Paramount and MGM’s big-budget biblical-era epic Ben Hur is expected to flop in the box office.
According to reports, the movie took $100 million dollars to film, not including the millions of dollars spent on marketing, and box office analysts are saying the movie is only going to make $12 million. Paramount argues that the movie will earn $20 million, which is still a far cry from the over $100 million spent in producing the project.
This movie flop should not come as a surprise as reboots and remakes have continued to underwhelm in the box office. Fox’s Independence Day, Disney’s Alice Through the Looking Glass, Sony’s Ghostbusters, and Warner Bros’ The Legend of Tarzan all flopped in the box office.
The movie is a 1959 remake, which featured Charlton Heston. The modern day reboot centers around the epic story of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a prince falsely accused of treason by his adopted brother, an officer in the Roman army. After years at sea, Judah returns to his homeland to seek revenge, but finds redemption.
Currently, on Rotten Tomatoes the movie has a 33% rotten score. Sandy Cohen from the Associated Press said, “In the age of the Hunger Games and ever-present CGI, massive scale just doesn’t have the impact it once did.” Entertainment Weekly said this about Ben Hur: “What has the passing of almost six decades given us? A fresh take on Ben-Hur that is more noble, dweeby, and neutered than a Sunday school in South Dakota.”
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