American Sniper with Bradley Cooper. Clint Eastwood won two Best Director Oscars, for Unforgiven (1992) and Million Dollar Baby (2004).
American Sniper box office: Controversial Iraq War drama to become top 2014 release in domestic market
Budgeted at a reported $58.8 million (not including marketing and distribution expenses), Warner Bros.’ highly controversial Iraq War drama American Sniper will very shortly become the top 2014 release at the North American box office.
Directed by two-time Oscar winner Clint Eastwood and starring three-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper in the title role, American Sniper – which many see as both dishonest and as rabidly anti-Muslim as its real-life subject – reached an estimated $331.8 million this weekend (down a modest 23 percent) in the U.S. and Canada.
Within the next week or so, American Sniper will surpass Francis Lawrence’s The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1.
The third installment in the Hunger Games franchise, Mockingjay 1 stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth. Its current domestic cume is $336.46 million.
American Sniper to trail Mockingjay – Part 1 internationally
Now, unsurprisingly, American Sniper – seemingly made to order for the American far right (just check out the film’s Twitter supporters) – has no chance of surpassing Mockingjay 1’s nearly $415 million international take.
Admittedly, the Eastwood-Cooper effort has raked in a highly respectable (estimated) $139.1 million overseas. The film has been assisted by its six Oscar nominations (including Best Picture and Best Actor), by the presence of the Silver Linings Playbook and The Hangover star, and by the ugly controversy surrounding its portrayal of the title character.
Next time someone tells you that nasty controversies sell, believe them.
Monday, March 2 update: according to studio figures, American Sniper earned $7.4 million (down 26 percent). Domestic total to date: $330.8 million.
Besides Bradley Cooper as U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, American Sniper features Sienna Miller, Max Charles, Luke Grimes, Kyle Gallner, Sam Jaeger, and Jake McDorman.
Birdman soars
Also worth noting, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), last weekend’s winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture, more than doubled its box office take compared to a week ago.
After tripling its number of theaters, Birdman scored an estimated $2 million. The Fox Searchlight-distributed, $18 million budget ensemble piece has to date grossed a not inconsiderable $40 million domestically. Plus an estimated $46.2 million internationally.
Monday, March 2 update: according to studio figures, Birdman collected $2 million. Domestic total to date: $40 million. Rounding things out, a just about perfect match.
Besides Best Actor nominee Michael Keaton, Birdman also features Naomi Watts, Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Zach Galifianakis, and Damian Young.