WTF Happened to Southland Tales (2006)

Richard Kelly’s SOUTHLAND TALES had one of the most disastrous film festival premieres on record. Going into the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, everyone figured it would be a masterpiece, as the expectations set by the director’s previous film, DONNIE DARKO, were sky-high. Instead, critics absolutely savaged the film, resulting in a recut and a VFX overhaul that Kelly maintains improved the film. Initially a Universal release, the film was sold off to Sony, who opened it in just 63 theatres through their Destination Films label and Samuel Goldwyn Films. If they saw it at all, most people saw it on DVD.

Years later, it’s achieved cult status, thanks to Kelly’s uncompromising vision and memorably eccentric performances by Dwayne Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, and Justin Timberlake. Yet, the film has gone down as a flop, and Kelly has only made one other film in the sixteen years since its release. So join us as we look at WTF Happened to SOUTHLAND TALES?