality and resistance.
- Mad Max: Fury Road: Made with a budget of $150 million, this Australian action film directed by George Miller won six Academy Awards, including Best Costume Design and Best Production Design, and grossed $377.6 million worldwide. The movie was praised for its visual effects, stunts, and feminist subtext, and it revived the Mad Max franchise after a 30-year hiatus.
- Waterworld: This 1995 Kevin Costner-starring movie was notorious for its bloated budget of $175 million, considered the most expensive movie ever made at that time, and its underwhelming box office performance of $264.2 million worldwide. Its production was plagued with cost overruns, directorial conflicts, and mishaps, and the final product was criticized for its derivative plot and poor pacing.
Other post-apocalyptic movies that fared better than Mortal Engines include World War Z ($540 million), I Am Legend ($585 million), The Maze Runner ($348 million), and The Walking Dead ($1 billion in TV revenue). However, budget and genre are not the only factors that determine a movie’s success. Critical reception, cultural relevance, marketing strategy, release timing, and competition all play a part in whether a movie resonates with audiences and generates profit.
| Movie Title | Budget | Total Gross |
|---|---|---|
| The Hunger Games | $78 million | $694.4 million to $1.1 billion |
| Mad Max: Fury Road | $150 million | $377.6 million |
| Waterworld | $175 million | $264.2 million |
| Mortal Engines | $100 million to $125 million | $84 million |
Despite its commercial failure, Mortal Engines can still serve as a cautionary tale for film studios and filmmakers. It underscores the importance of balancing risk and reward, of investing wisely in talent and resources, and of staying true to the source material and the audience’s expectations. It also reminds us that every movie has its own journey, and that success is not always measured in monetary terms.
Analysis of Mortal Engines’ narrative structure
Mortal Engines is a visually stunning, post-apocalyptic adventure film based on Philip Reeve’s book series of the same name. However, the movie’s narrative structure has come under scrutiny as one of the reasons for its financial failure. Let’s take a closer look at how the film’s storytelling may have impacted its box office performance.
- The plot is convoluted – The movie’s plot is complex, with multiple subplots and a large cast of characters. While some viewers may enjoy a layered story, others may find it confusing and overwhelming.
- The pacing is uneven – Mortal Engines starts with a bang, but it struggles to maintain its momentum throughout the film. The story drags at times, which can cause viewers to lose interest.
- The characters are underdeveloped – With so many characters to keep track of, it’s difficult for the movie to give them all the attention they deserve. As a result, many of the characters feel flat and uninteresting.
Another aspect of the movie that may have contributed to its financial failure was its lack of appeal to a wide audience. Mortal Engines is a niche film that caters to fans of the book series and certain types of sci-fi enthusiasts. However, it failed to generate enough buzz to attract a broader audience.
Finally, let’s take a look at how the movie’s financial performance stacks up. Below is a breakdown of the film’s budget and box office earnings:
| Budget | Box Office Earnings | Loss |
|---|---|---|
| $100 million | $83 million | $17 million |
While $83 million may seem like a substantial amount, it’s important to note that theaters typically take about 50% of box office earnings. That means the movie likely fell short of breaking even, let alone generating a profit.
In conclusion, Mortal Engines’ narrative structure may have played a significant role in its financial failure. The movie’s convoluted plot, uneven pacing, and underdeveloped characters may have caused some viewers to turn away. Additionally, the movie’s lack of mainstream appeal may have hindered its ability to attract a wide audience. All of these factors contributed to the film’s $17 million loss at the box office.
Impact of Mortal Engines’ box office failure on the studio and filmmakers
When a film fails at the box office, it doesn’t just impact the studio financially, it can also affect the careers of those involved in making the movie. Mortal Engines, a 2018 film directed by Christian Rivers, is a prime example of this. Here are seven ways in which the film’s box office failure impacted the studio and filmmakers:
- The film was made for a reported budget of $100 million, but only managed to bring in $83 million worldwide, resulting in a loss for the studio. This impacted the studio’s overall financial performance for that year.
- The film’s poor performance meant that plans for sequels were cancelled. Actors, directors, and writers who were counting on future opportunities for work found themselves out of a job.
- Critics were not kind to Mortal Engines, and many reviews focused on flaws in the story and pacing. This likely impacted Rivers’ directing career prospects, as well as the careers of the film’s writers and producers.
- The film’s poor box office performance may have also affected the actors’ careers. Having a leading role in a flop can be damaging for an actor’s reputation.
- The failure of Mortal Engines impacted the studio’s relationships with investors, who are less likely to want to invest in future projects.
- Marketing and distribution expenses for Mortal Engines were reportedly around $150 million, meaning the studio had to work harder to recoup their losses. This may have resulted in less spending on future films.
- The failure of Mortal Engines had a ripple effect throughout the film industry, with other studios potentially becoming more cautious about investing in big-budget, high-concept films.
In conclusion, the box office failure of Mortal Engines had far-reaching impacts on both the studio and the individuals involved in making the film. It’s a reminder of how one film’s performance can have wide-ranging effects on an entire industry.
FAQs: How Much Money Did Mortal Engines Lose?
1. How much money did Mortal Engines lose?
Mortal Engines suffered an estimated loss of $175 million at the box office.
2. Why did Mortal Engines lose so much money?
There are many factors at play, including poor marketing, competition from other films, and mixed reviews from critics and audiences.
3. Did Mortal Engines make any profit?
No, Mortal Engines did not make any profit. In fact, the film lost a significant amount of money for its investors.
4. Who was responsible for the financial failure of Mortal Engines?
It is difficult to assign blame for the failure of the film. While the director and producers may have made some poor decisions, the ultimate success or failure of a movie is largely dependent on factors outside of their control.
5. Is Mortal Engines the biggest box office flop of all time?
No, Mortal Engines is not the biggest box office flop of all time. However, it is one of the biggest financial failures in recent memory.
6. Will there be a sequel to Mortal Engines despite its financial failure?
It is highly unlikely that there will be a sequel to Mortal Engines, given its poor box office performance.
Closing Thoughts: Thanks for Reading!
Thanks for taking the time to read about the disappointing box office performance of Mortal Engines. While the film may not have been a success financially, it still holds value as a creative endeavor and has its avid fans. We hope you visit again soon for more informative and engaging content.