In case you missed it (and according to the box office numbers, you probably did), WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS is the flick starring Zac Efron as a DJ trying to break into the EDM scene as well as Emily Ratajkowski‘s panties. Sure, there’s a sub-plot about his friends working for a shady Jon Bernthal and also a sub-plot about Wes Bentley as a music producer and . . . well, according to our review from Chris Bumbray, it’s all kinda “sub-plot.” The movie doesn’t have fun with its EDM premise and pretty much fails on all fronts, which garnered it a measly $1.8 million from 2,333 theaters. For those keeping track, that marks it as the worst opening of all time for a major studio release opening on more than 2,000 screens.
Warner Bros. executive Jeff Goldstein on the dismal release:
This was a passion project for Zac Efron, and we believe in him. Yes, the result was disappointing, but this was a small film.
Well, when your film is considered one of the worst of the worst, there’s not really much else to say. It may earn some money back in the Blu-ray/DVDmarket, but I wouldn’t hold my breath. The only movies that opened in as many theaters to do worse were the independent animated releases of THE OOGIELOVES IN THE BIG BALLOON ADVENTURE and DELGO, as well as the re-releae of SAW last year.
So what would you attribute to the extremely low attendance of WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS? Poorly-made trailers? Zac Efron trying to portray a DJ in the EDM scene? Other movies currently in theaters that look far more entertaining? It certainly wasn’t the worst offender on sites like Rotten Tomatoes where it currently sits at a 43% rotten, but in any case, it was enough to scare people off. Chris Bumbray stated in his review that, “Hopefully for Efron’s sake this will be quickly forgotten as this is about as dire as movie-going gets.” Judging from these numbers, that’s exactly what’s going to happen.
Yeah, I think I’ve seen enough.