Much like its predecessor, it seems that BLADE RUNNER 2049 may have the "honour" of being considered a box-office disappointment, but at the end of the day, the much-anticipated sequel may also wind up costing producers quite a chunk of change.
According to a report by THR, Alcon Entertainment and its investors are facing about $80 million in losses due to BLADE RUNNER 2049's lackluster performance. Despite receiving glowing reviews, it seems that the Denis Villeneuve film had difficulty attracting a sizeable audience, and, when you take into account the film's $155 million budget, which is after rebates and tax incentives and doesn't include marketing costs, BLADE RUNNER 2049's $241 million box-office isn't looking overly impressive. Prior to the release of the sequel, Alcon Entertainment co-founders Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove told THR that the future of their company was hinging on the success of BLADE RUNNER 2049, saying, "This is a chips-in-the-center-of-the-table exercise." At the time, it was said that the sequel would need to clear $400 million in order to be considered a win. Yikes.
Again, much like its predecessor, it's entirely possible that BLADE RUNNER 2049 will continue to build its reputation as the years pass and those losses could be minimized over time. What do you folks think? Will we still be talking about BLADE RUNNER 2049 in thirty years? BLADE RUNNER 2049 is still playing in theaters, so catch it while you can and be sure to check out reviews from our own Chris Bumbray and Eric Walkuski.